7.8x57

[Robert]

Hello all, by all I think I could name the viewers by name at this point

With my drilling I got the two boxes of ammo shown

my rifle is marked 7.8x57 and I believe made in 1932

is the ammo shown what should be bought/fired for a 7.8x57 marked gun?



And is 8mm Mauser ammo ok or not rimmed or not ok?


Thanks for the input


Robert

[Axel E]

Up to 1939 the German proof houses marked not the groove or bullet diameter, but the bore/land one, measured with cylindrical plug gages in .1mm increments. To the 7.8 mm you have to add two times the usual groove depth of usually .1mm. So a 7.8mm marked gun is proofed for the 8x57IR, .318" bullet cartridges. It may be or not useable with 8x57IRS marked, .323" bullet, cartridges, see other threads here on this subject. "8mm Mauser" cartridges are not rimmed and will not work in an 8x57IR(immed) gun. They will chamber in your drilling and go bang without danger, but the rimless cases will not extract. You will have to carry a cleaning rod all the time to get the empty cases out.

[Robert]

You will have to carry a cleaning rod all the time to get the empty cases out.

In case of Emergency bring rod, good to know, Thanks

Robert

[mike ford]

Robert,
The ammo you have is primed with American size boxer primers and after you shoot them you will be left with 40 cases, which will be enough to provide a lot of hand loads. As Axel mentioned, bullets other than .318"(ie .320" or .323") may be useable.This can be determined by "slugging" the bore and checking if larger bullet will easily enter a fired case. Normal 8mm Mauser loading dies can usually be used with a shellholder for 8x57 IR( or IRS,7x65R,9.3x74R,etc). If bullets smaller than .323" are called for,you can remove the expander button to size the neck enough to hold the bullet.This is because the neck is sized smaller than the bullet, then expanded by the button. In this case, you will have to deprime the cases by hand, or use a smaller expander button to hold the depriming pin in ( .308",.311", or if you have one, .320-321"for 32Win special). If necessary, you can "bell" the neck with a 32 S&W Long (or 32ACP) or shop made expander.I like using this method, because it gives flexibility to use different size bullets. To save your cases, you should adjust the sizing die to just "kiss" the shoulder and not set it back( prevents streaching the cases, and case head separation). Case length should be checked and cases trimmed to length.This prevents the case necks being jammed into the lead and uniform length for bullet seating, to prevent bulging the shoulder.Every thing else is just normal handloading procedure. I encourage handloading because it is very satisfying and extends the fun.
Mike

[Robert]

WOW, again,

Honestly I'm a bit ashamed to admit I listed this for sale yet again, something I do with many of my non shooters from time to time usually only for a few days at a time and usually as a hobby/fun

I shoot handguns a lot, IDPA matches weekly, rifles and carbines much less frequently and my shotguns are just wall hangers, never fired, most are Damascus steel, the newest I would consider firing is a spanish gun I know nothing about except its pretty on the wall



reloading is something I've never done, mostly a dream to think I ever will, but maybe, right now my house is to tiny for reloading, my wife wants to move from this swap land to the mountains, perhaps if that happens, Ill shoot shotguns and reload

from listening to guys I shoot with who do reload there is no cost savings, I would guess with my 10mm and 357 there actually might be, but I also hear getting reloading supplies is tough so maybe not.


Robert

[sharps4590]

Depends on what you're shooting and how you reload.

[mike ford]

Robert,
Sharps4590 is correct, I shoot a 8x72R tip up, and the only source of ammo, I know of,costs more than $100 for 20.It costs about the same to load for it as 8x57IR. Most of us don't handload to save money, anyway. For a lot of us, the only way to have ammo is handload it. Also, its another part of the hobby and fun to boot.Your friends may be correct about saving money, if they are shooting common caliber handguns and buying the bullets.I have multiple presses,powder measures, etc,etc, and they take a lot of room when mounted permanetly.You don't have to have all that, you can do very well with less equipment, mounted on steel plates or wood bases and "C"clamp it to a table.When not in use, it can be stored anywhere.
Mike

[Robert]

Well, you guys and this forum are inspiring, I may become a reloader, I did pull the spanish gun down, did some homework, its from 1957, so yep, still my newest pulled all my others down, dusted/oiled, then put a bid on another one for guns that are never shot they are addictive