8mm Nambu Cartridge Conversion

[rhuff]

Originally Posted by Sieger

Hi,

Mike and I have spoken more than once, over the years.

For me, his articles are quite good regarding the history of a particular firearm and his wife is a fantastic photographer, but his articles lack the depth of precision I particularly enjoyed from, say, Ken Waters.

On the laughable side, in one of the articles he wrote on military pistol handloading, he, admittedly, couldn't get his 9mm Luger to shoot without constant jamming. Again, obviously, he has no depth of experience with nor understanding of this particular firearm's design, yet, he writes as an "expert" anyway.

He now, by the way, has proclaimed himself an expert on the military firearms of the two World Wars. Well, good luck to him, but from those of us who have been precision handloading for military firearms for decades, quite a bit of depth is lacking in his work, here, as well.

It seems like the old timers have past into history, pretty much the same as everything else has now a days.


Sieger

I do not know the gentleman(Ventrino) personally, and have never spoken with him on the phone. I do know that the first Luger that he purchased was a 30 Luger caliber, and he could never get it to run correctly. He sold it, and purchased a 9mm Luger. Apparently, he can get this Luger to preform reliably.

I was just trying to help out with some additional loading data for the Nambu. ANY handloader that is willing to take a loading "recipe" off of the INTERNET(non-factory powder company load) and use it without double checking it, is a fool as far as I am concerned. Perhaps I am overly cautious, but I still have all of my fingers, and both eyes!!

[sheepherder]

Originally Posted by rhuff

I was just trying to help out with some additional loading data for the Nambu. ANY handloader that is willing to take a loading "recipe" off of the INTERNET(non-factory powder company load) and use it without double checking it, is a fool as far as I am concerned.

I'd be interested in that data from the Handloader newsletter.

I hope that anyone who reloads knows that older data is only relevant to powder manufactured in that particular time frame (and it should be dated). The chemical composition changes without notice from the manufacturer and the burning rates, charges, even physical appearance change as well. Older data may no longer be correct.

Even loading data for the two most common powders, Bullseye & Unique, have changed over the years.

I would caution anyone using the data in any of the articles in this thread or the other one view it with skepticism.

I plan on using only the lower [minimum] loads and then only one or two rounds, to get a feel for how they shoot.

[Sieger]

Originally Posted by sheepherder

I'd be interested in that data from the Handloader newsletter.

I hope that anyone who reloads knows that older data is only relevant to powder manufactured in that particular time frame (and it should be dated). The chemical composition changes without notice from the manufacturer and the burning rates, charges, even physical appearance change as well. Older data may no longer be correct.

Even loading data for the two most common powders, Bullseye & Unique, have changed over the years.

I would caution anyone using the data in any of the articles in this thread or the other one view it with skepticism.

I plan on using only the lower [minimum] loads and then only one or two rounds, to get a feel for how they shoot.

Hi,

I believe that all loading date needs to be addressed skeptically, not just the old vs. new thing.

By the way, if you get on just about any of the major powder manufacturer's sites, you will find that they claim just the opposite; that being, that their newer powder burning rates are exactly the same as their older powder burning rates. Well, reality must fall somewhere in between these two opinions.

As for me, I always start with the lowest load and work up until I either find an accurate load or pressure signs appear. The first "pressure sign", with a Luger, is when the load starts outruning the springs and jams start occurring. Breach block slap is a very dangerous pressure sign, and needs to be avoided!

Just some thoughts.


Sieger

[sheepherder]

Originally Posted by Sieger

By the way, if you get on just about any of the major powder manufacturer's sites, you will find that they claim just he opposite; that being, that their newer powder burning rates are exactly the same as their older powder burning rates.

Then they are lying out their ass.

Here's scans from two Speer reloading handbooks; the first is the 1987, the second is the 1979. I like the older manuals because the newer ones do not have 30 Mauser, 30 Luger, or 8mm Nambu at all...

Edit: Third pic is a note from the 1991 Hornady Reloading Manual on the powders they list...

[Sieger]

Originally Posted by sheepherder

Then they are lying out their ass.

Here's scans from two Speer reloading handbooks; the first is the 1987, the second is the 1979. I like the older manuals because the newer ones do not have 30 Mauser, 30 Luger, or 8mm Nambu at all...

Edit: Third pic is a note from the 1991 Hornady Reloading Manual on the powders they list...

Well, Speer and Hornady certainly have it right, but then again, they don't produce the powder.


Sieger