Spandau 1916 Gewehr 98 german mauser.

[CAM2]

A while back I was asking some questions about this rifle that was given to me by my father in-law which was given to him back in the early sixties and i just wanted to follow up on it and let you guy's know what I have found out about it. I took it to a gun shop and they cast the chamber and inspected the rifle to make sure that it is still operational. I didn't have any doubts about it being operational because the rifle is in very good condition for being that old. The rifle has been sporterized (many years ago, by whom we do not know), the bolt is bent, the stock had been worked, and a redfield peep sight had been mounted on it. I had considered at one time having it rebarreled and putting a new stock on it if it turned out to be chambered for a cartridge that I didn't care for or if the bore was in poor condition. The guy's at the gun shop said that the bore was still in really good condition and it seemed to be when they showed me using a bore light. They said that it's chambered for the 30-06 and it should be a pretty good shooter because of the condition that it is in, of course the proof is in the pudding. After hunting season is over I'll get a set of dies and the necessary goodies and start working up some loads for it. Hopefully it will be a decent shooter, and if it is then I'll leave it alone and not rebarrel it. It'll be nice to have another rifle that shoots.



If you're not huntin' you're not livin'!!!!!!!!

[eldeguello]

If it is chambered for the .30/'06, it is obviously not an original GEW. 98, they were 8X57mm. It must have been rebarreled. If so, it is surprising the barrel is not marked ".30/06". Is it posssible that it is the original 8mm barrel, rechambered for the '06 case, and therefore an 8mm/'06?? If so, this is an excellent caliber, although one which requires one to handload for it..........

Keep yore powder dry!!

[CAM2]

I know what the original chambering was and i'm not implying that it is an original. The fact that it has been sporterized led me to beleive that it may have been rechambered, that is why I had it checked out. I'm going to slug the barrel myself to find out what the bore diameter is because there isn't any markings on the barrel. Although they said that it is chambered for the 30-06, it might be a 8mm/06 like you said, which is fine because I just got into handloading. Before I took it to the gun shop I put a live 30-06 cartridge in it and it chambered like it belonged, and to my understanding if it was still originally chambered then the '06 would not chamber because it is slightly longer than the 8X57.

If you're not huntin' you're not livin'!!!!!!!!

Edited by - cam2 on 11/09/2002 20:55:57

[seattlesetters]

If you do need to rebarrel, why not install a 22" or 23" in the original chambering of 8x57JS?

Since you handload, you could make that cartridge/rifle combination into one incredibly versatile, mild recoiling, killer of an all-around rig. Pop a Leupold Vari-X III 2.5-8x36mm on top and deer, moose and elk would have nowhere to hide...

Besides, with an 8mm Mauser in your hands, you would be the coolest dude in the woods. <img src=icon_smile_cool.gif border=0 align=middle>

Good Dogwork and Good Hunting

Edited by - seattlesetters on 11/09/2002 22:19:07