Hi all. Any good advice for loads? I just ordered some dies and Norma 9.3 brass. I'm open to jacketed and cast. Thanks.

Its been a long time since I loaded for the 9.5MS. I'll check my notes.

As I recall, using 9.3x57 doesn't work too well. The size of the case is too small. It will severely stretch the brass if fired in a 9.5 MS chamber. The shoulder on the 9.5 is much wider, like a .30-06.

Try http://www.huntingtons.com/cases_horneber.html for proper brass or here http://www.ows-ammo.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/21/products_id/650 for loaded ammo.

brass

Heres a link for proper 9.5x57 brass as to loads I am in the dark here

Oh no. I thought I had seen here on the forum that the Norma 9.3x57 was the place to start. Is this other brass head stamoed correctly? I might still have time to cancel my order. Thanks.

The Horneber might be stamped, you will have to call and find out. The "formed" brass is usually made from .30-06 Basic. Old Western Scrounger used to mill off the .30-06 stamp, leaving in blank. Buffalo Bore might do the same.

Some folks have had luck with the 9.3x57, but I would recommend firing forming it first, to see if the brass stretches too much.

I would call them on Monday and ask about the head stamp.

KurtC: I will try to call them on Monday. I certainly don't need 100 9.3 cases if they are wrong. I have not done a chamber cast of my rifles. I would have thought this to be a more popular caliber. It certainly was back in it's day. Maybe too many rifles were casualties to heavy use.

9,3x57

9,5x57

Here are the differences. I would not worry to much about the streching, it is about like fiering a .30-06 in an Ackley Improoved chamber.

My guns are fullstock 1910 Mannlichers in carbine and rifle form. Any problems of note that I should be aware of?

1910's were made for Africa, especially the British proofed ones. I had four of them, and at least two had oversized chambers. One was so large that primers would back out. Even though I had factory brass, I ended up just necksizing them so that they would last longer.

You will also most likely have to use original style 270 grain bullets with a round nose, because of the magazine spool. You can use spitzers, but will be limited to two shots.

Very accurate guns, but the toothpick stock makes the rifle kick at both ends.

The bullets will be reasonable enough. I used 270 grain round nosed bullets from Hornady.

I had some Bertram brass for formal occasions, brass formed from Howell 30-06 basic for messing around with. A reproduction recoil pad from Galazan's took some of the sting out of torching off a few rounds.

Reloading the 9.5x57mm is simple, since the bullets are standard .375 diameter and you can make your cases from .30-06 or 9.3x57mm. I have used both routes in loading for three different M1910s since 1972. I started by first using the .30-06 as the "universal donor", sometime later I discovered 9.3x57mm Norma brass, thanks to my Grandfather. The 9.5x57mm is such a mild cartridge that the cases merely expand the tiny amount necessary to build prime 9.5mm cases, which occurs in almost every instance of wildcatted brass anyway. There is no problem to be found using 9.3x57mm as the basic case.

There will be problems if you use a sharply tapered bullet like the Hornaday 270 grain or a flat nosed .38-55 bullet in your loadings. They will not feed reliably thru the rotary magazine. You need to stay with a more "standard" bullet design like the Speer or Norma in any weight from 235 grain to the 286 grain. The Speer has "always" been my go to bullet for the 9.5x57mm. As for loading recipes, "Cartridges of the World" is a good starting resource for data. Use standard large rifle primers, and remember these are 70 to 97 year old rifles. Oh yes, the flat nose 255 grain bullets made for the .38-55 WCF do shoot well in a 9.5x57mm, they just do not feed thru the magazine.
Recipes - Here are some old ones I have used as starters -
235 gr Speer 43.5 gr IMR 4895
270 gr Winchester 45.5 IMR 4895
286 gr Speer 43.5 gr IMR 4895
286 gr Speer 42.0 gr IMR 3031
270 gr Norma 46.0 gr IMR 4895
270 GR Norma 46.0 gr N201
All loads were fired first in .30-06 based cases and later in 9.3x57mm based cases. Another comment, I've standardized on the 235 grain Speer bullet for reduced recoil because of my arthritis.
Also, you can buy perfect NEW 9.5x57mm ammunition from KYNAMCO via
CONNECTICUT SHOTGUN MANUFACTURING CO
of 35 Woodland Street, New Britain, CT 06051-1692
Tel 1 800 515 4867, Fax 860 832 8707
Website : www.connecticutshotgun.com
Email : galazan@aol.com
I have a friend who has purchased several hundred rounds of their 9.5x57mm via the Connecticut source, and he has been well satisfied. AND the cases are properly headstamped. However, their website is a little messed up because the pictured cartridges often do not match up with the actual specifications. I think this is because someone (not a gun person) took the pics from their illustrated catalog which is very detailed, and very confusing.

LLS
Mannlicher Collector

Sierra2: Thanks for the info. Looks like you have spent some time with the 9.5. I looked at the Galazan site. They don't mention the number of rounds in a box. I will call them. I have already ordered 100 9.3x57 hulls. By the way one of my 1910s is a full stock rifle with a rib. Kinda neat. I am on the prowl for more MS fullstocks if you hear of any for sale. Thanks.