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gschwertley
saddle soap
Posts: 1737
(2/26/06 3:53 pm)
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More Loading Data for 8x56R
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Intentionally or not, this website just may become the premiere site for loading data on this caliber.
When I was in Beatty, Nevada, recently, I had a chance to set up my chronograph and record some data. Following is a summary of my notes from this session.
The elevation in Beatty is 3,300 and the temperature was around 58 degrees.
8x56R Austrian
205 gr. Hornady jacketed spire point bullet (sold by Graf's)
35.0 gr. milsurp IMR 4895
Federal 210 primer
Average muzzle velocity 1531
Standard deviation 13.16
Accuracy was good with groups printing approx. 6 inches high on the target at 100 yards. This replicates similar data that I have tested before and is just as satisfying. This load has moderate recoil, good accuracy and very good SD. This powder charge leaves some empty space in the large 8x56R case, so muzzle elevation before each shot will give you about 50 fps more velocity. I purposely fired some shots with "powder up" (away from primer) and recorded velocities in the 1480 range.
225 gr. Hornady jacketed spire point resized from .338 to .330.
40.0 gr. milsurp IMR 4895
CCI 200 primer
Avg. muzzle velocity 1796
Standard deviation 22.39
Reasonable accuracy with groups 4 inches high from point of aim at 100 yards. Stout recoil.
225 gr. Hornady jacketed spire point resized from .338 to .330.
42.0 gr. milsurp IMR 4895
CCI 200 primer
Avg. muzzle velocity 1932
Standard deviation 19.51
Reasonable accuracy with groups 4 inches high from point of aim at 100 yards. Stout recoil.
205 gr. Hornady jacketed spire point (available from Graf's)
48.0 gr. IMR 4350
Federal 210 primer
Average muzzle velocity 1868
Standard deviation 26.89
Reasonable accuracy with groups perfectly centered on point of aim at 100 yards. With this slower-burning powder, recoil was fairly civilized.
200 gr. Hornady jacketed spire point resized from .338 to .330
39.0 grains Turkish pulled milsurp powder (1943)
WW primer
Average muzzle velocity 2045
Standard deviation 32.15
Reasonable accuracy at 100 yards. I have gotten better SD results using this powder in other calibers.
205 grain Lee mold RN lead bullet with gas check
16.0 gr. Alliant 2400
Remington #9 1/2 primer
Avg. muzzle velocity 1414
Standard deviation 5.97
This is a repeat of earlier tests. The results were approximately the same. I like the very low SD; good accuracy. The notion that this powder is not position sensitive was certainly not borne out in this test. The data above was obtained with keeping the powder down over the primer, elevating the muzzle prior to each shot. Intentional shots were fired with the powder up, depressing the muzzle prior to each shot. This resulted in smoked cases and muzzle velocities in the 1300 fps. range. This is a decrease of over 100 fps. With the powder down, not only were the velocities up, but the pressures were up some as well (without signs of over-pressure of course) and the cases came out quite clean with very little or no smoking. I have used fillers before, but find that I prefer not to. Their use has its own drawbacks; I don't mind elevating the muzzle for optimum performance so long as it's permitted by the range master.
115 gr. RN lead pistol bullet, sized .330 (Lebel revolver bullet)
6.0 gr. Alliant Unique
Rem. #9 1/2 primer
Avg. muzzle velocity 1054
Standard deviation 17.20
This is a sub-sonic load; very low report. Smokes cases; insufficient pressure to seal case. Wear your shooting glasses for sure. It's fine to use this data as-is, but I want to do more work on this as to accuracy. Also want to see how high charge can be taken before accuracy drops off. No doubt the sound barrier will be breached before that. Very position sensitive; loses 100 fps. with powder up.
115 gr. plated pistol bullet .330 sold by Graf's, made for Lebel revolver.
6.0 gr. Alliant Red Dot
Avg. muzzle velocity 1061 fps.
Standard deviation 42.54
Same comments apply to this load as to the one immediately above. Very quiet load, but nearly up to sonic level. SD high.
Final comments. Rifle used was an M95 stutzen, well broken in. The pistol-level loads still require more work to determine if they can be made satisfactory in all ways. Since they use components not originally designed for rifle use, it could be that we must be satisfied with their sub-sonic nature and accept the negative aspects such as case smoking.
With the rifle-level loads, I have concentrated on two powders that I like for this purpose a lot. The IMR 4895 gives good performance, even at reduced levels. I don't like the recoil from loads using 4895 when you get the velocity up.
Even though velocity is down a bit using a nearly full load of IMR 4350, recoil is more reasonable. This is a powder that I like a lot for 8x56R.
No excessive pressure signs were found in any of these loads, but do not exceed any that I have listed unless you know what you are doing. Use safe loading practices; these worked in my rifle but yours may be different.
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