8mm X 308 Norma
I offered to load some 8mm X 308 Norma for another old geezer like me. Geesh! Nobody even lists dies for this thing in their catalogs. Anybody got a set layin around? I would like a set that will fit in a Herter's C press.
Thanks,
Thanks,
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The 308 Norma is a belted mag round that never took off over here. Who needed it if they could get a 300 Win. mag. To reload for one that's been opened up to 8mm is going to require custom dies.
There are a bunch of reloading sites on the net. You might try posting on their want add pages to see if you can luck out and score some of the 8mm X 308 Norma dies. Problem is it's a wildcat cartridge no telling if the reamer used to make them has the same dimensions as the reamer used to rechamber your friends rifle.0 -
Thanks. Sometimes when we're draggging 70 we let our wannas get in the way of our shuddas. If Orville were 50ish I would lean hard on him to buy a gun and park this one in the corner. 0 -
Take this for what it cost you. I would begin with a starting load for the parent cartridge using the same weight bullet making sure the bullet doesn't contact the rifling. Failing to get actual dies, you might size in a standard Norma die and use a shortened 8mm Rem Mag or .325 WSM die to expand the neck and seat bullets. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by Mobuck
Take this for what it cost you. I would begin with a starting load for the parent cartridge using the same weight bullet making sure the bullet doesn't contact the rifling. Failing to get actual dies, you might size in a standard Norma die and use a shortened 8mm Rem Mag or .325 WSM die to expand the neck and seat bullets.
8mm Rem dies won't work, too small in diameter at the shoulder, and too long to reach the neck with teh shorter brass. 325 WSM dies should work well for neck sizing if you are careful. The belt will keep you in headspace if you were to bump the shoulder back a bit, though it would be better not to.
I personally would have no issue using 308 Norma data for starting purposes. Work up slowly watching for pressure signs.0 -
Bomar,
Welcome to the forum!
I think you are going to have to go the route of the custom die. What you've got should be a good round but no body wildcatted that one enough to make it worthwhile. FWIW it's about the same as the 8mmx7RM And using .308 Norma loads to start with and work up would be safe. 8mm's are highly under-rated in this country unfortunately.
You could have someone ream out a 7 Rem Mag die and get what you need. You would have to use a 8mm expander ball or ream out the neck enough to not have to use a expander ball. My best answer would be to check with pacific tool and gauge. They can make a reamer for and cut your die for a reasonable. My internet isn't working too well today so I can't find a link for you.
If that isn't possible then Redding, RCBS, Hornady can all make dies. They will all, PT&G too, will run possibly up to $200
Edit:
Heres the PTG link:
http://www.pacifictoolandgauge.com/
(had to look it up manually, google died on me today)0 -
quote:Originally posted by sandwarrior
Bomar,
Welcome to the forum!
I think you are going to have to go the route of the custom die. What you've got should be a good round but no body wildcatted that one enough to make it worthwhile. FWIW it's about the same as the 8mmx7RM And using .308 Norma loads to start with and work up would be safe. 8mm's are highly under-rated in this country unfortunately.
You could have someone ream out a 7 Rem Mag die and get what you need. You would have to use a 8mm expander ball or ream out the neck enough to not have to use a expander ball. My best answer would be to check with pacific tool and gauge. They can make a reamer for and cut your die for a reasonable. My internet isn't working too well today so I can't find a link for you.
If that isn't possible then Redding, RCBS, Hornady can all make dies. They will all, PT&G too, will run possibly up to $200
Edit:
Heres the PTG link:
http://www.pacifictoolandgauge.com/
(had to look it up manually, google died on me today)
Would it be possible to send a fired case in to one of the die makers as a pattern? I was going to suggest it to Bomar, but didn't know if they did it that way any more.0 -
quote:Originally posted by 35WhelenClassic
quote:Originally posted by sandwarrior
Bomar,
Welcome to the forum!
I think you are going to have to go the route of the custom die. What you've got should be a good round but no body wildcatted that one enough to make it worthwhile. FWIW it's about the same as the 8mmx7RM And using .308 Norma loads to start with and work up would be safe. 8mm's are highly under-rated in this country unfortunately.
You could have someone ream out a 7 Rem Mag die and get what you need. You would have to use a 8mm expander ball or ream out the neck enough to not have to use a expander ball. My best answer would be to check with pacific tool and gauge. They can make a reamer for and cut your die for a reasonable. My internet isn't working too well today so I can't find a link for you.
If that isn't possible then Redding, RCBS, Hornady can all make dies. They will all, PT&G too, will run possibly up to $200
Edit:
Heres the PTG link:
http://www.pacifictoolandgauge.com/
(had to look it up manually, google died on me today)
Would it be possible to send a fired case in to one of the die makers as a pattern? I was going to suggest it to Bomar, but didn't know if they did it that way any more.
Bomar,
Yes, that's what PT&G wanted me to do as well as RCBS. As it turned out for me though, Redding had the die.
Edit: it was also suggested to me that even better would be a chamber cast.0 -
Your cartridge is going to be very close to the ever popular .338 Winchester Magnum, but with a .323 neck. I believe the differences between the .308 Norma case and the .338 Winchester case are quite minor.
I would agree with the others that you will likely have to go the route for a set of custom dies, which may cost in the neighborhood of $120 or so.
It should be an excellent cartridge.0 -
Thanks to you all! I have been to C&H, who list this caliber die as a stock item and will likely order from them. They do need a fired case. I have also asked how to best replicate the brass although I expect swaging .338 will be the answer. This caliber was locally popular in the 60's with 8mm Mausers being CHEAP, but 8mm bullet selection was not good and interest died with the .300 mag coming out. 0 -
Boomar
Swadging? I don't think so. Now if your were putting a belt onto a rimless case (think 240 Wby) or reducing the base diameter (think turning a 30-06 into a 6.5Jap ) than you'd need to do some swadging.
A simple neck down (run the 338Win through your die), load and fire. With the headspace being controled by the belt, any fireforming that needs to happen will be done on the first shot.0
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