Reloading for 35/40 Krag

[FredC]

Parashooter,
Thanks. My copy should be here today.

Anyone,
Just started reassembling everything and the loaded cartridge now sits level when in the position to be pushed into the chamber. I drop the same cartridge into my original Krag and it is pointed up and feeds normally. The only thing close to a modification on this sporter since I started, was to polish some bugged up spots inside the sideplate. Is there a way to assemble the cartridge pusher wrong or did the polishing mess things up? This sporter was apart for 2 years with most of the pieces in a drawer till now, it did feed normally before I started.

[butlersrangers]

Experiment and try switching Krag side-plates to see if they function differently in positioning/feeding your .35 caliber cartridges.

[FredC]

Thanks Butlersrangers.
I had swapped side plates with just a little difference going both ways. Part of the problem was I was experimenting with out the action fully assembled. Leaving the magazine cutoff out causes major problems as well as causing damage to the rims.
After figuring that out I did some minor polishing on the upper region of the side plate, as well as enlarging the ID radius leading into the chamber. Not perfect yet but I have a plan.
I made up some dummy 308 cartridges of what was used before the conversion and they did not feed that well either, I had just not noticed.

[FredC]

Hello Parashooter.
I have been running this QuickLoad today and to see if it was acting right, I ran the earlier mentioned 4350 loads with 220 grain bullets in 30/40. With the 41.5 grains mentioned that cracked a bolt Q/L shows that is under the 47,137PSI safe value but unknown tolerances may cause dangerous pressures! With 40. grains of 4350 it suggest to check loading manuals because secondary explosive effects are possible.

Switching to 35/40 it shows 47 grains of Varget to be a compressed charge and tolerances could cause dangerous pressures. No such warning at 46 grains, with 2300 FPS velocity, almost exactly half way between 35 Remington and 358 Winchester with a 200 grain bullet! I am thinking I will fireform one case at 40 grains and double check the water volume.
If all checks out I will use 46 as max and look for a load in the 42 to 45 range that is accurate and does not kick too hard. I weighed the completed rifle and right at 9 LBS, 1 pound less than a scoped 1917 Enfield.

[FredC]

Tied the 35/40 to a chair and started with 40.0g Varget, pulled the trigger with a string and went as expected.
Next shot with 43.0 grains, no problems.
Next shot with 46.0 grains, was also uneventful.
I had refigured for a compressed load and got 47.2 grains, so I loaded this as a proof load as Q/L still showed it to be safe. Same results, no signs of pressure. When I checked the powder depth with 47.2 grains, it was still not a compressed load, so the case capacity of the unfired Remington case is greater than I originally figured.
The 47.2G fired case is on the left an unfired case on the right, the shoulder did move at least .010 on the fired case. I will need to refigure after checking water capacity as the fired case will have more volume. (see photo below on optical comparator)
After untying the rifle form the chair I fired one 43 grain round offhand and it was not unpleasant.

Here piggy piggy! (insert smiley here)

[FredC]

Switching to 35/40 it shows 47 grains of Varget to be a compressed charge and tolerances could cause dangerous pressures. No such warning at 46 grains, with 3300 FPS velocity, almost exactly half way between 35 Remington and 358 Winchester with a 200 grain bullet!

Just revisited this post and noticed a typo. the 3300 FPS should have been 2300 FPS. 3300 would be an insane magnum velocity!
Yes that was another typo should have been 35 Remington. The problem with proofing your own material is you see what you actually meant instead of what you typed. Getting old does not help either! Getting old sure beats the alternative which is dying young.

[Dick Hosmer]

And should it not also be .35 Remington?

[FredC]

Dick,
Thanks,
Fred

[FredC]

I saw this ad for the 360 Remington Buck Hammer cartridge and made me think of this old thread.

https://www.remington.com/big-green-blo ... 73&jb=3682

Krag owners with a shot out barrel on a sporter have the possibility of matching the ballistics of this new Remington "sensation" by just having the shot out barrel bored to 35 caliber. One of my reloading manuals called 358 Winchester the lightest caliber to consider for the great North American bears, so the 360 BH or 35 Krag should be good for anything else here that is smaller or less dangerous than a grizzly as well as medium African game.

[MooseNugget]

The latest American Rifleman magazine, Aug 2023, Pg 48 has a nice review of Remington's 360 Buckhammer cartridge. The author did a comparison between the 360 Buckhammer and Winchester .30-30. The author also included a few comparisons with the 350 Legend.