FR-7 FR-8 Whats the differance between them ?

Skylark 4

Skylark 4

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Ok local shop has just taken one in on trade. In fair shape with heavy oil staining near action. Bore is 25 to 30 %. How can you tell the FR-7 from the FR-8? Barrel appears to be about 20 inch to the start of the Flash Hider.

He's not sure what to ask for it, tho last owner said around $800. REALY !!!

Help Guys

Ken
 
Fr-8 is a mauser 98 action. which is a stronger more durable action, when you lift the bolt it cocks on open. The fr-7 is mauser 94-96 action which is #### on close, just like a enfield. If the bore is that condition its worth no more than 300$ IMHO.
 
The 7's were sourced from small ring 93's originally chambered for 7mm Mauser.
Where as the 8's were sourced from large ring 98's which were chambered for 8mm Mauser.
Both rifles were designed to use the 7.62 Cetme round which has a pressure of around 51,000 psi

In the condition you describe, I wouldn't buy it.
The value is not much more than $200 in my opinion.
 
FR7 has straight gripped stock and it it a small ring mauser, said to only be good to shoot the 7.62 CETME round. The FR8 has a more distinctive pistol grip Shape to the stock grip, similar to a K98, and it is a large ring mauser, better suited for shooting 308 or 7.62 NATO (although it also was also chambered for the 7.62 CETME)

I dont really want to see this thread devolve into the old 7.62 vs 308 debate..... But it is safe to say that there are many in Canada that shoot both calibers in both the FR7 and FR8 all the time, lived to tell the tale. I've shot both calibers out of my FR8, and I'm still here.

I would be hesitant myself to shoot modern 308 and 7.62 out of the FR7 mind you, it was never meant to handle those pressures.... Maybe roll some light handloads.
 
I wouldn't pay more than $400 for a good condition working one but without pics that is the rough price range your looking at. The differences between the two was one was based on the Model 1916 short rifle (FR-7) and the other was based on the Model 1943 short rifle (FR-8).
The FR-7 is also a #### on closing action as it is based off of the Model 1893 Mauser action and the FR-8 is a #### on opening action as it is based on the Model 1898 Action.
So a quick way to check is work the action, if it cocks when you open it its a FR-8, if it is more like a Lee Enfield then it is a FR-7.
*note if it is a FR-7 it should not be fed .308 Winchester or 7.62 Nato because it was designed for the 7.62x51 CETME round (a lower operating pressure round than .308 or 7.62 Nato) and as it uses a Model 1893 action it is weaker than a Model 1898 that 'should' be able to handle those pressures. Basically you have to reload for the FR-7, if it is a FR-8 you 'should' be fine (still better to load it lightly to be safe).

Someone else might have some better information than I have. Hope this helps.
 
:needPics:

And in top notch condition I can't see these rifles being more than $350-400. Considerably less with the bore condition and stock issues you describe.
 
FR8's can go in the 500's in good condition.... (I sold mine for 500 or 550) and FR7's probably at 350-400 in good condition
 
Im not an expert but that rifle looks like a Brazilian, m968, not the FR7/FR8 that is mentioned earlier in the thread.
I believe its a 1908 Brazilian mauser action that was remade into the m968 and re chambered into 7.62 nato I have one of the M954 models. I don't know the value as I have never seen one of those before.
 
Skylark 4 said:
Ok local shop has just taken one in on trade. In fair shape with heavy oil staining near action. Bore is 25 to 30 %. How can you tell the FR-7 from the FR-8? Barrel appears to be about 20 inch to the start of the Flash Hider.

He's not sure what to ask for it, tho last owner said around $800. REALY !!!

Help Guys

Ken
Click to expand...


I believe the FR-7 has TWO locking lugs on the bolt where the FR-8 has THREE locking lugs.

The FR-8 is the stronger action for the 7.62 cartridge. The FR-7 with the TWO lug bolt (although adequate) is pushing the limits for the 7.62 cartridge.

Cheers!

B
 
Bojangles said:
I believe the FR-7 has TWO locking lugs on the bolt where the FR-8 has THREE locking lugs.

The FR-8 is the stronger action for the 7.62 cartridge. The FR-7 with the TWO lug bolt (although adequate) is pushing the limits for the 7.62 cartridge.

Cheers!

B
Click to expand...

......and yet no-one can point out a time when that third lug on the FR-8 saved the day, nor to a failure of an FR-7.

My Rem 700, Savage Model 10, Win 70's, etc. all have but two lugs - should I be abandoning them for old Model 98 Mausers?

As for the quality of the steel (the next point to raise) , let's not just assume that because it's Spanish or it's 100 years old that it's crap. The FR-7 was deemed adequate by the Spanish for 7.62X51, and many old Swedish M96's with but two locking lugs have ben rechambered to 7.62X51 as well.

I shoot my FR-7 with confidence with the same loads as I use in my M305, Savages and M98 Mausers. It's really time to put this behind us.
 
Skylark 4 said:
Thanks Eric, I know that now but need to know what it is. Shop can't even do up a bill of sale without knowing what it is. And being a 4 out of 10 in shape, what's it worth?

Ken
Click to expand...

Ken see my post, earlier, that's a braziliam m968, just google it, you'll find all the pics and info you need. As far as value, 4/10 is not great, I paid $200 for my m954 mauser, and I think its a 6/10, with a decent bore. but the m968 is much rarer.
 
The Brazilian M968 "MosqueFAL" (Mosquito FAL (or) in other words, mini FAL) is chambered for 7.62NATO. It is a sweet gun, shoulda picked one up when I had the chance a few years ago... Worth roughly $450-$650, depending on condition. If a really bad bore, probably closer to $350?

The FR7 and FR8 are both chambered for the 7.62NATO round... The 7.62CETME myth has been around as long as the myth about Spanish steel being soft and weak....

Some of the original CETME rifles (FAL/G3 type rifles) were chambered in the experimental 7.62CETME cartridge, but by the time Spain adopted the CETME in 7.62NATO, that's when they started converting their older Mauser rifles into CETME-ish trainers... and they were chambered for 7.62NATO.

Always have any old military surplus rifle checked by a COMPETENT gunsmith for safety, and don't trust some dude on the internet... but yeah, if anyone is worried about their FR7's, I'll take them off your hands for the price of postage! ;)

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