Need a load suggestion

[Jim]

I've got one of Buckshot's 8MM 245 gr. molds. I've got milsurp IMR 4895, IMR 7383, WC 860, IMR 3031, WC 820, Unique and 2400. Any suggestions on which powder is best and a starting load?

[MtGun44]

Almost all ordinary military calibers will respond to 10 gr of Unique or
16 gr of 2400 under a cast bullet. These are light loads in any of the
'full sized' military bottleneck cartridges of the 20th century.

Bill

[mike in co]

medium 6'-6'6" pole, spinning reel, tie line around a lube groove, practice "casting"....lol
when you are done, add a hook or two, add fav bait( no lube allowed)......cast, set drag, pop top on a cold one......

that is one mould i was happy to get rid of.......beat me up beat me up......cast is suppose to be fun. heck someone cracked a stock whooting one of those.


mike in co

[Ricochet]

That bullet works well in all of my 8mm milsurps over a full capacity load of 7383. That's only about 37 grains. Can't remember offhand whether that was a 2.8 or 3.1 cc Lee dipper, but the bullet has to be seated way down into the case to feed in any of my Mausers. Gives a muzzle velocity in the 1700-1800 FPS range.

[felix]

Agreed, a full case of 7383 produces a fine load in the 8mm Mauser case. You pick the boolit/bullet. Absolutely do not crush this powder. If in doubt, leave a minor air space. Use drop tube or bang case to settle before inserting projectile. ... felix

[Buckshot]

................One of the best shooting 8mm's I have is a Turked German M1888 Commission rifle. Or in it's Turkish nomenclature a M88/14/35. One of the best loads I'd ever come across is that boolit cast at 14 bhn and loaded over a full case of Thunderbird TCCI 5020 surplus ball. A full case is 57 grs. From the 29" bbl it's good for 1975 fps. Burns as clean as anything and is match accurate. That may be more whumpus then you want.

But in the same vein, you really should try a caseload of your WC860. It's a bit faster then 5020 so you should easily average over 2,000 fps from a 29" bbl. I have a Turk M38/46 with a 24" bbl and 59.5grs of WC872 went 1922 fps with a SD of 5 and a ES of 11 fps.

Some other loads:

Surp 4895, 31.0grs = 1715 fps, 24" bbl
3031, 28.0grs = 1690 fps, 24" bbl
4198, 23.0grs 1660 fps, 24" bbl
SR4759, 20.0 = 1680 fps, 24" bbl

Another good accurate load is 40.0grs H4350 + GREX fill for 2100 fps a SD of 9 and an ES of 24 fps. This was a 29" bbl also.

Mike must have been thinking of me when he mentioned someone splitting a stock. For some reason I felt 2300 fps would be a dandy speed for this boolit to go. Don't ask me why, the whole idea just popped into my head. I used my M38/46 and WC852 (slow) powder to accomplish it. The slugs were cast of 18 bhn alloy. WC852 (slow) was REALLY a superb powder and I wished I'd have bought several more jugs of it. It was a very well mannered and predictable powder, with no vices.

WC852, all with GREX to fill, and thrown charges. Five shot groups

46 = 2003 fps
47 = 2047
48 = 2080
49 = 2110
50 = 2130
51 = 2152
52 = 2190
53 = 2225
54 = 2265
55 = 2303 I was REALLY ready to stop at this point!

None of the extreme spreads were over 38 fps and 5 of'em were less then 20 fps. The tang of the action did put a small split through the wrist of the rifle but it was easy to repair and is hardly visible.

................Buckshot

[NVcurmudgeon]

I've been up to 2,000 fps with IMR 4198 and Buckshot's great boolit, and found it a somewhat thumpish for shooting all day. 19.0 gr. 2400 at 1700 fps is a better fun load.

[Jim]

Alright!! Thanks, fellas, that'll get me started good!

Felix,
Yeah, I know about that 7383, been burnin it for years now. When I first started using it, I ruined a Uberti repro of a sharps carbine with it. Got a little too hot and caved in the front wall of the firing pin housing.