You can't collect old rifles without getting into collecting vintage ammo to go along with them, so when I came across this box of Winchester (2 piece slip box)labeled 8mm Mauser or Mannlicher smokeless with 236 grain soft points dated 05/1914 I had to buy the box as I had never seen them before. I found it strange that Winchester sold these labeled that way as they are 2 different rounds with the 8mm Mannlicher being 8x56 & the 8mm Mauser being 8x57. I quess the line of thinking being that the 8x56 Mannlicher fired in a 8x57 chamber would just blow the shoulder .030 forward to the 8x57 chamber (not an uncommon practice for the handloader fireforming) but to be advertised as such? Has anybody ever seen a box of these or have any idea of rarety or collector price for these? The box is full with nice orange labels, cartridges have some tarnish where they rested against the box
m4220
Posts: 217 | Location: US | Registered: 15 December 2007
A picture would really be helpfull....and there were like four different 8x57's made thru the years ....The 8x56 Mann,(Hungarian) is a lot different than the 8x57 Mauser of today ....
If the box is a two piece "step" box where one row of cartridges is higher than the other row,it will add more to the value of the box and shells....so I would have to guess at between $45.00 -$75.00 ,assuming it's a full box of original cartridges and the box is in very good condition ....BB34
Posts: 126 | Location: Vermont | Registered: 16 February 2008
Originally posted by m4220: You can't collect old rifles without getting into collecting vintage ammo to go along with them, so when I came across this box of Winchester (2 piece slip box)labeled 8mm Mauser or Mannlicher smokeless with 236 grain soft points dated 05/1914 I had to buy the box as I had never seen them before. I found it strange that Winchester sold these labeled that way as they are 2 different rounds with the 8mm Mannlicher being 8x56 & the 8mm Mauser being 8x57. I quess the line of thinking being that the 8x56 Mannlicher fired in a 8x57 chamber would just blow the shoulder .030 forward to the 8x57 chamber (not an uncommon practice for the handloader fireforming) but to be advertised as such? Has anybody ever seen a box of these or have any idea of rarety or collector price for these? The box is full with nice orange labels, cartridges have some tarnish where they rested against the box
m4220
I can't find my 8x56 case dimensions, but that 56mm number refers to the overall length of the cartridge, not necessarily the length to the datum line on the case shoulder. Many years ago I was making brass for my Dad's best friend that had a 8x56 MS Mannlicher and I used 8x57 cases which sometimes works and sometimes don't. The head on the 8x56 is slightly smaller them the 8x57 and you may have to get a swage die to size it down to fit your 8x56 rifle.
If I remember correctly the shoulder position, or length, isn't too much different then the 8x57.
I can understand that. I own a Haenel 8x57 built in 1904. They were a sporting rifle built around the GEWEHR Commission rifles. Neat stalking rifle, DST's and a peep sight made my Lyman and so marked.
I am not surprised with some of the things that US ammo companies did between the wars. I loaded some ammo for a friend for his 8mm Label rifle(.326" bullet) and he had a hogpog of old reloadable brass that was made between the wars. Some was still loaded so I broke them down to reload with a light load and get rid of the corrosive primers. On checking the pulled bullets they were 150gr SP @.323" and a deep hollow base. Why the hollow base? Well i pulled acouple factory 8x57 bullet from same company of the same time and they had the same bullet. They were useing the same bullet in both and useing the hollow base to expand for the larger bore of the Lebel.
Posts: 538 | Location: North of LA, Peoples Rep. of Calif | Registered: 27 November 2004
