Novice cast loader needs 8mm help

[MontanaS]

Here's my situation. I have just been given an RCBS 8mm mold for a 170 grain bullet. The only powders I have are 4759, Varget, and 3031. What are the minimum and maximum charges with each of these powders that I could use with this bullet?

[largom]

The only one of your powders listed in Lymans 49th edition is 4759 with a start load of 20.5gr. and max. of 25.2 which is for a 165gr. cast boolit. I have never used Varget or 3031 in my Mausers but have found RL-7 works very well.

Larry

[jonk]

Any of the above should work fine but I'd try about 16gr of 4759 to start and work up... most of mine do well with 20 gr or so.

Maybe 25-30 gr of 3031. Going by memory there, feel free to correct me anyone.

No thoughts on Varget as i've not used it.

[mike in co]

i have used varget in 308...me thinks to start around 30 gr for 1500 + fps and stop at 37 to stay under 2000 fps.

no pressure issue( unless too low for a good burn)

mike in co

[MontanaS]

Thanks for the info. Another question. Would dacron filler be necessary? I have used 4759 with no filler in my 40-65 RB and it has performed well.

[Buckshot]

Thanks for the info. Another question. Would dacron filler be necessary? I have used 4759 with no filler in my 40-65 RB and it has performed well.

..............Try it and see. The only reason for dacron is to improve consistency, and accuracy. If you're getting that with it, then don't mess with it. So far as powders go you're in pretty good shape for the 8x57 with SR4759 and IMR3031. I'll sometimes swap the SR4759 for 4227, and have found excellant accuracy in many full power military size cartridges using 4198 & 4895. So something to keep in the back of our mind next time you feel like adding to the powder variety would be some 4198 and some 4895

..........Buckshot

[EMC45]

Varget is Awesome for the .308.....I have only used J bullets with it though.

[Baron von Trollwhack]

Make sure the mould isn't for the 32Special. I'm shooting the special bullet in a Comission rifle with low to mid-thirties grains of H4895 or Varget and get good 100 yard accuracy with near full velocity (for an '88). I also use 1/4 sheet of Mr Whipple's finest 2-ply, folded neatly and pushed down hard on the poo, er, ah, powder. BvT

[semtav]

Bill

talk that guy that loaned you the mold out of a little 4227 to try . that worked great at 14 gr in a 6.5. Maybe try 15 gr.

20 gr 4227 is working pretty good in the 40-65 also.

[TCLouis]

This is second post with same info, maybe it will post correctly.
This is based on the 175 grain GB mold, but should be a starting point with the 4759.

18.5 - 21.5 of 4759 with a boolit sized at 0.325" continued to get smaller and smaller groups til at a level of 22.5 grains it had a very . . . VERY loose pattern.

Did not get around to chronographing the load yet. After Deer season.
YMMV