Milsurp ammo with "Turked" GEW 88?

collector67

collector67

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Hi all,
I've been reading mixed reviews with regards to shooting 7.92x57 (8mm) surplus ammo through GEW88's that were rebarelled by the Turks in the 1930's to handle the .323 bullet. Some people say that the circa 1888 designed reciever is too weak to handle the pressures of the more "modern" (1930's-'60's) ammo, while others say that there is no issues with them at all. Any opinions on this, or has anyone fired milsurp 8mm through their Turked GEW88?
 
I have shot 50s czech surplus in a Gewehr 88 that was completely refurbished in the 1930s along the lines of the 1903 Mauser pattern with a replacement heavy barrel. It worked well but I wouldn't do it all the time as the receiver is a good 120 years old while the bolt is close to a century in age.

For my 88s that remain in their original pattern, I hand load each shot.
 
Thanks Nabs,
Kind of what I was thinking; we are on the same page... I figure it would probably cost almost as much to reload as it would be to buy surplus ammo, anyways.

I appreciate your advice!:D
 
No need to stress these old girls out, eh?

8mm mauser surplus seems to be hard to find in my area. The czech stuff was great but it seems the later yugo surplus from the 70s was quite dirty in my gew 98s.

I reload for about $0.60 a shot, any idea how much surplus 8mm mauser generally goes for now ?
 
Nabs said:
No need to stress these old girls out, eh?

8mm mauser surplus seems to be hard to find in my area. The czech stuff was great but it seems the later yugo surplus from the 70s was quite dirty in my gew 98s.

I reload for about $0.60 a shot, any idea how much surplus 8mm mauser generally goes for now ?
Click to expand...

I just picked up a box of 20 Winchester commercial 8mm from LeBaron for just under $30. :(

If there's a good source of surplus 8mm I'd love to hear about it.
 
The yugo surplus does requires on average a few more strokes to clean out. Picked a few hundred rounds up from a fellow CGNer a year ago at 0.55$ a round.

Budget Surplus Ammo you, say? Hmm I guess we'll be cleaning them out of their 8mm stock now. :eek:) Thanks for the heads up.
 
collector67 said:
Budget Surplus Ammo (headliner) sells 576 rounds of mixed surplus for $230, and it's not bad stuff according to my buddy...
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Yeah its mixed can of ammo. I would sort them out and avoid the 8mm mauser made in turkey. John from marstar was talking about how the loads are hot and inconsistent. Apparently they broke a few mg 34/42 back in the days. I don't think they were ever officially imported in Canada, people just brought some over from the states individually so there probability won't be any, but just check to make sure.

Post some pics OP
 
Problem with some of the Turkish ammo was/is bum primers. Corrosive primers get that way, given time, under some storage conditions.

Regard the Turkish stuff as a source of components, reload into fresh primed casings.

It is a precise duplicate of the German World War I load: flake powder, 154-grain nickel-jacketed pointed bullet with a mildly-hollowed base. Turk = JS1904. Not surprising at all; Fritz set up their ammo factory.

Reloaded into fresh brass with fresh primers, it is also the single most accurate 100-yard military ammo I have encountered.

If you run into any, send it to me.
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