8x57 to 8mm06

[Bob Krack]

All my life I've been a "jack of all trades" and a master of very few - and I use the term "master" very loosely!

I have a nice '42 Turkish Mauser (Kale) in nice condition. Could be a collector except the stock has been repaired.

I expect lots of advice to leave it as an 8x57 but I would really like to go to 8mm-06, mostly because of the availability of brass . I understand that it is at least possible to ream the chamber by hand without removing the barrel. Is that correct?

I am capable of filing sight dovetails, working triggers, truing (automotive) blocks and cylinder heads - all by hand - slowly and patiently.

Is there a way to get there from here? or is modifying brass (many hundreds eventually) the easier means to the end for me?

I will be using my own reloads, prolly cast only, and the rifle will never be sold (unless my entire family disappears from the face of the earth).


Bob

[elk hunter]

Bob,

The 8mm-06 came about so 8 x 57 rifles brought home by G.I's. could be easily rechambered to a common U.S. case. Yes, it is possible to rechamber with the barrel still on the action. You will need a reamer, tee handle for the reamer, cutting oil and go, no-go gauges. Back in the fifties and sixties there were lots of inexpensive sporters made up made this way by talented tinkerers. I'm sure that the procedure was written up in "The American Rifleman" and the shooting magazines of that era, you might want to try a search for information about "how to" on the internet.

[dk17hmr]

I very much like the idea of 8mm-06 and the 338-06 for that matter. But couldnt a guy make 8x57 cases with a little work out of 30-06 brass?

[Lead Fred]

If you are going to go 8mm-06, go 8mm-06AI its a better case config.

Making the cases from 30-06 is child's play, Ive made 100s

[SciFiJim]

I've also got a Turk Mauser. Mechanically sound but far from a collector. If you find a link to a howto, please post it. If you go ahead and rechamber it yourself, please take lots of pictures and document the process and post it here.

I thought about having a gunsmith do it, but it might be interesting to do it myself.

[Freightman]

My GS said he would loan me the reamer and handle to do mine but I sold it before I got to it. He said it is a matter of measuring twice and cutting once.

[dragonrider]

The 8x57 is a fine caliber, personaly unless I had two 8x57's I would not rechamber. 8x57 brass is just too easy to make from 30-06 brass.

[Bob Krack]

I very much like the idea of 8mm-06 and the 338-06 for that matter. But couldnt a guy make 8x57 cases with a little work out of 30-06 brass?

Doug,
It appears the 06 case modification to 8x57 is fairly simple. Just had a little hankerin' to see if I could rechamber it myself. Prolly silly of me but kinda interested.

Bob

[GabbyM]

With a conversion you can run out of magazine length for heavy bullets. On some Mausers anyway. I don't know what length a Turk is.
You would probably need a reamer with changeable pilots so you could fit any over size condition. If the pilot isn't snug your reamer will chatter.
It would be a lot of money to spend on a old barrel.

[shotman]

you cant use the mag box its too short you will have to modify it from a 03 or something. I found it more than was worth . You can load a 8mm to anything you can load a 8mm-06 and as said they will form from 06 brass

[elk hunter]

Bob,

The process of making 8x57 brass is simple enough, but according to your initial post you were interested in making an 8mm-06 not making 8mm brass hence my earlier post regarding the ease of rechambering. Shotman's post regarding the magazine being too short is correct, but that is an easy conversion also. All you need is about .080" which just happens to be the thickness of the front of the magazine box on most 98 Mausers. Simply cut out the middle of the front of the box behind the front screw, I run a .375 end mill through them, and weld a thin plate back over the hole on the front of the box and re-inlet the box and make the appropriate cut to the front of the action and you're there.

What ever you decide to do, enjoy your rifle.

[Bob Krack]

Thank you all,

I've kinda decided to just remain 8x57 since:

8mm-06 could possibly be chambered into a .30-06 with disastrous results if the trigger is pulled. I have a .30-06 also and visually would not see the difference between .30-06 and 8mm-06 (without serious studying).

Reading Julien Hatcher's notebook,he claims the ONLY .30-06 barrel destruction he examined came from shooting an 8x57 in a .30-06 (it was a disaster).

Still an interesting project, but time, energy, $dollars, and safety tell me to let it go and find 8x57 or modify .30-06 or some other brass to use as 8x57.

Thanks again,

Bob

[Uncle R.]

Bob:
I think that's a wise choice. My personal policy is to take whatever measures are required to make the headstamp match the actual cartridge if at all possible. There are too many ways to screw up already - I don't like to invite trouble if I can help it.

[kywoodwrkr]

Bob,
Check the headspace on that Turk.
I have one with excessive HS and was all matchiung.
I wanted to go the 8mm-06 route but lent my dies to someone who will go unmentioned and can't see investing in new dies. Expensive in my world.
Were I to rechamber, which I may do at some later date, I'd use a factory 30-06 round as my GO gauge.
Have other 8mm's so this is not a priority change on my part right now.
Wouldn't a 30-06 round fired in a 8mm-06 just rattle down the barrel?
Grafs and Son has 8mm brass PRVI for $39.99/100 regular price.
With C&R or FFL or Sales tax number it is $33.99/100.
FWIW

[Bob Krack]

Bob,
Check the headspace on that Turk.
I have one with excessive HS and was all matchiung.
I wanted to go the 8mm-06 route but lent my dies to someone who will go unmentioned and can't see investing in new dies. Expensive in my world.
Were I to rechamber, which I may do at some later date, I'd use a factory 30-06 round as my GO gauge.
Have other 8mm's so this is not a priority change on my part right now.
Wouldn't a 30-06 round fired in a 8mm-06 just rattle down the barrel?
Grafs and Son has 8mm brass PRVI for $39.99/100 regular price.
With C&R or FFL or Sales tax number it is $33.99/100.
FWIW

.30-06 will chamber and headspace in an 8mm-06 and yes, the bullet would rattle around going down the barrel. I 'spose ya could fireform the cases that way? if it didn't damage the barrel?

The 8x57 will chamber in a .30-06 but only the extractor would hold the case against the bolt (and firing pin!). Apparently that is what happened in the instance mentioned by Julian Hatcher - with disastrous results.

Thanks for the info, hope life is treating you a little better recently.

Bob

[ammohead]

It has been speculated that loading 8x57 into 03 springfield in the heat of battle or just by mistake had alot to do with with the reputation of low number springfields failing to handle high pressure.

Now before all you experts line up to tell me how incredibly stupid I am...remember I said that it had been speculated and not stated as fact.

ammohead

[wgr]

how do you form 8x57 brass out of 30-06 cases

[SciFiJim]

how do you form 8x57 brass out of 30-06 cases

You run the 30-06 cases through a full length 8x57 sizing die and trim off the extra length. It would be best to remove the expander ball first. After trimming you can run it through again with the expander ball.

[nanuk]

I"ve got a 8x57, and I"m gonna take SciFiJim's advice and resize .06 brass.

[rtracy2001]

I have an 8x57 and an 8mm-06, both in captured german K98s. I love them both to death. I can't explain it but I actually enjoy shooting my 8mm-06 a little more than I do the 8x57. That being said, it is rough not being able to buy commercial ammo for the 8mm-06.

In my opinion, if you have more than one 8x57 rifles, don't feel bad about rechambering the non-collector to 8mm-06, it is a very fun round.

Oh, don't know if it matters, but I have tried and I cannot chamber an 8mm-06 into any of my 30-06 rifles (savage, remmington, and a commercial Mauser). The .323 jacketed bullet would not throat in the '06s. Not saying it can't be done, but mine won't.