FR8 Sight Modification

[EMC45]

The sight was virtually unusable with the "wheel" on it. All the peeps would put all loads too high. It had a "buckhorn" style option, but it did not work close to the eye. So I took it out and fashioned one from some hard sheet metal I had. Drilled a 1/16 peep and it should work out great.http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm243/Evansguns/100_3494.jpghttp://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm243/Evansguns/100_3496.jpghttp://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm243/Evansguns/100_3498.jpg

[EMC45]

A little flat black paint to the bright parts and I'm in business. The peep looks off center, but it is lined up nicely. My 160gr. Cast bullet and jacketed loads traditionally shoot about the same in this rifle so now, hopefully, I won't have to bury the front sight to make it work.

[Bret4207]

On my FR-8 I noticed today that the front sight looks to be height adjustable. Have you looked at that at all?

BTW- despite an overload (double charge-26.0 Red Dot behind an RCBS 30-180FN!!!) my FR-8 put all 12 rounds well under 2" at 50 yards on it's first outing. NICE rifle!

[Larry Gibson]

After messing with the sights for some time and never coming close to being happy with them I said, "heck with them" and cut them off. I replaced the front sight and flash suppressor with a M14 one. The rear sight was replaced with a Lyman MSE. I also turned the barrel so a Springfield Armory M1A scout mount would fit it and inletted the handguard for it. The scout scope is a Burris 1.5 Scout scope. Makes for about as close to a scout rifle as Cooper 1st discussed. It is hell for stout and quite accurate.

Larry Gibson

[twotoescharlie]

the FR-8 F/S is adjustable for both windage and elevation.

TTC

[EMC45]

Brett, did notice that too about the front sight. It IS adjustable for elevation by screwing in and out, but it is also off set so when it goes up it also goes left and right! I cut mine off and drilled a hole and tapped a RCBS decapping pin into the hole and now I have a sight that is a good bit taller to bring my groups down some. I paid 77 OTD at a pawnshop and I don't think it was ever fired. It is a nice gun for sure. It shoots cast and jacketed nicely. I fired it a few weeks ago with some copper washed ChinaSports 147gr. At 100 yds on my belly I shot a 5 round group that you could just about cover with your hand. Center mass. I was impressed. The sights leave a lot to be desired. It is a rugged rifle no doubt. It will beat you around too!

[Calamity Jake]

These little FR8s are chambered for 7.62 NATO(308) but was not designed for 308 Win. pressures.
So be carefull

[Larry Gibson]

These little FR8s are chambered for 7.62 NATO(308) but was not designed for 308 Win. pressures.
So be carefull

Can you tell us exactly what "pressures" the M98 action was "designed" for?

Also could you elaborate on the actual difference in pressures between US produced 7.62 NATO and US produced .308W ammuntion?

Larry Gibson

[twotoescharlie]

there was also a FR-7, it had the small ring Mauser action.

TTC

[357maximum]

The FR8 is on a large ring...you ain't gonna hurt that unless you go waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa aaay out of bounds.....I shoot fullhouse 35whelen cast 225grainers in a WW1 German action. And the 98 action has been used for some MORE SERIOUS rounds.

It is the small ring FR7/1916/93/94/95/96 type action that the concerns are about....founded or not...I will not drive my small rings very hard....never will.

The only mausers you need worry about 308W in are the small rings...and especially the small ring chilean 7mm to 308 conversions due to their soldered in chamber inserts installed to (take up space) when the conversion from the standard 7mm barrel to 308 happened.

The spanish small rings were all re-barreled in the conversion are not as bad...but I still would be cautious of fullhouse 308 wins....some people not and still have all their limbs/digits/peepers attached...it is just not a thing I would do. My S Ring spaniard is a dream to shoot with light cast red dot/unique loaded 308...why mess with it? Not even I would push it that hard, and I have been known to find the upper limits in a few of my hunting irons. [smilie=1:

The large rings are a non-issue........IMHO they are as strong or stronger than anything made by remchester nowadays in design.....not bad for centuries old steel......ol John Paul knew what he was doing...it just took him a few actions to perfect his designs.

[Bret4207]

Agree with 357, no need to worry about the FR8. I'd grab an FR7 too if I could. Using a little common sense a man could get some real satisfaction out of those old guns. It always mystified me that no one gives a thought to shooting a Krag with factory level rounds and Kimber altered a bunch of 96 Swedes to 22-250 and no one died from that. I still shoot a ratty '93 7x57 and don;t see a bolt sticking out of my forehead. I can;t help but wonder how much of the "blown up rifles" tales we hear comes from sheer overloads, obstructed bores and things like that.