Happiness is...

[dromia]

So what does the micrometer tell you?

The larger one on the right would be the one to measure.

Measure shiny parts where the boolit has slugged to fit the bore and groove, hard to tell from the photo's if its been oversize enough.

Joe's here and is wondering why you just didn't shoot the buggers instead of faffing on with all this technical sh!te.

:goodjob: Joe!

[Sandgroper]

So what does the micrometer tell you?

The larger one on the right would be the one to measure.

Measure shiny parts where the boolit has slugged to fit the bore and groove, hard to tell from the photo's if its been oversize enough.

Joe's here and is wondering why you just didn't shoot the buggers instead of faffing on with all this technical sh!te.

:goodjob: Joe!

:lol: :lol:

What does my micrometer tell me? Nothing, but I wish it would speak up and tell me where I put it!

Tell Joe, I just picked them up from the Post Office morning and I'm waiting for a phone call to tell me my powder has arrived. In any case, I'm not as fortunate as you - my neighbours would get upset I did some load testing from the bedroom window!

Looking at them and feeling the grooves in the lead, I wouldn't want to go any smaller than 0.330.

[dromia]

What about the throat diameter?

[Sandgroper]

What about the throat diameter?

Not done it yet, but it looks roomy.

[dromia]

I suspect that it could be somewhere in the region of 0.338".

[Sandgroper]

Just to clarify - the throat is the section of the chamber immediately in front of the case mouth?

[dromia]

Yep the bit 'tween the case mouth step and the start or lead to the rifling sometimes also referred to as freebore.

This where the greatest barrel wear takes place as this where the gases are at their hottest and the pressure at its highest.

In old military rifles they can be originally made with generous throats to take any ammunition in poor condition and or this could well be worn with use. Depending on the state of the throat it is sometimes better to size the boolits to this rather than the groove.

[Sandgroper]

Right. Given that I can't find my micrometer sign01 and I'm using a fairly old vernier caliper and I'm converting to imperial from metric, it seems I have one with a fairly tight bore and throat.

Bore - Just over 0.329
Throat - 0.335 to 0.336 just over 8.5mm but no greater than 8.55mm

If I'm right and I'll double check my measurements, I would guess mine had a very easy service life - if it was ever issued.

[jjvc]

The.330's should seat ok Grant but I flare the case mouth useing the Lyman 33 neck expanding M die, and also opened out my boolit seating die to take the larger boolits.

Good fun these Steyr's

Joe

[Sandgroper]

Good fun these Steyr's

Oh so true! :shakeshout:

I really like the unusual calibre and the way I'm learning more about casting just by owning it. Most of all I like shooting it - the action, the muzzle blast (and flash), the look of concern and comments from other shooters, the recoil and most of all the grin inducing combination of all of the above.

Thanks for the tips and I'll let you know how I get on.

BTW - If it's of any interest, I e-mailed Henry Kranks and it looks like they'll be get getting in the 0.330 sized bullets that PPU use in their 8x56R ammunition later in the year.