320366 in 8x57 mauser

[CHeatermk3]

I have an M48-A Mauser I bought from AIM surplus that will not feed from the left side of the magazine with anything except military-style FMJ bullets. Luckily I own an Ideal 320366, looks like a clone of the military FMJ, that feeds fine. The mold casts boolits of 324-325 dia which shoot OK at 50 yds over 26 grains of 5744 (WTB posted for multiple-cav mold).

I'm looking for load info that uses slower powder as I'm concerned about the long, non-bore riding nose slumping.

Anyone with experience using powders of slower burn rates, like H322-IMR4350 range?

I have lots of choices on hand H322. a4350 I4350, Alliant RL17, A2200 etc.

Thanks in advance for helpful replies!

[Ben]

My experiences with bullets of this style is that when you exceed about 1,600 fps, accuracy heads south fast.

You may better off with powders like 2400, 4759, 5744 ? ?

[CHeatermk3]

I'm open to suggestion regarding remedies for my feeding issue, including other boolit styles. The Privi 196 grain Jacketed RN semi-spitzer stuff I bought won't feed from the left side of the mag either.

[Ray1946]

I am curious; what kind of velocity were you getting from 26 grs. of 5744? Sounds like a pretty healthy load.....................

[CHeatermk3]

Yeah, it would be in an '06 but it's a start-level charge in 8x57mm for a 190 gn boolit, but not the one I'm talking about, from the Lyman 4th edition cast bullet handbook. It lists 25.5 gn 5744 as a start load and lists a "book"" velocity of 1725fps and a max of 34.0gn, this with the Saeco #081. My 320366 weighs 189gns avg dressed with my soft (15 BHN) rifle alloy. Haven't chronied yet because I was so happy it functioned thru a full magazine and hit what I aimed at that I shot it all up, at 50, some on paper but mostly at rocks behind the target stand and some leftover butternuts from last year. Hits 4" hi at 50 with the ladder set at 500.

Cast some more today and I'll shoot over my chrony hopefully tomorrow morning, with cured boolits I finished dressing up yesterday.

BTW that was 30 rounds done up a bit differently;10 ea un-sized but Lee Factory crimped; 10 seated in neck-sized brass flared with the needle-nosed-pliers method and 10ea flared the same but seated deeper and roll crimped into what appears to be what some guys I shoot with refer to as a "trash groove". All same boolit, powder, charge and primer(WLR).

No apparent leading visible in the bore or on a dry patch pushed thru while barrel was still real warm.

[CHeatermk3]

Chronied 12 rounds of this load: 26.3 A5744 Fed 210 primers..
4 each with boolit seated to the top (trash) groove by hand and crimped in Lee factory crimp die. These were not sized first and my .3245 as-cast boolits were a snug slip-fit into the necks.

4 each neck-sized, flaired with pliers and no crimp.

4 each neck sized and Lee crimped. Shot off hand from 10 feet; shot in 3 separate strings with the chrony switched off and then back on between strings the average was 1865 fps.

[dogmower]

I shoot a saeco 190 grain boolit, PC, sized .326, over 33 IMR 4198. good, accurate, fast load.