Is it safe to shoot surplus 8mm Mauser?

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NaviDave

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I recently acquired a quantity of 8mm surplus.

I understand that it may not be safe to fire due to age and/or quality.

The Yugo appears to be 1953 with red sealed primers. The S&B (Czech) is 1950. I also have some German stuff marked 953 (Sept 1953?).

Should I use this stuff or did I just buy a bunch of 50 cent FMJ projectiles in need of pulling?

Any information or guidance would be appreciated.
 

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Should be ok for the range. Follow proper ftf procedures with any ammo. I had some old Yugo ammo that worked ok, it seemed dirty but didn't have many duds.
 
1. Post a nice photo of the headstamps, just so we all know what we're dealing with.

2. 953 is NOT a German headstamp, although it could be a date or a designation. See above.

3. If you have to worry much about FTF procedures with ammo this new, there is something wrong with your rifle, likely a weak mainspring or low firing-pin protrusion.
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brass or steel case on the German stuff. if there steel pull some and check that there not rusted through from the inside out.
 
all those ammo are corrosive thus they feature a older type of primer. Although they are corrosive they last a very very long time. I shot the 50 yugo and its great. The only down side its the fact that it takes a hard primer hit.

hope that helps
 
Don't shoot it through a g-43. It suffers from weak brass and case ruptures in them and can destroy the rifle, but it's fine in a bolt rifle, I've shot a pile through my k98
 
Apparently the surplus Turkish 7.92mm is a bit of a problem. There have been several incidents in the US where most of the ammo was sold, of MG's blowing up. This ammo was sold about 15 years ago in the USA and don't think much of it, if any made it to Canada. While we don't have that problem shooting it in MG's in Canada, it was found to be a pressure problem caused by poor storage and the powder characteristics changing. Timing and bolt bounce can be fatal in an MG, but one gun that did blow up with the Turkish 7.92 was a Vickers so bolt bounce is not a problem with that one.....just be careful with the Turkish 7.92mm ammo.
 
Dodgy primers from poor storage was the problem with the Turk ammo. Duds, delayed ignition, weak igntion and hangfires did happen and they can be ruinous.

I got my hands on 240 rounds of it and pulled about 40 rounds down, reloaded the Turkish powder and slugs into fresh, unfired brass with new Winchester primers. The powder is a flake type and the bullets are PRECISE copies of the WW One German slugs: 154 grains, flatbase spitzers with a slight hollow in the base. In the new brass, this stuff put out accuracy which would make your jaw drop. It is AMAZINGLY consistent, but it NEEDS fresh primers. Without fresh primers, it's junk. WITH fresh primers, you will win matches.

Your choice.
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As far as i am concern... Since this happen to me with old 50's and 60's Yugo stuff..

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I will never shoot one of theses again. Maybe i am just a chiken ???
A helpfull gunner's here (deagle) explain to me how to use the old powder and projectile from theses junk rounds, in a new case and primers.

I did just that since with good result and i feel way safer when pulling the trigger.

It's only my 0.02$
 
WHEATY;
Regarding the Turkish 7.92 ammo, DON'T shoot it....

Years ago when we were offered it we have it tested in the US, it ran between 45,000 and 120,000 PSI, deadly stuff.... That is the reason we never imported it..

John
 
THE BOLT ACTION;

We have sold millions of rds of Yugo surplus, all I can say about what happened to you is that the ammo in question obviously suffered from some vey poor storage ove the years....
John
 
Yugoslavian 11 * 54 stuff I experienced with splits in it (two in fifty rounds)

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The Bolt Action said:
I will never shoot one of theses again. Maybe i am just a chiken ???
A helpfull gunner's here (deagle) explain to me how to use the old powder and projectile from theses junk rounds, in a new case and primers.

I did just that since with good result and i feel way safer when pulling the trigger.

It's only my 0.02$
Click to expand...
 
johnone said:
THE BOLT ACTION;

We have sold millions of rds of Yugo surplus, all I can say about what happened to you is that the ammo in question obviously suffered from some vey poor storage ove the years....
John
Click to expand...

I am agree John !
The lots of 8mm ammo i baught are mixed headstamps and mixed condition too. Some seems to be very well preserved with shiny brass case but others are dark with stain all over the bullet and case. Like MK VII experience, i have about 2-3 split case every 50 shots with the dark, stained cases and a lot of stiff primers too. With the bright well preserved case i only experience stiff primers once in a while, no split case.

I am not bashing anyone here and by the way my purchase are well worth anyway because i use the pulled bullet and powder of the older rounds in new case. If i have to buy 8mm again i will not hesitate one second and buy old 50's -60's Yugo stuff again. Shoot the better one and use components to reload the other ones.:)
 
wheaty said:
Apparently the surplus Turkish 7.92mm is a bit of a problem. There have been several incidents in the US where most of the ammo was sold, of MG's blowing up. This ammo was sold about 15 years ago in the USA and don't think much of it, if any made it to Canada. While we don't have that problem shooting it in MG's in Canada, it was found to be a pressure problem caused by poor storage and the powder characteristics changing. Timing and bolt bounce can be fatal in an MG, but one gun that did blow up with the Turkish 7.92 was a Vickers so bolt bounce is not a problem with that one.....just be careful with the Turkish 7.92mm ammo.
Click to expand...

Turking everything seems to be a problem. I fired some Turkish surplus a while back with crazy hangfires.
 
this topic comes up once in a while. i always tell everyone to pull bullet and powder and use them in a new primer/case works very well i will do a review on it once i have time
 
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