tanstaafl4y
July 21, 2005, 02:24 PM
I have recently purchased a Spanish FR-7. Before I commited to it I did alot of internet/book research. Here is a summary of what I have found reguarding the FR-7 / 8.
If you purchase one of these rifles take appropriate steps to ensure its safe to fire.
The Spanish Government was developing (with a Team from Germany) a weapon system that would become the CETME Model C (The Older brother of the HK G-3). Early prototypes were based on a round called the 7.62 CETME.
The 7.62 Cetme cartridge is dimensionally identical to the 7.62 NATO (.308 Win). The diffrence is in the final load data. The 7.62 Cetme pushed a 113gr (conflicting reports may have been 123gr) FMJ at 2450-2500 FPS and developed a chamber pressure of 46,000cup/51,000psi. The Nato and Winchester ammunition is normally loaded with a heavier bullet and developes a higher pressure.
The Spanish government had a need for a basic marksmanship training rifle and had a supply of 93 (small ring) and 98 (large ring) Spanish-made Mausers. These old mausers were arsenal refinished and rebarreled to shoot a cartridge that was in current inventory. The rebareled 93 were dubed Fusil Refromando Number 7 (Modified Rifle) FR-7 and the 98's were named FR-8. The largest visual diffrence is that the FR-7 has a bent bolt handle and the FR-8 is a straight bolt.
Herein lies the confusion. There were both the "reduced power" cetme rounds and Full-Strength Nato in inventory...I cannot definately say which cartridge was used in the FR-7 / FR-8's while in use by the spanish government. But what I can say is that the 93 Mausers were origionally chambered in 7mmMauser (7x57) and the 98's were 8mm Mausers.
After refering to data tables from several powder companies I can tell that the chamber pressures for the 7mm are significiantly less than those for the 8mm.
Feel free to draw you own conclusion if it is safe to shoot Commercial/Milsurp in the FR-7. Me, personally, I am going to handload some of the "Youth Loads" from the Hogden site that boast a chamber pressure lower than that of the 7mm Mauser.
Just FYI there is also a 1916 Spanish Mauser on the market...Origionally chambered in 7x57 and rebarreled for a .308-sized cartridge.
If you purchase one of these rifles take appropriate steps to ensure its safe to fire.
The Spanish Government was developing (with a Team from Germany) a weapon system that would become the CETME Model C (The Older brother of the HK G-3). Early prototypes were based on a round called the 7.62 CETME.
The 7.62 Cetme cartridge is dimensionally identical to the 7.62 NATO (.308 Win). The diffrence is in the final load data. The 7.62 Cetme pushed a 113gr (conflicting reports may have been 123gr) FMJ at 2450-2500 FPS and developed a chamber pressure of 46,000cup/51,000psi. The Nato and Winchester ammunition is normally loaded with a heavier bullet and developes a higher pressure.
The Spanish government had a need for a basic marksmanship training rifle and had a supply of 93 (small ring) and 98 (large ring) Spanish-made Mausers. These old mausers were arsenal refinished and rebarreled to shoot a cartridge that was in current inventory. The rebareled 93 were dubed Fusil Refromando Number 7 (Modified Rifle) FR-7 and the 98's were named FR-8. The largest visual diffrence is that the FR-7 has a bent bolt handle and the FR-8 is a straight bolt.
Herein lies the confusion. There were both the "reduced power" cetme rounds and Full-Strength Nato in inventory...I cannot definately say which cartridge was used in the FR-7 / FR-8's while in use by the spanish government. But what I can say is that the 93 Mausers were origionally chambered in 7mmMauser (7x57) and the 98's were 8mm Mausers.
After refering to data tables from several powder companies I can tell that the chamber pressures for the 7mm are significiantly less than those for the 8mm.
Feel free to draw you own conclusion if it is safe to shoot Commercial/Milsurp in the FR-7. Me, personally, I am going to handload some of the "Youth Loads" from the Hogden site that boast a chamber pressure lower than that of the 7mm Mauser.
Just FYI there is also a 1916 Spanish Mauser on the market...Origionally chambered in 7x57 and rebarreled for a .308-sized cartridge.