Ovideo Mauser

[richhodg66]

I have one that was rebarreled to .270 Win. and given to me in that configuration. I feel like that’s too much pressure for an Oviedo action and factory loads. Apparently it’s a poor choice for cast boolits. If it was a 96 or 98 I would shoot it as is.

I personally don't shoot factory ammo in much of anything and anymore, 95% or better of what I shoot is cast in everything. If the bore of that .270 is decent and proper sized, no reason it wouldn't be a good cast shooter.

[HangFireW8]

I haven't tried the Hung. 205 yet, but the MidSouth/Lee 8mm Karabiner will fill a .326" bore, it works well for my .3255" Turk.

[richhodg66]

Is that the standard Lee bullet you can buy or something else?

Think I'm gonna get a .329 sizer and tray some of these plain based bullets I have. With the weak rifling (though it seems smooth, not pitting really), fat bullets may work best.

Now the question, if loading bullets that oversized, I'm pretty sure a standard set of 8x57 dies (I think mine are old Bair dies) aren't going to expand the neck enough to take a bullet that big without sizing it down to where I'm right back to undersized bullets. I'm pretty sure I can figure out a way around that problem, just gotta think about it. Could a guy get a set of 8x56 Austrian dies designed for .329 bullets and neck size 8x57 brass with them?

[HangFireW8]

The Karabiner (and the Maximum) is a MidSouth exclusive, and direct descendent of a forum Group Buy. The dimensions have diverged a bit from the original GB, but both are still big fat 8mm boolits.

You are correct the standard dies serve us poorly. For sizing 8mm I got an RCBS NK "S" die and size bushings. For seating a cheap Lee RGB ST die does fine, but I'm only going to .326" maximum.

For expansion I found the cheapest way to go is the Lee universal expander dies. Sometimes I use mine as-is to flare only, but usually I use the NOE expanders that are made for them. Here's the .326" (the larger number is the flare size):
http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/product...oducts_id=1517

I'm wondering if 0.329 is going to chamber & release OK. NOE doesn't have an expander plug that big either.

[Texas by God]

I've not seen an Oviedo 1916 in 8mm but it makes sense since the 1943 was so chambered and the 8mm was used in the Spanish Civil War. All the 1916s I've seen have been original 7x57 or converted to 7.62 (.308). I did have a Turk 1893 that was converted to 8mm from 7.65 with the mag cutoff removed. I wish I still had it; it was a genuine Mauser.

[nekshot]

Is that the standard Lee bullet you can buy or something else?

Think I'm gonna get a .329 sizer and tray some of these plain based bullets I have. With the weak rifling (though it seems smooth, not pitting really), fat bullets may work best.

Now the question, if loading bullets that oversized, I'm pretty sure a standard set of 8x57 dies (I think mine are old Bair dies) aren't going to expand the neck enough to take a bullet that big without sizing it down to where I'm right back to undersized bullets. I'm pretty sure I can figure out a way around that problem, just gotta think about it. Could a guy get a set of 8x56 Austrian dies designed for .329 bullets and neck size 8x57 brass with them?

I shoot a load to get the neck blown out then I reprime , powder and often use fingers to install boolit. I try us a crimp die to keep every thing in place. I bet I have up to twenty loadings with out sizing. I am not shooting phart loads put keeping bullet accurate for me (1500 to 1800) fps. I drop or lose some as they might fall into cartridge if I am careful enroute to crimper.

[nekshot]

geeez med pfart to me! if I am not careful enroute to crimping. This is why I like real slow powders that fill the case.

[richhodg66]

I shoot a load to get the neck blown out then I reprime , powder and often use fingers to install boolit. I try us a crimp die to keep every thing in place. I bet I have up to twenty loadings with out sizing. I am not shooting phart loads put keeping bullet accurate for me (1500 to 1800) fps. I drop or lose some as they might fall into cartridge if I am careful enroute to crimper.

This is what I was considering doing, just fireforming some cases and not sizing at all and see if I can get away with a bullet that big. I routinely use one of the Lee case flaring dies and like it a lot, but for some cartridges, they need more. I have a .38-55 Marlin conversion that would shoot great big groups with anything. Then I got a set of RCBS Cowboys dies and couldn't believe how dramatic the difference was. I have a feeling this 8mm will be the same way.

In the end, I don't want to put too much trouble into this one, if it doesn't shoot OK as is, Midway has new small ring Mauser barrels in 7x57, which is what I wanted, and I'll wait til my brother, the gun smith is out here again and figure out how to rebarrel it. I like the dimensions and feel of the rifle, and it isn't a bad sporterizing job, not professional, but a whole lot better than the garage hack saw Bubba jobs you usually see. It's certainly chambered in a capable caliber. Sights will be the biggest problem, I don't do open sights well, so there's that.

If it doesn't pan out, I didn't get burned too much, it was cheap.

[richhodg66]

The Karabiner (and the Maximum) is a MidSouth exclusive, and direct descendent of a forum Group Buy. The dimensions have diverged a bit from the original GB, but both are still big fat 8mm boolits.

You are correct the standard dies serve us poorly. For sizing 8mm I got an RCBS NK "S" die and size bushings. For seating a cheap Lee RGB ST die does fine, but I'm only going to .326" maximum.

For expansion I found the cheapest way to go is the Lee universal expander dies. Sometimes I use mine as-is to flare only, but usually I use the NOE expanders that are made for them. Here's the .326" (the larger number is the flare size):
http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/product...oducts_id=1517

I'm wondering if 0.329 is going to chamber & release OK. NOE doesn't have an expander plug that big either.

That Midsouth Karabiner looks like a winner. Might have to wait til payday, but I think I'll try that one.

[HangFireW8]

One caveat I should mention. It feeds in some rifles well and not others. For my 98 it is fine. For my 93 it feeds OK from the right side single loaded, not from the left side. That big meplat hits the corner of the breech. I haven't tried fixing the feed ramp or rails yet.

But it shoots great!

[leadman]

Check Green Mountain Barrels website for a barrel also. Sometimes they have barrels really cheap.
I use the Lyman "M" die neck expanders for almost all of my cast bullet loading. Lyman will sell just the expander to go in the die so cost is reduced once you have the proper siz0e body. They make 2 or 3 lengths of die bodies.

[richhodg66]

I got bored Sunday and the weather sucked, so I made some 8x57 cases out of old GI .30-06 brass. It was easier than I thought and since I haven't managed to scrounge any brass yet, it'll do.

I got a .328 die for my Lyman 450 in the mail today. Gonna go out later and lube up some of those plain based .32-40 bullets I mentioned and see if they'll load and chamber at that diameter. I probably won't get to shoot any til Sunday, but I'm hoping they'll tell me whether the rifle is worth pursuing or not.

[Texas by God]

Maybe you'll take pics of BOTH your sr mausers......hint/razz

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[richhodg66]

I've shot it a few times now, spent this morning shooting a few groups. Brass is some I made from old LC 54 military brass. Bullets are what appear to be old 323357s I got from a guy at a gun show who was selling of a friend's estate stuff and these looked good and were about the cost of lead scrap in my estimation. I have .32 rifle molds, just decided to use these, run through a .328 sizer which didn't really do anything except clean up the bases a little.

I loaded these in front of 9.5 grains of Alcan 120 which burns like Red Dot. After fireforming my cases, I neck sized them in an 8x50 Austrian hoping that wouldn't squeeze the bullets much as 8x57 dies would. I belled the mouths using a Lee Universal Expander. Bullets are seated way out, only used the first half or so of the case neck. I didn't do anything to take the bell out of the case mouth and they chambered easily. I shot several groups at 50 yards single loading them and got three inch groups. Considering I don't shoot open sights well and the trigger pull is pretty bad, I'm not unhappy with that from a pretty worn bore and first attempt at loading ammo for it. All in all, for a real cheap rifle off a gun show table, I think I did alright. Not gonna put any money into it, but it seems OK as is.

[richhodg66]

[Texas by God]

I like it. That's a Fajen stock I think. You did good from what I see and a 93 sporter in 8mm you don't see often. 3" at 50 yds will hunt and is a good start.

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[richhodg66]

Does anyone have info on that rear sight? It was obviously designed to conceal the step in a military barrel, which it does. A very simple arrangement, two screws that move it side to side and one to move it up and down, no set screws. Front is a commercial as well, barrel band type. Not bad as open sights go, just never seen a rear like that.

[Texas by God]

The rear sight resembles the Browning Safari model from years ago, but it's definitely not one.

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[richhodg66]

I doubt I'll do it, but it wouldn't take much to put a receiver sight on it. I just don't think this one will be worth putting much into, but it's fun. My deer hunting is usually real close against unsuspecting deer and I'm sure this one would do the job, but we'll see. It's certainly in a capable enough chambering.

[Texas by God]

It'll grow on you. I love my 1926 Oviedo sporter that looks much like yours.

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