8x56 Mannlicher ammo needed ...

S

scruffy

Member
EE Expired
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
Location
Alberta
A friend gave me an 8x56 Mannlicher rifle ... 1908 model with the spool magazine and the butter knife handle. This is not the rimmed cartridge ... I would like very much to buy a box of ammunition for this fine old rifle. Although I am left handed and have not shot a big game animal with iron sights since I was about 16 ... I thought that it would be nice to take this funky rifle out this fall and hunt with it one time at least ... Does anyone reading this have a box or at least some rounds that I can buy? Thank you so much ..:)
 
scruffy said:
A friend gave me an 8x56 Mannlicher rifle ... 1908 model with the spool magazine and the butter knife handle. This is not the rimmed cartridge ... I would like very much to buy a box of ammunition for this fine old rifle. Although I am left handed and have not shot a big game animal with iron sights since I was about 16 ... I thought that it would be nice to take this funky rifle out this fall and hunt with it one time at least ... Does anyone reading this have a box or at least some rounds that I can buy? Thank you so much ..:)
Click to expand...

I went through exactly the same thing about four decades previously. Then it dawned on me to check if an 8x57 round would chamber. It did. So being cautious (strange for that time of my life) I did a chamber cast and other than manufacturer's tolerances there was no difference between the 8x57 Mauser cartridge and the 8x56 MS.

I checked back in my records but the book went with the rifle in a trade. I don't remember if the bore was .318 diameter or .323. It sticks in my mind that it had a .323in bore. Anyway, just about any North American commercial ammo should be safe in your rifle.

Take it to your local gunsmith and get him to check it out with a snap cap or headspace gauge. It will save you a lot of time looking for a proper headstamp if you only want to hunt with it.
 
bearhunter said:
I went through exactly the same thing about four decades previously. Then it dawned on me to check if an 8x57 round would chamber. It did. So being cautious (strange for that time of my life) I did a chamber cast and other than manufacturer's tolerances there was no difference between the 8x57 Mauser cartridge and the 8x56 MS.

I checked back in my records but the book went with the rifle in a trade. I don't remember if the bore was .318 diameter or .323. It sticks in my mind that it had a .323in bore. Anyway, just about any North American commercial ammo should be safe in your rifle.

Take it to your local gunsmith and get him to check it out with a snap cap or headspace gauge. It will save you a lot of time looking for a proper headstamp if you only want to hunt with it.
Click to expand...

In my cartridge conversion book 8 x56 can be made from 9.3 x 57. I do know 9.3 x 57 can be reformed from 8 x57 as I have some so 8 x57 can be your donor brass.
 
howard2 said:
In my cartridge conversion book 8 x56 can be made from 9.3 x 57. I do know 9.3 x 57 can be reformed from 8 x57 as I have some so 8 x57 can be your donor brass.
Click to expand...

You don't need donor brass, it's the same cartridge with a different designation. That was the way things were done back in the day.

For instance, 275 Rigby is the 7x57 Mauser.
 
The reformed brass was from 35 Whelen ... I now have 20 brass primed and am just deciding on powder and bullets ... 170 grain Barnes and 220 grain Hornadys on hand ..
 
bearhunter said:
I went through exactly the same thing about four decades previously. Then it dawned on me to check if an 8x57 round would chamber. It did. So being cautious (strange for that time of my life) I did a chamber cast and other than manufacturer's tolerances there was no difference between the 8x57 Mauser cartridge and the 8x56 MS.

I checked back in my records but the book went with the rifle in a trade. I don't remember if the bore was .318 diameter or .323. It sticks in my mind that it had a .323in bore. Anyway, just about any North American commercial ammo should be safe in your rifle.

Take it to your local gunsmith and get him to check it out with a snap cap or headspace gauge. It will save you a lot of time looking for a proper headstamp if you only want to hunt with it.
Click to expand...

8x57 will not chamber in my 1908, guessing someone reamed yours.
 
Lots of grief since then ... will probably throw the rifle in the river and let the fish look after it ... Grrrr !!!! Protuding primers .. case separations ... gun smith did a chamber cast and found it to be 8x56 like we thought ... but then found that the serial number on bolt did not match the ones on receiver and barrel .... Hmmmm.... I am surprised that I can cross a street safely by myself ...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom