318 Rimless Nitro Express

bearkat485

Ok I need to talk to the forums expert on 318 Rimless Nitro Express. Recently came across a lot of Ammo from an Auction, That included many custom cases, like 35 whelen, 219 Wasp, All were well marked except a group of about 200 rounds. Using Quick Design for reference markers, I found these to very closely match 318 Rimless Nitro Express. All are repressed 30-06 springfield cases. .322 Jacketed soft point projectile, matching headspace to the 318. has anyone heard of using the 30-06 case to wildcat a 318 case

Tflogger

I checked "Cartridges of the World" by Frank C. Barnes. The base diameter is the same as 30-06 and the over all length is less.
Looks like you need to buy a rifle!

Tflogger

Originally posted by Tflogger
I checked "Cartridges of the World" by Frank C. Barnes. The base diameter is the same as 30-06 and the over all length is less.
Looks like you need to buy a rifle!
[/quote
I also checked Nontes' "Home Guide to Cartridge Conversion".
By George I think you've got it!

Hawk Carse

Yes.
I recall that Jack Lott once did a piece on accurate doubles and said he got best accuracy from a .318 with reformed military match '06 brass. Nonte and Donnelly both list .30-06 as the starting point for forming .318 W.R.

A .322 bullet does not sound right.
Woodleigh thinks .318 W.R. takes a .330" bullet, as does CotW. I have also seen .329" mentioned. Never as small as .322" which is not even 8mm S bore.

bearkat485

Thanks for the reply, I have the Sammi drawing for 318 Rimless Nitro Express and by all looks these fit the chamber and headspace for the listed Sammi Sprc chamber for 318 Nitro,

bearkat485

quick Design calls for a .322 projectile and lists this as one of several possible projectiles in Quick load program.

rufe-snow

My WAG, is that the cartridge your describing sounds allot like 8mm/06.

This was really common after WW II. As it was the easiest way to sporterized all the 98 K's that the G.I.'s brought home as souvenirs. Immediately after the war in the mid 40's, their was hardly any 8mm Mauser soft point hunting ammo around. The easiest thing to do was to get a gunsmith to rechamber the 98 K with a 30-06 reamer.

bearkat485

Ok now were talking, Is 8mm -06 the same as 318 rimless ??, as these have a much smaller shoulder then 06. shorter case,

rufe-snow

quote:Originally posted by bearkat485
Ok now were talking, Is 8mm -06 the same as 318 rimless ??, as these have a much smaller shoulder then 06. shorter case,



Don't believe so. All the 8mm/06 is, is a 30-06 opened up for .323 bullet. All other dimensions, remain the same. It wouldn't have either a smaller shoulder or a shorter case. That would defeat the purpose of using basic 30-06 brass.


On second thought, any possibility it's just plain old 8mm Mauser, i.e. 7.9 X 57mm? It's possible that the person that reworked the brass, was just making 8mm from 30-06 brass?

Hawk Carse

On reflection, you have 200 pieces of scrap brass.
Nobody in his right mind would stick a mystery load in reformed brass in a Rigby rifle.

Tflogger

Pull the bullets and go from there.

bearkat485

As too the Mystery load , De-milling is a great tool used by many excellent shooters to obtain good brass for their endanger speices rifles. your absolutly correct about not putting anything into a rare rifle that you personnally dont have every bit of info on. now we have had our reloading lesson, lets get back to the question. No its not 7.9 X 57 I got plenty of that too in this lot. Thanks for all the info. guess its just going to remain mystery. just a very interesting case and wanted to know if anyone had ever heard of this customizing of 30-06 to 318 RNE