Lee 8MM Max-250 gr?

[1Shirt]

Got the special order via Mid South of the 8MM Max that is listed at 225 gr, but mine came out weighing right around 250. Long, lean and mean looking, but will have to hope that my 1-9.5 twist will stablize the thing. Could not find any data for that heavy a blt., so loaded 3ea. with 10, 10.5, and 11 gr of Red Dot respectivly figuring that ought to be safe enough to see if the thing will stablize. Will frankly be supprised if I don't get keyholes at 25 with it. Am listing this as I am in hopes that there is someone else out there who has this mold that is droping at 250. Have sized these .325, Hor gc's, and Lars Red. If anybody has this mold and satisfactory tested data for the thing I would be greatly appreciative if you would share same. Thanks in advance to all who answer this thread.
1Shirt!:coffee:

[JCherry]

1Shirt,

A thread that may help is at;

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=32843

Have Fun,

J Cherry

[bearcove]

250 gr sounds good. I got one for paper patching in my 338-06 but haven't cast any yet.

[1Shirt]

Thanks J Cherry, good info. Will see what I get as a start with what I have loaded. blt is way to deep in cast to suit me, but proof is in the pudding so to speak.
1shirt!:coffee:

[dualsport]

250 gr.!?! I've got one coming, I hope mine isn't that heavy. I guess it is what it is, but how the heck can it be that far off from spec?

[Ricochet]

Mine came out at 253 grains. I've just loaded up a batch with 7383. I've always had trouble getting these to feed. Meplats hang on the back edge of the chamber. This current batch I left at the as-cast .327" diameter, crimping the checks on with a .30 caliber Lee Factory Crimp Die adjusted to crimp the check at boolit diameter. No more trouble than using a Lee push through sizer die.

[bearcove]

250 gr.!?! I've got one coming, I hope mine isn't that heavy. I guess it is what it is, but how the heck can it be that far off from spec?

Can you say "LEE".:bigsmyl2:

[richbug]

Mine comes out at 250, I am using 45 grains of H4831. They stabilize fine, very accurate. Quite a wallop out of an under 7# rifle, on both ends.

[Ricochet]

One reason is that Lee bases their weights on 1/10 tin/lead alloy, which few casters use. Most boolit alloys nowadays are denser.

[Ricochet]

I just shot 30 of those at about 1850 FPS out of my 1946 Turkish Mauser, which feeds them well.

[dualsport]

UPS brought my new toys, a 8mm Mx., 6.5 cruise missle, and .22 bator! Oh boy, am I anxious to do some casting! I expect mine will be the same, around 250 gr. May be a good candidate for using up some 5010 and 860, we'll see. So you guys that have already shot yours, good groups? How about feeding from the magazine? I have several 8mm Mausers, including a Turk. They're hungry.

[Ricochet]

This Turk feeds them without a hitch. I've had hangups in several of my other Mausers.

[PAT303]

I ordered one and hope like hell it casts 250 grn,if you want small boolits shoot small calibres.8x57's are a mans gun!!!. Pat

[sav300]

Ok folks,what would be a good all round weight for the 8mm?I shoot a lee 175gn and 13gns reddot and am happy with the result at 50 yards.Am shifting to 100 yards this weekend on most of my cast shooting.

[Bret4207]

I like the 8MM Karibiner. It's a little lighter than the Max, feeds great and works better for hunting than the Max. 13.0 Red Dot works great as a starting load. You can always switch to bottom end jacketed loads as you go heavier.

[GrizzLeeBear]

Ok folks,what would be a good all round weight for the 8mm?I shoot a lee 175gn and 13gns reddot and am happy with the result at 50 yards.Am shifting to 100 yards this weekend on most of my cast shooting.

You already have a good all around boolit for the 8mm. I've been shooting the Lee 175 with 19 gr. of 2400 (about 1700 fps). That load in my Yugo 24/47 will clean (all 10's or X's) the 200 yd. SR-1 target from a bench rest.
Your load is a very common load (Ed Harris' "The Load") and if it shoots good at 50 in your rifle, it should be good at 100.

[Ricochet]

There's absolutely nothing wrong with the Lee 175 grain 8mm. The boolit I use most is a group buy that was run a few years ago on one around 175 grains, rather similar to the Lee but with a small meplat. Feeds and shoots well in all my 8mm rifles. The reason I prefer it is that it's in a 6 hole mould.

[SharpsShooter]

I like the 250gr 8mm Max and 4198. It cruises along at 1650fps and shoots very well from my sporterized K98. I do have to go the extra mile and size the nose too


SS

[dualsport]

Got to cast up a quick little test batch with my new mold, they're dropping right about 240 gr. and .327, round as heck. My alloy is kinda rich in tin and antimony, I'll probably thin it out with some ww. I gotta get some 8mm gas checks right away, and some 6.5s for my new cruise missle bullets. Can't wait to try them out. I have a Swede that is tied for best of my collection and a Turk with a Lyman receiver sight on it.

[1Shirt]

Well, got to the range to test mine. Checked and Lubed mine weighed 253, and other than being seated deep into the body of the case looks ok loaded. Loaded 3 each with 10, 10.5 and 11 gr. of Red Dot as a start. At 25 ysd with 10 they went into under an inch. With 10.5 and 11 at 50yds, they went into about an inch and an eighth. I also loaded a series with 2400, starting with 5 at 16 gr., and then in one grain increments up, loaded 5 each up to 19 gr. At 50, most of the groups ran a bit over an inch, with the exception of the 19 gr. load, but I pulled one of the shots out to a bit over two inches. Think this blt with Bruce's two part nose or Paco Kellys nose softening would be an outstanding deer blt out to a hundred or so, in the 16-1700 fps range. Think I will have to order out one of the Karibiners. The 175 lee, and the 8MM Max shoot well, so probably ought to have the one in the middle as well. Don't know why I shied away from 8MM so long, as I am really enjoying this one. It is a M98 action, Sweden crest, 1/9 1/2
24" bbl, with a Redfield receiver sight, and (I think) a birch stock. Stock doesn't look like much, but is nicely checkered, and the rifle handles very well with cast. Now to try some of the other powders that you guys recommended. Will be interested in seeing if I can get an accurate load with the Max up to the vols that Ricochet lists. Always fun to work up a new rifle that is new to you even if it was mfg. in 1952.
1Shirt!:coffeecom

[wellfedirishman]

Guys, I am trying the 8mm MAX bullet to work in my Turk Mauser and having problems.

I cast the bullet with straight wheelweight, comes out about 250 grains. When I measured it, it was about .323 IIRC.

I loaded it over 16 grains of 2400, and got terrible keyholes at 50 yards. Figuring that I didn't have enough powder to stabilize it, I then loaded up rounds with 20 grains of 2400. Same result. It keyholes badly at 50 yards.

The rifle shoots superbly well (1.5 inch groups) with Turkish surplus ammo, which I measured at .323 inches. I don't think it has a loose bore, although I have not slugged it. The rifling looks pretty decent.

Does anyone have any input on this problem?

[richbug]

Guys, I am trying the 8mm MAX bullet to work in my Turk Mauser and having problems.

I cast the bullet with straight wheelweight, comes out about 250 grains. When I measured it, it was about .323 IIRC.

I loaded it over 16 grains of 2400, and got terrible keyholes at 50 yards. Figuring that I didn't have enough powder to stabilize it, I then loaded up rounds with 20 grains of 2400. Same result. It keyholes badly at 50 yards.

The rifle shoots superbly well (1.5 inch groups) with Turkish surplus ammo, which I measured at .323 inches. I don't think it has a loose bore, although I have not slugged it. The rifling looks pretty decent.

Does anyone have any input on this problem?

Slug your bore. I have a wartime Turk here with a beautiful bore, Sadly it measures .327" in the grooves.

All my pre-war Turks are .323 or .322"(1893, 1903, 1938's)

[wellfedirishman]

Thanks Richbug. I just checked my rifle and it is a 1941 KKale. Maybe that explains it. I will try the rounds I loaded in my other 8mm Yugo 24/27.

[Jim]

I have the same mold and a yugo 24. I made the mistake of trying to push it fast. My rifle just won't have any part of that. I slowed it down and it started printing.

[Kuato]

I cast the 8MM Max for my Mausers. The boolits drop 252 gr @ .326". I Lube with Alox & load em over 55gr of W860 with a win LR primer, no checks. Shoots great out of my Brno 98/22 & Turk.
No unburnt powder either.

The boolits are WQWW. no special alloys.

[Ricochet]

I plan to try mine with WC860 one of these days. Getting out to shoot's been a problem lately.