steyr M95 loads

[tkmoore1026]

I am trying to find load data for an 8x56Rimmed cartridge. I have 3031 powder on hand and I am using Lee .329 cast boolits. I have already opened the size up to .331 to fit my bore size. but I need a starting point for 3031 powder and an OAL. going by case capacity 40 gr seems like a good starting point with a 3.0 OAL.

I have tried other web sites and they were no help. I figured there were some others here with the strange desire to cast almost obsolete bullets for almost obsolete rifles.

[mpmarty]

What is the case capacity in ccs? to find out weigh the empty dry case then fill it with water and weigh it again. The difference is the ccs of the case one cc per grain of water by weight. Then we can correlate to some other cartridge. Pressures need to stay fairly low. I wouldn't just start with 40 grains of 3031 and hope for the best.

[whisler]

Mpmarty: Don't you mean 1cc per gram of water?

[Bret4207]

40 gr seems needlessly high to me. I haven't used 3031 in my 95, but I'd think something more along the lines of 26.0 would be a fair place to start. The case is large, but I'd consider something like 303 Brit or 30-40 Krag data relatively usable. Better to start low and slow.

[Bret4207]

Using my Google-fu and just picking a few hits I see reference to 40-45 gr 3031 with JACKETED in attempts to duplicate factory standards. Back waaaay off that. Like I said, use 303/30-40 data and start low and slow. I've found very nice results using the standard 13.0 Red Dot and a properly fitted boolit. If you can get your Lee 329 casting larger than .331 your have a better mould than I do.

[mpmarty]

Mpmarty: Don't you mean 1cc per gram of water?

No, I believe (and therein lies the problem?) that one cc of water weighs one grain.

[whisler]

Mpmarty: Just checked my memory and I haven't lost it yet.:D 1cc of water weighs 1 gram.(or approximately 15.4 grains)

[mpmarty]

Well I'll be fried. Thanks.

[Buckshot]

..............tkmoore1026, if you go over to the CB loads/Military Rifles forum and do a search on M95, or 95 Steyr you'll find quite a bit of loading info. Also the military Rifles forum. These things have been around for over 100 years. Used by that mish-mash of regional combined countries known as the Austro-Hungarian Empire originally. They were handed out to several other countries as war reparations after WW1.

They were arsenaled, re-arsenaled, stored, re-issued, used by front line troops and rear guard and ancilliary units etc & etc. When relaoding for these things they really have to be taken on a one by one basis, especially more so for cast as a cast lead slug won't put up with the things a much more forgiving jacketed bullet will. There isn't anything inherently 'bad' with the action. I converted a M95 with a trashed abrrel to 30-40 Krag and it is a very nicely accurate rifle. All the issues with the M95, and it variants chambered to 8x56R is in the barrel and that includes the chamber. You'll find that you're dealing with some really cast unfriendly dimensions you have to deal with.

For example say you pick up a Mauser chambered 8x57. You'll have a .315" groove and maybe a .324/.325" groove and a .326/.327" throat. In this instance you have grooves .004" deep and a throat that'll take a slug .001 to .003" OVER the groove diameter. Ditto maybe a 03A3 that's .301x.309 and a .311" throat. Pretty much in the same ballpark with dimentions like .004" grooves and a throat again 2-3 thou over th groove.

Now we come to the M95 Steyr (bless it's heart :-)) and it's an equine of a totally different hue. The bores all seem to be fairly consistent at about .315" give 'r' take a thou. However the grooves can be anything from .329" which I heard that one guy actually had. Or said he had :-) My M95 has a .334" groove and a M95/31 is .332". That gives groove depths (inclusive) of .019" and .017" respectively. That's an individual groove depth of .0095" and .0085". That's deep.

Further, the lands are about as wide as the grooves so your .315" bore makes up about 50% of the barrel ID, with the other half being whatever your groove happens to be. So when say, a .332" slug plows into the leade there is a considerable amount of lead being squeezed down and moved around. Also consider the throat. My M95 will easily chamber a round with a .338" slug seated. The throat is .340". The inside of a fired caseneck reads .341" [smilie=b:.

http://www.fototime.com/B28CF43324320EC/standard.jpghttp://www.fototime.com/D6D49829C838950/standard.jpg

LEFT: OAL 3.045" and chambered in the M95/31. Loaded in the M95 there is no engraving whatsoever. RIGHT: Oldfeller boolit originally seated to 3.140 OAL. In the M95 engraving marks are nil. Pictured as it appeared after being chambered in the M95/31.

So the throat and leade of these 2 M95 Steyrs is vastly different. You can see in the right photo while loaded in the M95 it barely touched the lands. Then chambered in the M95/31 it heavily engraved forcing the boolit backwards (see rumpled lead around casemouth) plus the throat scrapped the boolit as it was chambered.

So check out the 2 forums mentioned for additional information. You will be better served most likely by aquiring the mould from BRP specifically for the Steyr. The Lee C338-220-R might also work sized down if required, but it's lube grooves are .315" which is the common land size in the Steyr's barrel which means they may bottom out.

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

[tkmoore1026]

thanks i will check those sites out.

[Donor8x56r]

13.8 Gr of Red Dot,CCI primer,OAL-2.920,Lee WW cast sized .331

That's what works for me.