8MM Nambu - Where to begin

[Hanzy4200]

I finally nailed down a Type 14 Nambu for my WW2 collection. I don't plant to shoot this gun a tremendous amount, but I want to shoot it at least occasionally. I knew beforehand that this on would be a challenge, but wasn't quite expecting the lack of available equipment. The only dies I've seen are Redding, for $250. Seems like overkill for a gun I may shoot once a year. Only ammo is over $1 per rd. and looks questionable at best. Namely P.C.I., and that crap will never enter any of my guns. Bullet molds are a phantom, so I assume plated is the only option. Brass is expensive, but bearable.

To any of you who have traveled this road, are there any secrets I'm missing? Any other die makers? Can I form brass from say .357 SIG or something similar?

[Hanzy4200]

I should add that I will eventually be adding a Type 94 Nambu to the safe as well, so there is a little more incentive to figure this out.

[cwtebay]

Maybe a box of ammo from Buffalo Arms would be the best route? Several boxes would cost less than dies!

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[Patrick L]

Graf has dies for $179. Still mucho dinero, but less than $250!

[sigep1764]

https://www.steinelammo.com/product/8x22mm-nambu/

Theres some cheap brass for you. For boolits, I would have Tom over at Accurate cut a 32ACP mold to .322 in the 80 to 90 grain range.

[bedbugbilly]

I don't have/shoot a Nambu but a few years ago, I picked up a RCBS 8mm Nambu mold that casts a .323 bullet. It's a pricey mold and I snagged it at a bargain rate to cast up lightweight boolits to shoot in my old 1907 Danzig GEW98 Mauser for plinking. Unfortunately, I am currently in Arizona, am facing some surgery and have no idea of when we are going to make it back to Michigan to our place there where the mold is, or I would volunteer to cat you up some. As you start rounding things up to load for it, maybe you could put a WTB here in the WTS/WTS section and see what you could scare up? You never know what a person as amigo around that they don't have a use for anymore - dies, brass. etc. You also might look for a Lyman/Ideal 323-059 mold as that may work in your Nambu? Good luck!

EDIT: Midway used to carry the RCBS 8mm Nambu mold - I went to their site and looked and I no longer see it listed. They did carry one brand of 8mm Nambu brass but show it as out of stock. I checked my bullet mold inventory and the RCBS Nambu 8mm .323 mold casts a 110 grain round nose boolit.

[garandsrus]

I have started reloading for a friends 8 Nambu. Unfortunately, we haven’t been able to test any of the reloads because of the shut down. I found a set of dies cheaply after several months of looking.

I have reformed both 357 Sig and 40 S&W into 8 Nambu brass, but haven’t tried it in the pistol, as I mentioned. From the reading I did, some people say that you don’t need to reduce the case diameter, others do. I made a push through die to reduce the case diameter to match 8 Nambu.

Reloading data is somewhat hard to find, but I have some I found that I can email you. I have loaded plated bullets. The cost isn’t that high and I don’t think it will be shot a lot anyway so I don’t know if a mold would be worthwhile.

[Hanzy4200]

https://www.steinelammo.com/product/8x22mm-nambu/

Theres some cheap brass for you. For boolits, I would have Tom over at Accurate cut a 32ACP mold to .322 in the 80 to 90 grain range.

Thanks! That's the best I've seen.

[Hanzy4200]

Graf has dies for $179. Still mucho dinero, but less than $250!

Out of stock. Will keep an eye on them though.

[Mk42gunner]

CH4D has or will make them. If I am reading their website correctly they will cost ~$130.

I don't have any of their recent dies, but the ones I have are well made.

Also, I think you can use .357 Sig as a parent case; which should be a lot easier to find and convert than .30 Remington.

Robert

[abunaitoo]

I used to have a T14 and a T94 a long time ago.
Wish I never sold them.
I liked the T94 better.
If I remember correct, it used a larger diameter bullet than .323.
.325????
I forget where I got them from, but they did shoot good.
I also got the Nambu mold from RCBS.
Did try it, but never got around to really working on it.
I've heard you can make cases out of .375 auto(?), but I never did.
Dies are hard to find these days.
I'm hanging on to mines, hoping a nice T94 will show up.
I even have some old Nambu brass head stamped Midway.
Miss the good old days.