8x57JR drilling success!

[NorthMoccasin]

I have been wanting a small game load for my Hubertus 16x16x 8 x 57 JR drilling for some time. I shoots full power 170 g jacketed bullets and the NEI 323 185gc with 24gr 5744 to point of aim at 50 yds, 1.5" groups with iron sights. I wanted a lighter slower load for small game shooting. I recently purchased a NOE 321-130GC mold and it is a real gem. I casts beautiful bullets and they really shoot! I have loaded 16-19gr SR 4759, and 6-11gr Unique with Dacron filler. 19gr 4759 and 11gr Unique were the most accurate, 1/4 to 1/2" groups at 25 yds. 6gr unique may be my load of choice, since it is quiet and shoots into 1/2" Best thing is all these loads shoot exactly to point of aim at 25 yds!

[Texas by God]

You know what they say- pics!

[sharps4590]

Gotta love it when a plan comes together!!! Ditto what Texas said!

[texasnative46]

NorthMoccasin,

Sounds like a really NICE gun.

My "little brother" (all 5'10" & 240 pounds of him, btw) loads me a 160 grain "small game load" for my Model 1917 (the so-called American Enfield) rifle & I use it in my Model 760 rifles too. = It works GREAT on BBQ pigs, coyotes, bobcats, etc.

yours, tex

[NorthMoccasin]

Thanks Guys! Pic's coming as soon as I figure out how to post them!

[kaiser]

I use a 175 FNGC cast with 18.0 gr of SR4759 powder. My NEI mold drops this bullet with an avg diameter of .319 so I do not resize it for my 8X57JR (my BBL slugs .318). I load it to an COAL of 2.950 after lubing it with Alox. I can't find my records on velocity out of my 25 1/2 Kreighoff drilling, but believe it to somewhere around 1800 fps; never-the-less, it is very accurate in my gun and shoots POA at 100 yards with a "course bead". Good luck with your loads; I read with interest, for there is little actual loading data for this cartridge anymore. Thanks for sharing your data!

[NorthMoccasin]

I size .323 175gr Sierras to .318 in a custom Lee push thru sizer lubeing them with case sizing lube. my best load is 42.5 IMR 4895. Shoots to POA at 100yd. Need to chronograph it but the deer don't seem to care! I also use a resized 32 cal CIL 170 gr round nose that I acquired a large quantity of 20+ years ago. I seat my NEI 185gr to 2.968 OAL BTW.

[kaiser]

NWMoc-thanks for your load data with the 175gr Sierra; I use a variation of this load with 44.0gr of AA2520. I also “snip off” the lead tip and “hollow point” them to promote expansion at lower velocities. (It probably doesn’t accomplish much over the standard configuration, but it sure looks cool!) I use a resizing die, as well, and have used mostly 200gr Speer 8mm bullets. I have shot several deer with this round at a muzzle velocity of 2350fps and found it very effective (I have not taken any game to date with the 175 Sierra for any comparisons). My drilling also shoots a Brenekee slug point of aim at 50 yards with the right barrel and I’ve have taken a few deer with this factory round and they don’t go far.

[sharps4590]

Kaiser, that's great your drilling shoots the Brenneke's to POA @ 50 yards. When they, Brenneke, brought them out in 2 1/2 in. guise a few years back I bought some to try in my 3 drillings. Wild is the word that comes to mind, and that at 25 yards.

[kaiser]

All my Brenneke slugs are 2 3/4" ones; I haven't seen any 2 1/2" for a long, long time (they're probably collectables!) I have also experimented with using 20ga slugs in an "adapter", and one out of two drilling's will shoot it 1" high at 50 yards pretty accurately, but only out of the more "tightly choked" left barrel (go figure?). I have shot one small doe with the 20ga (Winchester) slug and it put it right down; however, not unexpected for a short 30 yard "jump shot". I love to hunt with the Drillings, but I don't use them for any "high volume" hunts any more, like when dove hunting or "such"; for I'm afraid it puts to much wear on a rather rare action (expensive to repair!). Regards