8x56R Load data????

[Mad Reloader]

The Mad One, having just gotten into World War One re-enacting is now the proud possessor of a Steyr 95 "Stutzen" short rifle, in calibre 8x56R.

Me being me, I rather like to be able to shoot things besides blanks in my re-enacting rifles (Unit Marksmanship Drill and all that good stuff!)

However--typical for Yours Truly!--have once again gotten a weird calibre not commonly available. Besides the pricey Norma stuff, what's out there for factory loaded ammo is the Bulgarian mil-surp C/BE and the last remaining WW2 German berdan primed ammo.

"Okely-dokely". Happen to live not TOO far from Shell Reloading (aka Bob Shell) who will do custom loads, and there's the possibility of my someday investng in a set of dies for this oddball. Also have found THREE sources of new boxer-primed brass (Norma, Hansen and Buffalo Arms reworked) Also sources for cast and jacketed 0.329 projos.

Kicker is: I only have two loads on hand for this cartridge.

Frank Barnes' 45 grains of 3031 behind a 200-209 grain mil jacketed projo--

and Rocky Raab's pinch of Green Dot behind a cast bullet for what would be a "Tyrolean Cowboy" load.

Now, the latter would seem to be the best bet for the sit-rep I'm facing. Have heard too many stories of extractors breaking on Steyr 95 straight-pulls, and sources of supply for these firearms are drying up. (Numrich GPC no longer has reliable quantities of bolt heads/extractors on hand! NOT a good sign!)

Anyone have something a bit more in between? Like a milder version of the Barnes load, or a hotter-than-CAS-spec cast bullet one?

(Again, my initial stock of reloadable ammo is going to be done up by Bob Shell, who has pert near every powder on the market available to hand. So not like I have to rush out and buy a can of powder just to load 100-200 casings of a cartridge I'll be firing once in a blue moon!)

Object here is to have something that won't be too drastic pressure-wise on the ca. 1916 short rifle--but hopefully a bit "zingier" than the small dollop of Green Dot I routinely roll off for .30 to .32 calibre Cowboy loadings.

IF such a thing is possible! (For my greatest concern is wear & tear on the bolt face/extractor...)