Austrian Steyr M95 Carbine - 8x56mmR

[Janoosh]

Is the re-bore to 40/65 even possible? Given the barrel thickness? I've got three of these firearms and i'm thinking more on the lines of a 35x56. Kinda like the Finn 9.3 x54, or there abouts. It would make a nice handy carbine. Especially wth a peep rear sight. Or a low powered scout/ pistol scope.

[Andrew Mason]

I have one of these m95 carbines as well.

I must say, I love it.

I shot it for the first time a few weeks ago.
I am thinking of getting 2 or 3 boxes of the privi hunting ammo


my other idea is converting it to 7.62x54r and installing a scout style scope.

[Gtek]

Saw on AIM Surplus they had some Prvi, boxer/brass and not to silly on $. Gtek

[vincewarde]

I am far from a CB expert, but the one thing that I learned here was to slug every bore you are going to shoot cast bullets in. I think that is especially true for the m95. Mine slugged at .332! I haven't had a chance to develop loads for it yet, but I had Lee make up a .333 push through sizer. I also have a Lee .338 225 gr. mold. I'll either use cast or size down .338 jacketed bullets.

I've mounted a 2x scout scope and it points really well. Of course the bolt works easily from the shoulder. I'm hoping that it will be a nice short range deer/hog gun. Since I am in CA, I have to make it work with "Unleaded" bullets if I want to hunt. I can hardly wait to move to Idaho.

[Buckshot]

Damn, Ric, now you got me thinking! That's dangerous. Maybe send one of mine to JES for reboring to 40-65???

...............Wayne, I don't think that skinny small OD barrel would stand being re-bored and rifled to 40 cal. Best to simply get a Green Mountain 40 cal barrel, have it turned half round (maybe 22" total length) and go from there. I've thought of a 38-56 Improved ( a 40-65 with a modern shoulder necked for a .375" slug). Dave Corbin did this many years ago using a M86 Winchester. You get the case capacity to really power a 375" slug

.............Buckshot

[Old Ranger]

I got lucky with my M95. It slugged right on at .329. My Lee mold casts at .331. I honed out a Lee .329 push through sizer die to .332. I use it to seat 8mm Hornady CG's then pan lube. I haven't shot it a lot but it does show promise with 2400 loads. Have shot some 5 round groups of around an inch and a half at 50yds.

[dnepr]

I have always thought most data for the 8x56r to be a bit on the mild side, this data on the other hand doesn't seem conservative at all , I would definitely work up carefully to this level and I probably not want go through a hundred full pop loads like this especially from the bench but if one needed the full potential of the handy steyr carbine these would do it

http://www.realguns.com/loads/8x56r.htm

[john hayslip]

J& G in Shotgun News is offering the M-95 for under $100 and I think they are C&R - But if you get the Argentine it is very close in power to the 308 and inexpensive dies are available from Lee and Brass and ammo available from Graf and sons -Why spend the money to rebarrel. Might also be able to get barrel recut to 35 Rem w/o a new barrel.

[Buckshot]

..........So far as the loads from that "Realguns" place goes, shooting original 1938 Austrian ammo goes, I chronographed it at 2200+ (forget the exact velocity offhand and don't want to mess around checking). I'd think the powder used then would be what we'd consider a medium burning rate powder now, ie: 4064, 4895. A 208gr slug at that speed from a barrel less then 20" in length isn't a piker by any means for such an action. The little carbine backs off the bullet smartly

There IS a couple real negatives to this action I failed to mention earlier, and that is the scarcity of exractors if you should break one. The second, also having to do with the extractor is that the tail of the extractor is used to retain the bolthead in the 'Unlocked' position. If the tiny nub on the extractor's tail be worn, or likewise it's mating groove on the bolthead shank be worn, the bolthead WILL rotate to unlock. However it will want to rotate BACK into the locked position (lugs at 12 & 6 o'clock) as you're pulling and pushing the bolt handle to and fro. The bolthead will cause additional un-needed tension between the lugs and the receiver. Otherwise the bolt will slide with ease back and forth in the action pretty much of it's own weight, IF the bolthead remains in the unlocked (9 & 3 o'clock position).

............Buckshot

[Cosmiceyes]

............If in a hard way the 8x56R can be made out of 45-70 (been there and done that, but not many and not for long!) However to have a bolt action in 40-65 it would be worthwhile, especially since Starline offers 40-65 brass. Just a matter of turning the rims down a tad to fit the issue extractor. A .40 cal 300gr slug at 2200 fps or more could be useable?

..............Buckshot

I like 40 caliber. I would guess a gunsmith would have to cut the barrel,and re-bore?How much is a re-bore normally?I never looked at changing one up this much.Nice chunk of lead. Low recoil. Maybe get more than one.The 30-40 Kraig looks amazing. looks easiest to achieve.Do you guy realize all the research I have to do because of you! 's

What about a 405 Winchester conversion?

[dnepr]

Buckshot thanks for the reminder about the "unobtainium " extractors , I get about 2375 fps with 1938 nazi surplus without difficult extraction or any signs of excess pressure , so I think with modern powders th 8x56r could have a lot of potential . But you are right I don't want to be pushing the pressures to the point where it is straining the extractor to remove the case , my styer will see a lot of cast loads . Now if I could find a mosin action and a styer barrel , fire up the lathe.... Ok time to ignore the " good idea fairy "