Loads for 8 X 57 JR in a German Drilling?

[ohiochuck]

Looking for information about cast bullets and loads for a drilling in 8 X 57 JR (.318 inch).
Which molds work well & what powder?
Thanks!
Jim

[Tatume]

Hi Jim,

http://omegacrossroads.com/GunCabinet/Drilling/schuler.htm

I'm embarking on a project to reduce 0.358" jacketed bullets to 0.348" using three dies in an RCBS Rockchucker press. I suspect you could reduce 0.323" bullets to 0.318" with only two dies. I've read that 0.323" bullets are safe to shoot in a J-bore gun if downloaded to about 2000 fps with appropriate powders, but I wouldn't do it or recommend it. If you secure a supply of appropriately sized bullets, I recommend you talk to the good folks at Sierra Bullets (800 223-8799) for starting load data. They will help you, and you can depend on their reliability.

Take care, Tom

[smoked turkey]

ohiochuck: since you know your bore is .318, I would attempt to get a mold that drops at .322 or so, size to .320 or .321. You can get an "M" die from Lyman to true and flair the inside neck to one or two thousands less than your sized boolit and you will be in business. You will probably be in the neighborhood of 200 grains with your boolit. I use the data found in most loading manuals for mine and since I have also slugged my bore to be .319, I use the approximate dimensions above and it works like it is supposed to. I don't like to shoot the larger bullets in the smaller bore for obvious reasons. That is why I recommend you use cast for your shooting and you will be golden.

[Nobade]

Sounds like a perfect use for paper patching .308" cast bullets. What is the actual bore diameter of those old 8mm rifles? If you had a bullet .001" over the bore and patched it to fit the throat you'd be set.

-Nobade

[eck0313]

I have a 200 gr mould made by NEI specifically for the 8x57jr. I size them to .319 with good results.

[Good Cheer]

Looking for information about cast bullets and loads for a drilling in 8 X 57 JR (.318 inch).
Which molds work well & what powder?
Thanks!
Jim

Just in case...
Did you slug it? Just asking 'cause it might measure .320 groove. If so, that can raise up all kind of interesting possibilities.

Found that .323 jacketed would shoot shoot great in a H. Barella 8x57 with a .320 groove but only lighter weights because heavies required squishing down too much bullet. And .323 cast boolits are just right. Haven't tried paper in it because the lead into the rifling is so very lo-o-o-ong. It's a '98 action and apparently was set up for long older style hunting bullets. Strangely enough though the Hornandy 170 grain .320 flat points don't shoot better than .323 diameter 150 spire points.

[Mk42gunner]

I don't know for sure, but I would try some of the molds meant for the .32-40 or .32 Special. I don't remember the mold numbers off the top of my head, but I would look very closely at anything labeled 319xxx in the mold charts.

For loads, I would not try to match bolt action velocities.

Robert

[mikeym1a]

People don't read very carefully sometimes. He asked about CAST boolits. I have 3 GEW 88's. 2 of them are .311/.318, the other is .308/.318. SO, depending on the bore size, you would use either a ..309/.310 wrapped in 16lb paper, which should come out pretty close to .320. The other would be .312/.313 wrapped in 9lb onion skin, which should finish out about .320. How much powder depends on how fast you want to go. That would be up to you. I envy you your drilling. Very elegant pieces. Happy shooting.

mikey

If you just want GC boolits, I took a Lee .314 sizer, and using a split rod and emery paper, eased it out to .319. You should be able to squeeze a .323 through it. If you are lucky, you might find a Winchester 32-40 mould on the net. I found one, and it throws really nice boolits at .319. Don't have it close by, and don't recall if it is plain base, or a GC. For my paper patching, I have found I need to make,or have made, the various dies I need. Slowly getting all the necessary dies together. Looking forward to warm weather to go shooting. Getting cabin fever. Making lots of stuff. Wanna try them out. :lol:

[Larry Gibson]

The Lyman 323470, the Lee C324-175-1R and the RCBS 32-170-FN are all good candidates for that drilling. They can be GC'd, lubed and then sized down to .318 - .320 easily. Or, if they will chamber then a .321 sizing may work just fine. I've played with the 322470 and 32-170-FN I a drilling I was fixing. It shot both bullets just fine as well as a GB C311291 that drops .317 bullets. The rifle barrel in this one is 8x57R 360 which is closer to a 32 SPL on steroids. Picture shows first 10 shots at 50 yards with the GB bullet. The groove diameter is .318 and those bullets were undersized so we see even an "undersized" cast bullet can shoot well. The 323470 and 32-170s sized .002 over groove shot no better.

Larry Gibson

916869168791688

[Tatume]

People don't read very carefully sometimes. He asked about CAST boolits.

Offering information in addition to that which was requested should not be grounds for chastising.

Take care, Tom

[mikeym1a]

Offering information in addition to that which was requested should not be grounds for chastising.

Take care, Tom

Wasn't feeling good when I made that post. Didn't mean to ruffle any feathers. But he did ask specifically about cast....... I have good days, and bad days, and those days when I am just being a s**t. sigh.

[Tatume]

It's hard to be mad at someone who's honest with himself! I used to hunt on property in Warren County. I believe the property belonged to one of the DuPont heirs. The owner was a friend of a friend, who was kind enough to give me permission to hunt without ever having met me.

[Reverend Al]

Remove the forend and then turn the barrel down and off the action ... turn it upside-down and check the proofmarks that will be stamped under the barrel on the rifle and shotgun barrels. The factory regulated bullet weight will usually be stamped in "grams" which you'll have to convert to "grains" weight and now you know the original weight of bullet intended for the rifle barrel on your drilling. To shoot to the sights you might want to try to stick with a bullet (or boolit) of that weight or close to it. In addition, if you look at the proofmarks you'll probably find something like "6/35" or "3 29" stamped under the barrels which will tell you when the gun was manufactured. Numbers such as "6/35" would indicate the "6th month (June) of 1935" or "3 29" would indicate "the 3rd month (March) of 1929" for example. It might vary as to whether the numbers are stamped with or without the separating slash. You'd want to check the chamber length of the shotgun barrels stamped under those barrels too, as they are often marked as "65mm" which is 2 & 1/2" in length (very common in European guns) rather than the standard North American 2 3/4" length. (If you want to research the proof markings on your drilling further go and have a look at "proofhouse.com" for more info on European proofs or have a read through a copy of the book "Proofmarks of the World".)

Slug the bore (and throat) to determine the diameter of bullet (or boolit) that you'll need. Then take some .303 British cases and using a # 7 RCBS shell holder with your set of standard 8x57 Mauser dies size them until they will slide into your chamber and then charge the primed cases with about 6 to 8 grains of Bullseye / Red Dot / 700X or any similar fast burning powder. Take about 1/4 sheet of toilet tissue and push it down through the case neck with the eraser end of a pencil and seat the TP firmly on top of the powder. Fill the case up to the mouth with bulk cornmeal or Cream of Wheat and then press another 1/4 sheet of toilet tissue into the case mouth to hold it all in place. Next time you go to the range (or out into a shootable area in the woods) fire form those cases in your drilling's rifle chamber. FL size the fire-formed cases and trim to length to square the case mouths and load with an appropriate powder charge and bullet or boolit. I'd advise that you stay on the conservative side when loading for this type of gun pressure wise, since break action guns are not as strong as bolt actions so I think that I'd aim for about 35,000 to 37,000 cups maximum to be safe.

Enjoy your drilling!

:guntootsmiley:

[Good Cheer]

Soon will be paper patching a Lyman 316275. Will post results when can.

[ohiochuck]

I order the Lyman 323470 mold Friday.
Thanks for all the replies!
Jim