My FR-7, for Farm and Field

[Airborn_69]

Would a FR& or FR8 give up much power to a 30-06, if the abrrel is only about 18"?

I suspect that a M44 in 7.62x54 would be very similar to a 30-06. It kicks awful hard. i would not be looking for more power.

The FR7 & 8 have better sights than a M44.

You should see the creatures we have lurking around these parts.. Minimum 30-06 as they say.

 

[Ganderite]

You should see the creatures we have lurking around these parts.. Minimum 30-06 as they say.

I get the need for power.

My point is that (according to my loading manual) both 30-06 and 7.62x54 shoot 180 gr bullets at 2700 fps. hence, the M44 makes a handy bush gun.

Also, it would be easy to run a 30-06 reamer into a FR8 chamber.

 

[Hitzy]

Almost bought one of these for a ridiculously low price for the same purpose you did, i passed because of the reportedly "weak" action.

Wish i'd gotten an education sooner...

Actions are not weak really, they just don't handle case failure very well. Very rare occurrence, but quite dangerous to the shooter if it happens.

 

[HIGHRPM]

Actions are not weak really, they just don't handle case failure very well. Very rare occurrence, but quite dangerous to the shooter if it happens.

In all fairness, the military ammo of the day when that action was in use is no where near what the 308 ammo is today. If you reload the 308 just don't run max loads, it could not be simpler. Lots of today's ammo in many calibers has higher pressures due to the improvements in powder. Taking that info into regard , I reload all my milsurps according and never have any issues. For an example, the Garand must be reloaded with a certain series of powders due to it needing a certain power wave to operate properly and safely. If you run a stock Garand with full house loads of today's ammo, it will self destruct. Just another example of needing to treat our milsurps for the way they were designed and built. The FR7 is a great gun, so glad i added it to my collection. IMHO

 

[MiG25]

Would a FR& or FR8 give up much power to a 30-06, if the abrrel is only about 18"?

I suspect that a M44 in 7.62x54 would be very similar to a 30-06. It kicks awful hard. i would not be looking for more power.

The FR7 & 8 have better sights than a M44.

According to my notes the FR8 that I formerly owned got 2521fps with Hirtenburger ammo, my former M305 got 2770 with the same ammo. Ive seen over 2500 fps with an SKS on a 25 degree day.

The M44 got similar velocites, 2700 plus with light ball and 2600ish with heavy ball.

I think the FR7 and 8 are more like the 7.62x39 than the 30-06 or 7.62x54R.

 

[Hitzy]

In all fairness, the military ammo of the day when that action was in use is no where near what the 308 ammo is today. If you reload the 308 just don't run max loads, it could not be simpler. Lots of today's ammo in many calibers has higher pressures due to the improvements in powder. Taking that info into regard , I reload all my milsurps according and never have any issues. For an example, the Garand must be reloaded with a certain series of powders due to it needing a certain power wave to operate properly and safely. If you run a stock Garand with full house loads of today's ammo, it will self destruct. Just another example of needing to treat our milsurps for the way they were designed and built. The FR7 is a great gun, so glad i added it to my collection. IMHO

For sure, as long as one shoots factory ammo, or neck sizes or minimum shoulder bump, with these actions there is not much to worry about. I don't even know how many 96's I have and shoot frequently without issue.
I frequent the reloading forum alot here, and there are a surprising number of case failures even in new modern rifles due to too much case stretching from FL sizing, sometimes 2nd or 3rd reload with common factory brass. User error is the biggest issue.

 

[HIGHRPM]

According to my notes the FR8 that I formerly owned got 2521fps with Hirtenburger ammo, my former M305 got 2770 with the same ammo. Ive seen over 2500 fps with an SKS on a 25 degree day.

The M44 got similar velocites, 2700 plus with light ball and 2600ish with heavy ball.

I think the FR7 and 8 are more like the 7.62x39 than the 30-06 or 7.62x54R.

The FR7 reduced loads are close to my 300 Savage. The FR8 can handle max loads of 308, way better then 7.62x39.

 

[MiG25]

The FR7 reduced loads are close to my 300 Savage. The FR8 can handle max loads of 308, way better then 7.62x39.

I use 300 Savage data in the FR7, what I am saying is that the Hirtenburger ammo I chrono'd in the FR8 was little better than 7.62x39 amd was 250fps slower than in a longer barrelled rifle. YMMV.

 

[Ganderite]

According to my notes the FR8 that I formerly owned got 2521fps with Hirtenburger ammo, my former M305 got 2770 with the same ammo. Ive seen over 2500 fps with an SKS on a 25 degree day.

The M44 got similar velocites, 2700 plus with light ball and 2600ish with heavy ball.

I think the FR7 and 8 are more like the 7.62x39 than the 30-06 or 7.62x54R.

They are chambered in 7.62x51 (308Win). A lot more power than a 7.62x39. But they do have short barrels.

 

[MiG25]

They are chambered in 7.62x51 (308Win). A lot more power than a 7.62x39. But they do have short barrels.

Indeed.

SKS 7.62x39 Headstamp 711 94 123? Grain = 2451fps
FR8 7.62x51 Hirtenburger 147 grain = 2521fps
Mosin M44 Headstamp 21 52 149? grain = 2760fps

 

[gutinater]

Indeed.

SKS 7.62x39 Headstamp 711 94 123? Grain = 2451fps
FR8 7.62x51 Hirtenburger 147 grain = 2521fps
Mosin M44 Headstamp 21 52 149? grain = 2760fps

That’s velocity not energy

 

[SKS Bitten]

The stiff extraction seems to be a running theme with these guns, as far as I can tell. But by "stiff" we're talking by the standards of someone used to the Lee action, which is ####-on-close, vs. the Mauser, which is ####-on-open. If all you've ever shot is Mauser action rifles, it's really in the mid range, for a Mauser. Not great, not terrible. A pure joy compared to a Mosin.

As for the finicky first round... That's a whole different kettle of fish. The internal mag is the same mag that was used for the original cartridge - 7x57 Mauser, which was both longer and had an ever so slightly wider case than 7.62x51 NATO (pic diagram below), and the only read modification they made to it was to add a block at the front of the magazine to shorten it. But the case width difference is so slight, that how the rounds end up stacking in the internal box, is going to have more to do with the mnanufacturing tolerances of the magazine than anything. I've seen videos where they seem to run flawlessly, and other videos where guys have a lot of feed problems. It's very much a case of Your Mileage May Vary.

I have a suspiscion that if I was to spend some time really looking at the feed lips, I'd be able to get rid of the problem with a bit of slight metal bending, but it isn't a big enough issue for me to really want to bother and risk doing a Bubba to an otherwise very nice and unmolested milsurp.

My FR8 would not feed the 1st round round on the right side without jamming. The 3rd round was better but could be much better. When the fatter lower section of the brass contacts the lower round as it moves forward creating the jam. I marked where the pressure points were and hand filed the right side of the receiver mag well, a little at time. After each time, test the function and mark again. Patience is name of the game.

 

[MiG25]

That’s velocity not energy

Feel free to calculate the energy, it is closer to the 7.62x39 than it is to the 7.62x54r.

 

[HIGHRPM]

Love my FR7 !! I only load soft .308 rounds and never have any feed or firing issues ! If you like a carbine sized rifle, this is a good one, maybe not a great one, but a good one. Imho

 

[Ganderite]

I have the assault version

 

[HIGHRPM]

I have the assault version

Sweet !!

 

[Norwegian22]

Can also use the launcher for those bigger coyotes

 

[Airborn_69]

Not hijacking this thread and I really wanted an FR7/8 however I was worried about pressures on these receivers.

This my 30-06 Colombian contract carbine built on a FN98 action, plenty strong for heavy and hot loads. Very similar with a 17.25” barrel and kicks like a mule!





Sights sucks on this carbine, like really. Pending Bad Ace tactiCal scout mount, maybe an EER or Red dot incoming..

 

[grelmar]

Holy thread, back from the dead, batman...

I have the assault version

Hmm, that looks a lot like a fairly standard K98 trench mag extension, Ganderite... I have one or two of those kicking around my parts bin, what modifications did you do to make it work?

 

[Ganderite]

Remove the rifle floor plate, Install the mag box. It is open on the top. Uses the rifle's feed lips.

Is is for the 8mm round, so a spacer is glued in the mag box, similar to what is in the rifle.

I use it in a match that requires 10 shots, and prefer to load 10 than use stripper clips.