On a VZ 24 Brno WWII rifle,

[jjrothWA]

Has anyone done a "soft-loaded" cartridge and close the bolt to get the bullet seating on the rifling?

what was the OAL cartridge length? I measured: 3.295" [soft-seated a Sierra 175gr Spt- Flat base ina new PPU case of 2.238]

this give me only a seating depth of 0.053".

If you have such free-bore , did you load to get a seating depth of at least a "bullet diamater"??

Also, the muzzle was counter-bore to a depth of 1 - 11/16 in.

What experiences has you had with this condition.

Thanks.
JHR

[p246]

I can’t help you much as I only have one VZ 24 which was handed down to me from my grandfather that brought it back from WW2. The free bore is long. I just load straight ammo for it and it shoots fine. I run Hornady SPs in it for deer hunts. I have only used it in the brush. It was a Chinese contract rifle, Grandpa picked it up on Okinawa.

[Sunray]

"...muzzle was counter-bored..." Means the muzzle wear was excessive. Czech Mausers were made better than German made K98s though.
Forget seating depth and just load to the Max OAL given in your manual. Should be 3.228" for 8mm Mauser.

[fguffey]

Has anyone done a "soft-loaded" cartridge and close the bolt to get the bullet seating on the rifling?

"soft seating"; not me, I am the fan of 'all the bullet hold I can get'. And of course there has to be a rational for all the bullet hold I can get; for me there is nothing entertaining about starting over everyday. The location of the rifling and bolt face does not change unless there is throat erosion. If I used "soft seating" I could not use the test case as a transfer.

If I did soft seat I could call it a dummy cartridge.

F. Guffey