The dilema of CoreyTheCowboy

Looks like the shoulder is a good 30-40 thousand beyond the original 30-06 position. That will be a bit more case capacity.

Okay, now comes the big test. Does the fired case chamber easily without any resizing? Just slip the rim behind the extractor and carefully close the bolt. Easy as can be��, slight resistance��, some difficulty��, not at all�� ?

I suspect it will go in and the bolt close easily. If it doesn't, try rotating the case a bit and try it again.

Ted

No issues clambering the fired case.

No doubt - and probably very high on the "cool" factor that he was after, and not much fear that anyone else has the same, unless that was just a practice run for the other guy's??

Cool factor is through the roof now ;) I inadvertently wildcatted a wildcat

KBAQppw.jpg

It's on the left beside a properly formed 8mm-06

Cory
 
The Ugly 323 Project is coming to an end.

Here it is, in all her glory

ZIZcdeD.jpg


Ugly rifles don't deserve me cleaning up my porch before the picture

I realize my rear sight is technically, in the traditional and proper sense backwards, but unless I wanted to grind away a pile of the sight, it has to go like that. I believe it just enhances the Ugly of it.

UO5YsfS.jpg


ZACrUVf.jpg


And here's the cherry on top, the Cowboy's Best Ramped Front Sight. Hand crafted by a millwright apprentice using only a VISA for the Williams ramp, a lathe, scrap metal and Loctite Black Max

xSfNANt.jpg


Cory
 
Had a chance to fire some rounds over the Chrony today. Readings from 7 feet. I'm not sure where the wonky readings came from as I had the same hold for all the targets. Changed the battery and it still happened...maybe I got a bad batch?

With 4320

55gr.
2624
2653

56gr. - 949
57gr. - 2764
58gr. - 1131
58.5gr - 1015

59gr. - 2875 SPEER BOOK MAX FOR 8MM/06 @ 2950
59.5gr. - 2886
60gr. - 1051


With 3031
50gr. - 2480
51gr. - 2567
52gr. - 2681
52.5gr. - 1078
53gr. - 2685
53.5gr. - 2691
54gr. - 2700 SPEER BOOK MAX FOR 8MM/06 @ 2910
54.5gr. - 2745
55gr. - 2780

Absolutely zero pressure signs with any of them, all had easy bolt lift, no marking on brass, primers all good. I only stopped where I did because I ran out of ammunition.

I don't really care what these did as I've got some Woodleigh 196 on the way, just more interested to see how they compared to the standard 8mm in my rifle (which with 45gr of 3031 did 2382 FPS).

Oh, edited to add I could cover each respective powder's group with my hand at 50 yards, but was more focused on not shooting my Chrony and since I have had enough accidents with this project already, didn't try to shoot groups and chronograph at the same time.

Cory
 
Wow! 2382 fps with the 170s and 3031 in the 8X57, 2780 in the 323CTC. That's 400 fps faster using the same powder!

Not too surprising, since the standard 30-06 will easily drive 170s that fast, but wondering why the 8X57 loads were so slow?

Ted
 
Wow! 2382 fps with the 170s and 3031 in the 8X57, 2780 in the 323CTC. That's 400 fps faster using the same powder!

Not too surprising, since the standard 30-06 will easily drive 170s that fast, but wondering why the 8X57 loads were so slow?

Ted


Thats what im wondering too Ted, Velocity is real low for a 8x57 and 170gr. I run 45.5gr 3031 with a 196 Norma plastic point in my 8x57 with a 22inch barrel and my velocity is 2550 fps.

I also run 170gr speers IMR 4320 in my husqvarna 8x57 at 2790 fps



 
Kripes..........................I need deetails awn thet thar sqware shanked feesh'in rawd in the back ground...........:sok2

Big trout 'Looky...big trout

https://www.princessauto.com/en/350-lb-hitch-mount-gambrel-hoist/product/PA0008681793

Wow! 2382 fps with the 170s and 3031 in the 8X57, 2780 in the 323CTC. That's 400 fps faster using the same powder!

Not too surprising, since the standard 30-06 will easily drive 170s that fast, but wondering why the 8X57 loads were so slow?

Ted

Thats what im wondering too Ted, Velocity is real low for a 8x57 and 170gr. I run 45.5gr 3031 with a 196 Norma plastic point in my 8x57 with a 22inch barrel and my velocity is 2550 fps.

I also run 170gr speers IMR 4320 in my husqvarna 8x57 at 2790 fps

I don't have an explanation for the slow 8x57, the short 20.5" pipe couldn't account for all of that velocity loss...guess we'll never know now :runaway: I have a feeling I could've went higher in the x57, but I wanted to compare book loads to book loads. I think I could probably go higher with the 323 and 170s as well, but at this point, it would just be for fun as I have no intention to use the 170s on game. I had intended to push the x57 higher, but impatience got the better of me and I lengthened the chamber before I could.

Cory
 
tagged for interest. Must have been sleeping through the original saga.........

Hi Cory! Hi Darryl! Hi Ted! Hi Greg! Hi Luke! and all the rest of the gang up there at Possum Lodge........

Doug
 
Holy buckets gentlemen, I have returned and with a bit of an update. I don't want to say that I backburned the project...but I did. This morning however I loaded up some rounds using 3031 and 196gr Woodleighs. Velocities listed are a 3 shot average shooting in the rain, but they seem to be in line with what I was expecting.

44.5 - 2200

46.5 - 2281

48 - 2345

48.5 - 2387

49 - 2391

49.5 - 2434

50 - 2556

50.5 - 2584

51 - 2607

No pressure signs, easy extraction, round primers and very manageable recoil considering the awful stance I was in trying to not shoot the Chrony while staying under the cap of the truck.

There's a big jump between 49.5 and 50 grains, which makes me wonder if the scale got bumped or not set right on the '50' on the scale? I think further testing will be required.

I don't know if 3031 is the ideal powder either, but I have a fair bit and no other use for it.

Cory

IMPORTANT EDIT

I work the weekend shift and the plus side of that is that I get 4 days off every week to do whatever I like. The bad part of that is it gives me way too much time to think about things, like how I gained 80FPS in .5gr of powder. I went back over my wet notes I took and realized that my smeared pen had 51gr actually at 2507 instead of 2607 :eek: That was a big whoopsie. So back to the bench, then back out to the drier gravel pit and I shot again, with much more linear results

51 - 2507
51.5gr - 2546
52gr - 2557
52.5gr - 2590
53gr - 2629

Now I just have to sight it in and try to find a bear I suppose ;)
 
Last edited:
Cory, I am having a bit of a brain fart here and forget what it is you are loading, do I remember it is an 8mm - 06? (I know I could look back through many pages and find out, but....) I just acquired a rifle in this new-to-me chambering.............and 3031 is a GREAT powder, I use it in a number of cartridges.

Best regards,

Doug
 
Hey, Cory - 2,600 fps with nearly 200 grain bullets? Wow! - has got you just about back to Nosler 9 loads for, well, the 30-06.... Except they needed a 24" barrel to do that!!! And they did get a bit past that with 3 powders, or so they reported...
 
And, perhaps a "claim to fame"? Your experiment is totally messing up John Barsness's "Ballistic Rules" - with same pressure, he has detailed calculation to show what to expect by increasing case capacity and bullet diameter. But the barrel is also "shorter" than standard, isn't it??
 
Last edited:
The Ugly 323 Project is coming to an end.

Here it is, in all her glory

ZIZcdeD.jpg


Ugly rifles don't deserve me cleaning up my porch before the picture

And here's the cherry on top, the Cowboy's Best Ramped Front Sight. Hand crafted by a millwright apprentice using only a VISA for the Williams ramp, a lathe, scrap metal and Loctite Black Max

xSfNANt.jpg


Cory

I realize I'm late to the party on this, but that - is - beautiful! :rockOn:
 
Years ago, my old shooter buddy Laird Allary, now gone on to the big hunting grounds, convinced me to give him my prize (i.e. very ugly) 8x57 "sporter" to take and have rechambered to 8mm-06. Did so, and continued to use it for whitetail for years after. I only ever used 150 grain Sierra SP and a healthy charge of 47SB, good Ammo Mart surplus.

The above thread is priceless. Good natured razzing, tongue-in-cheek explanations, reference to Possum Lodge - all good stuff!

A while back, I made reference on here to bungling my way through making up 8mm-06 brass, and lo and behold, a good CGN'r sends me a die to speed and simplify the process. Thanks again! I have never chrono'd the round, but will have to try to fit that in my busy schedule. I do know that if I plant a round in the whitetail boiler room, it's a done deal.

Thanks for the postings of a fun project. Keep up the good work!
 
Back
Top Bottom