8mm Commission Rifle

[Four Fingers of Death]

I picked one of these up (well I will when the permit comes) off a fellow poster on this board.

It is in good condition and has the Mauser stripper clip guide silver soldered on top of the rear reciever ring, the front relieved for the spitzer bullets and a spring steel cap over the bottom mag opening.

This would indicate that it was converted to the 'S' .323" bore woudn't it? Don't worry, I'll slug it before I load it.

Being made in 1891 I will be shooting lead boolit loads in it.

Has anyone had any experience with this rifle? Interesting old Gal.

yeah I know, photos, but I forgot to take the camera with me :(

[45 2.1]

I've shot one extensively. Mine likes the Saeco 190 gr. RN (with Unique) very well. Other than being a little heavier than the later Mausers, it is a fine shooter.

[Baron von Trollwhack]

Mine is an earlier model, still using the packet clip, and with the push feed bolt head. It is doing well with the 225 grain Lee, and the RCBS 32 Winchester Special boolits with H 4895 and Varget in the low to mid 30 grain charge levels. And a tissue wad down on the powder. The grooves on mine are .3235".

BvT

[Bob S]

Nothing was done to the bore when the Germans did the S dot conversions. The neck of the chamber and the throat were reamed slightly, but the bore remained the same. I have several of these with excellent original barrels, and they all slug out between .320 and .321. Commission rifles that were rebarreled by the Turks in the 1930's will have new barrels of 1893 Mauser form with .323-.325 bores.

Picture is the first 1888 that I bought, an S dot conversion that was provided to the Turks in the latter part of WW I, and no doubt fired extensively with their hot spitzer ammunition in years later. Something just wasn't right about the way it fit into the stock: on closer examination, the crack in the recoil lug shown at the red arrow was found.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v76/BobS1/G88crackedlugA.jpg

The bore was in surprisingly good shape and miked .3205. I replaced the receiver with an unmodified one from Numrich Arms ($10 and no FFL required), and it shoots very well with .323 cast bullets and the Speer 170 grain .321 flat nose jacketed bullet that is made for the 32 Special.

Resp'y,
Bob S.

[jonk]

There is also a Czech made replacement barrel that, for reasons best known to them, can run as tight as .316. Some of these have such barrels though I have yet to see one personally.

Both of mine run .320-.321. I have no trouble with .323 sized lead. I also have a push through die to size down jacketed bullets to .321 from .323. 38 gr of 4064 and a Remington 185 gr bullet does well.

[Beekeeper]

I have 2 of them.
Both slug out at .318.
Havent shot them yet but think they will both be good shooters.
Don't know about the sluging at .323as all of the ones I have seen so far are .318



beekeeper

[RoyRogers]

Some of the Turked Commission rifles have the Czech .318 barrels, some have .323 barrels.

[NickSS]

I had two turkish ones one was without the barrel jacket and the other had one. both rebarreled and marked with a Big S on the receiver. I was not into cast boolits at that time and fired many light jacketed rounds through it (loaded to SAMII standards which is in the 40K range pressure wise. They were really accurate rifles as I recall.

[Four Fingers of Death]

Here's a pic that was sent to me:

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k228/4fingermick/Military%20shooting/88CommissionRifle.jpg

I picked up a Lee DC Mould, 170 or 180 Gns from memory. That'll do for a start. The boolits (crooze missiles) from the NEI 311284 Group buy should work as well, especially with the skinny bore.

Four Fingers.

[Beekeeper]

Man that is a beautiful 88.
The ones I have the stocks look like they were used as clubs and oars.
My intent is to build new stocks and put the old ones in the atic in case someone wants them if I ever sell.
I hope it shoots as great as it looks.
Keep us informed about it.

[sav300]

Geezzzzzzz Four fingers,I send you a pic of your gun,now everybody knows how messy my gun room,look at that both safes wide open.Guys I am not that messy most/some times.
Lionel.

[Four Fingers of Death]

Messy? Man I thought it was pretty neat and well organised! Come and see my layout, By the time you get to the safe, yer too tired to shoot! :)

Four Fingers.

[Linstrum]

Hey, sav300, you can come over to my place anytime and royally mess it up if when you are done it is as organized-looking as what is in the photo! I should be so lucky to have a neat and clean place like that.

Yeah, Four-Fingers-of-Death, that is a nice acquisition. Keep us posted on your progress!

Ricochet has a bit of experience with commission rifles, if he ever gets some free time from his job he may have some info that will help you out. He is real busy right now, so it may be awhile. I guess you could try using the search function to look up what he has already written about them.


rl554

[Four Fingers of Death]

I guess you could try using the search function to look up what he has already written about them.


rl554

Good idea, I'll try that tomorrow when I have a bit more time, Thanks, Four Fingers.

[SwedeNelson]

Four fingers

Slug your bore.
If its .318 to .320 I have a real fun 247Gr. round nose that shoots great in mine.
You can get the mould on my web page.
http://www.gunloads.com/fam/swedenelson/album2.htm
If its a .323 bore try the SAECO 081.

Great old rifles, I have about 15 of them.

Swede Nelson

[Four Fingers of Death]

Wow! You are really into 88s. I noticed that Sav300 was also using very heavy bullets, did they use a heavy bullet in the original loading.

Is the mould you have a gas check design? If so I suppose (read hope) they take 30cal gaschecks.

Four Fingers.

[Four Fingers of Death]

Forget the question about the boolit weight, I just read your post on the other thread. ScheeeeeeeoooootttttttttttttT! I'm looking forward to getting this one percolating. Seems a bit of interest has been stirred up here.
Four Fingers.

[SwedeNelson]

Four Fingers

Sorry - 32Cal./8mm gas checks.

Have some of the original rounds - haven't pulled any apart
But the bullet is about 3/16" Longer than my 247Gr. cast.
So yes it was a very heavy bullet.

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i80/swedenelson/Picture143.jpg

This is my 247Gr. Cast

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i80/swedenelson/Picture140.jpg

This is some originals.

Swede Nelson

[sav300]

Swede.the mould you have.will it work in a yugo 8mm? have one and am looking for a mould for same.Thanks

[SwedeNelson]

Sav300

If your bore is larger than .321 I would have to say no.
I'd go with the SAECO 081.

Swede Nelson

[Four Fingers of Death]

They sure are heavy long pills, I suppose the old hard arsed German Army types were reluctant to drop too much in weight, having being brought up on 11mm and bigger stuff.

[TAWILDCATT]

the "S" only means it takes the s bullet.and that bullet hade very little .323 bearing surface.the cut in the reciever was for the long bullet.:coffee:[smilie=1:

[Doc1]

Gentlemen,

It is pretty common knowledge that the German's JS conversion replaced the 8x57 .318 bullet with the more modern .323...but why on Earth did they do it? I've never read an explanation and am hoping that some of you might know.

I have never been able to understand the rationale behind the retooling and expense necessary for such a slight diameter difference and one might think the BC would be a tad bit better with the narrower bullet in any case.

I like the 8x57 and have a couple of 98s in that caliber in the safe. I think it's a great and versatile round. I'm also considering purchasing a Commission rifle, just out of curiosity, but am even more curious about the reasons for that old conversion.

Best regards
Doc

[Four Fingers of Death]

The permit finally came through, I will be picking the rifle up later in the week, won't have much chance to shoot it though.