mauser ammo help

[mach1drumstar69]

So I bought a turkish mauser at a gun auction and was trying to figure out the right ammo to get. at first I got 7x57 ammo bout found out that its not right, the barrel has 8mm stamped on it so I bought the 8mm mauser ammo. It feeds through the action fine, but just as a little test, I stuck the bullet in the exit end of the barrel expecting it to go in until it reached the casing snugly, but only about half of the fml went in. wanting to be a little more sure before firing it for the first time i wanted to ask you more knowlegeable ppl and see what you think. it should be the right ammo so i was assuming that its just supposed to be a tight fit in order to properly seal the bullet in the barrel but again, before blowing the gun up in my face, i wanted to be a little more sure. i added pics with an 8mm and 7mm round in the barrel, the 7mm is the gold case and goes into the end of the barrel even past some of the casing so i know its not right, the green casing is the 8mm so tell me what you guys think. safe to fire?

 

[jimmyraythomason]

The bullet is at a good depth in the muzzel in that pic. Yes,the Turk you have is in all likelyhood an 8mm Mauser(unless it has been rechambered). Earlier Turks were in 7.65x53 chambering but the vast majority found now will be 8mm. With the barrel being marked 8mm,I would feel confident that,that is what it is.

 

[Deanimator]

There are two kinds of 7.92x57mm (8mm) Mauser ammunition:

J - The original round for the Commission 88 and very early German Mauser 98s. Bore diameter is .318. The bullet was round nosed.

JS - The "improved" round introduced before WWI and used throughout WWI, WWII and by the Poles, Czechs, Germans, and [eventually] the Chinese Nationalists. Bore diameter is .323. The bullet was pointed ("Spitzgeschoss", ie. "spitzer").

Turkey started WWI with the 7.65x54mm round used by Belgium and Argentina, and eventually switched to 7.92x57mmJS.

A properly sized bullet shouldn't just drop down the barrel because then it won't properly engage the rifling. I have precisely that problem with a Colt New Service that somebody gave me as a gift. It was converted from .45 Colt to .45acp [by replacing the cylinder], without any notice having been taken of the fact that when the gun was originally made, .45 Colt barrels were .454-.455, while .45acp barrels were .451-.452. It keyholes every time.

I THINK your gun is ok with normal 7.92x57mm ammunition, but the SAFE thing to do is to have a competent gunsmith slug your barrel and make a chamber cast.

 

[jimmyraythomason]

The original round for the Commission 88

The chances of this Turk being in this caliber is nonexistant(or as good as). In fact finding any gun still in the old (.318) caliber (outside of the Gew.88)would be a task indeed.

 

[rocinante]

looks like you might have a round of WWII german armor piercing there. I have one sitting right by my monitor and it has the same red ring and greenish gray steel casing.

 

[Hardtarget]

Take Deanimator's advice. Have a 'smith check it. Don't get hurt just trying to save a few bucks.

Then take that rifle to the range and have fun!

Mark

 

[jimmyraythomason]

Personally if I bought it I would just shoot it but you have to satisfy yourself.

 

[NCsmitty]

I would suggest that anyone interested in their firearm should take the time to educate themselves as to history of manufacture and use.

www.turkmauser.com



NCsmitty

 

[Old Time Hunter]

Your major diameter should be .323" (bottom of rifling) and your minor diameter should be around .315" (land to land), some as tight as .314". That is the standard bore diameters of an 8mm(7.92) Mauser. To be sure always slug the barrel and mic (remember the slug will be a "mirror" image), you should get .323" +/- .001". I'd use a 1/3 egg sinker as a slug.

The 8mm looks to be about right, but if you do not know how to slug a barrel, have a gunny do it to be safe.

 

[Schofield3]

looks like you might have a round of WWII german armor piercing there. I have one sitting right by my monitor and it has the same red ring and greenish gray steel casing.

That looks like some Grade A certified Romanian mil-surp ammunition....

 

[rocinante]

That looks like some Grade A certified Romanian mil-surp ammunition....

Could be. OP whatcha got there?

 

[Col. Plink]

isn't there also some variance in American vs European 7.92x57mm? I know there is some toned-down american stuff that is 'IS' vs euro 'JS' ammo? The American '8mm' I know is underpowered to the tune of about a 30-30 while euro 7.92x57 is peppier.

That said, I'm still looking for ammo my Hakim will like... 150-gr Romanian milsurp blows the magazine catch open even with the gas system turned so far down the cases just flop out onto the bench next to me...

 

[Uncle Mike]

Most of the Turks we have sold over the years have been .323". We did get some .317" dudes in a shipment.

I would think you more than likely have a .323" there.

Be safe....not sorry and hurting! Slug the barrel like the above gentlemen have suggested and mic. the slug.

 

[Hatterasguy]

Have a smith check it.

Mausers came in a bunch of different calibers and you have know way of knowing if it wasn't re chambered.

Its probably 8mm, but you want to be sure.

 

[Old Time Hunter]

isn't there also some variance in American vs European 7.92x57mm?

The Remington round nose 8mm (7.92 X 57) is actually undersized at .3215" and loaded for around 2350 fps. The Commission 88 had the variances of bore diameter, not the K98 or the K98k. The Commission 88 had the .318" (Cz), the .3215" (1890+), and the .323" (generally armory renovated when rechambered for the "S" spitzer round, all were done by 1905). Except, some of the ones that were rebarreled with the Czech barrels, primarily for export, which were .318" major and .310/.311" minor...these also have actually been seen down to .316" major...very dangerous for the larger rounds.

 

[Col. Plink]

Isn't there also variance in power among 8mm American vs. 7.92x57mm European??

 

[Ronsch]

+1 on the gunsmith checking it. I had to do that with my BRNO Mauser 98K. IIRC, the Israelis also converted theirs to .308. They usually marked it, but the whole era when that happened was pretty busy.

 

[dougw47]

Dont shoot it...

Have it slugged and checked out for headspace.