M1895 Stutzen 8X50R

Drachenblut

Drachenblut

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Hello,

I am buying a Stutzen rifle, the same as my Austrian Great Grandfather would have used, and I would like to know more about any safety issues and I will need load data for it. I have looked all over and can't seem to find the loading data for it. What kinds of loads have worked best for you folks? Any safety issues I should be aware of? I know you have to use the clips, otherwise you can damage the extractor. Why is that?

Cheers,
Drachenblut
 
Always be sure to wear safety glasses with M95s, they suck at gas baffling, particularly on blown primers. Other than that make sure your bolt binders are in good shape.
 
An M1895 Stutzen can be in any of 3 different calibres. If there is a half-inch "S" on the chamber, it has been converted to 8x56R30M round. This is made by PRVI PARTIZAN; they also have brass and the correct 208-grain slugs in SP and FMJ.

If it is marked M95M, likely it has been rebarreled for the German 7.92x57, commonly called "8mm Mauser" and there are no problems at all.

If it has NOT been modified, then it still uses the ORIGINAL cartridge, which used to sell for $4 a hundred but for which there now is no hope. I paid a buck a pop for a handful, several years ago, and happy to get them.
However, it is a VERY easy handloading proposition. Just open out and trim 7.62x54R Russian brass, load up and head to the range. Standard .323 slugs do nicely. The one problem is that the original sights were calibrated for a 244-grain bullet; 150s shoot 'WAY high in mine. Heaviest bullet available in North America seems to be a 220, which will bring her down a bit. Loading data in Barnes' Cartridges of the World indicates 48 grains of 3031 with a 159, 45 of 3031 with a 227 and the same with a 244. Factory loading gave about 2030 ft/sec with a 244 for 2240 ft/lbs. Don't know what barrel length was used to attain these figures: quite possibly 30 inches versus about 18 for your gun. Be aware.

These are super fun to play with, but sure wouldn't want to stand behind very many 244s with a Stutzen!

Most important point of all: have fun.

Hoch der Kaiser!
 
Further on loading for the Stutzen.

You will need to push back the shoulder of the MN brass to get it into the Stutzen. I used an 8mm Lebel die to do this (available cheap from LEE), then trim. Workd just fine.

Bullet diameter for the 8x56R30M is .329" or .330": not available here.

ou use a CLIP to feed the rounds so that the rim for the round being fed pops up UNDER the extractor and is held in place by the lip at the top of the boltface, same as a Mauser. Think of it as a Mauser straight-pull and you're closer to what it actually is. Very fast, very slick. Only problem with them in service was that the very light barrel heated rather quickly so, when you're at the range, for best accuracy, you should shoot from sandbags and shoot slowly.

For a hunting rifle (the Gummint, for some strange reason, disapproves of live-fire re-enactments), you will find the little guy easy to carry and quick to get into action.

Only real drawback is those silly European sights. The 8x56R clips and the original 8x50R clips are slightly different, but my own Stutzer (1918 police rifle) can't tell the difference.

Have funs! Many of them!
 
Hornady makes a .330 or a .329 I believe? Lee makes a mold in .329/200gr or so................Harold They load factory 8x56R
 
Very nice, mbogo3! Thank you!

In which case, you can get dies from Lee also and brass sometimes from Graf's.

You can also use 7.62x54R Russian brass for the 8x56R30M, just expand the neck, load up and go. They're a bit short but, shoot 'em enough times and they'll grow. No problems with case-length, that's for sure!

Have fun, and be sure to keep us updated on your Oesterreichische adventure.
 
Thank you gents so far for the wonderful information. If anyone can post up more load data with commonly used rounds, I would be really appreciative! To think you could use a Russian round for this gun, outstanding luck!
 
Using 7.62x54R to make 8x50 is a poor idea, re-sized and trimmed 8x56R is a much better proposition. Now that we can buy it for much the same price as 7.62x54R brass, this is the only way to fly. 7.62x54R might not work in all rifles, just as the commonly recommended .348WCF to 8X50 Lebel doesn't work in many rifles. The 8x56 makes perfect 8x50 brass with minimal work.
 
BUSHMAN79 said:
Using 7.62x54R to make 8x50 is a poor idea, re-sized and trimmed 8x56R is a much better proposition. Now that we can buy it for much the same price as 7.62x54R brass, this is the only way to fly.
Click to expand...

Where can we get some new, 8x56R reloadable brass? Is it in Canada or do we have to order it from the USA with all the customs regulations "surprises" they can dish at us?
PP.
 
New brass is available from Trade Ex a site sponsor. I purchased a 95/30 carbine and 50 pieces of brass a couple weeks ago. Delivery in 4 days. I'm happy with the rifle and the service.
 
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