doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion German & Austrian Sporting Guns @ doublegunshop.com Looking for info on a Drilling

I think the simplest is converting the IRS cases like the first box I purchased. Unfortunately when resized the area at the neck to shoulder wrinkled and the bullets are not seated correctly thus not allowing the cartridge to slip into the chamber easily.

Ghostrider,
You are correct that converting IRS cases is the simplest way to acquire IR cases, if you can't find original ones. I believe you can save the cases you have. The problem could have been caused by improperly sizing the IRS cases, but It could have been caused by improperly seating the bullets also. If any of the cartridges can be chambered with reasonable effort, firing them will correct the problem. If any of the rest can be chambered after pulling the bullets, you can empty the powder and load it again with a fireforming load.
Firing this load should correct the problem. Those cases that will not chamber, without the bullet must be resized. A normal 8mm full length sizing die, with the expander assembly removed should work (don't forget to lube the cases). Removing the expander serves two purposes. A FL die sizes the neck smaller than required, and the expander opens it back up. Not opening the neck up for a .323" bullet should leave it small enough for .318" bullets. Also, if you forget to lubricate the cases and one sticks in the die, you can drive it out with a punch if the expander is not in the way. I suspect the cartridges you have were loaded similarly to this, but they didn't "bell" the necks to get the bullet started straight (and maybe not chamfered, inside). It is not common to bell necks for jacketed bullets, but if the necks are too small to start the bullets straight, they should be belled. I load 8x57 I/IS/IR/IRS/R-360, 8.25x57R Hagen, and 8x72R all using the same set of Lyman 8mm Mauser dies. You have to just adjust the dies to the cartridge being loaded, and sometimes be inventive (such as using a 32 S&W or ACP expander to bell necks, etc.). For a fire forming load, I load 6-10 grains of a fast pistol or shotgun powder, tamp a quarter sheet of toilet paper over the powder and fill the case with grits/corn meal/ worn out polishing media and close it off with another piece of toilet paper. Load one with a small powder charge and if the case isn't fully formed, increase the charge until the cases are fully formed.
I hope this helps, but if not, we can try again. BTY you can remove the "S" from the "IRS" headstamp.
Mike

Mike as always great information. I appreciate your feedback. Unfortunately I can not get the cases to seat all the way. The bullet and the bulge just are binding too much.
I paid very top dollar for this box of cartridges. I am a little surprised to received this ammunition in this condition. I will follow your advise on how to salvage these cases if I can not work something out with the seller.

Gohstrider,
On reflection, there is another condition that may have caused your problem. If the fired cases needed to be trimmed to length and were not, if .318" bullets, having no cannelure, were seated to crimp, a bulge at the shoulder/body junction will form. I'm sorry I didn't think of this before, it is not something that is unique to converting IRS cases to IR. It happened to me in reloading fired RWS cases with Norma bullets. which had no cannelure. The original RWS bullets had a cannelure, into which the necks were crimped. The "fix" is to pull the bullets, empty the powder (remove decapper assy.), resize the case, trim case length to the "trim to" length, then reload. I couldn't see this condition in the photos, but you should be able to see it by the color the case /chamber it, or you should be able to feel such a bulge with your fingers. I agree the seller should "make it right", if for no other reason than to save future business. One of the lessons in this exercise is to have the gun "in hand" when you first load for it. The lessons learned will be worth more over the long run, than the troubles caused.
Mike

Mike I sure appreciate all of your help.
Luckily the seller was very professional and did the right thing and refunded my money and I returned the ammo.
I received the Norma ammunition and it fit perfectly. Test fired the drilling and it shot beautifully.
Recoil pad has been replaced with a Silvers pad and its now going back to the owner.
I have learned a lot from this project and appreciate the help from everyone.
Merry Christmas
Phil