8x57 to 8x63

i certainly thought about it. but shipping the ammo out west makes the economics of it marginal IMO.
 
#1bcshooter said:
Anyone rechamber a 8x57 K98 to 8x63 Swedish ??
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There are several people who have done this. I have a couple of projects in the works. For a bolt action you need a 98 mauser, or equivalent long action as other actions are too short.

See http://8x63swedish.pridham.ca/home.html

perhaps an easier idea is the 8mm/06- certainly easier to get brass for
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While the ammo lasts, it is hard to beat $90/k if you are close enough to pick it up.
 
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I am able to get it here in MB shipped, taxes in, for $262 a crate of 1750 plus 70 tracers, which includes the belts. Sell the 7 belts for $15 or 20 each, and the price becomes very favourable.

I (and quite a few other guys) use it on our M1919A4s. Cheap ammo for a belt fed.

If anyone in Alberta needs some, talk to John Hipwell about bringing it to the Calgary gunshow.
 
stencollector said:
I am able to get it here in MB shipped, taxes in, for $262 a crate of 1750 plus 70 tracers, which includes the belts. Sell the 7 belts for $15 or 20 each, and the price becomes very favourable.

I (and quite a few other guys) use it on our M1919A4s. Cheap ammo for a belt fed.

If anyone in Alberta needs some, talk to John Hipwell about bringing it to the Calgary gunshow.
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That was my plan I have a 1919A4 in 3006 . Unfortunetly with 8mm barrels selling for $50 in the US you cant get one sent to Canada . I found 1 in Can the guy wants $250 (can't blame him) then $140 US for a chamber reamer then shipping costs for ammo from Ont to BC . Getting too expensive .
 
SandRoad said:
Nothing wrong with the 8x57 if you want to pay new commercial prices for ammo, or load your own. No cheap surplus ammo available in Canada.
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I always reloaded for the 8x57 and never shot any dodgy old ammo out of any of my guns. Corrosive is fine for some ,but I can do without it and wouldn't alter a nice M98 to shoot ball ammo.
 
I have a husqvarna M98 converted for it. works GREAT, but you need to extend some magazine boxes, depending on the gun. Feeds fine though. commercial bolt faces need to be opened a few thou, military ones are OK.

I also have a run of custom dies en-route from Lee. For a chance at a set, you'd have to contact board member Andy.
 
For a chance at a set, you'd have to contact board member Andy
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This is a fantistic opportunity. It does'nt take long looking at the ballistics of a 220 .323 spire point or a woodliegh 240 grain bullet to start wanting one!
 
The "Good Old Days" are still here.

I saw that 8x63 "Reloader's Special" on Marstar's website more than four years ago, recognized it for the great deal it was, and and jumped on it. Bought a bunch and lots more over the years, reaming out several mausers along the way. The ammo is still available, but will likely run out (forever) in the next 12 months. Then all those spectators will kick themselves that they didn't buy. I'll just chuckle and keep shooting.
 
#1bcshooter said:
That was my plan I have a 1919A4 in 3006 . Unfortunetly with 8mm barrels selling for $50 in the US you cant get one sent to Canada . I found 1 in Can the guy wants $250 (can't blame him) then $140 US for a chamber reamer then shipping costs for ammo from Ont to BC . Getting too expensive .
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Not sure what barrels you are talking about for $50 in the US. The ones being made these days in 8mm are in the 140-180 range, and are chrome lined so they would not be good to try to rechamber.

I can likely provide you with an already reamed 8mm barrel for $300. Then you just have to find someone to bring you ammo from Calgary to BC atEaster.

This ammo pays for any modifications pretty quick. You don't need a lot of math skills to figure out that you save about 30 cents a round or more when you shoot the 8mm, (plus the 30-06 is getting tough to find these days) so you pay for the barrel after just 1000 rounds. Only problem is the 8mm pours through the 1919 so well, that you will find yourself going through 500 to 1000 rounds on a saturday morning at the range. You could also have marstar quote you on shipping say 21,000 rounds on a pallet all in one shot. I believe a similar pallet cost my supplier around $400 to MB. Lots of outlay, but also lots of years of good shooting.
 
Andy said:
Bought a bunch and lots more over the years, reaming out several mausers along the way.
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Were all the converts Turks? Were there any others? How well do the Turks hold up? Did you make (or need) a muzzle break at all?
 
Tyler said:
Were all the converts Turks? Were there any others? How well do the Turks hold up? Did you make (or need) a muzzle break at all?
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Only one Turk, the rest were all Large Ring K98's. They all hold up just fine. The 8x63 is no higher pressure than milsurp 8x57, it just has 20% more case capacity (a few thou more diameter and 6mm longer), so there's not a huge difference in bolt thrust and receiver/barrel strain (with the factory ammo - if you load your own like me, that's when it can get interesting). You might get stock issues that can be dealt with (bedding and the like). It's very much like the tried and tested conversion to 8mm-06 that's been done since WWII.

As for recoil, much fear has been spread about it for little reason IMO. Yes the Swedish M/40 had a muzzle brake and from that has spread the rumour that recoil is fierce. To me the 8x63 with 218gr bullet is like shooting my 35 Whelen with 250's. Not something you want to do a lot of (especially with a steel buttplate, but it won't shake your fillings loose.

The above reason is why it's such a good deal. No-one is going to shoot 100's of rounds at a sitting - my record is 50 and won't be repeated. 2000-3000 rounds would be a lifetime supply for many people.
 
Yeah, one crate is all you'll ever need if you are using a bo,lt action and plan to reload. RCBS makes a nifty Berdan decapper and 2000 berdan primers are in the $100 range. Dies, as I said, are en-route :) As far as I know, there are only 3 sets still unspoken for - possibly less. Contact Andy as heès handling the resale of the extra sets I had made.
 
Hard to think about reloading at this point when the price of this stuff is so good. Mine is no sniper rifle mind you, so I may not be concerned about accuracy as much as you guys. Just quantity.

I now have about 5 20L pails of brass from these out in the quonset. I was going to drag it off to the metal scrapper at some point, but now you guys have me thinking that maybe I should hold on to it.

Is there anybody in the know as to how much of this stuff still exists at Marstar? Andy, you say that you think they may run out in within the year? Is there insider info to this, or just a gut feeling? I may have to pick up another 20 thou.
 
stencollector said:
Is there anybody in the know as to how much of this stuff still exists at Marstar? Andy, you say that you think they may run out in within the year? Is there insider info to this, or just a gut feeling? I may have to pick up another 20 thou.
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I've been there and seen the ammo, and I've seen how the supply has diminished over the past four years, so it's an "informed gut feel". I can't say how many rounds are still in stock, but if sales continue as in past years, I'd say it'll be gone in 12 months.
 
well I personally have shot 5500 rnds of it thru my 1919 semi good stuff only 1 fail to fire as the primer was in backwards.......

if it was just you bolt gun guys it would last forever


but us guys with the 1919's go thru it fast ive dumped whole 250rnd belts fast as i can (probably less them 2 mins) man did the gun smoke after that!!
 
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