doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion German & Austrian Sporting Guns @ doublegunshop.com 9 X 71 Peter Longo - update, Now cartridges

With a lot of help and guidance from Mike Ford I finally have shootable ammo for the rifle. Below, from left to right, a 9.3 X 82R I put in there for a different web site. Next two are fired 9 X 71 cases, a cartridge loaded with 40 gr. IMR 4350 and a Hawk 225 gr. bullet, next a newly formed as yet unfired case and a 270 WCF for comparison.

Vic,
That sure didn't take long. Good job.
Mike

Sharps4590,
Clearly, you are a better custodian of this rifle...
I don't think I would be that far along in the case making for...oh...a few years...

So...tell us, how does it shoot? Is there any other cartridge capacity and bullet wise that you can use as a benchmark for load development?

Thanks Mike. Being anxious to shoot it and having good advice helped immensely....more the help than the "anxiousness"

Huvius, I don't know that I'm any better a custodian. More impatient perhaps...lol

It shoots...very good. I wanted to say "magnificently" but that seemed a bit strong for having only put fireforming loads on paper. I wasn't really shooting for group, more just plinking at stumps and rocks, learning the feel of the rifle but I did try a 4 shot group at 50 yards. They all went under an inch and I wasn't off the bench. I was shooting, kneeling and leaning across my bench, holding the rifle. All the ones I did put on paper were about 6 inches high with the Lyman aperture set at its lowest level but they were pretty mild loads. I'm hoping these next ones with more "oomph" will drop into the center of the black.

Axel has offered some historical info on the cartridge but he was unable to find any velocities. If I remember correctly he said that pre-WWI they were not often published. I assume because they didn't really have honest velocities. Axel mentioned early gun writers using a typewriter for a chronograph. From what he implied they read high. He and I had a similar thought in that 35 Whelen data could be used. At first I thought it and Axel believed it. Now I believe it too! I also have an acquaintance who has a program for calculating optimum charges in cartridges by using the volume in grains of water, bullet weight, bullet length, COAL and a couple pieces of data I forget. He ran 6 or 9 loads for me with 3 bullets and the optimum loads, lower pressure at 35K-40K, fell about in the middle of the Whelen data. They were for 200, 225 and 250 gr., .356 bullets. I have some of each loaded and ready to go. I backed off 2 grains and will ladder up the best load while watching for pressure signs. Supposed to rain for the next 3 days...and it is deer season here...so it might be a few days before I can really wring it out.

Mike and that same friend also suggested swaging bullets down in my sizer/luber and that worked beyond my wildest expectations. I would never have thought the RCBS tool capable of it. .358 bullets ran through a .356 die and I'm good to go. I am confident that if this cartridge was loaded to it's upper limit it would be a real thumper....on both ends.

Vic

Vic,
I would think you could load to at least 8x57IS pressures( or 7x64) without any problems, and not limit yourself to 35-40K.
Mike

As my e-mail is on the fritz I'll post this here. I had a local gunsmith install a taller front sight on the rifle, (he did a fine jog too!), and I received it back last night, the 2nd. I had some loads ready to go so when I got home from work I grabbed 5 of them and headed for my bench. 4 rounds later I had a nice, round 3 shot group under an inch chewing the X-ring away. The first shot was a bit high and from 50 yards I calculated 4 clicks down and the second went into the X ring. I saved the last round for a "reactive" target and it busted a rock into dust at about 75 yards, leaning off a tree for a rest.

Now, when this storm passes I'll break out the chrono and see where it is!

Vic,
Great, let us know how it works out, but don't miss the game Sat. doing it.
Mike