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.

[FrankG]

I used milsurp LC54 30-06 brass to reform to 8mm-06 . I also used TW brass and resized and rough trimmed with a arrow shaft cut off tool before trimming to length 8x57 MM Mauser. Neither have caliber designation on them to be confused with 30-06 ammo . For the 375-06AI, I use RP 30-06 brass but that easily stands out and no way would bolt begin to close on a loaded round let alone an empty case :grin:

I tend to use what I have ,but at same time keep the boxes they are in well labeled with caliber , load data and what gun they are for . As I like to keep all fired cases matched to the same gun . With the exceptions of handgun or shotgun ammunition. :Fire:

[leadman]

A trim die makes it real easy to reform 30-06 based rounds to 8X57, 7X57, 7.65X54, etc.
The die is not damaged by the fine hacksaw blade used to cut off the brass after reforming. debur, full length in appropriate die, load.
Not saying reforming can't be done with a full length die, because it can, but it is easier to do a large amount of reforming with the trim die.

[Larry Gibson]

If having 5 rounds in the magizine that feed is desired then put 5 dummy '06 rounds in your rifle and attempt to chamber them. It is not uncommon for some M98s to not feed the first round (the rim jams in the rails becuase it is not realed where it would be with a shorter 8x57 case pushing up under it). If 4 rounds in the mag are ok then feeding is not an issue. This is more common with the M1909s reamed to 7.65x06 becuase there were more of them done. I have run across a couple 8mmx06s that did the same though.

Larry Gibson

[Molly]

>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.

You'd be amazed at how easy it is to reseat that .323 bullet when the bolt is operated by a healthy man motivated by the frantic conditions of battle. The rest of the 8x57 case is sometimes crumpled inside the '06 chamber or worse, it can be pushed foward to reduce the diameter of the neck as the 8mm slug is pushed back by impact with the '06 neck. You then have a condition where firing the rifle tries to push a .323 bullet through a neck that is too small for it, even if the case crumples and isn't pushed into the '06 neck.

If you ever try it and manage to close the bolt, you best try firing it from behind a tree, pulling the trigger with a string. Otherwise, it is likely to be the most exciting experience of your life.

I once knew a young man who somehow managed to close the bolt of a 6.5x55 on a 35 Remington round. I still shudder to think of what was about to happen when it was noticed by someone a bit more knowledgable.

[Willbird]

I have read that there were some rifles rechambered to 30-06 that had 7mm bores...the writer said they kicked like a mule and were not terribly accurate, but no damage to the rifles.

Bill

[adrians]

all my 8x57 mausers are going to stay that way ,it's not that the idea of 8mm-06 doesn't appeal to me i find it interesting but i can size 30-06 brass to 8x57 in no time at all and i consider it just another step or should i say part of the great hobby we all call casting and handloading.
now if i came across a mauser already chambered in 8mm-06 and i liked the asking price i would go for it,
30-06 to 8mm is easy and call me nuts but it's also fun (and it keeps me out of trouble)'
geeezzz i have a boring life ,,,, but at least it's my fun ,boring life .
yall have a good evening '
adrians.:twisted::guntootsmiley::evil:

[mroliver77]

I think a 8mm -06 AI with 220 - 250 grain jacketed bullets and a case full of appropriate slow powder in a 24" or 26" barrel would kill most anything on this planet very well. With the heaviest cast that would work and the proper slow powder you would still have a killer of large animals.

I am getting my kicks out of .22 Hornet and will prolly leave the 8mm put away for a while. ;)
Jay

[gnoahhh]

A good friend purposely barreled a Springfield in 8mm-06 when he built the gun. Hell of a shooter.

My .30-06 M98 Mauser has not had the magazine box altered for cartridge length. Factory ammo and reloads (some a scinch longer than factory) feed flawlessly. I was careful to specify the throat cut for a specific cartridge OAL with the Sierra 165HPBT seated out long enough to sweetly feed through the mag (again, a hair longer than factory ammo). It's one of the most accurate .30-06's I've ever owned. (NOS Parker-Hale barrel).

Did I get lucky or have other guys found '06s to work ok in unaltered M98 magazines?

[Randy1958]

to the Guy that wants to reshape 06 brass to 8x57 mauser.
I dont know where you live at but where I am at 8x57 mauser brass is easy to find and get. where on the other hand 7x57 mauser brass is differant and more costly. when you go to resize and shape 30-06 brass to 8x57 it would be a good
idea to trip o6 brass first to just about to1/4" from the shoulder for if you dont you will to much brass out of the die. you are still going to have to trimm after the first run through the die to get the final and proper light .
I have been thinking of rechambering my cz loarge ring mauser to 8mm-06 since I have a K- 98

[Junior1942]

I'd rather have an 8x57 than a 30-06. My Turk 38 8x57 is a 1 to 1.5 MOA shooter. Why would I want to rechamber it to 30-06 and maybe get a 2 to 3 MOA shooter?

[leadman]

Reading the American Rifle magazines from after WWII apparently if a roundnose bullet is used the 8mm-06 will fit in most of the magazine boxes without alteration. Don't remember if it gave a brand or not.

[deltaenterprizes]

Welcome to the board Randy1958.

[6.5 mike]

As Larry pointed out, when I got my 1909 argy it had been re-reamed to a 30-06 case. Now it wears a 35 whelen bbl.

[rtracy2001]

Reading the American Rifle magazines from after WWII apparently if a roundnose bullet is used the 8mm-06 will fit in most of the magazine boxes without alteration. Don't remember if it gave a brand or not.

I have read similar claims in reloading manuals. Some say roundnose some say seat extra deep and reduce charge etc. My k98 in 8mm-06 takes 220 gr Gamekings seated to the 06 max OAL without issue. I even swapped the magwell with a known unmodified one from one of my turks and had no issues. It may vary by model methinks.

[nanuk]

I just bought a 8-06 barrel for cheap.

rough shape, but we will see... I mostly bought it for the practice of rebarreling.

I cannot hurt this one....