reloading 7.5x54 french for the mas-36

[BWest]

Anybody ever reload for this cartridge? I can't seem to find much load data for it, anybody know a specific manual or website that might have it, or a similar cartridges data I could work from?

thanks!

[polebarn]

Had you read this?

http://www.castpics.net/subsite2/ByC...5%20French.pdf

[BWest]

No I hadn't come across that yet thanks!

[crackerjack]

The article was interesting. Noticed this about French ammunition.

"The reason is that the original Berdan-primed cartridges were madewith a specially scored internal annular groove between the head and body to purposely weaken the case and preventreloading by enemy forces, which had apparently been a problem at one time for the French when they occupiedMorocco."

I love it when countries try to booby trap their shit, so someone won't follow on behind them and use it against them. Read an article once about ammunition that was designed to explode, and it was planted by US Forces in Viet Nam. Been a long time, so don't recall any details. Just shit designed to fuck up your day if you stumble upon it.

[north-fl-trader]

I had 2 Mas36 rifles, one in .308 and one in 7.5 here are some notes i collected from some searches. It should give you a place to start, or just get some ideas.

Lee data 150 grain bullet IMR 4895 max 36.0 gr. Vel. 2435
book data 150 grain bullet IMR 4895 48gr Vel 2800
book data to duplicate military ball
150 Grain bullet IMR 4831 54gr Vel 2680

There used to be a page out there called "reloading the 7.5 french" but I am unable to find it at the moment.

Lee's manual has data for it. (150gr bullet, IMR4895 31-36grMAX.) Hodgedon's site probably has data for it, too, but it won't load for me right now.

There might be some hotter data out there for it, but no semiauto does well with hot loads and the MAS is no exception. This cartridge is no .308win, more like a .300sav. 2500fps with a 150gr bullet is a reasonable expectation for the MAS. If memory serves me well, mil ammo we found for it chrono'd close to that, but the dies and my loading notes went with the rifle. IMO this is not a rifle that should be fed a steady diet of rounds any hotter than that. Others may have more to say.

Even today's 7.62NATO mil ammo (around 2600fps in my M1A) doesn't come up to the power of older US mil ammo for the M14 (which actually was/is was in the 27-2800 range), and the MAS is a step below the NATO rounds.

I was able to test my rounds for functionality today. Each and every load/bullet combo I tried performed better than Prvi factory. I think the main difference was using a .308 jb and a .309 cb vs. Prvi's .3075 factory diameter.

The combos I loaded and tried were:
- 180 gr Sierra Spritzer FMJBT - 28 gr. H4198
- 150 gr Midway vanilla FMJ - 32 gr H4198
- 150 gr Sierra SP - 40 gr IMR4064
- 150 gr M1A mil spec FMJ - 40 gr IMR4064
- Cast 155/gc sized to .309 - 20 gr 2400
- Cast 155/gc sized to .309 - 24 gr H4198

The IMR4064 jb loads were as strong as, but more accurate than, the Prvi factory ammo. The cb loads surprised me. They were as accurate as heavier loads and very pleasant to shoot. There was little difference between 2400 and H4198.

Today was just a function test. All the loads went bang and were on paper at 50 yds. It'll be interesting when I get the chrony out on a future range trip. Since I can cast for the round cheaper and easier than I can find factory .308 bullets these days, my plan is to work up a nice cb load next.

[north-fl-trader]

I did find 7.5x54 mas and the Swiss cartridge in the Hornady number 6 manual.


For 150's in the mas;

IMR 4895; start 35.2 for 2200fps, max 42.1 at 2500fps

IMR 4064; start 38.1 for 2200fps, max 44.4 at 2600fps, which by the way was the best velocity of all powders in their chart. (tied with Viht n160)

FWIW I shoot 155's in my swiss k31 with IMR4064 and it works well.