Lebel 8x50R bullets

[knirirr]

I've recently obtained a nice Lebel made in 1898 (see here) and have found that I can't get ready-made ammunition in the UK as Prvi won't import it unless "several thousand rounds" are ordered. This is both prohibitively expensive and more than the police will let me buy or possess.

Luckily, their cases are available here so I can either load them myself or get them made up. I'd like to be able to use the magazine and therefore would require bullets with a rounded or flat nose - can anyone suggest suitable bullets or moulds? I don't care if they're jacketed or not as long as I can get some shooting done and get to load up the magazine.

 

[NCsmitty]

That is a very nice example of the tubular magazine Lebel. Wikipedia shows the bullet diameter at .330" for the balle M version made for your rifle. Other cartridge dimensions show a .327" bullet size for the balle D version.

Bullets made for the Steyr 8x56R, at .329", may be something to look at.

Here's a link to some info on the Lebel. TrailBoss powder may be a safe way to go with some cast bullets.

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=411798


NCsmitty

 

[Jim Watson]

That is a nice looking Lebel.

You would not be able to use the Privi ammunition anyhow.
It has the Balle D spitzer bullet but lacks both the shielded primer and the groove around the casehead meant to trap the point of the bullet in a tubular magazine.

You need to approximate Balle M which has a 232 grain roundnose bullet.
The closest thing I can find at Midway UK is a Woodleigh 250 grain roundnose.
http://www.midwayuk.com/epages/Midway_UK.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/Midway_UK/Products/740593&
Woodleigh also make a 220 grain version but Midway does not anticipate having any until July.
Price is a Pound per Pop.

As NCSmitty says, the Lebel is an oversize 8mm with a .327 to .330" bullet.
Woodleigh makes .330s for the .318 Westley Richards but they are even more expensive.
http://www.midwayuk.com/epages/Midw...s&channel=products_uk&format=XML&catalog=true

Hawk makes a 200 grain .329" and a wide selection of .323" that might work. I note that Buffalo Arms loads their 8mm Lebel with regular .323" Mauser bullets.
http://www.hawkbullets.com/Pricelist.htm

 

[Romeo 33 Delta]

I shoot "regular" 8mm bullets (.323") in mine. They're not target rifles and I get decent accuracy given the sights.

I single load, but you can easily convert 8mm Lebel brass from berdan to boxer if you have a drill press and a cross-feed fixture for it.

It works because I've never had a 8mm Lebel caliber rifle that didn't hit the primer dead center.

Basically you drill a hole in a chunk of 2X4. just snug enough that it grabs the fired case tightly. Use a #43-45 drill or equivalent B&D "bullet" drill bit to drill through the FIRED primer. This will drill through the Berdan tit as well.

Change out to a bit that is just smaller tha the primer diameter and GENTLY touch the bit to the primer hole you just drilled ... in most cases it will snag the fired primer right out of the case.

I can then re-prime with WLR primers and this worked for years until I got around to converting some .348 Win brass to Lebel ... but that's another story.

It IS a bit tedious ... but it IS rewarding and you still have original brass. OH, the Black & Decker "Bullet" drills have a small pilot point with flat flutes like and end mill. This is why they work so well for this project.

 

[plmitch]

Lee makes a good cheap mold#90274-drops a nice .325 bullet in a round nose. About 180gr with a gc in ww lead.

 

[knirirr]

Many thanks for all the replies! I'll investigate what of the suggested items I can get hold of here.