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No I guess you have acquired some 8mm brass. The problem is the brass you have is probably .323 you need to size the neck to .316 then use your expander to open the neck to .318 to acomodate your cast bullet.
You need a die or some method of resizing your brass to .316

Alpha1 wrote:No I guess you have acquired some 8mm brass. The problem is the brass you have is probably .323 you need to size the neck to .316 then use your expander to open the neck to .318 to acomodate your cast bullet.
You need a die or some method of resizing your brass to .316

Hi thanks, seems like a lot of trouble this gun, glad I paid nothing for it.

Do redding make a neck size bushing die for 8x57 IS? Might be worth checking if they do and whether they have bushing inserts for you requirement.

As far as I am aware Redding don't do one for this cartridge.
If you are new to reloading you certainly picked a challenge to start your cast re loading career.
I have some 8mm brass some were I'm sure. I don't think I have dies I got rid of all my 8mm stuff. I might be able to neck size some. I'm busy this week end but I will have a look next week. Failing that you will have to shell out for a set of dedicated dies.
Just as well you got the rifle for free because it aint going to be cheap to get it shooting again.
Just out of curiosity what bullets do you intend using are you casting them your self. Gas check or no gas check. What weight of bullet are you intending to re load for.

I have been hand loading about 3 years, but most of my guns are easy calibers to work around. Until I got this gun

Are you getting the appropriate FL sizing die from CH-4D?

It is no more difficult to load than any other cartridge so long as you have the correct dies which are available.

Alpha1 wrote:As far as I am aware Redding don't do one for this cartridge.
If you are new to reloading you certainly picked a challenge to start your cast re loading career.
I have some 8mm brass some were I'm sure. I don't think I have dies I got rid of all my 8mm stuff. I might be able to neck size some. I'm busy this week end but I will have a look next week. Failing that you will have to shell out for a set of dedicated dies.
Just as well you got the rifle for free because it aint going to be cheap to get it shooting again.
Just out of curiosity what bullets do you intend using are you casting them your self. Gas check or no gas check. What weight of bullet are you intending to re load for.

Hi thanks for the reply.

I am casting myself with lee .324 round nose, sized to .317 gas checked. Weight of bullet is 175gr

dirtbag wrote:Hi all as posted in the show and tell, I have an old J bore Gew88 rifle that I wish to get going.
I have slugged the bore and it slugs at .316 (Czech issued barrel)

Now I have the boolit that I want, that I can run through a custom .317 sizer and gas checked.
This issue now as you may guess is the dies, I have 8x57 Lee dies, but of course the mouth is opened too wide , thus the boolit being too lose.

Does anyone have any suggestions please on what options (if any) I can do, new dies, etc

Thanks

Is that .316" bore or groove diameter? My Kar 88 slugged at .312" bore and .319" groove and the chamber is large enough to accommodate a .321" cast bullet which I load on the normal Lee dies.
A chamber cast of your rifle would be very handy to have too.
Joe

jjvc wrote:

dirtbag wrote:Hi all as posted in the show and tell, I have an old J bore Gew88 rifle that I wish to get going.
I have slugged the bore and it slugs at .316 (Czech issued barrel)

Now I have the boolit that I want, that I can run through a custom .317 sizer and gas checked.
This issue now as you may guess is the dies, I have 8x57 Lee dies, but of course the mouth is opened too wide , thus the boolit being too lose.

Does anyone have any suggestions please on what options (if any) I can do, new dies, etc

Thanks

Is that .316" bore or groove diameter? My Kar 88 slugged at .312" bore and .319" groove and the chamber is large enough to accommodate a .321" cast bullet which I load on the normal Lee dies.
A chamber cast of your rifle would be very handy to have too.
Joe

Hi , I have slugged again. It's in at .312 lands, .316 groove

Not sure if this is any help Dirtbag but I have just sized a 8mm case without the decapping pin, flared it with the lyman 31 long M die (which I use for the .303) and seated a .316 bullet (the closest I have to your size) and it produces an acceptable looking round.

Joe