Yesterday's Weapons Forums

I am just starting to slowly accumulate stuff for reloading. I have used PPU and Nazi milsurp brass. What tool is recommended for taking the primers out? I will probably purchase the Lee breech lock press kit for reloading because its the least expensive. Thanks for all responses. Eli.

The full length sizing die will have a decapping rod to poke out the old primers. The old German ammo uses Berdan primers which are a whole different ball game.

You mention you are just getting started, but please forgive me if I become too basic. PPY or Hornady brass is boxer primed. The flash hole in in the center of the case for easy removal by the decapping rod.

Berdan primed brass - like the old German stuff - uses two small flash holes which means your decapping rod would quickly be ruined if you used it on this ammo. The primers are also a different size. Closely examine all your brass in any caliber to be sure none of it has the two holes. This applies mostly to cases you find at the range, but I have noticed it in quantities of brass I get at garage sales, too.

The Berdan brass can be reloaded, but you need a dedicated decapping tool. RCBS makes one. There's a method that involves filling the case with water & blowing the old primer out by hydraulic pressure, but it's way messy and really not worth the effort. Finding Berdan primers can be problematic, too. Ordering them might mean paying a haz mat fee.

Unless you can get Berdan supplies locally, you are better off to reload boxer primed cases only. Typically, only the most obscure Euro calibers are worth the bother of getting the different supplies. SW

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Slava Ukraini!!

+1 to NebrHogger on Berdan primers. You will be much better served by using only Boxer primed cases. I would recommend that before you start reloading anything, you read and understand a good text on reloading. An excellent starting point is "Modern Reloading" by Richard Lee. This is a fairly easy to understand guide that covers all of the basics but them goes into detail on a number of advanced topics. The second half of the book is an extensive listing of calibers and loads for them.
Most of all, be prepared to take your time and get it right the first.

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David

"We are not interested in the possibilities of defeat; they do not exist"
Victoria 1899

Thanks for the responses! I will use PPY and Hornady ammo. Will start to look for a full length sizing die! Thanks for the berdan and boxer explanation, Eli

As a side note, you easily reform 7,62 x 54 as well. Just run it through the sizing die & load. The first firing will blow out the shoulder to fill the chamber. Necks come up a bit short but function fine.

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It's 5 o'clock and it's watermelon time.....................
because you can't drink beer & load rockets - TXPete

Oh cool that's good to know. I have a crapload of 7.62 brass. Is the full length sizing die I am looking for the Lee Precision one that comes with a dipper? Where do you guys order your stuff from? Grafs, Buffalo Arms? Thanks for the help! Eli

Grafs is my fave because of the fixed shipping price. When you order, also get a tin of imperial sizing wax. Works great for forming cases & a tin will last several years.

Bruce is right - the 7.62x54 can be used by running through the 8x56R FL die and fire forming. A lighter load is best for that. Mastadon whackers later!

I use the Russian cases for 8x50R, too. Easy as pie! SW

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Slava Ukraini!!

Yep.. here's my 8 x 50 pic



Stock, resized, fireformed & trimmed, loaded & a factory round from the 20's

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It's 5 o'clock and it's watermelon time.....................
because you can't drink beer & load rockets - TXPete

Nice pic Et2ss very cool. I got some H414 powder, it looks like that might work, from my internet searchings. Has anybody used that? I have been reading the ABC's of reloading over and over! fun stuff!

I've had a little experience handloading this cartridge. Yes, the 7.62x54R cases may be used but they are not my preference. They are not quite long enough and after expanding them to approx. .329 size, the brass in the mouth area thins a little. Both of these issues are critical when loading the 8x56R because it has such a short bearing surface for holding the bullet. You need all the bearing surface you can get with this one for proper bullet pull (tension between the case and the shank of the bullet). The 7.62x54R is better suited to being adapted to the 8x50R, which is shorter and has a longer bearing surface for the bullet.

Ditto on not using the Berdan primed German cases. It's just too much trouble when you can get Boxer design materials. Graf's still sells new 8x56R cases made in Serbia. They aren't cheap, about $50 for 100 of them. BUT: Once you buy 100, that's probably about all you'll need. I don't think many people go out and blast away several hundred rounds at a time with these rifles. My opinion is that the $50 for 100 new cases is preferable to investing in reloading Berdan. Unless of course you plan to handload other stuff that is Berdan primed.

In my experience and that of others, ball powders such as 414 are not the best choice for 8x56R. You'd be better advised to use a medium to slow stick powder. I've done a lot of loading of this cartridge using many different propellants and one of my favorites is IMR 4320. I like 44.0 gr., with a 200 to 205 gr. bullets. I don't have my notes handy, but I think it gives about 2,200 fps. +/-. You're never gonna match the 8mm Mauser in velocity with this one, because it just isn't in the design. Slower powders like 4350 and 4831 work well; you can't get enough slow powder in this case to blow the rifle up. I think a charge of 48 grains of 4831 just about fills it and at that, you're only gonna be going around 2,000 fps. Using a slow powder also results in a more comfortable load to shoot. The burning curve is such that it doesn't batter the shooter. I also like IMR 4895 for the 8x56R, about 40.0 to 42.0 grains with the 200 or 205 gr. bullet.

Grafs has the .330 jacketed bullets made by Hornady, they cost about what other HP rifle bullets cost, a bit under $30 per 100. Before we could get these easily in the US, I resized .338 bullets down to .330. That's when I could find .338's in the bargain bins at gun shops because they were a slow mover but those days are over. Bullets are no longer found in the bargain bins.

Thanks that is some great info. I was wondering about the H414. I really like my Steyr M95 and I wanted to try and make some rounds that didn't kick so hard. I am just getting an order together for Grafs. I will probably get powder at the next gun show to save on shipping. I have about 40 rounds of the PPU brass, which I will start with. Thanks again, Eli

Yes, there is the quest for finding a load that doesn't beat you up too much. I've tried all kinds of approaches to reduced loads, cast bullets, etc. What it came down to for me is that sealing the neck with enough pressure so as not to get gas back in your face is critical with this one. IMR 4895 is one of those powders that has a lot of inherent flexibility to it, meaning you can adjust loads downward safely quite a bit, approx. 2/5 as a general rule. I've loaded some very comfortable loads for the 8x56R with 4895, around 35.0 gr. and it still seals the case mouth properly. Of course you lose a lot of velocity but this doesn't matter much with our application of the arm.

One of the issues with the M95's is sight regulation. So often they are equipped with a front sight that presupposes a firefight at 2,000 yards and you struggle to get the point of impact down. I bought an aftermarket sight from Brownell's that is taller which made my work easier.

That is good to know about the sights and the velocities. Do you know if that Lee Breech lock hand press kit is sufficient to do the job? I have that, the hornady .330 bullets and the 8x56r full length die in my cart. I will look for powder and primers at the next gun show in about a month. Thanks again, Eli

I don't have any experience with the Lee hand-held press. Resizing cases is the step in reloading that requires the most force/press leverage so I imagine that this is where you'd notice a lot of difference. As ever, adequate case lube is important and perhaps even moreso with a hand-held device.

If you plan to do more loading in the future, I'd recommend a bench-mount press. That is, if you have the room for it.

Hello. In the past I did a lot of reloading with this cartridge, first is to start at a starting load with Mag. primers, I had too many case's blow back, and pepper my forehead with blood, that's the good side some can burn hot enough to take your face with the bolt of the gun. I have used many powders from from IMR 4198-IMR4350 most published under my username. I had a lot fun with this Cartridge.