MG blank ammo

[Gurowski]

does anyone know what the load and type of powder (burn rate) is that is used in Privi Partisan 8mm blank.

I am getting an M53 set up for blank firing, and it runs on Privi blank. But, we cant get Privi blank here in New Zealand, so I need to load my own 8mm (made from 30-06 cases with CH4D dies) blanks.

Thanks
Steve

[Intruder196]

If you have the ability to make blanks you should be able to formulate your own. Start with a minimal charge and test fire to see if it will cycle your gun. If not, then increase the charge by half a grain or whole grain till it cycles.
I started testing mine with 10 grains of Unique. It of course didnt cycle, so I kept increasing the charge till it did. Finally, I got it to work with 14 grains of Unique. Bullseye also works at 14.5 grains, but I have found that Unique produces a louder blast and more muzzle flash. So lately I have stuck to Unique except for times when the local shops are out of it.
Keep in mind these are MY specs that work in MY SA42 and may not work in yours or anybody elses due to a variety of things like the recoil spring tension in mine, the blank adaptor I am using etc.

[Gurowski]

Thanks for your reply Major.
You loads are close to what I had planned to start with if I couldn't find out the PP loads.
I load 12 grains of ADI AP70 powder (an Aussie powder) now for my ZB26, and its not enough to cycle the M 53, or the MG34. The AP70 I use is close to Unique on the burn rate scale and is a bit slower than bullseye, which is AP30

Thanks

Steve

[FN74]

we load the same way here for the mg34 - 14 grains of unique in the same case - 8mm formed from .30-06, works the 34 like a charm.

Should work the 42 as well

[tomcatshaas]

we load the same way here for the mg34 - 14 grains of unique in the same case - 8mm formed from .30-06, works the 34 like a charm.

Should work the 42 as well

This is great info. Intruder, FN74....could you guys if possible post pictures of your equipment, brand of dies ect. ect. that is needed to form these blanks and any specs. I can't seem to find any info or books on the subject to making 8mm blanks, but tons of info on reloading.

With the 8mm drying up and I can't find a source as of yet for 8mm FMJ bullets, I am leaning more and more to blank adapting the MG34. Also, FN74 did you have to mod your feed tray so the blanks would feed correctly?

TC

[FN74]

We use standard .30-06 brass, ch4d 8mm blank crimp dies on a lee turret press. we run the .30 brass through a .30-06 decapping die first - universal decapper works best. Then we take a 8mm sizing die and remove the decapper, lube the case, run it through, clean, prime, powder, crimp and when done, resize through 8mm die again. Long process, you just have to do about 20 per day between events.

On the feed tray, the 34 is not modified. It runs fine. Depending on the OAL of the blank will determine if you need a spacer in the feed tray. If so, don't perm modify by welding unless you just want to do that, use plumbers tape or something along those lines. In the 42, you may be able to get an extra M53 feed tray to modify permenantly if necessary.

8mm FMJs? Well, check all the usual resources - Midway USA, Wideners reloading etc. They're usually listed as 7.92mm or an english measurement equivilent (.323). I'll look and see what I can find.

http://www.wideners.com/itemdetail.cfm? ... 81|294|334

Some sierra game king bullets.

http://www.ch4d.com/catalog/?p=19

[tomcatshaas]

Great! Do you have to worry about OAL of the resized brass before you crimp? (Do you have to trim the brass?)....and what OAL do you try to achieve for a final product? Or does it matter?

TC

ps, are you using commercial brass or LC military brass?

[Intruder196]

Great! Do you have to worry about OAL of the resized brass before you crimp? (Do you have to trim the brass?)....and what OAL do you try to achieve for a final product? Or does it matter?

TC

ps, are you using commercial brass or LC military brass?

OAL doesnt matter like it does when reloading live ammo. I use either type of brass. The military brass is more of a pain due to the need to remove the primer crimps.

[Gurowski]

I do exactly the same as the guys above. I use CH4D dies, and import large amounts of Lake City 30-06 brass from the US to NZ.
I have a modified drill that I use to chamfer the primer hole to remove the former crimp.
I load 12 grains of ADI AP70 powder (that is almost the same as unique) and that is my Garand and K98 load. I will now make a load of 14 grain rounds for the MG's

Steve

[FN74]

Tom,
OAL does not really matter too much, however if you do trim them uniformely, it makes it easier to acheive a perfect crimp everytime. One reason why I run mine back through the sizing die after I crimp is that the longer cases tend to deform a bit during crimping at the shoulder. Trimming will limit or stop this from happening.

[MG34Biker]

Awesome help! Thanks for the info! I've heard of some using a mix of pistol powder and flash powder to get that Hollywood muzzle blast.

[Gurowski]

Awesome help! Thanks for the info! I've heard of some using a mix of pistol powder and flash powder to get that Hollywood muzzle blast.

I wouldn't be adding flash powder to a charge, its to powerful

Gurowski

[MG34Biker]

I've had one of the Lee Progressive Presses sitting in a box for a couple years. I've always just brushed it aside as junk due to my years using the RCBS line. I'm going to pull the suckah out and put it to work now.

Thanks to all above for tidbits of info.