NOE 9.3 group buy!

[Dave Bulla]

Okie Dokie guys!

This one took a little while but I'm thinkin' it was worth it eh? I figured I'd start a thread here so you all could post some shooting results and maybe some pictures.

Personally, I kinda jumped the gun by ordering a mold before I ever bought a lead furnace and the other gear needed so I'm still not set up to cast my own at home. Luckily, I've got a friend who IS set up and I can use his stuff but the cold weather we're having plays heck with casting in a cold garage. Funny things start to happen. I'm still glad I got in on this one though because after doing a lot of internet searching it seemed pretty obvious that 9.3 boolit molds were not exactly common.

Anyway, to start the ball rolling I'll post some pictures of my mold and then you all can toss in some of your own. I'd like to use this thread to sort of build a little archive of load data as you all experiment. If you post load data, I'd like to see the Brinell hardness, boolit weight at your alloy, "as cast" diameter, sized diameter and powder charge of course. If possible, the info on the rifle it was shot from too including twist rate and anything else relevant.

Okay, here is mine still in the box.



Contents out of the box. There's a little bottle of bullplate lube, a couple extra pins for the hollow point, two allen wrenches and a top punch fitted to the boolit profile. Lastly a bag of gas checks that appear to be of very good quality.



Outside close up.



Inside. Center cavity is hollow pointed and the cavity on the right (the piece with the sprue plate) is gas checked.



Super close up of the inside.



I'm guessing most of you have gotten your molds by now but those of you who have not, it'll be worth the wait.

Oh, and here's one of my rifle. It's a Husqvarna 146 on a '98 Mauser action. Fixed sights and never been drilled and tapped. She shoots pretty nice but my eyes aren't what they used to be.




Dave

[No_1]

Nice looking rifle. Is it 9.3 x 57 or 9.3 x 62 or 9.3 x something else?

Robert

BTW, great pictures of the mould!

[Frank46]

Dave, first off I bought the same rifle you have. FN 98 action but was already D&T for weaver scope bases and the bolt handle had been altered for use with a scope. Then a couple years later got the dies, already have the 8mm brass. Then I fell into a den of evil folks (no offense meant) that had decided they needed a 286 gr cast boolit to shoot from their rifles. And somewhere I have an old redfield 3x9 scope. That NOE mold is sure pretty and the comments that were exchanged led me to get the mold. So now all I have to do is put it all together and am thinking of locating a old lyman 48 made for the FN action. I'm sure many a man has been led down from the straight and narrow when seduced with a good rifle and bullet mold.
Frank

[Dave Bulla]

The rifle is the 9.3x57 flavor.

Sure is mild to shoot considering the chunk of lead it throws.

I can't believe these old Husky's sell for as cheap as they do. One of the best bargains going today in vintage bolt rifles.

Oh, and just for added info, here's a link to a site that has about the most info I've found anywhere on reloading the 9.3x57. Still not a ton of info but enough. Look for the sticky a couple down from the top.

http://forums.gunboards.com/forumdis...rting-Firearms

[Gunsmoke4570]

Thanks for sharing! I just got a Husky in 9.3x57 and just cast some of the group buy boolits for it. Just waiting on some gas checks now!

[shooter93]

I haven't had time to cast with mine yet....maybe this weekend. Mine is a 9.3x63 so I'll use 35 Whelan data as a guide line I think and go from there. Anything in the 1800-2100 fps with accuracy would suit me fine.

[frykasj]

I haven't received my mold yet, Still waiting with baited breath. (stupid Canada Post...)

Dave, your rifle looks an awful lot like mine, but the one I have is a '96 mauser action.

[Dave Bulla]

Hey guys, just a heads up.

I'm thinking of trying to do a group buy on some Lee Loaders in 9.3x57 and/or 9.3x62 if I can get Lee to make them and wanted to let all of you who where in on the mold buy know about it since I figure you've all got the rifles and I know die sets are expensive for these.

If you do not know what a Lee Loader kit is, go to this link for the "Interest check, 9.3x57 or x62 Lee Loader sets?" in the group buy discussion forum. In it, there is a link to a video showing one in use. Here is the link.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=106537

Thanks,

Dave

[hornsurgeon]

anyone shoot this yet?

[seppos]

No..
-33 Fahreinheit in the termometer prevents it..

S

[Gunsmoke4570]

Had a lovely day today and took my Husky 9.3x57 out to the range for a test. My mold is a 4 cavity GC configuration. My boolits weigh 294gr with GC and lube. I found some data for a 300gr J bullet that was listed as a maximum. I am starting conservatively and reduced that load by 10% for my first test. I seated the boolit so the base was flush with the bottom of the neck. This gave me plenty of room in the magazine and chambering was not an issue. Next test I will seat the boolit out closer to the lands. I was pleased with the results overall. Accuracy potential is shocking. I was struggling with the sights (actually my eyesight) and narrow stock wanting to roll around in my sand bags. A summary of my results are below. Normal CYA applies : This data has proven safe in my firearm only, YMMV.

Bullet. . . . . . . . . NOE 9.3mm 294gr LFNGC sized to .368" with Carnuba Red lube.
Case. . . . . . . . . Re-formed RP 8x57
Primer. . . . . . . . Remington 9 1/2
Powder. . . . . . . IMR4895 42gr
OAL. . . . . . . . . . 2.975"
AVG velocity . . . 1854fps

Fired 4 shots at 50 yards to check zero. First shot on clean bore not included, next 3 about 1" POI 6" high at 11 o'clock.

Fired my last six shots at 100 yards. Three clustered into a 3/4" group. The other 3 were about 2" above the little cluster and those were about 1 1/2" (sights getting really fuzzy, whats up with that? LOL). So the target looked like I had 2 separate groups. POI still 11 o'clock about 8-10" high.

As I go up with the charge, the POI should come down closer to POA. Hope to run another test in a few days.

Gunsmoke

[Dave Bulla]

Funny you talk about two groups like that. I got similar results with my 9.3x57 several times. Five shot group, 3 in about an inch and two separate from them also in about an inch. And I too struggle to see the sights properly. I have not yet shot any hand loads though. I've got a set of RCBS dies on the way that I found on gunbroker for $95 shipped. At that price I did the buy it now and was glad of it. Should have dies within a week. I still have to get some handles for my mold and do the heat treat process mentioned in the directions. Can't wait to roll my own.

[Gunsmoke4570]

Those NOE molds make beautiful boolits! I have the Hornady die set. Any more when shooting iron sights, if the group has a vertical spread I write it off to the front sight fuzzing.

[hornsurgeon]

anyone else shoot this yet? i;ve loaded up some with 39 and 41 gr i4895 but have not yet gotten to test them, and probably wont for several weeks yet. i'll report when i get around to testing them.

[Cheshire Dave]

I haven't gotten to shoot any yet. I had soft alloy (10 bhn) in the pot, so I used it to break in the mold and tossed them back. Used up the alloy casting some 44s and filled it back with some harder alloy. Should be ready to go. Really like the mold. Mine does have a minor flaw, it leaves a slight ring inside the grease groove. All 3 cavities have it. Looks like a small chips on the cutter. The bullets all dropped out nice and were round and miked .3675 with the soft alloy. Anyone have any idea what the starting load for IMR4895 would be in the 9.3x74. Mines a Ruger #1. Plenty of jacketed info for it I'll start a ways below starting and work up.

[saskgunowner101]

Would anyone hazard a guess as to how much Unique could be put behind this boolit for a moderate load?

[ammohead]

Went out today for the first time.

50 yards, 9.3 noe group buy, 9.3X62, 42 gr of surplus imr 4895. FC 30-06 brass, winchester large rifle primer, a small amount 1 gr, of dacron fluff on top of the powder

same load same distance, no dacron.

same load same distance, 2 shots with dacron, 3 without.

Didn't chronograph this time. Will try to get some velocity readings next time. Needless to say I am pleased enough for a load that I basically pulled out of my hat. I will try some work-up strings next time too. The rifle is a model 98 husquvarna with iron sights and 24 inch bbl and a piece of firewood for a stock. But pretty is as pretty does!

ammohead

[Blammer]

That's some good stuff there!

[JDBrowning]

On the range today.

Shot 4 groups with IMR SR 4759 starting with 22.0 gr working up to 25.0 gr.
All groups at 100 Yd. 290 gr sized .368. My rifle bore is .3675. Mix is 9 lb WW,
1 lb Pb with 2 oz tin. Lube is BAC.

22.0 gr IMR 4759 WLR primer, Rem case. Vel 1486 group 2 1/2 inch.
23.0 gr Vel 1559 group 1 1/4 inch.
first 3 shots in 1/2 inch.
24.0 gr Vel 1627 group 1 1/4 inch
25.0 gr Vel 1678 group 2 inch.

Groups are 6 inch high and 6 inch to the right. Rifle is mod 46 with a Bushnell BDC scope so
no problem sighting in.

IMR 4895, WLR primer 35.0 gr VEL 1879 with a 2 3/8 inch group at 100 YD.
2 inch high and 2 inch to right. Scope is set for 286 gr J-bullets at 100 yds at 2200 FPS
and cast bullets at that velocity are on target. 41.5 gr IMR 4895 gives 2230 fps and shoots a 2 1/8 inch group on center of target. Will tweak this load for tighter group. Remember, these are my loads, in my rifle, and I do not recommend any of them in your rifle. Just look at Gunsmoke4570 loads with IMR 4895, 42.0 gr and 1854 Velocity where in my rifle 41.5 gr IMR 4895 gave 2230 fps. Be careful

[ammohead]

JDB,

Which particular 9.3 do you have?

ammohead