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01-13-2002, 03:42 PM
#21
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Body in SE WI, mind in U.P.
Posts: 4,781
RE: Gotta love those old surplus rifles!!
BigBob, I completely disagree with you about the ammunition. All of the stuff I've seen and used for my 8mm's has fired flawlessly. It is fmj and cannot be used for hunting though. The issue with corrosive priming is true, but is easily remedied by cleaning the rifles with hot water- or a few squirts of windex with ammonia. Some of the ammo was ever 60 years old!
AS far as the safety of the rifles goes, you need to check to make sure that the headspace isn't excessive. Its very unlikely that the headspace will be too tight- which can be checked by chambering a cartrdge. You need to trhouraoughly clean the rifle, and check it over for cracks. When I first fire a rifle, I pack it with sandbags and put a pile of carpet squares over the action and pull the trigger with a string. I do this until I feel confident about the rifle. I also use a bent paper clip to ckeck the inside of the spent cartridges to feel for a valley near the head that would indicate excess headspace. With that being said, not all firearms are safe to shoot. On the bright side, mauser rifles are way overbuilt to protect the shooter from ruptured cases and other catastrophic failures.
AS far as the safety of the rifles goes, you need to check to make sure that the headspace isn't excessive. Its very unlikely that the headspace will be too tight- which can be checked by chambering a cartrdge. You need to trhouraoughly clean the rifle, and check it over for cracks. When I first fire a rifle, I pack it with sandbags and put a pile of carpet squares over the action and pull the trigger with a string. I do this until I feel confident about the rifle. I also use a bent paper clip to ckeck the inside of the spent cartridges to feel for a valley near the head that would indicate excess headspace. With that being said, not all firearms are safe to shoot. On the bright side, mauser rifles are way overbuilt to protect the shooter from ruptured cases and other catastrophic failures.
01-13-2002, 07:14 PM
#22
Fork Horn
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: SD USA
Posts: 111
RE: Gotta love those old surplus rifles!!
My dad has a 7.65x53 argentine mauser. he got the gun and a 100 rounds of ammo for $20.
He bought it brand new. it was still in cosmolene when he brought it home. the date on the barrel is 1891. Every year he says "i think i'll try my 06 this year. but then he always ends up using the old mauser.
He bought it brand new. it was still in cosmolene when he brought it home. the date on the barrel is 1891. Every year he says "i think i'll try my 06 this year. but then he always ends up using the old mauser.
01-13-2002, 08:24 PM
#23
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Eagles Landing, KS
Posts: 612
RE: Gotta love those old surplus rifles!!
The surplus firearm market is just like any other market that sells used stuff. If you buy a used car and don't know very much about them have a mechanic check it out, same with guns. If in doubt check it out or pass. The only ammo problem I have had is with Turkish 8MM mauser. It seems pretty hot and I had a hard time getting the bolt open.
I only fired one round but I have had others tell me the same thing.
I only fired one round but I have had others tell me the same thing.
01-14-2002, 03:13 PM
#25
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Body in SE WI, mind in U.P.
Posts: 4,781
RE: Gotta love those old surplus rifles!!
Actually the 'old' 8mm's had a .318 bore and I believe are designated 8mm J. the newer 8mm JS has a .323 bore- shooting this ammo in a .318 bore would be catastrophic. I think all 98's chambered in 8mm are of the JS type while earlier mausers could be of the former. The surplus ammo is much hotter than modern factory loads- Remington 8mm loads are really pathetic compared to turk loads.
<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote<font size=1 face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>On the old 8mm Mausers I remember reading somewhere that ONLY the older ammo should be shot from them because if the newer manufacture ammo was used it was too powerful for the gun. Just what I read somewhere along the line. <hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' size=2 id=quote>
01-14-2002, 05:39 PM
#26
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Michigan
Posts: 3,476
RE: Gotta love those old surplus rifles!!
Excellent points brought up here........and the point about the "old" or "really old" 8mm surplus rifles is something to be noted. This thread is extolling the virtues of many surplus guns...an opinion I wholeheartedly share.....but all "old gun" enthusiasts, whether they are just getting into it or not must make absolutely sure that their weapon is safe and the the bore diameter is identified. The .318 as opposed to the .323 diameter is very crucial as Briman pointed out....and the existence of "hot" surplus ammo loads is real.
They are not "hot" to the degree that you'll risk injury if the gun checks out, but these old guns must be properly checked out. I consider myself fairly knowledgable in the realm of surplus guns but I research them first and ALWAYS shoot them (the first 5 times) while they are strapped to an old tire with a piece of clean paper over the action and then also covered by a blanket of carpet followed by a chunk of plywood. The paper can tell me if there is excess debris flying from the bolt area and the rest of the "security blanket" is just in case. I also inspect those first 5 cases carefully for signs of excessive pressure or headspace. I want to know as much as possible about an older gun before I hold it alongside my face! I've never had a accident yet, but did discover that an old Japanese 6.5 had serious problems w/ headspace. Many of my buddies consider my routine for my first 5 shots to be over-kill. OK with me, just call me a fraidy-cat!! Still have my eyes and face and fingers...hope to keep it that way.
They are not "hot" to the degree that you'll risk injury if the gun checks out, but these old guns must be properly checked out. I consider myself fairly knowledgable in the realm of surplus guns but I research them first and ALWAYS shoot them (the first 5 times) while they are strapped to an old tire with a piece of clean paper over the action and then also covered by a blanket of carpet followed by a chunk of plywood. The paper can tell me if there is excess debris flying from the bolt area and the rest of the "security blanket" is just in case. I also inspect those first 5 cases carefully for signs of excessive pressure or headspace. I want to know as much as possible about an older gun before I hold it alongside my face! I've never had a accident yet, but did discover that an old Japanese 6.5 had serious problems w/ headspace. Many of my buddies consider my routine for my first 5 shots to be over-kill. OK with me, just call me a fraidy-cat!! Still have my eyes and face and fingers...hope to keep it that way.
01-15-2002, 07:21 AM
#28
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Ellsworth Maine USA
Posts: 377
RE: Gotta love those old surplus rifles!!
I had a 303 British that had a dangerously unreliable safety. Someone else was interested in it so I got rid of it but made sure they were fully aware of the problem.
I recently fired a friends 7.62 x 54 though that hit on target at 400 yards with open sights. I was very impressed.
I recently fired a friends 7.62 x 54 though that hit on target at 400 yards with open sights. I was very impressed.
