Richard Lee - Modern Reloading

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Sam54

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I am reading the Richard Lee Book; the amount of powder called for the 8mm cartridge is about 25% lower than say a Lyman or Hornady load. I am doing up some of the loads now and plan to shoot them this weekend.

Any comments? Does anyone use these loads?

I am crimping these loads for the first time (neck sized cartridges) if I understand correctly that increases pressure?
 
As DB mentioned above, ya gotta provide more info for a good reply. Even the make/model of firearm is a factor many times.

Look at the test fixture or firearm that is being used for testing, that is one of the factors that the companies use to determine min/max.
 
Thanks guys

The rifle is a Yugo Mauser 48 Bo

The Richard Lee starting load is 30.9 grains of 4064

I am pushing a 175 grain PRVI bullet (PRVI case as well)

I plan to load 50 in one grain increase up to 35 or 36 grains (Lee s max load)

Lee load was for a 170 grain bullet
 
Watch for pressure signs as you approach max loads.Chamber dimensions,head space,OAL all play into consideration. Flattened Primers,difficulty to extract,split necks are all warning signs of dangerous pressures or inherent problems with your firearm.Most shooters find that the most accurate loads do not even approach Max.Do not use loads for a lighter bullet,Instead use loads for the next heavier bullet of the same type and work up from them watching for pressure signs.
 
That is a very light load. Hornady lists max for IMR 4064 and a 170 grain at 49.4 grains and for a 195 at 47 grains.

Perhaps the Lee book is using a weaker mauser? I would personally start at 43 grains and work up to 48 grains.
 
This has been discussed previously. Published 8 mm Mauser loads are generally quite anemic, owing to concerns about shooting the loads in the older 8 mm Mauser with a smaller bore.
The modern 8 mm is comparable to 30-06, and generally can be loaded to values substantially higher than the reloading manuals. If you look around, you can find some more realistic load data.
I would have no qualms about using the Lyman or Hornady load data.
 
I don't believe Lee puts together/tests load data like the other manuals. They just take the Powder company or someone elses data and reprint it.

Many people notice their data to be on the lighter side most of the time.
 
Agreed with tjhaile ; Hodgdon's load datas is what will take you as close as possible to "real" 8X57IS Euro CIP loads.
 
You would have to know what the guy is loading for.Sure reccomend the max to the nutz loads for a modern 8mm but what if he's shooting a old 100 year old rifle.
 
I like to go to the horses mouth so to speak and look at the powder makers data. I bought the Lee book a few years ago for new data and found it was a waste of money.
 
zuke said:
I'm pretty sure 75% of all Mauser's are at that age.
Mine are 100-105 year's old and going strong.
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you're pretty sure that 75% of all mausers are circa 1912 or earlier? what the heck happened to ww1, between wars and ww2- i'm pretty sure the last mausers were made about 1948 or so-
i should imagine that the reason that the lee loads are so light is that he's thinking of the 88 kommission rifle, and the 318 bores as well as some of the conversions- as was previously said, for a 98 in good condition with a 323 bore, you can load for 06 ballistics
 
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cam1936 said:
That is a very light load. Hornady lists max for IMR 4064 and a 170 grain at 49.4 grains and for a 195 at 47 grains.

Perhaps the Lee book is using a weaker mauser? I would personally start at 43 grains and work up to 48 grains.
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Yah, I'm sure that max load will be fine in a Yugo M48. The Lee load sounds very conservative.
 
mr.e moose said:
You would have to know what the guy is loading for.Sure reccomend the max to the nutz loads for a modern 8mm but what if he's shooting a old 100 year old rifle.
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A 100 year old rifle in good condition is still a "modern" rifle that was designed for the "S" cartridge. Commission Rifles (using .318" bullets!) and pre-98 Mausers are the only ones you need to go particularly easy on. Even then, if you look at the Hodgdon data, it gives a pretty big range of charges to work with.

SAAMI-spec 8x57 ammunition is dumbed down to keep the uninformed from blowing up Gew. 88s with oversized bullets.
 
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