7.35 Carcano Load Developement

[krieger82]

I am curious if there are any experienced reloaders for this caliber lurking about. The only published load data I have (and use) is the lee stuff that came with the dies. The loads are rather wimpy, don't come close to the military loading, and are just sub par.

I know, after reading Ackley's test notes, the Carcano action is a relative beast, on par with the tougher actions of its time. This leads me to belive it is capable of much, much more performance.

My first foray is an attempt to use Ramshot Tac starting at 30 grains, working up to 40 in .5 grain increments behind pulled 128 grain surplus pills. I have not fired them yet, because I wanted to see if anyone else out there has hopped up this caliber at all.

I ran numbers on the expansion ratio and such, which plants it somewhere in between 6mm ppc and 308 win in terms of bore to case capacity. This indicated medium burning powders (4895 is a commonly used powder) which seems to indicate Tac and BL-C(2) would be great contenders. Anyone else tried them?

Krieger82

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[TimW77]

Check the older Lyman reloading manuals for additional data...

Think the 45th and older editions have the 7.35 in the "obsolete cartridge" section...

T.

[FrankenMauser]

I can't access my own copies at the moment, but I believe the Hornady 7th and 8th Editions of their reloading manuals had data. The 9th may, as well.

[Jeremy2171]

Op... Did you ever test these?

[Scorch]

I have an old Hornady manual that shows load data for the 7.35 Carcano. Hornady was the only US bullet maker that made bullets for them. The manual is fro the early 1970s, but some of the powders listed are still available.

[AL45]

I reload for it, but I stick with the Lee load. I just shoot it for fun so I'm not looking to supercharge it. I just wish I could find some bullets for it.

[hounddawg]

just doing a google search using the phrase "7.35 carcano reloading" gave a couple of dozen or so good links to reloading data with currently available powders. I won't link them but because of possible copy right violations but I would suggest just going to a search engine and doing a search. There is a ton of info out there about this cartridge

[Chainsaw.]

Lee books shows 31.7 as max load for IMR4895. If youve already come up from the bottom and find the max to be weining I see no issue of working up. Sounds like you know what you are doing. Dont splode yer self!

[44 AMP]

I know, after reading Ackley's test notes, the Carcano action is a relative beast, on par with the tougher actions of its time. This leads me to belive it is capable of much, much more performance.

While the ultimate blow up strength of an action is something good to know, how an action handles gas from a ruptured case is more important and Carcanos do not have a good reputation in this regard. Always, ALWAYS, ALWAYS wear EYE PROTECTION!!!!!

The Lyman 45th Edition (1970) has the 7.35mm in the active, not the obsolete cartridge section.

Bore size varies in these guns, so check yours, don't just accept it actually is the listed standard. There are even stories of gas "blowback" in Carcanos when undersized bullets have been fired (too LOW pressure). Can't say its true, and won't say its not, but there's been talk...

The old Lyman manual warns of this in the 6.5mm section, and recommends only using cast bullets correctly sized to your rifle's bore diameter, in both 7.5 & 7.35mm Italian.

My old book says jacketed bullets are .298" Speer 150gr and .300" Hornady 128gr. I don't load this round, and have no idea if these bullets are still available today. It also says cast bullets should be sized .299" or .301". and that most rifles run .300-.302".

Good Luck, and be safe!