Reload 8x50r mannlincher please!
- Thread starter cowboyy
- Start date
Go onto one of the banner supporters, Intersurplus, and Budget Shooter supply. They both have dies and brass available.
Bullets will be your biggest issue, as they should be .328 diameter, rather than the normal .323 diameter used for most "8 mm" cartridges.
323 diameter bullets will be safe to shoot from your rifle, but they won't be especially accurate.
Your M95 Mannlicher also needs "enbloc" chargers to hold and feed the cartridges from the magazine. You may be able to find those online as well.
Are you sure your rifle is chambered for the 8x50R?
Many of them were converted to 8x57JS just before WWII and marked M95M on the top of the receiver. These rifles don't require the "enbloc."
Bullets will be your biggest issue, as they should be .328 diameter, rather than the normal .323 diameter used for most "8 mm" cartridges.
323 diameter bullets will be safe to shoot from your rifle, but they won't be especially accurate.
Your M95 Mannlicher also needs "enbloc" chargers to hold and feed the cartridges from the magazine. You may be able to find those online as well.
Are you sure your rifle is chambered for the 8x50R?
Many of them were converted to 8x57JS just before WWII and marked M95M on the top of the receiver. These rifles don't require the "enbloc."
It sounds like what you have is a Model 1895 Austrian Mannlicher Straight-pull rifle. IF it IS in the original 8x50R [Austrian, NOT 8x50R Lebel] chambering, you've got a rare duck as most, if not all, were re-chambered to 8x56R, so before going any further, you should do a chamber cast to determine what it is actually chambered for, as some were also converted to 7.92x57IS [aka 8x57 Mauser].
Ammunition has not been made in many, many years. AFAIK, the last ammunition made was Kynoch ammunition, which will be marked .500/320, but supposedly ammunition was made in India for the Lee Enfield rifles chambered for the cartridge, which is known there as the .315 Indian.
I doubt you will find ammunition for the old girl & if you do it will be both expensive and, quite likely, corrosive.
If you already have dies, try to form a case from 7.62x54R. If the rim is too thick +/or too large in diameter to close your bolt, you'll have to trim the rims to size, then you'll have to resize & trim. You can also resize & trim 8x56R brass.
If you do not have dies, try CH-4D.
Let me guess, the vendor told you that ammunition would be easy to find, right?
Ammunition has not been made in many, many years. AFAIK, the last ammunition made was Kynoch ammunition, which will be marked .500/320, but supposedly ammunition was made in India for the Lee Enfield rifles chambered for the cartridge, which is known there as the .315 Indian.
I doubt you will find ammunition for the old girl & if you do it will be both expensive and, quite likely, corrosive.
If you already have dies, try to form a case from 7.62x54R. If the rim is too thick +/or too large in diameter to close your bolt, you'll have to trim the rims to size, then you'll have to resize & trim. You can also resize & trim 8x56R brass.
If you do not have dies, try CH-4D.
Let me guess, the vendor told you that ammunition would be easy to find, right?
If my memory serves me correctly these rifles were chambered in 8x50 (which uses a 323 bullet-readily available) and 8x56 (which uses a 329 bullet-harder to find) As mentioned some were converted to 8x57-standard caliber.
I reloaded for my 8x56 carbine using cast bullets from a Lee Mould. Accuracy was good. I still have that rifle but have not shot it in years. I know I have some factory cases somewhere as well as some 329 jacketed bullets . I only shot cast through mine. Bit of an interesting fun old military carbine to load for and shoot. Quite a few of them must have come into Canada a number of years ago. I think I paid less than 100 bucks for mine .
Ammo was always the issue
Some where I also have some military ammo in clips dated 1938 and Nazi Eagle headstamps.
My dies were Lee
Once again from memory -the conversion to 8x56may have been indicated by a letter on top of receiver. Mine hasn't been out of the lock up in 20yrs. I may still have the cast bullet load I used.
I reloaded for my 8x56 carbine using cast bullets from a Lee Mould. Accuracy was good. I still have that rifle but have not shot it in years. I know I have some factory cases somewhere as well as some 329 jacketed bullets . I only shot cast through mine. Bit of an interesting fun old military carbine to load for and shoot. Quite a few of them must have come into Canada a number of years ago. I think I paid less than 100 bucks for mine .
Ammo was always the issue
Some where I also have some military ammo in clips dated 1938 and Nazi Eagle headstamps.
My dies were Lee
Once again from memory -the conversion to 8x56may have been indicated by a letter on top of receiver. Mine hasn't been out of the lock up in 20yrs. I may still have the cast bullet load I used.
Not as far as I know, but do some due diligence on your own and look it up. Not dissing you, it's the only way to know.
You could also slug the bore of your rifle and measure it. If you don't have a micrometer/dial indicator, likely your local gun shop does.
There is a shop in Ontarip, "G4" they can answer your questions in a language more familiar and are very knowledgeable. Likely have everything you're looking for, or where to find it.
You could also slug the bore of your rifle and measure it. If you don't have a micrometer/dial indicator, likely your local gun shop does.
There is a shop in Ontarip, "G4" they can answer your questions in a language more familiar and are very knowledgeable. Likely have everything you're looking for, or where to find it.
Bullet diameter for the 8x50R Lebel is 0.327”
Bullet diameter for the 8x50R Austrian is 8.22mm, according to CIP, which converts to 0.3236”
Bullet diameter for the 8x56R Austrian is 0.329”
Bullet diameter for the 8x50R Austrian is 8.22mm, according to CIP, which converts to 0.3236”
Bullet diameter for the 8x56R Austrian is 0.329”
In this case the bullets are not a problem as they are readily available.
Left side of the chamber should have 8x50 stamped on it. I have carbines in 8x50 R Austrian and 8x56R Austrian.
My cases I made from 7.62x54R. Will need to be trimmed as they are too long. I used the 8x50 Lebel dies to open the neck up to 8mm. I don’t have the proper dies. I am using cast bullets sized to 0.325 and 175 gr. Using 18 grs of Alliant 2400.
The case is an easy resize. Trim so they are slightly long and size. Trim to proper length after resizing. After the first firing I use the Lebel die to neck size with the shoulder being push back about 2 thousand. I believe I have 8 firings on those cases.
Those carbines kick like a mule with full power loads. My load is much easier on the shoulder.
My cases I made from 7.62x54R. Will need to be trimmed as they are too long. I used the 8x50 Lebel dies to open the neck up to 8mm. I don’t have the proper dies. I am using cast bullets sized to 0.325 and 175 gr. Using 18 grs of Alliant 2400.
The case is an easy resize. Trim so they are slightly long and size. Trim to proper length after resizing. After the first firing I use the Lebel die to neck size with the shoulder being push back about 2 thousand. I believe I have 8 firings on those cases.
Those carbines kick like a mule with full power loads. My load is much easier on the shoulder.
Look what I found! I bought this probably 25 years ago at a local gunshow thinking I'd buy the rifle later. I did, and then sold it, but kept them. I have a great deal of items like this hoarded years ago at low prices, and sorely need an intervention as my wife keeps telling me!.
The case is 1.975" long (~50mm) and the bullet just outside the neck measured 0.321", so 0.323" as the nominal diameter checks off the boxes.
I think these are 8X56R converted into 8X50R, although the case, bullet and primer look original except for no crimp, and when you shake it, there is no powder sound as expected making me think it's a lump of blackpowder inside.
Good examples to measure, but they'd surely be duds on both the primer and powder fronts.
The case is 1.975" long (~50mm) and the bullet just outside the neck measured 0.321", so 0.323" as the nominal diameter checks off the boxes.
I think these are 8X56R converted into 8X50R, although the case, bullet and primer look original except for no crimp, and when you shake it, there is no powder sound as expected making me think it's a lump of blackpowder inside.
Good examples to measure, but they'd surely be duds on both the primer and powder fronts.
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Were M95 Austrian Mannlicher rifles chambered for the 8x50R?
The M1895 was originally chambered in the 8mm M.1893 scharfe Patrone (8×50mmR Mannlicher) cartridge. Between the world wars, both Austria and Hungary converted the majority of their rifles to fire the more powerful 8×56mmR round.
Yugoslavia[7] converted at least some of their captured M1895s to 7.92×57mm Mauser, fed by stripper clips instead of the original model's en bloc clip system. This conversion was designated M95/24 and M95M. The M95/24 is often mistakenly attributed to Bulgaria, but 8×57mm IS was never a standard cartridge of the Bulgarian military.[8] These conversions are prized by collectors for their relative scarcity and chambering in a commonly available round, but suffer from a fragile extractor and a lack of replacement parts.
The M1895 was originally chambered in the 8mm M.1893 scharfe Patrone (8×50mmR Mannlicher) cartridge. Between the world wars, both Austria and Hungary converted the majority of their rifles to fire the more powerful 8×56mmR round.
Yugoslavia[7] converted at least some of their captured M1895s to 7.92×57mm Mauser, fed by stripper clips instead of the original model's en bloc clip system. This conversion was designated M95/24 and M95M. The M95/24 is often mistakenly attributed to Bulgaria, but 8×57mm IS was never a standard cartridge of the Bulgarian military.[8] These conversions are prized by collectors for their relative scarcity and chambering in a commonly available round, but suffer from a fragile extractor and a lack of replacement parts.
