Rechambering 8mm

Aardvark · May 30, 2005, 08:48 AM

Is it practical to rechamber a model 98 Turk barreled action to .338Mag? I am not concerned so much with the cost of doing it, but I would like to keep the original barrel and shorten it to 24 inches. It doesn't seem like much of a jump in bore diameter, so maybe it would not thin the walls of the barrel too much.
What kind of reamer would I need to get and can my local gunsmith handle it?

Hunter Customs · May 30, 2005, 10:38 AM

The 8x57 JS bore measures .323 the 338 Win Mag measures .336 I would think if you are wanting to do this it would be best to change barrels.
I've heard of magnums being made on 98 actions however I've never actually seen or shot one.
I do have a couple of 98 8x57 JS bore rifles one is a very beautiful custom rifle made by an old rifle smith. The handloads I have for my JS bore guns are right up there with 3006 ballistics.
Regards
Bob Hunter
www.huntercustoms.com

cntryboy1289 · May 30, 2005, 11:22 AM

Winchester went with the 325WSM that uses the 8mm bullet. You could rechamber it to the 325 using a reamer and the same caliber as what you have now. Performance is right there with the .338.

armedandsafe · May 30, 2005, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Winchester went with the 325WSM that uses the 8mm bullet. You could rechamber it to the 325 using a reamer and the same caliber as what you have now. Performance is right there with the .338.

Hmmmmm, now, there's an interesting prospect. What is the SAAMI chamber pressure on the 325 vs. the 8x57?

Pops

Harry Bonar · May 30, 2005, 06:43 PM

Dear Shooter:
You will need a new barrel. I'll give you the Forum page number and date of my article on Mauser actions which will answer your questions:
On Page 7, date 2/2/05 you will find my post under the smithy. Patriot Arms was kind enough to post it for me.
I've built 416 Taylors' 9.3X62, 30-06, 25-06, 7MM Mag, etc on this action. Bear in mind it has a large Ring (1.400) but a small thread (.980X12). This action is, as all Mausers are, hard internally, but fairly "soft" on the outside (?) - this does vary with Mausers. If it takes the 416 Taylor it is AOK!. Don't worry about the thread size!
Harry B.

Aardvark · May 30, 2005, 08:31 PM

I can read that article on page 7 a lot of times, which I am sure that I will as I have saved it on my hard drive...In the mean time, allow me to act as a lay person and ask this question...Simply put, can I send this to a gunsmith to have the bolt trued or lapped? After that, have the new barrel installed?
Is there more to this...Regarding the bolt handle, it is to be bent and swept back...Will that take care of that part of the operation where it is to be removed and welded back...
Even simpler put...If I send this barreled action off to have it rebarreled, will this all be done at the same place?

cntryboy1289 · May 30, 2005, 11:45 PM

Yes a smith can handle all of the above questions. He should be able to give you a qoute before the work, but not the actual price. He will need to have the reciever and bolt before he could rechamber the barrel. The bending and sweeping back of the bolt handle will take the place of cutting it off and welding on a new handle. As far as all the work being done in-house will be determined by how much the smith actually knows and has tools to do the work. His price will be higher for sure if he has to farm out any of the work. One more reason to get atleast two qoutes for the work from different smiths

I would go with a bull barrel for the 8mm no matter what caliber in 8mm you decide to go with, but that is my opinion not a fact. You have several choices in 8mm. You could go with the 8mm remington mag or the .325. The Remington 8mm magnum is an excellent moose round as well as a good all around hunting caliber. The .325 WSM will also need the feed rails as well as the bolt face opened up to handle the magnum case. I would shop the cost of either caliber before putting any money down for the job. Either of these are close to the .338 in power. I agree with Mr Bonar about the Mauser being able to handle the pressure of larger calibers. It should be ok with either caliber. I am thinking of doing the same conversion myself with one the recievers I have. Good luck.

Jim Watson · May 31, 2005, 12:03 AM

Is money an object?
You cannot have that Mauser made into a nice sporting rifle in a non-Mauser caliber for anywhere near the price of a new gun.

Aardvark · May 31, 2005, 08:22 AM

No, it is not about cost. it is about HOBBY. I am 50 years young and semi retired. I don't fish as much as I used to....I have built one custom 280 Rem from a M98 action I bought from my brother...That started it all..Since then I have built a custom Swede, converted a VZ24 into a sniper rifle,working on a second Swede, and now will start on a Turk...There is nothing quite like the feeling I get when one is finished and I look back at the work and planing that went into it and then go to the range and air them out...True, I could go down to the shop and pick out a new Weatherby or Remington, but that is too simple and easy....Although I couldn't pass up buying a new Remington 700 Classic when they came out with the 8x57....No, it is definitely not about monetary value here....

cntryboy1289 · May 31, 2005, 01:24 PM

I beleive the SAAMI specs are right around 62000. I would have to look it up. I am thinking seriously about using one of the VZ24 actions I have to try a conversion for it. I know the SAAMI specs are higher than the mauser, but I think it should be ok to handle the pressure.

dale taylor · May 31, 2005, 06:57 PM

I have a 338 WM built on mauser 98 action with a Douglas #2 barrel. It a very accurate rifle. Go for it. I also have Swedish mausers to use and work on. Go for it. Have fun. [email protected]

dfaugh · June 1, 2005, 07:07 AM

Is to rechamber it for 8mm-06...Can be done, I'm told, without removing barrel. Have to handload though, but performance is getting real close to .338 Win Mag. Planning in doing this to a VZ24 I've got that has excellent action, and good bore (except right at the muzzle, which will be cut and recrowned. I, however, have a very tight budget, so you have other shoices as mentioned.

Harry Bonar · June 3, 2005, 07:58 AM

DEFAUGH:
Amen! I'm having a battle right now!

armedandsafe · June 3, 2005, 07:53 PM

My Speer manual lists the 8mm-06 and shows that it is the equivalent to factory -06 in the limited range of bullets available for it. It looks like a pretty nifty cartridge.

Pops

May 30, 2005, 08:48 AM	#1
Aardvark Member Join Date: November 6, 2004 Location: South Texas Coast Posts: 67	Rechambering 8mm Is it practical to rechamber a model 98 Turk barreled action to .338Mag? I am not concerned so much with the cost of doing it, but I would like to keep the original barrel and shorten it to 24 inches. It doesn't seem like much of a jump in bore diameter, so maybe it would not thin the walls of the barrel too much. What kind of reamer would I need to get and can my local gunsmith handle it? __________________ The world is going to hell in a handbasket and I just sold my wicker business.

May 30, 2005, 06:43 PM	#5
Harry Bonar Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2004 Location: In the Vincent, Ohio general area. Posts: 1,804	rechamber to 338wm. Dear Shooter: You will need a new barrel. I'll give you the Forum page number and date of my article on Mauser actions which will answer your questions: On Page 7, date 2/2/05 you will find my post under the smithy. Patriot Arms was kind enough to post it for me. I've built 416 Taylors' 9.3X62, 30-06, 25-06, 7MM Mag, etc on this action. Bear in mind it has a large Ring (1.400) but a small thread (.980X12). This action is, as all Mausers are, hard internally, but fairly "soft" on the outside (?) - this does vary with Mausers. If it takes the 416 Taylor it is AOK!. Don't worry about the thread size! Harry B.

May 30, 2005, 08:31 PM	#6
Aardvark Member Join Date: November 6, 2004 Location: South Texas Coast Posts: 67	Thank you Harry Bonar I can read that article on page 7 a lot of times, which I am sure that I will as I have saved it on my hard drive...In the mean time, allow me to act as a lay person and ask this question...Simply put, can I send this to a gunsmith to have the bolt trued or lapped? After that, have the new barrel installed? Is there more to this...Regarding the bolt handle, it is to be bent and swept back...Will that take care of that part of the operation where it is to be removed and welded back... Even simpler put...If I send this barreled action off to have it rebarreled, will this all be done at the same place? __________________ The world is going to hell in a handbasket and I just sold my wicker business.

May 30, 2005, 11:45 PM	#7
cntryboy1289 Senior Member Join Date: July 19, 2004 Location: Ms Posts: 1,160	good questions Yes a smith can handle all of the above questions. He should be able to give you a qoute before the work, but not the actual price. He will need to have the reciever and bolt before he could rechamber the barrel. The bending and sweeping back of the bolt handle will take the place of cutting it off and welding on a new handle. As far as all the work being done in-house will be determined by how much the smith actually knows and has tools to do the work. His price will be higher for sure if he has to farm out any of the work. One more reason to get atleast two qoutes for the work from different smiths I would go with a bull barrel for the 8mm no matter what caliber in 8mm you decide to go with, but that is my opinion not a fact. You have several choices in 8mm. You could go with the 8mm remington mag or the .325. The Remington 8mm magnum is an excellent moose round as well as a good all around hunting caliber. The .325 WSM will also need the feed rails as well as the bolt face opened up to handle the magnum case. I would shop the cost of either caliber before putting any money down for the job. Either of these are close to the .338 in power. I agree with Mr Bonar about the Mauser being able to handle the pressure of larger calibers. It should be ok with either caliber. I am thinking of doing the same conversion myself with one the recievers I have. Good luck.

May 31, 2005, 08:22 AM	#9
Aardvark Member Join Date: November 6, 2004 Location: South Texas Coast Posts: 67	not about cost No, it is not about cost. it is about HOBBY. I am 50 years young and semi retired. I don't fish as much as I used to....I have built one custom 280 Rem from a M98 action I bought from my brother...That started it all..Since then I have built a custom Swede, converted a VZ24 into a sniper rifle,working on a second Swede, and now will start on a Turk...There is nothing quite like the feeling I get when one is finished and I look back at the work and planing that went into it and then go to the range and air them out...True, I could go down to the shop and pick out a new Weatherby or Remington, but that is too simple and easy....Although I couldn't pass up buying a new Remington 700 Classic when they came out with the 8x57....No, it is definitely not about monetary value here.... __________________ The world is going to hell in a handbasket and I just sold my wicker business.

May 30, 2005, 10:38 AM	#2
Hunter Customs Senior Member Join Date: March 26, 2005 Location: Osborn, Missouri Posts: 2,697	The 8x57 JS bore measures .323 the 338 Win Mag measures .336 I would think if you are wanting to do this it would be best to change barrels. I've heard of magnums being made on 98 actions however I've never actually seen or shot one. I do have a couple of 98 8x57 JS bore rifles one is a very beautiful custom rifle made by an old rifle smith. The handloads I have for my JS bore guns are right up there with 3006 ballistics. Regards Bob Hunter www.huntercustoms.com

May 30, 2005, 11:22 AM	#3
cntryboy1289 Senior Member Join Date: July 19, 2004 Location: Ms Posts: 1,160	Winchester went with the 325WSM that uses the 8mm bullet. You could rechamber it to the 325 using a reamer and the same caliber as what you have now. Performance is right there with the .338.

May 31, 2005, 12:03 AM	#8
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,542	Is money an object? You cannot have that Mauser made into a nice sporting rifle in a non-Mauser caliber for anywhere near the price of a new gun.

May 31, 2005, 01:24 PM	#10
cntryboy1289 Senior Member Join Date: July 19, 2004 Location: Ms Posts: 1,160	amredandsafe I beleive the SAAMI specs are right around 62000. I would have to look it up. I am thinking seriously about using one of the VZ24 actions I have to try a conversion for it. I know the SAAMI specs are higher than the mauser, but I think it should be ok to handle the pressure.

May 31, 2005, 06:57 PM	#11
dale taylor Member Join Date: February 10, 2005 Location: florida Posts: 97	I have a 338 WM built on mauser 98 action with a Douglas #2 barrel. It a very accurate rifle. Go for it. I also have Swedish mausers to use and work on. Go for it. Have fun. [email protected]

June 1, 2005, 07:07 AM	#12
dfaugh Senior Member Join Date: January 17, 2002 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 1,715	Plan B Is to rechamber it for 8mm-06...Can be done, I'm told, without removing barrel. Have to handload though, but performance is getting real close to .338 Win Mag. Planning in doing this to a VZ24 I've got that has excellent action, and good bore (except right at the muzzle, which will be cut and recrowned. I, however, have a very tight budget, so you have other shoices as mentioned. __________________ "If you Listen to Fools, the Mob Rules" "No one has the answer, but one thing is true. You'e got to turn on evil, when its coming after you. You've gotta face it down,and when it tries to hide, you've got to go in after it, and never be denied. Time is running out...Let's roll. Let's roll for freedom, let's roll for love. We're going after satan, on the wings of a dove. Let's roll for freedom, let's roll for truth. Let's not let our children grow up fearful in their youth."

June 3, 2005, 07:58 AM	#13
Harry Bonar Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2004 Location: In the Vincent, Ohio general area. Posts: 1,804	Dfaugh DEFAUGH: Amen! I'm having a battle right now!

June 3, 2005, 07:53 PM	#14
armedandsafe Senior Member Join Date: January 9, 2005 Location: Moses Lake WA Posts: 1,001	My Speer manual lists the 8mm-06 and shows that it is the equivalent to factory -06 in the limited range of bullets available for it. It looks like a pretty nifty cartridge. Pops __________________ Armed and Safe: Not just a theory If it time to bury them, it is time to dig them up. Remember, "Behind every blade of grass."