This is just an FYI for all of you. Something..."different" about my 1891 Argentine Mauser. THE INFORMATION CONTAINED BELOW ONLY APPLIES TO MY 1891. THIS IS JUST AN FYI FOR PEOPLE.
Well, as I posted a buddy and I slugged the barrel. We found out that this particular 91 has a tighter barrel then "normal?". We used a .309" pure lead bullet to slug it. The rifling bit into the bullet enough to smash the gas checks and it could be felt that it was spinning as we pushed it down.
With this info (and after a try w/ a FMJ) and it was tight, enough to put rifling marks on the bullet (we backed it out). My buddy figured we try to load .308" bullets.
We loaded 20 rounds using 165gr Nosler Ballistic Tips. On paper, the bullets flew straight, did not key hole. For accuracy, the load we used was accurate. We shot at a 500 yd target w/ the sights set on 5 (windy too) and with the open sights, were able to hit the tire/rim assembly once and hit w/in three feet with the rest. We were running low on ammo and had a 8+ MPH cross wind...so we really coulding do "scientific" testing (paper groups so on). (We strapped the gun vice to the shooting table and used a string to pull the trigger to test the gun...it was fine). The case had no signs of high pressure. No flattened primers, no splits or cracks. Extraction was easy.
This load was developed by my friend. My Hornady book lists this powder but not this rifle/bullet grain at all. On the list of powders, this is a slower burning powder compaired to the list given in Hornady.
Here's the load:
CASE: reformed 30-06 new military
PRIMER: CCI 200 and CCI 220
POWDER/grns: IMR 4350 45.0gr
(This amount of powder filled the case right up to the bottom of the neck.
BULLET: 165gr Nosler Ballistic Tip
COL: 2.920"
(At this length, the round chambered in this particular gun.)
Recoil was mild to low.
Many of you may not approve of the use of "undersized" bullets. For this particular case, my friend (with 35+ years experiance in loading, shooting and "back yard gunsmithing") beleived a .308" (30 cal) bullet instead of the .311"/.312" would be better for this rifle. (Basically, using the factory .311" would have been like shooting a 45 in a 44 barrel.) The slugging of the barrel and the results of the limited testing showed that it worked for this rifle.
AGAIN, THIS IS A FYI FOR PEOPLE ON MY EXPERIANCE W/ MY 1891 MAUSER. IF YOUR'S CAN USE 30 CAL, YA GOT A BETTER SELECTION...as my buddy says.
Slug your barrel and see what you find.....
Kaliburz
-Ya learn somthing every day.
Remember to vote and happy shooting...while we still can....
[This message has been edited by Kaliburz (edited October 25, 2000).]