Help Reloading the .375 Rimless Nitro Express

[The35Whelen]

The cat isn't a 'pointer'?

Grand Dad chose this one:

View attachment 597446
Johnny's Cat:
John Forrest Easton, center, leopard taken with Mannlicher Schoenauer M1910 Take Down Model.

Now this is cool! Thanks for sharing!

 

[Brian Rothhammer]

1910 George Gibbs Manlicher action 375 rimless nitro express

View attachment 597474

A newer stock, no doubt.

 

[Brian Rothhammer]

Thanks for the tip! I have a ton of .35 Whelen brass so that makes loading for the cartridge very easy.

I still need to secure some properly headstamped brass though so I can take it to Africa in 2026.

Quality Cartridge

 

[Brian Rothhammer]

Thanks for the tip! I have a ton of .35 Whelen brass so that makes loading for the cartridge very easy.

I still need to secure some properly headstamped brass though so I can take it to Africa in 2026.

Midway shows the Qual-Cart brass as 'out of stock, no backorder but 'Estimated in stock' shows 'overdue'. They have a 'notify me' option: Midway Qual Cart MS 9.5X57

 

[SaintPanzer]

qual-cart.com hasn't been updated in a while, but is showing back orders across the board. Grafs is out of stock as well, but it may be best just to contact qual-cart directly and see what they say.

 

[Tikka 9.3]

A newer stock, no doubt.

Yes the stock was changed

 

[Tikka 9.3]

The cat isn't a 'pointer'?

Grand Dad chose this one:

View attachment 597446
Johnny's Cat:
John Forrest Easton, center, leopard taken with Mannlicher Schoenauer M1910 Take Down Model.

Special photo. Do you know where the leopard hunt took place.

 

[Brian Rothhammer]

Special photo. Do you know where the leopard hunt took place.

Sri Lanka (then Ceylon).

 

[Huvius]

Thanks for the tip! I have a ton of .35 Whelen brass so that makes loading for the cartridge very easy.

I still need to secure some properly headstamped brass though so I can take it to Africa in 2026.

I have a box of 375 head stamped Bertram brass. If you’re interested, PM me.

 

[The35Whelen]

I have a box of 375 head stamped Bertram brass. If you’re interested, PM me.

Message sent

 

[Renny_454]

Hello all, this tread is a life saver. Thank you all for the information you have shared. It is very helpful.
Here i was thinking im the only one on earth attempting to reload.375 RNE.

Ive managed to find all info i need here to begin reloading except for powder data in the form of IMR or ADI.

Does anyone have load data they are willing to share, please?

Any tips on starting loads with said powders will also be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

 

[Brian Rothhammer]

Here i was thinking im the only one on earth attempting to reload.375 RNE.

Ive managed to find all info i need here to begin reloading except for powder data in the form of IMR or ADI.

I know the feeling.

I acquired the M1910 in the late 1980s. To say that information was elusive would be a vast understatement.

Woman using 'pre internet Google'.

For IMR 4895 load that I have used, read post #34 of this thread. For 'starting load' you may wish to reduce by a couple of grains.

For general (and specific) MS info, view this thread: AH Mannlicher

Projectile choice is important as is proper seating depth. Cartridges built to precise dimensions of Eley drawing below (including profile of projectile) will function flawlessly in the Schoenauer magazine. Cartridges built with different projectile or seating depth will likely jam:

 

[The35Whelen]

Hello all, this tread is a life saver. Thank you all for the information you have shared. It is very helpful.
Here i was thinking im the only one on earth attempting to reload.375 RNE.

Ive managed to find all info i need here to begin reloading except for powder data in the form of IMR or ADI.

Does anyone have load data they are willing to share, please?

Any tips on starting loads with said powders will also be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

Below is info I've acquired from members here and other forums I've scoured. I haven't used any of this data yet. I'm waiting on a hairline fracture in the wrist of my rifle's stock to be repaired before I start shooting it. Approach these loads with caution. I've cut and pasted in the info exactly as the original poster provided it.

Reloading Data

.375 Rimless Nitro Express/9.5x57 ​

This is from either Rifle or Handloader approx 20 yrs ago. (Sorry, my photocopy cut off the issue date and I don't have time to search the stack of back issues).

270 Gr bullet
3031 - 44gr - 2150
45 - 2250
IMR4895 -47.5 - 2250

235 gr bullet
3031 - 47.5- 2400
4895 - 49.5- 2400

The rifle in the article was marked "Cordite 43 - 270 MAX".
So using the RL15 conversion for cordite we get a theoretical max of 51 grains.
I intend to try RL15 and approach from 10% below. Haven't tried it yet since I just got dies on sale from Midway. I'm using 8x57 brass.

In the meantime, I do have this data that I found on the nitro express forum. I CANNOT speak to its safety/effectiveness, but I'm viewing it as a starting point. I do suggest you check over there. Quote: "My load for the 9,5x57:
(!!! This data is not pressure-tested, but by a german reloading-program under the Pmax of 44.200psi!!!)


Case: shm (a german case-manufactory for rare rifle-cartidges)
Bullet: 270grs. Brenneke TOG (a tombak-coated hollow-point softnose with cutting-edge)
Primer: CCI-200
Powder: Vithavuori N133
Charge: 43,0grs.COL: 2.92"
probably be considered ~46,000 psi actions

There´s nearly no muzzle-flash from the 20" barrel and the blast sounds like "rolling thunder". Recoil is recognizable, but not stronger than by my Mauser 98 sporter in 9x57 with 24" barrel and 250grs. bullet-weight. I have no velocity yet, but I think it´s around 2050ft./sec. A gentle load for the 1910 short barrel version.

Here's a load I used for the 9,5x57 M-S (in its British identical twin form the .375 2-1/4" rimless nitro express) to pretty much match the rather low pressure factory specs:

brass made from 30'06
270 gr .375" Hornady round nose
48 grs IMR 3031
overall length 3.035"
velocity in a 24" barrel averaged about 2200 fps

This matched what the 1921 Nobel (Kynoch) catalog shows for factory 9,5x57

Recoil was more than I prefer, even in a heavier 24" barrel rifle, but you could use the same load substituting a 235 gr Speer like Hipshoot mentions above for a more pleasant round, especially if you are loading for a 1910 M-S carbine. They are light!



Reloading the 9.5x57mm is simple, since the bullets are standard .375 diameter and you can make your cases from .30-06 or 9.3x57mm. I have used both routes in loading for three different M1910s since 1972. I started by first using the .30-06 as the "universal donor", sometime later I discovered 9.3x57mm Norma brass, thanks to my Grandfather. The 9.5x57mm is such a mild cartridge that the cases merely expand the tiny amount necessary to build prime 9.5mm cases, which occurs in almost every instance of wildcatted brass anyway. There is no problem to be found using 9.3x57mm as the basic case.

There will be problems if you use a sharply tapered bullet like the Hornaday 270 grain or a flat nosed .38-55 bullet in your loadings. They will not feed reliably thru the rotary magazine. You need to stay with a more "standard" bullet design like the Speer or Norma in any weight from 235 grain to the 286 grain. The Speer has "always" been my go to bullet for the 9.5x57mm. As for loading recipes, "Cartridges of the World" is a good starting resource for data. Use standard large rifle primers, and remember these are 70 to 97 year old rifles. Oh yes, the flat nose 255 grain bullets made for the .38-55 WCF do shoot well in a 9.5x57mm, they just do not feed thru the magazine.
Recipes - Here are some old ones I have used as starters -
235 gr Speer 43.5 gr IMR 4895
270 gr Winchester 45.5 IMR 4895
286 gr Speer 43.5 gr IMR 4895
286 gr Speer 42.0 gr IMR 3031
270 gr Norma 46.0 gr IMR 4895
270 GR Norma 46.0 gr N201
All loads were fired first in .30-06 based cases and later in 9.3x57mm based cases. Another comment, I've standardized on the 235 grain Speer bullet for reduced recoil because of my arthritis.



IN the Cartridges of the World book, it shows: IMR 3031 (44 grs.) = 2150 fps. with a 270 gr. SP and IMR 3031 (42 grs.) = 2040 fps. with a 286 gr. SP. Hope it helps!!! HD1

 

[Renny_454]

Thank you Brian and The35Whelen!
I managed to load up some light loads that worked good enough for fire forming. I ended up using 41grains of ADI Benchmark 2 (IMR 3031) with a 250g Siera. The brass is 9.3x57 Norma which i made a mandrel for to push the neck out to almost straight wall. I then bumped the neck back down to create a false shoulder to establish headspace with a slight crush fit when closing the bolt. Safe to say i was a little nervous when squeezing the trigger on the first shot.
Next step will be to get a chronograph and work on some hunting loads.

I appreciate all your help and knowledge!