Just a quick test and big surprise!

[jimb16]

Today I took my M24 Yugo to the range just to goof around and blast some ammo. I took along a few PC'ed loads too. These 8mm rounds were loaded with a bullet that originally was a gas check bullet but I used a 7,9 mm drill to remove the shank and turn it into a PB. These were the first I've shot using this boolit. I set the target at 50 yards since I didn't have any idea where it might shoot. The load was a 177 grain PB, PC'ed over 24.2 gr 4198. Imagine my surprise when after shooting all 5 rounds and walking down range I found 3/5 in the X-ring and the other two well inside the 10 ring. The Mauser still has the original barleycorn front sight so I wasn't expecting great accuracy. Looks like that old Mauser still has some great surprises left.

[Walter Laich]

Mausers are much like the 1911--a great design that has stool the test of time.

[OS OK]

Gee, that's good news. I'm waiting on brass to get started with a Yugo M48 and have jotted down your recipe.

Thanks, charlie

[runfiverun]

that's the same load I use in my 32 Winchester.

[jimb16]

I just finished trimming and expanding the case mouths on about 100 cases. I'm going to start load development with that bullet and powder combo and see if I can get that grouping even tighter. I've gotten tighter groups with a 170 gr jacketed RN so I know the rifle will perform.

[jimb16]

I bumped the powder charge up to 25.0 grains and it was disappointing. The groups at 50 opened up to 3 1/2 inches. The boolits are still stabilized (no tumbling) but the groups just aren't as good. Looks like I'm gonna have to back it down. I figure I'm pushing them to around 1850 fps, but I haven't chronoed them yet. I have enough of them left, so I can test the speed when the weather gets a little better.

[OS OK]

This is just me, but I'd back down 10 rounds at a time while progressively reducing that charge .2g. until I find them come back together without vertical or horizontal strings or fliers. Start trying in .1g. increments on both sides of the previous charge that brought them back together. This way you get the fastest round possible and shoot off the barrel node to boot…run the final load through the chrono and 'thats your Velocity' period. Too much time is spent trying to speed these boolits up without proper consideration for the barrel vibrations. We tend to get the 'cart' before the 'horse' at times.

charlie

[jimb16]

Sounds like a standard load work-up routine. But I'm still hoping to find a hotter load with the same harmonics as the light one. I want to see if there is a potent hunting load using this boolit and powder combo. Well I love playing with loads anyway, so I'll have fun doing it. And I might figure out the practical upper "speed limit" for my PC loads.

[OS OK]

Sounds like a standard load work-up routine. But I'm still hoping to find a hotter load with the same harmonics as the light one. I want to see if there is a potent hunting load using this boolit and powder combo. Well I love playing with loads anyway, so I'll have fun doing it. And I might figure out the practical upper "speed limit" for my PC loads.

I get what you mean but if you back down from the hottest load you can use, judging from the primer flatness of the edges, you will back into the first barrel node that is closest to the hottest round. Did that make sense?
I'm not telling you to start over with a ladder test, this is a shortcut for finding the 'fastest tuneable' load useable.

charlie

[jimb16]

I don't see any pressure signs and no tumbling so I don't believe I'm close to the max. I'll probably jump up a bit before I start down again. I see what you mean now, but I'm still looking for high end first before backing down to find the node.