Reloading the 8x56R - Danish Rolling block

[tac]

I know that, like me, some of you here like shooting the older stuff, so I thought I'd post this info from another forum based in the UK.

Thanks to Ian ['Tall' on airgunbbs.co, a UK-based forum] for this information on reloading for the Danish Remington rolling block rifle/carbine in 8x56R -

Quote - I have recently sold my 8x58R Rolling block but I can tell you what I shot with some success at Bisley historic arms meetings. My original cases were supplied by the now extinct North Devon Firearms but these were turned cases and were only suitable for Black Powder loads. I then discovered that it was possible to make the cases from 348 win brass and these are suitable for smokeless loads. I used Accurate 5744 with loads upto 22gns behind a 240 gn bullet which I cast from an NEI mould.The bullet casts at around .330 and I sized and lubed it to .329. That tied in well with NDFS's guide which suggests the bore for these is .328 - .329. This bullet is gas checked ( unless you need to conform with MLAGB regs using black powder) and the velocity was about 1700fps. Because there is a lot of space in the case with that load I used a tube of sponge which I punched from 1" thick sponge block to keep the powder pressed to the case base. If you need to find the mould goto <broken link removed> and click on page 6 and look for .330 - 245 #98. I hope you find this useful. End Quote.

tac

Read More

 

[elsie]

Is the rolling block restricted to black powder? I shoot 8x56R out of a Steyr M95, mostly using old 1939 Nazi ammo followed up by a few my brother reloaded to clean it out some. He swages his own jacketed bullets for it. I don't know the load off the top of my head though.


elsie

 

[tac]

Elsie - the load mentioned above was Accurate 5744, a bulky nitro powder that is very popular in shooting cast lead bullets in older nitro or BP firearms, especially for plinking or for 'gentling in' noobs to shooting older military arms that can, in factory ammo mode, be somewhat exciting to shoot. I use a load of 25gr of this stuff behind 180gr gas-checked lead bullet in my Swiss rilfes - as anybody who has fired one would concur, the full military load [GP11] can be a bit intimidating for a noob.. Another pal of mine here shoots the Swedish RB in12.7x44R, also using the same nitro powder, but I've never enquired as to the actual load. Accurate 5744 makes a very good substitute for a black powder load in many of these old guns, and providing you keep the actual load firmly against the primer, all is well. Ian, above, uses a piece of soft sponge to do the job.

tac

 

[Lilhigbee]

Buffalo Arms frequently has the correct-sized 200 gr. jacketed bullets and brass for the 8X56R.

 

[tac]

Thanks for that, Sir. I'll prolly get some for the guy back in UK next time we are over. UK prices tend to be UK pounds for dollars plus 50%.....

Best

tac