8x56S reloading-berdan primers and bullets

[ollie]

I'm interested in trying to reload some 8x56 berdan primed brass I have. Do any of you know where to find these rare beasts? I understand you can still buy new production ones, is there anywhere in canada to do so? Obviously, I'm also gonna need some "true" 8mm(.329) bullets, but I'm not set up to cast my own. Anywhere to get these commercially in FMJ or cast(or someone wanna sell me some?)? Finally, have any of you 8x56 gurus got a recipie that clones the factory loading for WW2 mil-spec(I have a couple boxes of 1938 Austrian milsurp, the old century import)?

Any thoughts appreciated!

 

[desporterizer]

Try pming andy for the berdan primers he has a source & sent me some names but I can't find them at the moment. For new cases & bullets try bc redneck(they are on the web), they dont' show on the site but they deal in grafs brass.

 

[MiG25]

i use the graf brass and hornady bullets from bcredneck. i add IMR4064 until it shoots to the sights. i haven't ran it over the chrono (yet) but suspect my load is doing in the 2000-2100 fps (i know it knocks the stuffing out of mule deer). FWIW, the military stuff shoots about 10 inches high at 100 yards and chronos right at 2350 fps from my carbine.

 

[willwagspal]

8x56

If you can't get Graf's 8x56 brass it is quit easy to make from 7.62x54 Russsian brass as follows:

Turn rim to .554" diameter & back chamfer. Taper expand to about .335" diameter & cut to .2.25". Chamfer. Full length size in 8x56 die. Trim to length & chamfer. Fireform in chamber.

Lee makes 8x56 dies (#90925 - about $35) and Lee also makes a bullet mould (#90775 - about $25) that casts 205 gr. .329" bullets.

Suggested load for FMJ fullets - 45 gr. of IMR 3031 = 2300 fps

If you gas check the lead bullets & use a hard lube you should be able to shoot them up to 2000 fps with minimal leading.

 

[sunray]

Bullets should be easy enough. However, berdan primers likely won't be and they're not all the same size. It's not like regular primers. There are no larger rifle/small rifle berdan primers. They're expensive too. Try Epp's though.

 

[zuke]

I have some 7.62x54R once fired boxer brass I was thinking of selling.

I've also got some 45-90 that I was going to use to make up some 8x56 but realized I don't need another caliber to load for.

 

[wayne n]

Obviously, I'm also gonna need some "true" 8mm(.329) bullets, but I'm not set up to cast my own. Anywhere to get these commercially in FMJ or cast(or someone wanna sell me some?)?

I bought hornady 200 gr. 338's and resized them to .329 using a Lee resizing die bought from Higginson Powders

 

[Dosing]

You can reload the old Wollersdorf cases, but I would be picky about which ones. Some of the lots seem to have become rather brittle, and I would generally avoid some of the Bulgarian and Hungarian casings.
You can buy deprimers for berdan primers, either one that uses two pins, through the flashholes, or one that picks and prys the primer out.
Epps, used to carry primers.
Bullets can be had from a variety of sources, including some obscure ones in the US and Germany.
That all said, I would suggest you just cruise Ebay, and pick up new brass and bullets from down south. Certainly an easier option.
I have an old page from DWJ on reloading the 56R, and have posted it in the past. Its all metric, and limited to one page, but if you want it let me know, and I can see about posting it again.

 

[Andy]

This has been covered many times on the board. New boxer-primed brass is the only way to go.

Graf makes the brass - www.bcredneck.com (I suggest contact by e-mail)

Hornady jacketed 0.329" bullets - www.bcredneck.com

Lee makes a 0.329" bullet mold - www.higginsonpowders.com (use the phone)

Lee makes cheap dies with load data that will be like the original - www.higginsonpowders.com

If you absolutely must reload the old brittle milsurp berdan-primed cases, RCBS makes an expensive and difficult to master Berdan deprimer, and RWS makes primers. I got mine from Gunsmiths Jason Spencer at Gunco (613) 224-6266 and Bruce Ford (613) 257-5264, although neither might care to do mail order which BTW is their prerogative. If they don't, please guys, don't mount a Marstar-like boycott campaign.

 

[Andy]

Update.

I cast bullets so I just use the lee 0.329" mold and sizer, but recently I tried sizing down the Speer 338 cal 200 gr SP Hot-Cor in the Lee 329 sizer, and it worked like a charm! Use a decent amount of case lube and go.

Much cheaper and available than the Hornady 329 bullets.