Spanish FR-8

[haodoken]

Anyone one know what section the Spanish FR-8 is in the ATF C&R guide? I downloaded the PDF and did a search...zippo. Is it a C&R? The one I'm looking at is 50+ years old.

[Quiet]

They're C&R because they are over 50 years old.

[caldude]

I don't know the section, but they are C&R. I just bought one a couple of months ago.

[knucklehead0202]

yes indeed they are, know anywhere i can get one?

[Crusader]

I saw one pop up in a gun store once. Unfortunately, I was unaware of how awesome of a weapon it was and I didn't grab it. I'd say just keep a vigilent watch of local shops. They pop up on Gunbroker once in a while, but most people are unwilling to work with Californians, it seems.

[caldude]

J&Rs in Livermore had one come in on consignment a couple of weeks ago. I don't know if they still have it.

[offrdmania]

They are on gunbroker all the time in the 350 range. Be careful with them though. Cant use 308 ammo in them, too hot of a load. Must use the Nato 7.62x51 ammo. South African works good and seems to be the cheapest.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=122685124

[Crusader]

They are on gunbroker all the time in the 350 range. Be careful with them though. Cant use 308 ammo in them, too hot of a load. Must use the Nato 7.62x51 ammo. South African works good and seems to be the cheapest.
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Vie...Item=122685124

I don't know that that is necessarily true. My friend had one marked .308 and we shot it dozens of times with 308. Of course, I suppose his might have been rebarreled or rechambered or something.

[offrdmania]

If it was stamped 308 then it was rechambered. Spanish made are Nato in the 7.62

[maxicon]

Here's a good article on the FR8:

http://www.surplusrifle.com/shooting/fr8/index.asp

and a ton of links discussing the issues - well worth a read:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&q=fr8+308+7.62&btnG=Search

[ElToro]

FR-8 not shooting commercial .308 is one of the worst internet rumors around. it is a large ring mauser after all. i have one and have shot hundreds of commercial .308 through it. with iron sights it hits a 12inch steel gong at 100+ yards all day long.

be wary of the FR7

the FR8 is a good gun, get it if you can. i paid < $200 for mine. even better if you can buy it cash and carry since its over 50+ years old.

and for the record i shoot 308 through my rebarrelled 93 turk (its legally a non-gun as it was made before 1898). they were re-heat treated in the 30's by the turks and barreled for hot euro level 8mm mauser.

[gunboat]

What is the dimensional difference between a .308 chamber and a 7.62 ?

[caldude]

What is the dimensional difference between a .308 chamber and a 7.62 ?

I don't think there's a dimensional difference, but there is a pressure difference. Commercial .308 rounds are loaded hotter than NATO 7.62 rounds, something like 60,000PSI for .308 versus 51,000PSI for NATO. It's because of this pressure difference, that people recommend only using NATO ammo in the FR-8. Older, weaker rifles may not be able to handle the increased pressure of the .308. Since the FR-8 was a rework of an older Mauser, there can be some concern over receiver strength.

[-hanko]

Cant use 308 ammo in them, too hot of a load. Must use the Nato 7.62x51 ammo. South African works good and seems to be the cheapest.

Not quite completely correct...
NATO 7.62 has a pressure limit of 50,000psi, .308 is spec'd at 62,000psi max. I'd be careful with .308--start with light bullets, look for signs of high pressure, stop and back off if you feel the load is too hot. Make sure you headspace the gun & I'd suggest using the no-go and not the field gage.

FR8's are built on a large ring Mauser receivers, the receiver itself can handle rounds a lot hairer than SAAMI .308. If you're not sure what you're doing, stick with NATO.

-hanko

[Saigon1965]

Good information here as I had just picked one up last month -