Project Appleseed

The Hornady company has become an importer of ammo made by others, and now there is something wrong with how they label and sell the "Match(TM)" ammo.  I have purchased "Hornady Match" in 7.62x54 Russian (their stock number 80518) before and it was great stuff in reloadable brass cases which were "carefully hand picked."   I have also purchased Hornady's "Steel Match" ammo which was good and also inexpensive, and there was little doubt that this "Steel Match" ammo was made overseas, but Hornady did not try to pass the "Steel Match" ammo off as US made or as reloadable brass.  Today I received my most recent order of Hornady's "Match" #80518 in the same boxes as before and the vendor Able Ammo's web site assured me that the cases were still "carefully hand picked."  Sadly, this ammo is now also steel case ammo, and is not reloadable.  Hornady's packaging is confusing.  I could have purchased "Steel Match" but did not.  Perhaps Hornady's offshore supplier "carefully hand picked" the steel cases?  The Able Ammo customer service rep blamed Hornady for the secret switch from brass to steel cases and then said they would refund the purchase price if I returned it to them at my own expense, provided the ammo arrived there in good order...  In the future, I'll avoid "Hornady Match" ammo, because there is no way to know what I'll receive, and I can buy good ammo from offshore makers in brass and steel cases and NOT pay Hornady's premium prices.

Wow, that is really disappointing. Steel does not equal brass. I would suggest contacting Hornady directly, I have had several dealings with their customer service and have always found them very helpful. I bet they could straiten out the problem you. Good luck.

Hornady buys their brass from Prvi Partisan, and that's good stuff. My source is usually from Graf's, and I've had good luck with them.

Yup, I reload 7.62x54R, for myself and customers.

Quote from: Nickle on May 16, 2012, 02:29:08 PM
Hornady buys their brass from Prvi Partisan, and that's good stuff. My source is usually from Graf's, and I've had good luck with them.

Yup, I reload 7.62x54R, for myself and customers.

IMR 4320 is magic in these rifles, Nickle (you probably already know).

Sorry to hear about your confusing experience, Patent guy.  Don't give up on them, yet.  Hornady usually makes top-shelf products.  I will continue to buy their components.

I didn't know about 4320 being good, as I usually use 4895 in this size case. Then again, 4895 is one of the best shooters in the 308 and 30-06, along with 748, BLC-2 and H335 (all 4 about the same burn rate).

I have used a fair amount of 4320 in 222 Rem and 223 Rem (both with 52 or 53 grain bullets) in bolt guns.

Hey, at least we managed to do something positive with this discussion.  I can try the IMR 4320.
Has anyone tried Varget?

Quote from: Nickle on May 27, 2012, 10:40:03 AM
I didn't know about 4320 being good, as I usually use 4895 in this size case. Then again, 4895 is one of the best shooters in the 308 and 30-06, along with 748, BLC-2 and H335 (all 4 about the same burn rate).

I have used a fair amount of 4320 in 222 Rem and 223 Rem (both with 52 or 53 grain bullets) in bolt guns.

My Mosin Nagant likes a near-max load of IMR 4320 with Remington .303 Brit/7.7 Jap (.311) 180 grain RNSP bullets (get 'em at Midway or Graf's) - .311 works better than .308 for my stick.

Works well for white tails and hogs BTW. 

Beware - this is a pretty stout load out of my old WW2 Polish M44 "brush gun"  , but I have confidence in it to 300 yards with my BSZ.

YMMV

Quote from: Patent guy on May 30, 2012, 08:11:09 PM
Hey, at least we managed to do something positive with this discussion.  I can try the IMR 4320.
Has anyone tried Varget?

Not for 7.62x54, but have tried RE15 (I have found that RE15 is nearly the same as Varget and it's one of my favorite "go to" powders for several other rifles in .223, 22-250, 30-30, .308, 30-06).  My M44 seems to like IMR 4320 the best so far...

I can't see any reason not to try it in your stick, though.

Good luck, Sir.

QuoteHey, at least we managed to do something positive with this discussion.  I can try the IMR 4320.
Has anyone tried Varget?

I have used Varget in everything that i reload for including the 7.62x54R Russian in my MN 91/30.  It works great!  We have used many different powders and bullet combinations, including cast/gas-check. Let me know if you would like the data that I have and i will go and see if i can find it for ya.  We have tried other powders and keep coming back this Varget.

Cheers,
Mauser

Quote from: Mauser on July 02, 2012, 12:55:31 AM
I have used Varget in everything that i reload for including the 7.62x54R Russian in my MN 91/30.  It works great!  We have used many different powders and bullet combinations, including cast/gas-check. Let me know if you would like the data that I have and i will go and see if i can find it for ya.  We have tried other powders and keep coming back this Varget.
Cheers,
Mauser

Yes, please, a Varget load for Russian 7.62x54R would be great.   
And if you also have a load for 8mm Mauser (and maybe 7.5mm Swiss?) that would be great also.

Interested in a good load for x54R too.  Finally got the dies and have some once fired PPU brass waiting for me to make the time for them... 

Hey guys,

Sorry for the extended delay.  Life got in the way a bit.  I will look for my date tonight, but one load i did try out that everyone who shot it agreed on it being a very comfortable load for the MN 91/30 was:

51grs. of H-414
Hornady (.3105) 174gr FMJBT's.
COL. - Set to the cannelure
  I'll dig out my Varget data later and post that.  Unfortunately we did not chrono the H-414 stuff but it gave a nice "push" and not a "snap" for the recoil. 

Sorry guys I know I have more data on Varget in the 7.62x54R but here is the only one I could find.

7.62x54R
Bullet - 130gr. Nosler SP
Powder - 52gr. Varget
Primer - Winchester LR
Case - Pervi Partizan
COL - 70mm (yes I know but that's how I do my loading in Metric)
Avg Vel - 3094 fps. (10 shot average over a chronograph)

I also have:
7.62x54R
Bullet - 174gr. Sierra Matchking HPBT
Powder - 50 gr. Hodgdon H380
Primer - Winchester LR
Case - Pervi Partizan
COL - 75mm
Avg Vel - 2560 fps (10 shot string over a chronograph)

7.62x54R
Bullet - 174gr. Sierra Matchking HPBT
Powder - 49 gr. Hodgdon H380
Primer - Winchester LR
Case - Pervi Partizan
COL - 75mm
Avg Vel - 2525 fps (10 shot string over a chronograph)

7.62x54R
Bullet - 150 gr. Hornady Interlock SP
Powder - 46gr. IMR8208-XBR
Primer - Winchester LR
Case - Pervi Partizan
COL - 73mm
Avg Vel - 2753 fps (5 shot string over a chronograph)

7.62x54R
Bullet - 150 gr. Hornady Interlock SP
Powder -49gr. IMR8208-XBR
Primer - Winchester LR
Case - Pervi Partizan
COL - 73mm
Avg Vel - 2925 fps (5 shot string over a chronograph)

7.62x54R
Bullet - 150 gr. Hornady Interlock SP
Powder - 47.5gr. IMR8208-XBR
Primer - Winchester LR
Case - Pervi Partizan
COL - 73mm
Avg Vel - 2870 fps (5 shot string over a chronograph)  ***Most consistent load for this powder***


This is what i got out of my rifle which is a 91/30 Hex Receiver 1932, and it worked for me in my rifle.

Patent Guy - you had also requested data on 8x57 IS Mauser.  I have gobs of that (i have a little soft spot in my heart for that cartridge), enough to justify opening a new topic.  I will work on assembling the data and getting it entered into the Forum under 8x57 IS Mauser as soon as i have the chance.  its a bunch!  I'm still playing with different powders and currently use a K98k to get the load data.  I'm working up a Hodgdon H414 load now that should be pretty sweet when its tweaked.  Then maybe i will give the CFE223 a "shot" in the 8x57IS .  The Hodgdon data runs out at 180gr. bullets for this cal. and i shoot mainly 198gr. to 200gr. out of my rifles, so it sounds like a prime opportunity to have some fun at the loading bench and the range 

I'll get that data for ya as quick as i can.