Spanish FR -7 vs FR- 8
- Thread starter Sharps '63
- Start date
maple_leaf_eh
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
If memory serves, one is small ring Mauser and the other is on a large ring. There is a raging Internet debate whether they are even safe to fire with 7.62x51 NATO cartridges, whether they were just designed for the Spanish CETME cartridge, or if the steel is even capable of withstanding the pressure of a 'modern' cartridges.
In my humble opinion based on hundreds of safe rounds fired, none of the negatives are wrong. I have enjoyed my FR8 with commercial and military FMJ. It shoots well and is a good little gun. Where to find one? Good luck and happy hunting. I might be wrong, but Jean Plamondon at P&S Militaria in Sherbrooke, Que had one. Jean is a CGN participant, but I'm not sure if he is a sponsor.
In my humble opinion based on hundreds of safe rounds fired, none of the negatives are wrong. I have enjoyed my FR8 with commercial and military FMJ. It shoots well and is a good little gun. Where to find one? Good luck and happy hunting. I might be wrong, but Jean Plamondon at P&S Militaria in Sherbrooke, Que had one. Jean is a CGN participant, but I'm not sure if he is a sponsor.
Thanks! I googled the rifles and the FR-7 was on the earlier small ring Spanish actions, the FR-8 on the later large ring Corunna actions.
As for the ammo question .... I had occasion to shoot the Bundeswehr rifle based on the Spanish Cetme when stationed in Germany. In fact, our Host instructor referred to it as such. We fired it with their ammo which was lower powered than ours. Even so, in FA mode, it was virtually uncontrollable.
I would imagine that the FR-7 and FR-8 would be quite manageable with the European loadings.
As for the ammo question .... I had occasion to shoot the Bundeswehr rifle based on the Spanish Cetme when stationed in Germany. In fact, our Host instructor referred to it as such. We fired it with their ammo which was lower powered than ours. Even so, in FA mode, it was virtually uncontrollable.
I would imagine that the FR-7 and FR-8 would be quite manageable with the European loadings.
FR7 - small ring 93 action, turned down bolt, straight gripped stock. Apparently less than 4000 made.
FR8 - large ring 98 action, straight bolt, pistol grip stock. Apparent production around 55000.
My preference based on a small sampling is the FR7, it is trimmer, has the turned down bolt, and the ones I have seen have had smoother actions than the FR8. And my FR7 feeds flatnosed bullets no problem.
As too the ammo question, who knows, things are safe, until they are not. Spain was not a member of NATO when these rifles were converted. I use 300 savage data in mine.
Both the Argentines and the Chileans ran ran 48000 psi in their 91's and 95's. I'd bet the Spaniards did the same. IIRC, 308 and NATO run around 60000 psi, if a rifle was strapped in a test bed, I'd bet it is safe, but my eyes and fingers are important to me. So I'll stick with the mild reloads.
Spanish arms got a bad reputation from the cheap pistols they were turning out and from reports of Paraguayan rifles blowing up (who knows what really happened there).
Talk about unsafe, AFAIK, the Americans made more unsafe rifles than anybody else.
It would be interesting to do an endurance test on a Spanish 93 in 7.62, unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) it is probably cost prohibitive.
FR8 - large ring 98 action, straight bolt, pistol grip stock. Apparent production around 55000.
My preference based on a small sampling is the FR7, it is trimmer, has the turned down bolt, and the ones I have seen have had smoother actions than the FR8. And my FR7 feeds flatnosed bullets no problem.
As too the ammo question, who knows, things are safe, until they are not. Spain was not a member of NATO when these rifles were converted. I use 300 savage data in mine.
Both the Argentines and the Chileans ran ran 48000 psi in their 91's and 95's. I'd bet the Spaniards did the same. IIRC, 308 and NATO run around 60000 psi, if a rifle was strapped in a test bed, I'd bet it is safe, but my eyes and fingers are important to me. So I'll stick with the mild reloads.
Spanish arms got a bad reputation from the cheap pistols they were turning out and from reports of Paraguayan rifles blowing up (who knows what really happened there).
Talk about unsafe, AFAIK, the Americans made more unsafe rifles than anybody else.
It would be interesting to do an endurance test on a Spanish 93 in 7.62, unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) it is probably cost prohibitive.
