9372
I have an Austrian rifle from ca.1896 in the caliber 9,3x57R/360. I do reload the cartridge and I have done some search for original ballistical data.
Your rifle has only proof marks for black powder, BP. Rifling is of Express type, intended for lead bullets Loading (and firing!) a 9,3x72R cartridge in a 9,3x57R/360 chamber should not be possible. I assume the chamber of your rifle was opened up at some time. Lack of additional proof marks indicates this operation was "Pfusch" / butchery.... The 9,3x57R/360 comes from a time when ballistical tables where unknown. By the time the German ammunition companies DWM and RWS started to publish ballistical charts, around 1930, the 9,3x57R/360 was becoming obsolete there. I never saw any German velocity or pressure data, for BP or for nitro loads. I know comparable pressure and velocity data from old German sources only for the 9,3x72R. There are British data for the .360 2 1/4 Express for BP, NfB and Nitro loads, but that again is a different cartridge.
My Austrian rifle has original BP proof marks, and additional Nitro proof from the time between 1938 and 1945. So there must have been 9,3x57R/360 Nitro loads in Austria, and apparently also from Czech and Slovak factories. Your cartridges are very interesting! Are there any ballistical data ? Did you chronograph them?
On reloading:
Pressure: there is no max. pressure published for the 9,3x57R/360. The 2450 bar value applies to the 9,3x72R, to be used in sound, stout and nitro proofed guns. With my reloading I have tried to stay around BP pressure levels, not more than ca 1200 bar according to Quickload calculations.
Bullets: never anything else than lead, or the soft-jacketed TESCO type bullets. Other bullets intended for 9,3x62 may have thicker jackets, maybe thicker diameter, may increase pressure, and make no sense anyway if loaded at BP pressure levels. I have used the 193 grain jacketed bullets from RWS, DWM and S&B, and 193 grain lead bullets from Haendler&Natermann. Your 72U bullets are old RWS bullets, nice find!
Powders: for jacketed bullets I use Rottweil R901, 28 to 30 grains, v0 is ca. 500 to 540 m/s for lead bullets I still have some SR4759 , 18,5 grains give v0 around 440 m/s. Unfortunately this powder is not available any more. Lovex powders are not available in Switzerland, where I live.
Best regards fuhrmann
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