Sell that action. It was a military action that was designed and built to use 8mm Mauser cartridges and 8mm Mauser cartridge pressures.
I have not found an explicit statement to the design loads that Paul Mauser used. SAAMI and CIP standards were established well after his death. However there is information about the proof pressures used in pre WW1 M98 actions.
Rifle Magazine Issue 159 May 1995 Dear Editor pg 10
http://www.riflemagazine.com/magazin...159partial.pdf
Quote:
Ludwig Olsen :
Mauser 98 actions produced by Mauser and DWM were proofed with two loads that produced approximately 1000 atmosphere greater pressure than normal factory rounds. That procedure was in accordance with the 1891 German proof law. Proof pressure for the Mauser 98 in 7 X57 was 4,050 atmospheres (57, 591 psi). Pressure of the normal 7 X 57 factory load with 11.2 gram bullet was given in Mauser’s 1908 patent boot as 3,050 atmosphere, or 43, 371 pounds.
While many Mausers in the 1908 Brazilian category will likely endure pressures considerably in excess of the 4,050 atmospheres proof loads, there might be some setback of the receiver locking shoulder with such high pressures
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Kunhausen shows similar numbers in his book :
“The Mauser Bolt Actions, A Shop Manual”
Rifle & Carbine 98: M98 Firearms of the German Army from 1898 to 1918 Dieter
M98 Mauser service rifles underwent a 2 round proof at 4,000 atm gas pressure, 1 atm = 14.6 psi, 4000 atm = 58, 784 psia. Page 103. A comment on the metallurgy and process technology of the era, Dieter found records that indicated that the bolt lugs broke on 1:1000 of GEW98 service rifles used by the Bavarian Army Corp!
Gun Digest 1975 has an excellent article,
“A History of Proof Marks, Gun Proof in German” by Lee Kennett.
Quote:
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“The problem of smokeless proof was posed in a dramatic way by the Model 1888 and it commercial derivates. In this particular case a solution was sought in the decree of 23 July 1893. This provided that such rifles be proved with a government smokeless powder known as the “4,000 atmosphere powder”, proof pressure was 4,000 metric atmospheres or 58,000 psia. The 4000 atmosphere proof was standardized for the 1893 and continued after 1911.
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The article indicates it was applied to the 1898. The 1939 German proof law called for proof at 130% of service load pressure. From
Mauser Bolt Rifles by Ludwig Olsen, page 134, The maximum working pressure of the WW2 German 7.9 sS cartridge was 46, 926 psi. According to sources, this round was used in machine guns after WW1 and then shortly before WW2, became a universal issue round. Use in the K98 action had to have been examined, and the powers that be decided in the 1930's that use of this round which was 3,000 psia higher than the earlier version of the 8mm cartridge, to be low risk. And that was probably based on the improvement of metal quality and process technology from WW1. A proof pressure 7.9sS would be 61k psi.
From
Cartridges of the World
8 mm case head diameter 0.470” Area 0.1735 square inches
300 Win Mag case head diameter 0.515” Area 0.2083 square inches
Bolt face loads
8mm (Mauser design loads) 0.1735 in ² X 43, 371 lbs/ in ² = 7, 525 lbs
300 Win Mag = 0.2083 in ² X 65,000 lbs/ in ² = 13, 539 lbs
The 300 Win Mag provides an 80% increase in bolt thrust over standard military loads.
Given that your military action is being subjected to loads that it was never designed or manufactured to handle, I would recommend getting rid of the thing before you crack a lug, have receiver set back, which will cause a case head failure.