8mm MAX opinion

[Kuato]

I cast some 8mm MAX boolits up & was checking the diameter as cast. They run ~.326". My bore slugs .323".

Here comes the opinion part. Can I load em as cast? Or should I just go ahead & get a sizing die in .323/.324?

The alloy I use is WQWW. Nuthin fancy. The powder I'm loading with is WC860. I'm not looking for factory velocities with this slug, just a modest load. The rifles are a Yugo 24/47 w/ mint barrel & a Turk Mauser also w/ mint barrel.

What do you guys think??

[Larry Gibson]

Push one of the unsized bullets into the throat (that's the cylidrical freebore part in front of the chamber) through the chamber so the front driving band is slightly engraved by the leade (that's where the rifling starts). Push this bullet back out through the chamber with a rod from the muzzle. Mic the diameter of the driving bands. Get a sizer .001" smaller than that diameter which allows for spring back of the sized bullet. This gives a perfect "slip fit" into the throat so the 8mm Max can be seated out to the leade or slightly engraved by it.

Larry Gibson

[Bullshop]

One mans opinion, If they chamber freely shoot them. With that slow powder the extra resistance to engraving may help with a more uniform burn. I would use a magnum primer too. You cant fit enough of that powder in an 8x57 case to get into any trouble Your only looking at .0015" on each side anyway.
If you can recover a boolit and check the base for finning. As long as your not getting fins at the base from metal being displaced by the lands you have the potencial for good accuracy. If you are getting fins I would reduce the diameter by .001" increments until there are no fins. If sizing becomes neccessarry I would size those WCWW emediatly after casting and not give them time to harden.
One mans opinion, thats all it is.
BIC/BS

[SharpsShooter]

One mans opinion, If they chamber freely shoot them. With that slow powder the extra resistance to engraving may help with a more uniform burn. I would use a magnum primer too. You cant fit enough of that powder in an 8x57 case to get into any trouble Your only looking at .0015" on each side anyway.
If you can recover a boolit and check the base for finning. As long as your not getting fins at the base from metal being displaced by the lands you have the potencial for good accuracy. If you are getting fins I would reduce the diameter by .001" increments until there are no fins. If sizing becomes neccessarry I would size those WCWW emediatly after casting and not give them time to harden.
One mans opinion, thats all it is.
BIC/BS

Make that two men.:grin: I have to size the nose down on mine to bed able to seat them out correctly, but otherwise leave them alone.

SS

[Bret4207]

Make that 3 men. I wouldn't hesitate to shoot them .003 over as long as you're not seeking heavy loads.

[Larry Gibson]

Make that 3 men. I wouldn't hesitate to shoot them .003 over as long as you're not seeking heavy loads.

Bret, not wanting to argue here but kuato says his bullets drop at .326 and the bore is .323. Now I understand Bullshops alternative opinion that the throats may be large enough for the .326" bullets to "chamber freely". The throat of kuato's rifle may be that large. but if it's not then let me ask; given the long throats of most 8x57s if the bullet is possibly .003" over size from the throat also then it isn't going to fit into the throat, correct? If that is correct then that 8mm Maximum is going to have to be seated very, very deeply, correct? Is that good?

Larry Gibson

[Kuato]

Thanks for the info fellers. As they drop, I have to seat em past the neck to chamber in any of my Mausers. I'm not gas checking them due to the fact that 1: I don't have any & 2: i'm not really looking at driving them faster than ~1700fps.

The boolits seat JUST past the neck & the rifling engraves lightly on the boolit when chambered. Theres no way for me to recover the boolits as I'm cursed to have to go to a public range. So I'll just check function & accuracy. I really appreciate your opinions on this guys, Thanks.

[Bullshop]

YOU CAN INVERT THE BOOLIT IN YOUR SIZER PRESS WITHOUT LUBE PRESSURE AND SIZE ONLY THE LEAD DRIVING BAND SO THE BOOLITS MAY BE SEATED OUT FARTHER.
Oopa sorry bout the cap lock thingy.
Anway I do it quite often, make a two diameter boolit.
bic/bs

[SharpsShooter]

Bullshop, you musta loaded for a Mauser or two. I had Bucksnort make me a "nose die" It fits in the Lyman 45 like any other H&I die, but has no lube holes. I roll them between my fingers to apply a tiny bit of bullplate. The boolit goes in nose first of course and I seat the gas check at the same time using a flat nose punch to press the boolit flush with the die mouth. Gas checks are perfectly straight and tight. All I do then is lube them with NASA in a
.326 die and load em up.


SS

[Bullshop]

SS
Good on ya mate! I see your using all the right supplies!
Blessings!
BIC/BS

[rhead]

Sized to a tad over .326 and seeated to the longest length that will feed from the mag. works fine in my turk which has a .323 bore. I am not familiar with the yugo throats. Measure the inside dia. of several fired cases (there will be a little spring back) to get an idea of the throat size, and get a lee push through sizer and open it up to fit your own rifles throat.

[Bret4207]

Bret, not wanting to argue here but kuato says his bullets drop at .326 and the bore is .323. Now I understand Bullshops alternative opinion that the throats may be large enough for the .326" bullets to "chamber freely". The throat of kuato's rifle may be that large. but if it's not then let me ask; given the long throats of most 8x57s if the bullet is possibly .003" over size from the throat also then it isn't going to fit into the throat, correct? If that is correct then that 8mm Maximum is going to have to be seated very, very deeply, correct? Is that good?

Larry Gibson

I thought it went without saying, after Dans post, that the boolit should be able to chamber freely. My bad if I misled anyone. I have no issues with the boolit extending into the case a fair amount. It depends on the particular load, but I've seen no ill effects, as of yet any way, from having the base below the neck.

As for the boolit fitting the throat as long as things are large enough, but not too large, then it should fit. He says he's got light engraving so the nose section should be well supported in the throat and not too small. .003 over bore, depending on how accurate his measuring is, isn't enough to make a difference at normal cast speeds and pressures IMO. The barrel is the ultimate judge of this. He may well find he needs to size, but I wouldn't hesitate to try it as is.

[Phil]

I don't know if the VZ throats are shorter than most but I think they must be. I have to size the Max nose first in a .321" die except for the last two bands. Then I put a .325" die in the Lyman and size (base first) the bottom bands and install the gas check. You still have to seat the bullet base below the neck/shoulder somewhat, but they shoot pretty good (2/3moa in as issued guns at 100 yards) and I am just guessing where the rear sight is because I can't see it.

Cheers,

Phil

[SharpsShooter]

You still have to seat the bullet base below the neck/shoulder somewhat, but they shoot pretty good (2/3moa in as issued guns at 100 yards) and I am just guessing where the rear sight is because I can't see it.

Cheers,

Phil

I don't have my notes handy, but IIRC the nose die I have reduces it to .319. I tried to just seat themdeeper, but coiuld not keep them on a paper plate at 50 yards. The velocity was 12-1300fps and the few that did hit were tumbling badly. Seating them out fixed that along with a increase in velocity

SS

[Larry Gibson]

I thought it went without saying, after Dans post, that the boolit should be able to chamber freely. My bad if I misled anyone. I have no issues with the boolit extending into the case a fair amount. It depends on the particular load, but I've seen no ill effects, as of yet any way, from having the base below the neck.

As for the boolit fitting the throat as long as things are large enough, but not too large, then it should fit. He says he's got light engraving so the nose section should be well supported in the throat and not too small. .003 over bore, depending on how accurate his measuring is, isn't enough to make a difference at normal cast speeds and pressures IMO. The barrel is the ultimate judge of this. He may well find he needs to size, but I wouldn't hesitate to try it as is.

Bret

Once again we're on the same page of the hymn book and it was probably me singing out of tune:-)

Larry Gibson

[Kuato]

Update. I loaded a few rounds & they chamber & extract perfectly. I get light engraving on the boolit & don't have to force the bolt into battery. Tried these rounds in all of my Mausers for function & all the rounds fit perfectly. I guess all that's left is for me to get down to the range & see how they shoot.. Thanks for the opinions fellas!

[leftiye]

And of course we always adjust the powder charge so as to not get too much pressure. (BTW, this does not mean max pressure for the catrije when using lead boolits - not jacketed)