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 10 8mm lebel (Read 5962 times)
butlersrangers
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Re: 8mm lebel
Reply #15 - Aug 19th, 2019 at 12:05pm
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Paul: It's a piece of 'trench art'. The cartridge has been made into a Letter Opener.
  
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psteinmayer
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Re: 8mm lebel
Reply #16 - Aug 19th, 2019 at 2:28pm
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See, this is why I ask - I would have never guessed that, LOL!
  
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butlersrangers
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Re: 8mm lebel
Reply #17 - Aug 19th, 2019 at 10:03pm
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Paul:
The top cartridge is the earlier type of round with a 'flat-nosed' projectile for safe use in the Lebel Rifle's tubular magazine; this particular cartridge was manufactured by Kynoch in England.

The 'letter-opener' was made from a 'Balle D' round, made in 1916. The base of the 'Balle D' cartridge has a circular groove surrounding the primer. This prevents spitzer bullet tips from contacting cartridge primers in the Lebel tubular magazine.

The bottom cartridge is post WW-1 and requires arms to have an altered chamber for a larger diameter case-neck.  It can be used in arms stamped with a large "N" on the receiver-ring.
  
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psteinmayer
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Re: 8mm lebel
Reply #18 - Aug 20th, 2019 at 11:37am
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See, this is why I LOVE KCA!  I learn something new here every day!
  
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AFJuvat
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Re: 8mm lebel
Reply #19 - Aug 21st, 2019 at 3:13am
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I reload 8mm Lebel.

Inherited thousands of Balle N rounds mounted on Hotchkiss feeding strips.

Unfortunately, every round I tried to shoot in my N chambered Berthier M16 carbine just went 'click'.

So I have been pulling bullets, saving the powder, and reloading it into new Prvi Partizan brass.

The original powder charge in the cases varied between 43.0 - 44.5 grains across 50 samples.  When loaded to 43 - 44 grains, the recoil was best described as "unpleasant", and after 10 rounds, "painful".

I've currently loaded charges down to 38 grains with no significant change to POA/POI on a 100 yard range, but there was a noticeable reduction in recoil, so I may try some with even lower charges.

Attached some photos

Picture 1 is a pulled Bale N bullet measuring 0.3275" in diameter (they all measured close to this)

Picture 2 is a bunch of pulled bullets

Picture 3 is the charge weight from one round

Picture 4 is the bullet and powder from one round

Picture 5 is the collected Lebel powder.  When I was done pulling, the powder was transferred to an empty powder jar and marked.   Smiley
  
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madsenshooter
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Re: 8mm lebel
Reply #20 - Aug 22nd, 2019 at 3:52pm
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Flake powders are generally high nitroglycerine powders.
  
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butlersrangers
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Re: 8mm lebel
Reply #21 - Aug 22nd, 2019 at 6:07pm
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I'm not in favor of transferring an 'unknown' propellant, into a new cartridge case, and thinking everything is 'OK'. To me it is false economy.

I had a (6.5X53mm Rimmed) Dutch Mannlicher carbine and a box of 1930's vintage Dutch military ammo, at one time.

I did not want to shoot the old corrosive Berdan primed ammo. I made replacement Brass out of .303 British and .30-40 Krag cases.

I pulled the bullets from some of the Dutch cases, directly dumped the whole charge of square-flaked powder into a new case, and seated a pulled bullet.

At the Range, I fired the first 'reloaded' round, which produced a nice hole in the Bull's-eye.

When I slowly opened the bolt and withdrew the fired case, to inspect it, the 'spent' Boxer primer fell out of the expanded primer-pocket.

It had not been my intention to "Re-Proof" the Hemburg Arsenal metallurgy!

I was Lucky. I dismantled all the remaining "reloads" and burned the powder in my leaf-pile.

After this experience all future loads were "worked up" from Starting Loads of known propellants.
  
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