Recommendations for something that eats 7.52x51 surplus

Folklorestatus

Folklorestatus

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I have a tin of 7.62x51 norinco surplus I'd like to use up. Can anyone recommend a bolt action rifle with irons that will reliably eat this stuff? I have a cz 527 that I run m43 surplus through, is there anything akin to it for x51. I have been keeping my eye out for an Israeli mauser but would like to know if there are any other rifles fit for the task. Plinking is all it will be used for.
Thanks in advance!
 
Savage's Scout rifles based on their Model 10, Model 11, and now I think Model 110 all come in .308Win with iron sights. The Model 10FCM is the oldest and I see them in EE periodically for under $600. I think there is one there now.
 
An Israeli Mauser 98 would be good for shooting and is also historically interesting, but I think (can't know for sure) it will be easier to buy a used Savage 10 Scout.
 
sgt.rock said:
Not a bolt, but a fun semi that has iron sights...Norinco M305
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I really don't recommend going this route. If you buy an M305 you won't be able to stop at just one spam can; you'll be surfing online for bulk surplus sales, cruising gun shows for unopened crates, meeting people in Cabelas parking lots for cash deals on battle packs...
 
Pop said:
I really don't recommend going this route. If you buy an M305 you won't be able to stop at just one spam can; you'll be surfing online for bulk surplus sales, cruising gun shows for unopened crates, meeting people in Cabelas parking lots for cash deals on battle packs...
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Haha. No kidding. I tried a few mags worth through my Savage 99, and although they shot fine, I had extraction issues. So i did buy an M305 (Well, a DA) and experienced this "ammo fiending" you describe...
 
Ganderite said:
FR8 or FR7. Very nice plinkers.

Peep sight with front sight adjustable for wind and elevation.
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This. Keep an eye out at gun shows, you should be able to get one for $500 or under in good shape.

fr7-right.jpg


Reasonably light, short, handy gun.


I get 2 to 3" groups at 100 yards with Hirtenberger our South African surplus.

And I'm just going to post this pic for the inevitable "but these were made for 7.62 CETME, not 7.62 NATO" b.s. that gets perpetuated (they weren't, all their 7.62 conversions were for 7.62 NATO):

Spanish%20Guardia%20Manual%20cover.jpg
 
grelmar said:
This. Keep an eye out at gun shows, you should be able to get one for $500 or under in good shape.

fr7-right.jpg


Reasonably light, short, handy gun.


I get 2 to 3" groups at 100 yards with Hirtenberger our South African surplus.

And I'm just going to post this pic for the inevitable "but these were made for 7.62 CETME, not 7.62 NATO" b.s. that gets perpetuated (they weren't, all their 7.62 conversions were for 7.62 NATO):

Spanish%20Guardia%20Manual%20cover.jpg
Click to expand...

Don't know if you are correct about ALL FR7 and FR8, but there are most certainly Spanish Mausers out there in 7.62 CETME (and 7mm Mauser).

Thus the caution about Spanish Mausers is justified.
 
altaberg said:
Don't know if you are correct about ALL FR7 and FR8, but there are most certainly Spanish Mausers out there in 7.62 CETME (and 7mm Mauser).

Thus the caution about Spanish Mausers is justified.
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No production gun, or conversion, was EVER made for 7.62 CETME. The cartridge itself only existed in trials, and was abandoned in trials.

The caution about Spanish Mausers is a pervasive myth that needs to go away.

 
Just about any of the Chilean conversions, done on the Steyr 98 actions would work well and be cheaper than the FR7-FR8 rifles. The last units I saw in Kamloops this spring were around $500.

OP, if you want something CHEAP. The low end offerings from North American commercial makers, with 308 Win chambers are perfect as well as safe.

Look for the best deal on the internet.

TURF THE LIBERALS IN 2019
 
grelmar said:
No production gun, or conversion, was EVER made for 7.62 CETME. The cartridge itself only existed in trials, and was abandoned in trials.

The caution about Spanish Mausers is a pervasive myth that needs to go away.

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Ummmm not quite. Spain loaded the 7.62 CETME round for both its bolt action and CETME semi auto rifles. I have components from several thousand CETME rounds. Mostly powder and 127 grain bullets as well as less than a hundred loaded rounds.

For experimental rifles, they built many thousands.

The powder the Cetme rounds were loaded with is quite fast. I use it in 7.62x39 loads and it's very easy to get high pressures quickly. Not bad in a bolt rifle but to hot for the SKS.

There was also a rumor that the Spanish Cetme rifles couldn't handle the 7.62x51 Nato round. They could and did. I haven't had the chance to examine a Cetme rifle in person yet but a friend in the US has one and I hope to seem him soon. I believe they have adjustable gas ports to allow the use of either cartridge.

The 127 grain bullets used in the Cetme rounds are extremely consistent for military bullets. Less than .2 grains weight difference measured over a couple of hundred randomly selected pieces. they have a full metal jacket with a plastic insert in the nose and a lead base. Very accurate in any 30 cal I've used them in. Great Coyote bullet that stabilizes well in standard 1-10 and 1-12 twist barrels. They are as long as a boat tail 150 grain fmj.

TURF THE LIBERALS IN 2019
 
bearhunter said:
Ummmm not quite. Spain loaded the 7.62 CETME round for both its bolt action and CETME semi auto rifles. I have components from several thousand CETME rounds. Mostly powder and 127 grain bullets as well as less than a hundred loaded rounds.

For experimental rifles, they built many thousands.

The powder the Cetme rounds were loaded with is quite fast. I use it in 7.62x39 loads and it's very easy to get high pressures quickly. Not bad in a bolt rifle but to hot for the SKS.

There was also a rumor that the Spanish Cetme rifles couldn't handle the 7.62x51 Nato round. They could and did. I haven't had the chance to examine a Cetme rifle in person yet but a friend in the US has one and I hope to seem him soon. I believe they have adjustable gas ports to allow the use of either cartridge.

The 127 grain bullets used in the Cetme rounds are extremely consistent for military bullets. Less than .2 grains weight difference measured over a couple of hundred randomly selected pieces. they have a full metal jacket with a plastic insert in the nose and a lead base. Very accurate in any 30 cal I've used them in. Great Coyote bullet that stabilizes well in standard 1-10 and 1-12 twist barrels. They are as long as a boat tail 150 grain fmj.

TURF THE LIBERALS IN 2019
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I'll look that up a bit, but I'll concede that the cartridge may have lived on. My impression was that it did not survive trials, as the CETME rifle moved to the model C (the production version) which was chambered for 7.62 NATO, and had the action strengthened accordingly. A "soft" loading cartridge may well have survived the trials, though. But the guns were all made to handle the NATO load.

Part of the controversy surrounds the small ring Mauser actions (the FR-7 is based on a '93 action - the Spanish M-1916, which was produced at least into the 1940's, the FR-8 is based on a "large ring" '98 action, the Spanish m-1943). There's a bias against the strength of the small ring actions. Are they as strong as the large ring Mausers? No. But they are definitely strong enough to handle the pressures of 7.62 NATO and even commercial .308:

https://www.chuckhawks.com/small_ring_mausers.htm

The 7.62 CETME cartridge spec was for a 113gr bullet, so I'm not sure when/where/how a 127gr projectile came about.
 
Folklorestatus said:
I have a tin of 7.62x51 norinco surplus I'd like to use up. Can anyone recommend a bolt action rifle with irons that will reliably eat this stuff? I have a cz 527 that I run m43 surplus through, is there anything akin to it for x51. I have been keeping my eye out for an Israeli mauser but would like to know if there are any other rifles fit for the task. Plinking is all it will be used for.
Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

If you like CZ, the CZ 557 Ranger might appeal to you; it comes with both irons and a Pic rail and uses DBMs .
 
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