Ammo ID

bingefister

bingefister

Regular
EE Expired
Rating - 100%
30   0   0
Location
Peace Lowlands, Alberta
Hey, gang

I bought a 1916 Steyr M-95 the other day. I assumed it to be 8x56R, judging by the "S" stamped into the barrel behind the rear sight.

So I went on a mission, and found what I was told to be 8x56R ammunition (pricey, pricey stuff... 1914-1928 dated). Now, they won't chamber. WAAAY too fat. Interestingly enough, she will chamber czech 7.62x54R. The bore on this thing IS 8mm, or pretty damn close. And the bullets are as well, or pretty damn close. (I have no calipers here to measure them).

Here's some pictures of the shells, I can't ID any of the markings, I'm hoping some of you can. I put a 7.62x54R in there with them, for comparison purposes. Any idea what I got?

Stamping-2.jpg


Stampings.jpg
 
Last edited:
You can get new Boxer-primed brass and ammo for the 8x56R Model 30 from Graf's in the USA. On the other hand, 7.62x54R is close enough that you can rebullet it with a .329" slug after expanding the neck. LEE makes a bullet-mould for the .329 as well as a sizer die/gascheck seater.

Correct soft-point bullets are available from Partizan or from Graf's, I am told.
 
Yeah, those rounds are for the Kropatschek or for the Guedes rifle. The Krop was in "8x56R" or so it was supposed, but also called "8x60R"..... different cartridge entirely. There are sometimes confusions such as this with some old gun/ammo combinations, and you were just unfortunate enough to hit one of the weird ones!

Last Krop cartridges I bought cost me $2 a pop, so I just got enough to display the rifle!
 
Hmmm... I paid a buck fifty. There's a whole lot more, at Milarm, where this came from.

So now I
A) Sell this ammo, and keep looking for 8x56R or
B) KEEP this ammo, and look for a Kropachek to discharge it
 
KEEP this ammo, of course, and look for a good Kropatschek!

But, if you get a Krop, you don't want to crud up that 121-year-old barrel because there aren't any replacements for it available. So you get some .348 Winchester brass, buy a lathe, make up a spud, turn .004" off the base, get a set of dies, make up the brass, load the stuff and you're SET!!!!!!!

Keep THIS ammo for displaying with your high-capacity 1886 "bolt-action assault rifle".

You're supposed to use any excuse at all to buy another gun, else you're not as crazy as the rest of us!
 
JP said:
Those are not 8x56R, I think they are Portugese 8mm Kropatschek.
Click to expand...

Agree, that mark at the top of the case is identical to the marking on my Kropatchek.
If you don't want to cast the bullets, google Western Bullet Company
(Missoula Montana) They sell the .329 205gr cast gas check bullets.
I only cast what I can't buy, They use the Lee #90775 bullet
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom