8x68s or 300 win mag ???

[Gert Odendaal]

First steps would be getting a cartridge design print. Then having a reamer made from it. Typically the reamer manufacturer can automatically add enough extra tolerances to the cartridge design, for the chamber reamer specs. You will want to have a copy of your cartridge print, and will send that to a custom tool & die manufacturer like Whidden Gunworks. They will use your cartridge print, add the proper tolerances necessary for a full-length sizing die and seating die. So, that takes care of the hard parts. Now the fun parts... You now have your chamber reamer and your custom die set. You have your rifle built. Once that is done, you start the brass prep process for fire-forming your cases. Then you fire-form your brass, and start load development.

Yes, once you get your die set, you will be able to neck-down your 8x68s cases to 7mm. I would recommend a 2-step necking process... I would go from 8mm to .30 caliber, and then .30 caliber down to 7mm. This will help eliminate donuts in the necks. You will then need to trim your brass to proper length.

MudRunner, which action will be proper to use on such a build..,,here in SA we really only have access to Mauser 98 actions, I believe the tolerances to be much, much too loose for accuracy on long shooting distances..the Mauser action was designed for military specs...to accommodate dirt , rain , mud ...all encountered in a war scenario..

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Two thoughts on your discussion:

- Personally I use this stock design, originally from Mauser, named The African Modell.

This design accommodated the slightly longer barrels which were often carried by bearers grasping the short barrel length and letting the mass of the rifle settle on their shoulder in front of the trigger guard.

I am trying not to come off as being a contrarian but I think you need to give us a little more information regarding how incapable the .30 caliber bullets and cartridges are when compared to the 8mm. My supposition is that we here in the U.S. have very few quality 8mm bullets suited to the thick skin game you mention. However, being a .30 caliber country, we have pushed ahead significantly with the development of heavy .30 caliber bullets which will stay right with your 8mm even without having a 'heavy 225-250 grain' selection.

But if push comes to shove, we would certainly just grab a .338 cartridge and then move up into that heavier range easily. I'm working on a .338 Blaser Magnum currently so I am sure that it will pull off a great showing by comparison. But if necessary, I could get a reamer ground for the 8.5x68 Fanzoj and stay within the limits of both a European cartridge and the metric nomenclature.

So fill us in on the 8mm bullets you speak of and we can have a comparison project.

Sabel, here is some info regarding the rifle photo you send me:

Betreff: AW: Cape Rifle : Long Mauser stock design
Hi Gert,

everything is running well here, excepr old age (71 by now) creepeing in. Getting old is not for cowards!

The photo you sent show neither a Meffert nor Funk nor Wolf nor any other Suhl made rifle. It shows a Mauser, Oberndorf, factory type L "African" model factory sporter with octagonal barrel and tangent rear sight. These L African sporters came with 70 cm barrels, 36 cm length of pull and 35 cm (from receiver ring) "3/4" foreends. The Suhl gunmakers made similar long barreled Mauser rifles to order, with barrels up to 80 cm, but more often with normal short length foreends. Today, You will be hard pressed to find even a round 70cm barrel, let alone an 80 cm or octagan or half octagan one. Here is a German article on such rifles from an old issue of the defunct "Hatari Times". Here in Germany my friend Max Ern and family (mentined in that article) may build such a rifle on order, but it will be expensive.

Waidmannsheil!

Axel

 

[sable tireur]

I'm sorry you had to go to all that effort but I thank you.

We have 3 of this model Mauser in the shop. Jon Speed came to photograph them and others we have, for the book;
Mauser: Original Oberndorf Sporting Rifles

 

[MudRunner2005]

MudRunner, which action will be proper to use on such a build..,,here in SA we really only have access to Mauser 98 actions, I believe the tolerances to be much, much too loose for accuracy on long shooting distances..the Mauser action was designed for military specs...to accommodate dirt , rain , mud ...all encountered in a war scenario..

Well, I would recommend the Rem 700... But, it would require some custom bolt work. You will need a standard magnum action (.300 WinMag or 7mm RemMag) for everything to feed properly with the magazine box and follower and feed rails, but the 8x68s case rim, is only 0.512" diameter...Which is an odd size. It is larger than the standard 0.473" bolt face of the .308 Win/.30-06, but it is smaller than the standard 0.540" bolt face diameter for belted magnum cartridges based on the .300 H&H.

You might be able to get someone like Chase Curtis to build you a custom bolt face diameter bolt for their action, for running this wildcat. I'm not sure about them shipping out of country, or if they can do it. But if anyone can build it, it's Chase Curtis. Give him a call, and he can tell you whether it would be something he could do or not. If he can, it would honestly put you WAY ahead in the build process, because you wouldn't have to have any machine work done to the action at that point, just have a barrel spun-up and chambered and threaded by a gunsmith, and then you're good to go. He might even be able to build the rifle for you? Only way to find out is to call.

 

[Gert Odendaal]

I'm sorry you had to go to all that effort but I thank you.

We have 3 of this model Mauser in the shop. Jon Speed came to photograph them and others we have, for the book;
Mauser: Original Oberndorf Sporting Rifles

Sable,this is good to hear , it always is great to hear about these old rifles still being kept in good condition...I am fortunate to have three Mausers , Mauser 71 Sportster, and two Mauser 1871/84, all black powder rifles I use on a black powder hunt every year. If possible I really would like a photo of these rifles...I really love these old rifles...

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Well, I would recommend the Rem 700... But, it would require some custom bolt work. You will need a standard magnum action (.300 WinMag or 7mm RemMag) for everything to feed properly with the magazine box and follower and feed rails, but the 8x68s case rim, is only 0.512" diameter...Which is an odd size. It is larger than the standard 0.473" bolt face of the .308 Win/.30-06, but it is smaller than the standard 0.540" bolt face diameter for belted magnum cartridges based on the .300 H&H.

You might be able to get someone like Chase Curtis to build you a custom bolt face diameter bolt for their action, for running this wildcat. I'm not sure about them shipping out of country, or if they can do it. But if anyone can build it, it's Chase Curtis. Give him a call, and he can tell you whether it would be something he could do or not. If he can, it would honestly put you WAY ahead in the build process, because you wouldn't have to have any machine work done to the action at that point, just have a barrel spun-up and chambered and threaded by a gunsmith, and then you're good to go. He might even be able to build the rifle for you? Only way to find out is to call.

Thank you for your opinion, it is much appreciated. I will do the build myself and will be able to open up the bolt face if needed as well. With this 8x68S build I had to open up the bolt face as well since it is a standard Mauser action with a 8x57JS bolt face..as well as the action to accept a long 91mm round..the rifle stock I am starting to build coming this week..

 

[Rich Coyle]

What is the water capacity to the top of the neck?

 

[Gert Odendaal]

What is the water capacity to the top of the neck?

Rich, will measure tomorrow when working on the rifle action again..

 

[Rich Coyle]

Thanks