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Slug, Measure, & Match: Using the Right Bullet for the Right Barrel Diameter
By Mark Trope & R. Ted Jeo

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Handloading Questions on 8x50R Austrian

Author	Comment
Kibbey	Handloading Questions on 8x50R Austrian	Lead	[-]
Posts: 174 Oct 23 12 12:36 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Tags : None I'm preparing to make a lot of 8x50R Austrian (sometimes I've seen it as 8x50 Steyr) ammo for a couple M95 rifles in what I believe to be their original chambering (i.e. they do not have an "S" or "H" stamped over the chamber). I found a nice used die set at a gunshow years ago and I believe that the 7.62x54R case can simply be necked up to hold the 0.323" bullet, and that worked easily for a couple trial cases I played with last night. Do I really need to trim the cases back to 50 mm, or will they still be safe at 54mm? One person in the archives of this forum suggested it is safe to leave the longer length, but I want more opinions. I expect fire-forming will also shorten the case, judging by the larger curves on the 8x50R neck vs. the sharp shoulders on the 7.62x54R case. I bought a charger block of original 1890 dated ammo for comparison purposes and those cases measured 50.5 mm, so I will use that as the trim to length if trimming is needed. The same original 1890 ammo also seems to have bullets closer to 0.318" diameter (like the early German 8x57J round!) than the standard 0.323". At least that is their diameter just outside the case neck. Is that what they are supposed to be? I know the later 8x56R Hungarian uses larger 0.329'/0.330" bullets, but I thought the original 8x50R rifles' ammo used "standard" 0.323" bullets. What's the historical truth? Both my 8x50R rifles are WWI-era, so did the Austrians follow the Germans and start with 0.318" bullets/barrels then switch to 0.323" bullets/barrels before the Great War? Should I be slugging my bores just to be sure? Powder will be IMR4895 under a 200 grain round nose Sierra or Hornady bullet. I will start with lighter loads based on 7.62x54R charges, aiming for about 80% of the case volume to be filled. All comments and advice welcome!
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schmidt		#1	[-]
Posts: 5 Nov 9 12 10:48 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Hi Kibbey I can tell you what I know about my 8X50R. It's got to be a really old one. Serial no 9xx. It's a unmolested carbine ,but in tough shape. The bore is really pitted but is now rust free and can still shoot. This is going to go against the common knowledge. The bore measures .327 .Not the .329-.330 that some suggest these are in. When new It had to measure considerably smaller before the rust made everything bigger. I have some german made pre ww2 ammo. The bullets measure .323. This stuff shoots good with a mv of 1950fps from this short barrel. I have made some home loads.I will have to check the cases I used,could be the 7.62X54R case. I made some special oversized bullets by lathe turning some .338 215gr bullets down to .327. They shot ok using 3031 powder. Today I would more likely size these .338 bullets down to .327 and go that route. I have done this extream sizeing before and it does work. It would be interisting if you could slug your bores and present the findings. n.h.schmidt
eb in oregon		#2	[-]
Posts: 2479 Nov 10 12 9:50 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	schmidt wrote: Today I would more likely size these .338 bullets down to .327 and go that route. I have done this extream sizeing before and it does work. It would be interisting if you could slug your bores and present the findings. n.h.schmidt This is quite possible, but it had better be done in steps rather than in "one shot." Unless one has a real nice 20 ton press in the garage. A .011 reduction is a pretty good squeeze for a single pass I'm thinking. And Kibby? I would resize my cases before trimming them. They grow upon resizing. "We must all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately." Benjamin Franklin, July 4 1776 Last Edited By: eb in oregon Nov 10 12 12:06 PM. Edited 1 times.
Doc AV	Reloading 8x50R Austrian Steyr	#3	[-]
Posts: 2410 Dec 13 12 4:57 PM Veteran member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	The original Bullet (247grain, FMJRNFB) was set at .323-324 diameter, to ride the lands (.315) and then upset to fill the grooves (.329-330) of the Austrian-Hungarian-Bulgarian rifles of the M88, M88/90, M90 and M95 series. Later, (1930s) 8x56R Bullets ( FMJBT) had to be .329 to correctly engage the Rifling, as BTs don't "Upset" and would allow for "Windage" and Inaccuracy if they had been left at .323. So now, reloading for a Pre- 1930s ( ie, original Chambered) 8x50R M95....Use Flat based .323 Bullets; Use Cast Bullets anywhere from .323 to .330 ( Gas checked or plain Based), or Make your own sporting Bullets by Sizing down Heavy .338 diameter bullets ( 200-230 grainers), using a Lee .329 sizer in a Normal (steel) O-frame press ( RCBS Rockchucker, old model, or Older A-3 or "Big Max" types. I have made very good Hunting projectiles ( .338 SPs) using this method, with Hornady .338 projs. Great for feral Pigs...would also drop a US White tail, or bigger Deer at close stalking range ( 75-100 yards). Resizing Jacketed Bullets is not a hard matter...you don't need the likes of a Corbin CHP to do it...just good bullet selection and a liberal amount of Lube, and the right O-Frame press. As to "turning down" a jacketed Bullet...Very Bad Idea...thins out the Bullet jacket, and it may rupture in the Bore, caisng either a "shotgun" effect, or worst, a stuck Bullet with eventual bulging or blow-out. Cases: 7,62x54R are OK, and trimming to 50mm ( 1,98") is recommended, even though the M88-90 cartridge was 53mm Long ( reduced to 50mm in 1893); Chambers are pretty Liberal, so a 53mm case will still chamber safely (NO "neck crowding" with a .323 projectile; there may be some issues with larger ( .329) projectiles,) but Powder Loads on the 8x50R are around the 40,000 PSI mark anyway...remember, it is a First Generation Smokeless Rifle, with the action at least 96 years old, if not up to 107 years old....Treat with Respect. I would use Grafs(Prvi) 8x56R cases, trimmed and resized back to 8x50R Specs...same Body diameter, same Rin diameter and profile. Whatever sutis your Locality and availability. Good shooting. Doc AV

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