Quote Originally Posted by browningautorifleicon View Post
Ok, so lets back up here...are you loading for .303, 8mm Lebel or 7.62x54? All are mentioned and you do circles but don't really say. What exact bullet weight are you using? All these things matter. So far we're all guessing because you won't be specific... except you say you've undercharged.
To clarify..

I have observed the phenomenon in three rifles:

two were in 7.62x54 Mosin Nagant rifles (not mine) using .311 174gn FMJ bullets and N140 - I don't know the specific loads, but assume 45 - 47 gn range...

The third was my own 8 x 50 Lebel - I have given the details of the loads, however they were .323 bullets as that is the only 8mm bullets I can obtain.. They fly fine, no yawing or tumbling and group reasonably well at 300 yds. The Frenchicon factory loads I pulled were .323 as well!

My comments about .303 were simply to point out that it is a roughly similar load using the same components that has never shown these symptoms, hence my curiosity..!

Working on the "first is unusual, second is coincidence, third is enemy action" theory I decided to ask around....!