‘86 Lightweight, .33 day at the range

[QueensHorseman]

My .33 went to the range today to test some loads.  It’s been far too long since I had the rifle out.

After scouring through some old manuals, notes, and forum postings, I decided to try 42 grain of H4895.  Previous loads from years ago had used IMR 3031 but some have reported good results with 4895, 4350, and even 4831.  Bullets were 200 grains from Hornady and Woodleigh.

200 gr Hornady load: ave velocity was 2347 fps!!  Decent group with vertical stringing likely due to the very small sights and old eyes.

200 gr Woodleigh load: ave velocity 2357 fps and grouping was very good considering the sights and shooter!

I was totally surprised at the velocity produced.  Cases extracted easily with no pressure signs however I will back down on the powder charge, aiming for 2200 fps which offers plenty of power at the ranges I will use the rifle and should be easy on the rifle and cases.

This rifle is a candidate for a spring black bear hunt and while either of the bullets tested would be fine, the Woodleigh is a really nice bullet that I would like to put to the test.  I really like the .33 cartridge in the ‘86 lightweight configuration.

[mtmarfield]

      Greetings!

   Are You using reformed .45-70 Gvt for brass?

                     M.T.M.

[QueensHorseman]

Yes.  Reforming was pretty easy just using standard .33 dies and taking my time.  It does bother me that the head stamp says .45-70 but options are few, especially in Canada.

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[Trailrider]

My .33 went to the range today to test some loads.  It’s been far too long since I had the rifle out.

After scouring through some old manuals, notes, and forum postings, I decided to try 42 grain of H4895.  Previous loads from years ago had used IMR 3031 but some have reported good results with 4895, 4350, and even 4831.  Bullets were 200 grains from Hornady and Woodleigh.

200 gr Hornady load: ave velocity was 2347 fps!!  Decent group with vertical stringing likely due to the very small sights and old eyes.

200 gr Woodleigh load: ave velocity 2357 fps and grouping was very good considering the sights and shooter!

I was totally surprised at the velocity produced.  Cases extracted easily with no pressure signs however I will back down on the powder charge, aiming for 2200 fps which offers plenty of power at the ranges I will use the rifle and should be easy on the rifle and cases.

This rifle is a candidate for a spring black bear hunt and while either of the bullets tested would be fine, the Woodleigh is a really nice bullet that I would like to put to the test.  I really like the .33 cartridge in the ‘86 lightweight configuration.

I haven't shot mine in years, but it made great wild boar medicine. I did some testing using an Oehler M43 Personal Ballistics Lab with a strain gage cemented to the barrel over the chamber. I used 51 gr. Herters 100 powder behind a 200 gr. Hornady JFP bullet (no longer made  ). Average MN = 2371 ft/sec. Av. Pmax = 39,100 units. HR100 was a powder imported from Eley-Kynoch in Scotland. Later it was marketed as Scot's 4351, same powder. Burning rate somewhere between IMR4320 and IMR4350, but with small grains. Powder used old methyl-centralite coating. The rifle was a rebarrelled .45-70, and I eventually had the breechblock and locking lugs from a M71 installed, which locks up somewhat tighter and has the ejector completely surrounded with metal instead of the type used in the M1886, in which the ejector forms the bottom half of the firing pin channel. The reason I did that was because I had a set on hand, and had had the ejector in a M'86 break off, sending a little gas back. Never had the problem with the .33, but since I had the block/lugs, why not?