8x57 Mau Hornady 195 Load Warning!

[JohndeFresno]

I need some verification before I put this onto the forum. It concerns possible dangerous pressures with published Hornady data using the 8x57 Mauser Hornady 195 gr. Interlock Soft Point bullet, #3236.

I previously called Hornady regarding a rather serious error in their Hornady 6th Ed. Pg 493 regarding COAL (overall loaded bullet length) which was corrected in subsequent publications.

Now, in planning and double checking a higher end load for this great old German round, I have used two calipers - an electronic one and a mechanical one - and found an error with QuickLoad's bullet table. Since some of y'all have really high grade (expensive) accurate calipers, would somebody please confirm the bullet length (not COAL) of the Hornady #3236?

I get an average length of 1.220" versus Quick Load's stated 1.100" for this bullet. The pressure changes dramatically between the two measurements. If somebody verifies my finding, I will edit this original post and show a graphic of the correction for the QuickLoad table (which I have already prepared) and the different figures offered by Hornady.

Thanks in advance.

[pomofo]

With a sample size of 10, I got an average length of 1.218" with a standard deviation of .004".

[JohndeFresno]

Thank you, Pomofo. It's hard to be precise with the soft lead tips, but that sure looks good to me so I have cranked it into QuickLoad as a fix, as shown below.




As noted above and elsewhere on this forum:

1) There are some discrepancies even with major bullet and powder suppliers that should remind us to double-check everything before reloading.

2) QuickLoad is surprisingly accurate with many loads, when compared against my chronograph. But there have been some surprises, as shown above. So - bullet companies, powder companies, and QuickLoad software all must be checked closely, especially with upper end loads such as this rather powerful .30 caliber load that was fired in an old (but proper caliber and mechanically sound) Spanish Mauser.

3) Despite the erroneous COAL supplied by Hornady in an earlier publication, the load as crimped into the crimp ring of the bullet resulted in no apparent pressure problems for my particular firearm. Now the obligatory warning that you must step up your loads very carefully as you work up a load. With this load in one particular rifle, you can see that the cases still look healthy.

4) We know that our nation's SAAMI standard is 35000 psi for this caliber, due to the fact that there are actually several variations in caliber (barrel inside diameter) for the various rifles of the 8x57 Mauser nomenclature. Europe, remember, uses 55000 psi, but that assumes that the proper rifle is used. With a war time Mauser, I am very circumspect as the reported pressure nears the 50k mark.

5) Look at the difference between what was first presented and what QuickLoad predicts - 11000 pounds per square inch! When time permits, the chronograph will verify the findings.

[piller]

That is a pretty significant difference.

[earlmck]

Good eye, John. That is rather significant, I'd say!

[JohndeFresno]

Thanks, all. Just trying to keep us safe to enjoy another day of handloading.