I've been wanting to shoot the Vz24 in 8x57 more since I scoped it, so I went to der local gun shoppe south of town to find some boolits. I looked over a couple of different kinds, before picking up a bandolier marked "8MM". Happy as a frog, on the way home I stopped and pulled out a stripper clip to check them out and, what you you know, it's not 8mm but surplus 7.62 NATO I'm guessing part M80 ball (marked LC 69) and part British (marked L2A2 RG 68).
I went back to the gun shop and showed them the ammo; I wasn't totally pissed because I figured I'd shoot it thru my Rem 700, but I didn't want them selling the wrong stuff to someone that might not look too close. The proprietors were embarrassed and gave me some free boxes of the right stuff, and I got to keep the 7.62s/308s that I had bought.
We talked a little bit about what would happen if an inobservant shooter were to load a 308 Win into an 8x57 chambered rifle. Since the 308 case is shorter and the caliber smaller, would the cartridge split or blow out?
I see it could happen since the ole surplus rifles aren't often marked with their chambering, and the surplus ammo has mysterious markings instead of overly obvious brand and caliber on the case head.

If you fire a 7.62x51 in a 7.62x63 chamber it comes out looking like a rimless 47-70. Now, this isn't easy to do in a bolt gun, but it has ben done in a semi-auto on more than one occasion.
If you were able to chamber the 7.62x51 in a 7.92x57 chamber (shoulder diameter conflict?), I suspect that you would find little or no problem (as the bullet will not engauge the rifling at all, pressure dosn't become a issue) even though the neck is now shaped like the shoulder of the chamber).

There was a guy at the range one day who was shooting a Rem 760 Gamemaster, and he was complaining that he couldn't hit the target.

After about the 3rd or 4th shot, he had trouble chambering a round. I went over to see what was up, low and behold, he had 35 Rem ammo for the 30-06.... AND IT WAS FIRING THROUGH THE RIFLE. I picked up the fired cases!!! I think I still have one down at my reloading bench.

After I pointed this out to him, we were both feeling a little queezy. He packed it up and went home. But not before he promised me he would take that rifle to a gunsmith to have it gone over before he shot it again.

sputster, you would NOT have been able to chamber the 7.62x51mm ammo in the 8x57mm chamber.... unless you applied a very heavy hammer to the bolt to close it!

Ok, got it. I wasn't going to try it. Just asking. I did take the 8x57 stuff I got and shot it thru the Vz24 at 50yds. Not too thrilled with the accuracy, and noticed several case splits on the neck and mouth. Looking more closely, the case necks were seriously out of round, with the splits happening on the thin side. It was marked "22 74", which according to the IAI website, is Romanian. Won't get that batch again.

quote:

After about the 3rd or 4th shot, he had trouble chambering a round. I went over to see what was up, low and behold, he had 35 Rem ammo for the 30-06.... AND IT WAS FIRING THROUGH THE RIFLE.

Maybe it was 35 rem brass necked down to .30 rem... I dont think you will get a .358 bullet down a .308 bore without going to the emergency room.

sputster, it's Romanian. State Factory 22. 1974 vintage. 154gr.

I've got a case of it (it was damn cheap) haven't opened it yet.

Marked as follows:

7,92 LPS GS

md 71

760 buc, FARA

S 15-77-22

VT 79/77 U

LAME

I don't speak Romanian ...... but the "LAME" on the case may have been a warning!

Try to find some of the heavy ball Yugo ammo. Comes in 15 round boxes on EXCELLENT strippers. This stuff is like the German WWII sS (heavy Spitzter) ammo.

I also like the Turk stuff. It's light ball and HOT AS HELL! But very accurate. The 1935-1938 vintage I had fired through my rifles without a single glitch. Although I did have some split necks when shot in my old Turk 38. But nothing dangerous....

quote:

Originally posted by cal30 1906:

quote:

After about the 3rd or 4th shot, he had trouble chambering a round. I went over to see what was up, low and behold, he had 35 Rem ammo for the 30-06.... AND IT WAS FIRING THROUGH THE RIFLE.

Maybe it was 35 rem brass necked down to .30 rem... I dont think you will get a .358 bullet down a .308 bore without going to the emergency room.

No, It was factory R-P Ammo. This guy was no reloader. I couldn't believe it either, but the bore was clear when I checked it. I still have two of the fired cases sitting right next to the computer!!! There is no shoulder left on them....just a straight case. You can see marks on the head of the case where the extractor was.

I can only imagine the pressures he was generating in that 760 Pump. I always knew the 760 was a solid rifle, but I was truly impressed with how strong the locking lugs had to be in order to handle that kind of abuse.

The .35 bullet must have made contact with the shoulder in the chamber in order to the firing pin to hit the primer and get it to fire.

quote:

Originally posted by cal30 1906:

Maybe it was 35 rem brass necked down to .30 rem... I dont think you will get a .358 bullet down a .308 bore without going to the emergency room.

cal30 1906, a .358" bullet WILL go through a .308 bore!

NOT A GOOD IDEA..... but it will do it! And the rifle survive the firing!

Now that I think of it, I have not seen that guy at the range since then. I hope he didn't go home and have a heart attack. He was pretty shook up when I pointed out his mistake.

Actually, I was kind of in shock while I was trying to figure out a way to tell him what the problem was. I didn't want to make an ass of him in front of a range full of other members. He was one of theose guys that shoots his gun once a year, if it needs it or not!!

quote:

The .35 bullet must have made contact with the shoulder in the chamber in order to the firing pin to hit the primer and get it to fire.

Could be, Mike. But the extractor could also hold it enough for ignition.