Mauser Mod 98. 8mm?

[gun toting monkeyboy]

I would get the chambers cast just to be sure. The barrel looks original to the gun. And if the old owner can tell you that it hasn't been modified, then you may be able to skip that step. But failing that, many of these guns had the chamber reamed to take 8-06 in the late 1940s through the early 1960s. On the other hand, judging from the chickens on the side, you can be reasonably certain that the bore diameter is the more modern .323" instead of the earlier .318".

If it is in 8x57, then yes, any of the factory ammunition is fine in it. Just remember that American factory loads are about the same power as a .30-40 Krag for legal reasons. European loads are closer to .30-06 levels. Both will work just fine for deer.

-Mb

[Pofoo]

Cheapest would be to slug the barrel and measure. You should be able to beg, barrow, steal a soft lead slug then get someone to measure it for you.

[gun toting monkeyboy]

Cheapest would be to slug the barrel and measure. You should be able to beg, barrow, steal a soft lead slug then get someone to measure it for you.

The problem here isn't really the diameter of the bore. They didn't make .318" bore barrels for military mailers since the very early 1900s. The bore is fine. The question is what the size of the chamber is. Because the receiver and barrel both have German army acceptance stamps, it is fairly safe to assume a .323" bore. The problem is that post-WWII, 8x57mm mauser ammo was hard to come by. Americans, being the innovative (read:cheap) buggers that we are came up with the idea of using a wildcat 8mm based on a .30-06 case. All that was needed was to ream the chamber, and poof! You could load them up and used them easily. You could even get away with using then-common .32 Winchester Special bullets which has a .321" diameter. You wouldn't get target grade results, but it was more than good enough for deer. The problem we run into today is that reaming a barrel was a common and simple thing for home gunsmiths to do. And not all of them marked the barrel to show that the caliber had been changed. So when you run into an 8mm mauser that has been sporterized like that, there is always that chance that somebody mucked around with the chamber.

-Mb

[Flouncer]

Nobody replied to my question. Couldn't a 30-06 cartridge or case be used to see if the 8x57 has been reamed to 8m-06 ? The 30-06' will chamber in a 8mm-06 but not in the 8x57 ?? Isn't that the simple $1 diagnosis ?

[TMB 1]

Nobody replied to my question. Couldn't a 30-06 cartridge or case be used to see if the 8x57 has been reamed to 8m-06 ? The 30-06' will chamber in a 8mm-06 but not in the 8x57 ?? Isn't that the simple $1 diagnosis ?

Yes, 30-06 wont chamber in 8x57.

[pacrat]

Nobody replied to my question. Couldn't a 30-06 cartridge or case be used to see if the 8x57 has been reamed to 8m-06 ? The 30-06' will chamber in a 8mm-06 but not in the 8x57 ?? Isn't that the simple $1 diagnosis ?

Yes, that would help with the process of elimination. But would not prove definitively what it is. Only what it isn't.

[Flouncer]

Simple and easy

Your are correct of course, but My point is . .. . The internet is great and it absolutely sucks. We could have this discussion over a beer or a coffee face to face and convey instantly and effectively. And end up agreeing one way or the other. Here, 4 posts and &^&#@$. The barrel is the original step barrel, with Nazi/Mauser marks on it. That rules out 30-06. We want to see if it's been reamed out to 8mm-06. So with a single 30-06 round, we can double check the barrel inner by sticking the .308 (edit: bullet) in the .323 (edit:bore) and seeing what is and what is not. And if the 30-06 doesn't chamber, we ruled out the 8mm-06. So yes, what is not and what is but by process of not blowing $100 on go/no go/field/ piece of tape or cerrosafe, we can check this weapon to the extent we need to. Wouldn't you agree ?

Edit: we checked with a free loaner cartridge of 30-06.