Does anyone here make their own 7.92x33 (MP44)?

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mp43sniper

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I've recently started reloading and have lots to learn, but basically started for the sole purpose of being able to make ammo (blank and live) for my own and several friend's MP44's. 3 of us reenact with them and blank prices are going through the roof. I can follow the machineguns around and pick up .30-06 and 8mm in piles of nice clean brass, and a friend already had RCBS dies and wasn't using them. He gave them to me!! I have the rock chucker master reloading kit on the way and also bought the really inexpensive Lee Reloader press for depriming.

I plan on reloading a bunch of .30-06 for my Garand and .30 for my M1 carbine on the single stage rock chucker over the next couple months to learn the process before getting into caliber conversion operations and will follow that up after a while with the move to progressive or turret presses.

My biggest question for anyone that loads MP44 ammo is: does anyone prepare their cases and then use a progressive press for loading? If so please explain your setup. The 3 of us will use approximately 600 blanks every other month and I would like to build up a nice amount of live ammo as well. I really like the Lee Loadmaster but is that going to work for me?

Thanks,
Craig
 
I'm sure you know that you'll probably have to get forming dies to fabricate other brass to your Kurz round.
It so happens that the 35 Remington case is the exact case head size but with any fabricating procedure, it usually takes a lot more than just running brass through a forming die.

Do you realize that Prvi-Partizan makes boxer prime brass for the 7.92x33 kurz? Graf & Sons carry it and it seems reasonably priced. It makes things a lot easier, believe me.
I'm quite sure a good progressive press will handle the chore of reloading this round using proper brass.

https://www.grafs.com/product/237516

It's in stock too.

Bullets may be a problem, as I only found Hornady's 8MM 125gr HP as a replacement.

NCsmitty
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the response.

There are 2 reasons the Prvi cases are not for me. 1) as I already mentioned, I can get piles and piles of .30-06 and 8mm blank cases at reenactments. These can be cut down to make kurz blanks using the RCBS forming dies. 2)Prvi cases do not have enough length to them to create the blank "bullet" which is crimped at the top. I may use them for live ammo but they are useless for blanks, which is what I need more of anyway.

Have you checked on those Hornady bullets recently? Apparently they are discontinued.

Back to my original question though...

What I'm not understanding is that some progressive presses say "cases up to .223". Are they talking length, case head size, or ? I'd compare this round to something similar to a .30 carbine case or 7.62x39, so what do the people that reload those calibers use for a (progressive) press?

Craig
 
Have you checked on those Hornady bullets recently? Apparently they are discontinued.
Click to expand...

Grafs seems to have those bullets in stock too.

http://www.grafs.com/product/231036

I got ya on the forming of the brass, you need the extra material for crimping the blank.
Apparently the extra dimension of the '06 & 8MM case head isn't a factor with the bolt of your MP44. Or maybe you can turn them down to spec.

I don't have the answer to your question on the progressive press and the notations.
Someone who uses them will know.

NCsmitty
 
I load 45/70 on my Dillon 650 as well as 223 and 7.62x39 so the 7.92x33 should be no problem. I wouldn't use ANY progressive to reform brass cases use a single stage press.
 
I always thought the Krauts designed the 7.92x33 Kurtz by simply shortening the 8x57mm cases and keeping head dimensions identical (0.470" dia). That was sort of the point, wasn't it? Wartime expediency to simplify manufacturing, and all that.
Click to expand...

Kernel, according to Ammoguide's case specs, the Kurz case head rim was .460". The case rim dimension of the 8MM Mauser is .473 -.010.
Tolerances being what they are, in rifle and brass, who knows?

I do know that the 35 Remington has the same rim size, .460".

NCsmitty
 
Well, I just now measured a steel case 7.92x33 Kurtz made in 7-44.

Rim = .469".

Exact same rim size as a brass case LC 30-06 AP made the same year.

rc
 
Thanks for clearing that up, rc. I guess you can't believe everything that you read.
Nothing like dimensions from the original round.

NCsmitty
 
Cartridges of the World by Barnes lists both the rim and base diameter of the Kurz as 0.470”. The 8mm Mauser with a 0.469” base and 0.473” rim. The .30-06 with a 0.470” base and 0.473” rim.

Case dimensions from Steve’s Reloading Pages differ slightly:

http://stevespages.com/page8d.htm

Three sources (including rcmodel). Three different sets of numbers. Though in most cases they’re all close enough to be considered equivalent. In my experience these types of small discrepancies are pretty much the norm when it comes to brass. It’d probably be more notable if everyone’s numbers agreed.

This is what Cerrosafe was made for.
 
Because of this thread, I've research the round a bit more and revisited the AmmoGuide case diagram...
792x33kurz.gif

We suspect the dimensions that were there were from a hand-measured case. Anyway, thanks for keeping us honest. (FYI, SAAMI tolerances for most rim diameters is max-.02".)

BTW, you might like our brand new Powder Application Guide - just released yesterday. (Click on 'Enter as DEMO' on the login screen if you don't have an account.)

Mike
 
Thanks Mike!

Since I started this thread I've been making a few rounds each evening to test at work (I'm a salaried guy at surface coal mines, don't panic). Haven't done any more thinking about progressive presses but I now have 1k cases, primers, and bullets set aside as a nice supply.

The latest thing I've thought of to make this ammo less expensive (I'm loading it for $.32/ea) is having a bullet mold made so I can cast lead bullets. My empty shells come from WWII reenactments and last Saturday I managed to pick up approx 1000-1200 once fired .30-06, .308, and 8mm blanks. These make great kurz cases and are picked up for free in piles after the machineguns move out. Being able to make my own bullets would allow me to shoot my rifle a lot more often and thus allow more experimentation with reloading.

Thanks again, and anyone with suggestions for the cast lead bullets please chime in!

Craig
 
mp43sniper. i am trying to get the correct dies for reloading 30-06,308 and 8mm Blanks. . it sounds like you have the correct ones . would you share your info. we are just getting into ww2 reenactment . do you have the rcbs die # and will it work on any shouldered rifle ammo

thanks
tony
 
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