Tyler89797 wrote:Hey guys, just wondering if anyone has experience loading 8x57. If so what loads are you running and sort of accuracy do you come to expect. I'm asking because I recently went out and tested my first ever handloads through my m1904/39 Vergueiro and got some very different results between the two loads I tested and factory ammo. I only loaded up one powder weight for each load. How much change in accuracy can I expect by fine tuning charge and seating depth? Is there any point in experimenting with the Speer 170gr if the results for the Hornady 150gr's are dramatically better at starting loads?
The first group I shot was with 196gr Sellier and Bellot SPCE wasn't all that great but still fine for my purposes.
Handload number 1 was even worse at about 5" at 100
Handload number 2 was easily the best at about 1.5"
Yep, I have two M1904/39's and a Turk.
My long-range load has been the Nosler 180gn BT on 40gn of AR2206H at about 2150fps.
My daily load is a 180gn Lee cast on 10gn of Trailboss at about 1120fps.
I've also tried the Hornady 196gn BTHP but haven't settled on a load yet.
I'm also working up the 170gn SST, and the Speer 150gn SP.
I also have some .321" FTX's I'm interested in trying, though I don't really expect them to work.
I haven't tried any factory ammo or any particularly hot loads.
I like to put a scout scope on for load development to leave my eyesight out of it.
My first /39 I've shot 5rd groups around 1MoA scoped off the bench, with the Nosler and the cast bullet.
Over open sights 2MoA is more the norm at 100m.
My second /39 I only got last week and have only put a few dozen cast rounds through it so far, with no real accuracy testing, just for giggles.
I haven't done any load development in the Turk yet but I'm getting 5rd groups around 65mm at 50m off the bench with cast loads. I haven't slugged the bore or cast the chamber yet so it might just be that it needs a larger diameter bullet.
I think load development is a big part of accuracy in the milsurps, except perhaps the M96/M38 - they seem to shoot everything extremely well.
I think your "handload 2" is excellent indeed.