Steyr Military 8mm rifle question!
This is one for one of you military specialists. I am interested in a Steyr 8mm rifle but the seller is not sure if it will shoot the surplus ammo that is readily available or if it takes a special (rare and hard to find) type of ammo. He doesn't have any more info so I can't add any information for you. Thanks in advance for your help!!!
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8X56R is readily available, plentiful, and not that expensive. most of the major surplus houses stock it. we have some on the shelf right now...
this is not the same round as 8MM MAUSER...
it will not interchange...
best regards, mike.
What other dungeon is so dark as ones own heart, what jailer so inexorable as ones own mind.
contact me at the shop at waltsgun@aol.com best regards, mike.0 -
Your going to have to be more specific in your description of the rifle, vis a vis all markings and physical description, and operating system.
The Austrian factory/arsenal OWG Steyr made at least (3) differerent types of military rifles chambered for (3) different types of 8mm cartridges.
If the rifle your interested in is chambered for the 8 x 57mm Mauser you got no problem, on the other hand if it's a early straight-pull chambered for the 8 x 50mmR, it's going to be a lot tougher, ( expensive ) to get ammo.
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COOKIES,
IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A STEYR STRAIGHT PULL ???
ORIGINAL (WAS) 8X50R THESE WERE LONG RIFLES.
CONVERTED (TO) 8X56R SHORT CARBINES
ASK SELLER IF THERE IS A S OR SINGLE LETTER STAMPED ON TOP OF RECIEIVER BRIDGE. IF THERE IS AND IT'S A SHORT CARBINE IT WILL BE A 8X56R.
SURPLUS AMMO. AVAILABLE CHEAP,MAKE SURE IT IS IN STRIPPER CLIPS.
CUSTOM AMMO. AVAILABLE BUT!!! EXPENSIVE.
METCO0 -
Actualy IF it's a 8x50R, it's one of the easest conversions you can make. Run a 7.62X54R case through the 8x50R die, Trim to length, Chamfer the mouth and load While this cartridge takes a .329 bullet, a .323 flat base bullet will give good results. They use the same clips as a 8x56R BTW.
They used to be expensive to do this way (back when Norma brass was the only game in town) but now that reloadable 762x54R brass is fairly common (and readaly found in the trash cans at the range) the cost has gone down quite a bit.
I had 3 of the 8x50R cavelry carbines they're fun to shoot, and even more fun to watch the "experts" try to work the bolt on.
Some guys like a mag full of lead, I still prefer one round to the head.0 -
METCO, please shut off your caps lock.
cookies, the fastest way to find out is to slug the bore. Hammer a cast bullet through the barrel and mike it. If it measures .323" it takes the inexpensive, easy to get ammo. If it measures .318" you're looking at reloading.0 -
PLEASE !!!!
CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG ???
THE HUNGARIAN 8X56R IS A .329 DIAM. THE S OR SINGLE LETTER I REFERED TO IN MY PREVIOUS POST.DENOTES THE ARSENAL THAT DID THE CONVERSION'S.
WITH RESPECT
METCO
P.S. MY LAST CAPLOCKS0 -
8x50R and 8x56R both have .329 bores. The "S" on the receiver ring denotes that it has been rechambered to 8x56R (from the origional 8x50R).
Some guys like a mag full of lead, I still prefer one round to the head.0 -
I truly appreciate all of your responses. The seller never answered all of my questions derived from your information. I went ahead and bought it anyway (it was not a lot) so if I am screwed I did it to myself. I will let you all know what it says when it arrives. I love all these old rifles, both to look at and to shoot! Thanks again!!! 0 -
The seller finally replied and told me it is a M 95 model. He did not answer any of my other questions as to markings. Do any of you know which 8mm round I should be looking for? Thanks again!! 0 -
To put it simply, they were all M-95's. Sorry.
They were origionaly chambered in 8x50R, in the 30's? a lot were rechambered to 8x56R. After Germany took over Austria/Hungary in WW2, they redesigned the bolt face and magazine to accept the 7.92x57 (8mm Mauser) cartridge. Late in the war Germany issued both of the later chamberings to rear guard security troops (old men & young boys) due to the shortage of standard weapons.
While a chamber cast is the best way to find out, there are a couple of simple things you can do to determine what it is. If a 30-06/308Win/8mm Mauser case (there all the same size at the case head)fit's snugly on the boltface/extractor than you know it's the last of the 3 choices (7.92x57). Than purchase a pack of Mil-Surp 8x56R ammo (either way you will need the clip(s) so it's not a total waste of money), and see if one will chamber fully. If it does it's a 8x56R, if not it's still chambered for the origional 8x50R, and your looking at modifing/reloading cases made from 7.62x54R Russian (or 7.62x53R Finnish, same cartridge) brass.
Some guys like a mag full of lead, I still prefer one round to the head.0
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