Author Topic: Does Anyone Cast for Their 8mm Mauser? (Read 642 times)

Dan Chamberlain · « **on:** November 10, 2004, 08:10:14 AM »

I have just come back from a weekend shooting several .30 caliber battle rifles whose owner likes to shoot cast bullets at reduced velocities. He gets wonderful accuracy for plinking at 50 yards with his Enfield and Nagants. I'm considering this for my 24/47 Mauser in 8mm. Anyone with any experience here?

Dan C

The Cast Bullet Kid · « **Reply #1 on:** November 10, 2004, 12:41:13 PM »

Indeed.
I have a CZ33 in which I shoot a Lyman 323470 RN and FN. I had one of the cavities converted from RN to FN to better put down on game.
Enjoy good accuracy around 1600fps however my barrel is getting a little rounded the edges of the lands so can't expect too much.
Loads of note have been 12gr 800X for 1600fps, 20gr of H4227 for same.

jh45gun · « **Reply #2 on:** November 10, 2004, 12:54:24 PM »

Yea I use Lee's C324-175-R . 16 grains of 2400 will also get you in that 1600 range and you can use it as a universal load in any case larger than a 303 savage.

Leftoverdj · « **Reply #3 on:** November 10, 2004, 05:31:52 PM »

Slug that bore before you buy anything to cast with. 8mm bores can be all over the place. I'm trying to salvage a Yugo 24/47 that slugs at .3273. Ain't got nowhere with it yet, but I ain't give up yet, neither.

jh45gun · « **Reply #4 on:** November 10, 2004, 08:13:37 PM »

Lefty, Lee has a mould for the 8x56. C329-205-1R. >329 should work for you.

Leftoverdj · « **Reply #5 on:** November 10, 2004, 08:49:42 PM »

Got that one, JPH. Problem is that the bore is too rough. I'm trying to lap the bore smooth without enlarging it much.

Dan Chamberlain · « **Reply #6 on:** November 11, 2004, 01:48:11 AM »

Thanks guys. I too have the 24/47 but my bore is mirror bright with good rifling. When you talk about low volume powder charges in such large cases, are you also using fillers or just loading them up?

Dan C

Leftoverdj · « **Reply #7 on:** November 11, 2004, 04:04:09 AM »

Dan, I try to avoid fillers, but I am not dead set against them. My usual practice is to start off with loads of the faster rifle powders that will give me roughly 1800 fps. If I can find a load that gives me better than inch at 50 yard groups from scoped rifles, I stop there.

It's when the groups hover around 1.25 to 1.50 that I break out the dacron fiber. I never use more than a grain and a half and I use it fluffed up to fill the air space over a charge one grain less than my best load without it to start. That can often settle down a load that is almost good enough.

My Chrony shows that dacron does raise the pressures a little. With cast bullet loads this is not a safety concern, but it is an accuracy concern. I have come to believe that CB accuracy is closely related to matching pressure to the alloy used. A minor change in pressure can cause a major change in accuracy.

jh45gun · « **Reply #8 on:** November 11, 2004, 04:05:01 AM »

I don't use any fillers. I am a newby at this reloading game using bottle neck cartridges. Have loaded straight wall for some time but just getting into the bottle neck scene. I have heard two many scare stories of chamber ringing using fillers expecially fiber ones so I do not do it. I know a lot of guys do and never have ringed a chamber but I do not want to take the chance . I like my guns too much. :grin: 2400 has the reputation of not being position sensitive so you can shoot it with out fillers or tipping your gun up every time you shoot to position the powder. I have not tried it yet but I have heard good results of SR 4759 and is supposed to be a good powder for cast also.

Leftoverdj · « **Reply #9 on:** November 11, 2004, 11:55:26 AM »

JH, I pretty much agree with you, but we're into one of the exception areas here. Should have mentioned this in my previous post. I only use fillers in rifles that won't make me cry if I do ring a barrel. Hundred dollar milspurp comes into that category. So do Handis with their readily available hundred dollar replacement barrels.

It's all a matter of risk benefit ratio. I ain't gonna go using filler in a thousand dollar rifle with a barrel that can't be replaced, but I don't mind the slight risk if it gives better results in the cheap stuff I mostly shoot.

jh45gun · « **Reply #10 on:** November 11, 2004, 01:43:21 PM »

While Your post makes sense Lefty as far as using only cheap guns if you want to take the chance not much lost if it does happen. I like my milsursps and do not want to have to have a problem with them. As far as rebarreling them they are not worth the cost as you say they are cheap so I would not go that route it would cost more money to rebarrel them than what it would be to buy a other one. Be different if I had the guages and the tools to do it but I do not plus I live in a apt so setting up a shop is out of the question. I figure I am lucky to have my table top drill press here with out raising eye brows.

My Turk 98 has like a brand new barrel on it so I sure as heck would not want to take a chance on that either. The only time I use a wad for my shooting is with muzzle loaders. Since I use 2400 a lot for a universal loading I do not have to worry about fillers anyway. It may cost me a bit more in powder if I try some differentt kinds but I feel more safer that way. Too each their own though if some one wants to use them it is their guns not mine so who am I to say wether use them or not. I just won't. Jim