Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire 8.8 mm, 360 nitro express? what cartridge is this rifle chambered for?

A chamber cast (and measurement) is the only sure wayy to know.

It's a Belgian Gun (Henry Pieper) and I have matched half a dozen proofs. It has everything marked except what cartridge.
Two inches sounds about right for the length. And fire formed brass is straight walled.

Took lots of pics - these are teh best of them. Thanks for any help!

I am now convinced that the rifle side of my cape gun is 9.3X57R aka 360 Nitro Express. When I initially rec�d the 9.3x57R cases of virgin brass from Buffalo Arms and found that they would not chamber, I assumed that it was because they were too long. I was wrong. The reason that they would not chamber is because the base of the case was too wide. After attempting to trim one of the cases to a length that would fit (and finding that it never would fit no matter how short) � I ran the virgin brass in my 38-55 sizing die. This reduced the width at the base of the cartridge from .421 to .420 � not much change, but enough. They all work beautifully now. The 2 � inch cartridge length chambers just fine, even with a bullet seated.

Now, on to load development! I�m starting with 17 grains of 2400 and working my way up�.

Drop tube the case FULL of FFG Express,jam a card wad ove it and seat your bullet. Huntington has 9,3 cast for .364 diameter.

Confirmation - proof marks confirm it as a 360 Express aka 9.3x57R aka 360 Express:

"I can see only the usual Liege, Belgium blackpowder proofmarks! On the action flat there is the "Perron", the symbol of the City of Liege, and a "V under star", a Belgian inspectors personal stamp. Under the rifle barrel there is the "EL" blackpowder proofmark, The "ELG in oval under crown", the Liege proofhouse acceptance mark in use from 1893, and the "R under crown" which in Liege marks proof of a rifled barrel. "8.8"mm is the correct bore (not rifling or bullet!)diameter for both the 9.3x72R and it's forerunner, the 9.3x57R aka .360 BPExpress."

And cases and bullets from Buffalo arms produce VERY satisfactory results with mild smokeless powder loads

very cool. looking at one of those now.

Very cool. I hope to hunt with mine this fall