8mm Mauser misfiring... or it it ammo?

[Supertankerm60a3]

So I have owned this 1940 Turkish 8mm Mauser for about 20 years. Just cleared out the 12" solid Cosmoline plug last year. I had to turn it upside down and force a cleaning rod up through by bouncing it on the floor! (the rod, rifle was on top)
I FINALLY found some ammo for it! 1955 Ethiopian steel projectile brass cased ammo. Went to test shoot it.

CLICK! Looks like a good dent in the primer. NEXT
CLICK! Looks the same. Looks like a good dent. NEXT
CLICK! Well, OK. That is that for the day.

Got Home, took the cartridges apart. Dry powder. Square flakes. Oddly though, There don't seem to be any flash hole/s. What gives?
So, now to the question.

Does anyone have any ideas/advice/experience with anything similar?

[rivraton]

Berdan primed:

https://www.ammunitiontogo.com/lodge/boxer-vs-berdan-primers/

[Sailormilan2]

So I have owned this 1940 Turkish 8mm Mauser for about 20 years. Just cleared out the 12" solid Cosmoline plug last year. I had to turn it upside down and force a cleaning rod up through by bouncing it on the floor! (the rod, rifle was on top)
I FINALLY found some ammo for it! 1955 Ethiopian steel projectile brass cased ammo. Went to test shoot it.

CLICK! Looks like a good dent in the primer. NEXT
CLICK! Looks the same. Looks like a good dent. NEXT
CLICK! Well, OK. That is that for the day.

Got Home, took the cartridges apart. Dry powder. Square flakes. Oddly though, There don't seem to be any flash hole/s. What gives?
So, now to the question.

Does anyone have any ideas/advice/experience with anything similar?

Did you take the bolt apart and clean the cosmoline out of the firing pin channel, the firing pin, spring, and bolt shroud parts?

[tigerpan]

Did you try it with new ammo?

[Kokopelli]

Does anyone have any ideas/advice/experience with anything similar?

Bad primers. You can salvage the powder and projectiles. The cases are berdan primed, which is two tiny flash holes either side of center. The primers are corrosive. You can form 8X57 brass from 30-06 cases.

Prvi Partizan (SP?) makes new 8X57 ammo.

[Gunsrruss]

Bolt

Did you take the bolt apart and clean the cosmoline out of the firing pin channel, the firing pin, spring, and bolt shroud parts?

Had the same problem once. You need to clean out that bolt

[aklon]

<snip>
Prvi Partizan (SP?) makes new 8X57 ammo.

It's pretty stout, and clean too.

But I miss the Hirtenberger stuff.

[THBailey]

If you are getting firm primer strike, I am thinking the ammo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iq0X3toP-t0

[LynnJr]

Clean the bolt on the inside and replace that 80+ year old spring.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/3415791695

Best $7 you will ever spend

[ngnrnlo]

If the bolt has been taken apart, it may not have been tightened completely. When you think it is fully tightened, the bolt sleeve (last item/step in the assembly) requires one last revolution. That last revolution will compress the firing pin spring completely; otherwise you get a light strike. I went through the same experience with the same rifle.

[2shotjoe]

Hard primers, you'll need a Wolff spring.

Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk

[shooter556]

Ammo for sure.

I bought some of the Greek surplus from Aimsurplus for $10 bucks a box. Only one out 40 went "click", the rest fired without an issue.

https://aimsurplus.com/products/greek-8mm-mauser-198gr-lc-fmjbt-corrosive-ammunition-20rd-box

Here is 5 rounds from that day. It was a beauty to shoot, love the sound of the Mauser:



I know angle is not the best but I don't have much room for my camera. And I hate filming on my iphone because the audio it records is pure garbage. My Sony camera picks up the audio so much better.

[Flouncer]

Federal, Remington and Winchester all made 8x57 hunting load ammo. Soft but safe and reliable. Hornady, Nosler, Prvi, Selier Belliot and Norma all make modern ammo. Not saying it's in stock and available but there is a Shiat ton of ammo better than 60 yo Mil Surp.

Take the bolt apart clean it and put it back tighten. You can change the spring but I have never changed one including an original 1912, 1917 and 1947. All manufactured in different countries and all of them really really old. Never had a firing pin or spring caused fail to fire. Ever.

[Supertankerm60a3]

Thanks to everyone who answered. This is my follow-up.

Yes Berdan primed. The flash holes are there (I just found them) and are REALLY Tiny.

Took the advise about the bolt and dis-assembled it after watching a UTube video. AAACCK!! YUUCK!! The bolt was completely packed with Cosmoline. So, I cleaned it for a good 30 minutes. Test fired 2 (disassembled) shells. Both fired. Great!

Found out that Berdan primers don't make much noise when they fire. I thought the first was a misfire until I looked inside the case. Regular primers are so loud I worry about the neighbors noticing.

I also filed the forward shoulders just a bit on the firing pin. The pin did not seem to protrude as much as any other I have in my collection. So I made it protrude about 25% more (a few thousandths) for than it was.

Thanks again for all the help! Yes, I am looking for newer ammo. Hard to find. Not as bad as 30-40 Krag., but hard.

[pacrat]

Thanks to everyone who answered. This is my follow-up.

Yes Berdan primed. The flash holes are there (I just found them) and are REALLY Tiny.

Took the advise about the bolt and dis-assembled it after watching a UTube video. AAACCK!! YUUCK!! The bolt was completely packed with Cosmoline. So, I cleaned it for a good 30 minutes. Test fired 2 (disassembled) shells. Both fired. Great!

Found out that Berdan primers don't make much noise when they fire. I thought the first was a misfire until I looked inside the case. Regular primers are so loud I worry about the neighbors noticing.

I also filed the forward shoulders just a bit on the firing pin. The pin did not seem to protrude as much as any other I have in my collection. So I made it protrude about 25% more (a few thousandths) for than it was.

Thanks again for all the help! Yes, I am looking for newer ammo. Hard to find. Not as bad as 30-40 Krag., but hard.

Yeah, I'm late to the Mauser Click Party. For next time reference. Initial clean up of Mil-Surp Cosmo Crud. Disassemble bolt, drop parts in metal pan or coffee can full of water.

I have an assortment of Thrift Store stainless pots for the purpose of parts cleaning.

Boil it for about 20 minutes. Be sure rear of bolt body is "UP" so melted cosmo can rise out of it. The wet heat melts 99.9% of the cosmo, which floats to the top.

I do same with a receiver, on BBQ side burner. With muzzle of barrel leaned against wall or fence. When done cooking, pour hot rinse from receiver to muzzle multiple times.

I do this outside because even after 52 yrs. Wife hasn't yet learned to appreciate the aroma of 50 yr old Cosmo Essence in her kitchen.

Thoroughly rinse a couple times with hot water. Then spray with WD-40 to keep from rusting. Which will start almost immediately. Then Ez-PZ to give normal clean and lube treatment.

MANY of those feriner berdan primed 8mm rounds give a high percentage of "Clicks" just because they are so damn hard. RECOCK and try again, they usually go Bang second time.

IIRC ...... FP protrusion should be 55-60 thou.

For lots of good Turk Mau info give this a look. https://www.turkmauser.com/models.aspx