Hello Folks:

Looking for a plinking load for my Merkel DR 9.3 x 74 R using lead cast bullets.

Anyone have any recommendations for a bullet and load? Would also love to use it for deer hunting in Alberta. Furthest shot would be 100m. I live in a forest. LOL

Kind regards,

Carpediem

With cast bullets you generally have to resort to trial and error. In a 9.3x74R DR I think it unlikely to find a cast bullet load to regulate. You generally aren't going to be able to push the bullet that hard. I could be wrong (I haven't tried cast bullets in my 9.3).

In a BPE double you will find great success with cast bullets since it was made to shoot them.

My suggestion is to buy a good mould of 286 grains, cast some bullets, lube them well, and load them ahead of a reasonable charge of IMR4227 or IMR4198. As I mentioned, it probably will act like a double single shot.

Curl

Isn't there sort of a formula for IMR-4198 and cast bullets at a reduced load that frequently regulates?

quote:

Originally posted by sharps4590:
Isn't there sort of a formula for IMR-4198 and cast bullets at a reduced load that frequently regulates?

40% 4198 of the original black powder load usually will reguate in a double with safe pressures.
Cal

quote:

Originally posted by sharps4590:
Isn't there sort of a formula for IMR-4198 and cast bullets at a reduced load that frequently regulates?

As Cal points out, the 40% of H4198 works for original Black Powder loads.
With a 9.3x74 there would be no black powder equivalent.

Now there IS the 75% rule for smokeless/Nitro cartridges:
If you really wanted to you could paper patch a cast .358-.359 bullet of ~200-220 grains (~75% of 285grains) and it would survive the velocities involved. Paper patching is not for everybody tho.
CBE in OZ makes a suitable gas check mould:
http://www.castbulletengineeri...-225gc-double-cavity
Or you could have Accurate Moulds cut you a .367-.368 gas check mould of the appropriate weight and try that with LBT lube.

Best bet would probably be trying something like the Norma 232 grain paired with H4895 since you can safely reduce H4895 loads and you might stumble onto a reduced load that shoots together.

I tried some lead cast bullets in my Krieghoff 9.3x74R some years ago.

265 grain RCBS bullets with gas checks. I loaded these bullets with 44 grain Norma 202 powder (should be slightly faster than IMR4064), 1 grain dacron on top, CCI 250 magnum primer. I believe I chronographed these loads, but cannot find the log from this test... probably just below 2000 fps.

This load was OK regarding accuracy and regulation, from some pictures I took it seems like left barrel printed 2-3 inches left of the right barrel. I got much better accuracy and regulation with my hunting bullets, but for practice this load was excellent!

I've done a good bit of target work with 9.3x74r in drillings and Chapuis doubles. It has all been with the Lyman 250 grain plain base. In the drillings, it was easy, Trail Boss and properly size bullets for the gun and plinking loads were done. For more velocity, 5744 loaded between 30 and 35 grains and I was all set for whitetails.
The Chapuis and a Browning are a different story. Accuracy is not so much a problem. Crossing is the issue. I've been able to get nice groups from both barrels. They're just not close together. My wife maintains that I am bullheaded, I prefer to think of it as focused. Either way, I'm still looking. Right now, I'm working with plain base gas checks that Sage Outdoors made for me last year
I believe they now list them as a regular product. My goal is modest. I'm hoping to get the crossing down to about 3 inches at 75 or 100 yards. That would be good enough for my whitetail hunting. But after hundreds of shots fired, I'm not sure I'll ever find this unicorn. I'm beginning to believe I need to add a pinch of Pixie dust to each load.

I wish you luck. A possible option is a 5744 load the groups well, and carry as a single shot.
Bfly

Looking back at my logs 11 years ago, I found that 285 gr projectiles made from the NEI mold .366-260-GC-DD #174 245 propelled by 33.2 gr of 5744 on RWS brass and WLR primers did OK for plinking in my Chapuis. Did not cross at 50 yards. More charge weight caused the groups to open up badly. Never did chrono the load.

I wonder if Ross Seyfried or Sherman Bell have ever done any work on this problem.

Have a friend of mine in Ontario casting some bullets for me and paper patching them. Should be here tomorrow. Will keep you informed.

Kind regards,

Carpediem