Another 8x68s Question

28 January 2005, 01:40

Tex21

I'm slowly but surely putting together an 8x68s. I am going to get a 29" military barrel rechambered when the reamer gets here. The question I have is, what would the optimal barrel lenghth for this caliber? I'm thinking 24"-25" aught to be about right, but if I'd be better off with a 26" barrel I am not adverse to that either.

What do you guys think?

Thanks,

Tex

28 January 2005, 01:55

KurtC

European barrels are measured in centimeters, and 65 is common for the 8x68. That equals 25.59 inches.

28 January 2005, 02:42

GeorgeS

The 8x68S can be considered a 'magnum' cartridge. As such, it would probably benefit from a 26" barrel.

George

28 January 2005, 03:06

wildcat junkie

I would vote for 26".

Boy won't those "Persian" mausers be nice for the 8X68S?

28 January 2005, 04:34

z1r

Tex,

Given all the effort you are putting into maximizing the magazine length, I'd say longer is better. 25.6" is what mine is.

You might try 26"

28 January 2005, 04:53

Tex21

Thanks fellers. I sort of figured a 26 incher would be appropriate. I hope to have all of this come to fruititon by mid-March. I can't wait!

Wildcat,

I'm building mine on a pristine Czech 98/22.

28 January 2005, 04:57

AfricanHunter

quote:
Originally posted by Tex21:
Thanks fellers. I sort of figured a 26 incher would be appropriate. I hope to have all of this come to fruititon by mid-March. I can't wait!

Wildcat,

I'm building mine on a pristine Czech 98/22.

What's wrong with the 29", Westley Richards used some long barrels.

28 January 2005, 07:38

wildcat junkie

quote:
Originally posted by Tex21:
Thanks fellers. I sort of figured a 26 incher would be appropriate. I hope to have all of this come to fruititon by mid-March. I can't wait!

Wildcat,

I'm building mine on a pristine Czech 98/22.

TEX;

I took my "Dewy", some patches, my can of "Kroil" and my last can of "Whipe-Out" to the gun shop today to have a better look @ the Czech 98/22 that I had found a few weeks ago. The bore is pitted about 4-6" in front of the chamber.

I guess I will have to spring for one of those "Persian" barreled actions that are floating around @ the surplus brokers these days.

I got a "Persian" take off barrel from "fourtails" a while back, and it has a "cherry" bore.

From what I have been led to believe, that is pretty much the norm. A lot of them saw little use, some are "unissued".

28 January 2005, 15:47

mho

quote:
Originally posted by Tex21:
I'm slowly but surely putting together an 8x68s. I am going to get a 29" military barrel rechambered when the reamer gets here.
Tex

Tex, this project of your sounds like an excellent idea. Are you sure the military barrel has a .323 bore?? You have to be ABSOLUTELY sure about this - i.e. avoid starting your project from a .318 bore barrel

. I'm sure you have thought of and checked all this, just thought I'd mention it in any event.

- mike

28 January 2005, 15:52

kokdyer

My 8mm Remington Magnum has a 27 inch Lilja. I think anything from 25-28 would be best. The only reason I didn't go 28 was Lilja want's more for that inch.

28 January 2005, 18:06

wildcat junkie

quote:
Originally posted by mho:
quote:
Originally posted by Tex21:
I'm slowly but surely putting together an 8x68s. I am going to get a 29" military barrel rechambered when the reamer gets here.
Tex

Tex, this project of your sounds like an excellent idea. Are you sure the military barrel has a .323 bore?? You have to be ABSOLUTELY sure about this - i.e. avoid starting your project from a .318 bore barrel . I'm sure you have thought of and checked all this, just thought I'd mention it in any event.

- mike

I believe that all the MILITARY Mausers after 1904 were .323 bore. (measured in the grooves)

28 January 2005, 18:40

El Deguello

I would try it first with the 29" full-length barrel. this would give you some idea of what it will do after beig=ng cut back, perhaps giving you a better idea of how much performance you are willing to chop off!

28 January 2005, 18:49

El Deguello

quote:
Tex, this project of your sounds like an excellent idea. Are you sure the military barrel has a .323 bore?? You have to be ABSOLUTELY sure about this - i.e. avoid starting your project from a .318 bore barrel . I'm sure you have thought of and checked all this, just thought I'd mention it in any event.- mike

From all the German Ordnance records I have been able to review, it appears to me that GERMAN MILITARY 8X57mm barrels never were made with .318" grooves. Even the M88's, which used the original RN military bullet load having .318" bullets, were cut with barrel grooves running .322"-.323" FROM DAY 1!! In those early smokeless powder days, much European ammo was loaded with UNDERSIZE bullets. Then, when the Germans adopted the .323" "S" (spitzer) bullet in 1905, all they were doing was going up to a full groove-diameter bullet from an undersized one, and all they did to make the old rifles able to use this ammo was to ream the THROATS of the old barrels so that the bullet was freely released from the case when fired.

Some people have written that German Ordnance REBARRELED the pre-1905 guns to use "S" bullets. This is NOT true!! Even a lot of M88 were altered to fire "S" bullets merely by opening the throat diameter a little, and were marked "S" afterward.

28 January 2005, 19:10

mho

Cool, if this is not an issue, then there is nothing to worry about. Just wanted to make sure the issue had been considered - for safety's sake.
- mike

29 January 2005, 01:37

El Deguello

quote:
Originally posted by mho:
Cool, if this is not an issue, then there is nothing to worry about. Just wanted to make sure the issue had been considered - for safety's sake.- mike

Understood. Despite the liklihood that the German military rifles never used .318" barrels, a lot of German commercial gun makers and gunsmiths DID, so caution is never misplaced!

29 January 2005, 02:42

bisonland

Hi: Your best bet would be to run a ballistic program & see how much velocity difference between a 24-26 inch barrel at a "trial" estimate velocity...say 3,000 fps.
I haven't done it lately but I'd bet you'd only lose 75 fps for the 2 inch shorter
barrel...then you have to ask yourself, is the extra 2 inches worth 75 fps more?
In mho, no.
Why have the longer barrel length if it doesn't pay, so to speak?

I have a cartridge that is very much a 8x68S necked to .30 . I get over 3300 fps
in a 24 inch barrel...don't need 75 fps more!

So, I'm saying a longer barrel may not be worth it...
My original .358 Norma Magnum in an original Husqvarna has a 25.5 inch barrel...
I haven't changed it, since its original...but I'll bet if it was 24 inches, it
would be just fine!

Best Regards, Tom

29 January 2005, 05:17

Pfeifer

Tex21,
Glad to see someone else is thinking along the same lines wrt building an 8x68S on a mil mauser. I have that Harald Wolf article somewhere I believe???

Jeff P

30 January 2005, 00:10

sbsmith

Hey Tex-
Great minds think alike....
I'm also in the midst of an "8" project. I was seriously considering an 8x68S but I didn't want the added expense of buying a reamer. Where did you get yours? Are you buying or renting or did your gunsmith already have one?
As for barrel length, I'd say it depends on what you're going to use it for. As a hunting/carry gun, shorter is better for handling. Just my .02.

30 January 2005, 04:51

Tex21

sbsmith,

I bought a Pacific Tool and Gauge reamer and Go-gauge. I haven't decided if I'll sell them or not but, chances are after I'm done with them, I'll sell them on eBay. Judging from what I was witnessed other reamers go for, I'd imagine they'll pay for themselves. It would be nice to keep them, but I may need the money for another reamer or similar gunsmithing project.

If you're contemplating an 8x68s, go for it! The brass is out there and so are the dies. I will probably set my barrel length at 25.5" and call it good.

Good luck with your 8mm project!

Tex

30 January 2005, 13:48

STINGER

HI TEX

WHERE ARE YOU BUYING YOU 8X68 BRASS? JUST WONDERING, I HAVE A 6,5X68 IMPROVED. JUST LOVE IT. GREAT CARTRIDGE.

HAVE A GOOD ONE AND THANKS FOR THE INFO.

30 January 2005, 15:46

wildcat junkie

quote:
Originally posted by Pfeifer:
Tex21,
Glad to see someone else is thinking along the same lines wrt building an 8x68S on a mil mauser. I have that Harald Wolf article somewhere I believe???
Jeff P

What is the scoop on this "Harold Wolf" article?

30 January 2005, 17:38

<JOHAN>

Genetlemen

I'm quite sure the scope is a Zeiss Diavari VM/V 5-15x42T*

I got the article scanned if someone feels the need

Cheers

/ JOHAN

30 January 2005, 22:44

Tex21

Stinger,

Try Natchez or Huntington's. Its about $27 a box for 20 unprimed cases.

Tex

30 January 2005, 23:49

STINGER

HI TEX

JUST FOUND LOADED AMMO FOR 6,5 AND 8X68 AT CENTURY ARMS FOR $24.87 BOX OF TWENTY MANUFACTURED BY HIRTENBERGER. JUST IN CASE YOU ARE INTERESTED. WWW.CENTURYARMS.COM

HAVE A GOOD ONE.

31 January 2005, 02:31

bajazzz

Johan

If you approve, could you please e-mail me a copy of Harald Wolf's article on the 8x68s long rifle?

I'm not sure if my mail adress can be found here, but anyway it's: bajazzz@hotmail.com

Thank's

(BTW: I feel the need

)

31 January 2005, 04:44

dan belisle

I'd like to see that article as well, I have an 8X68S built on a sporterised military Mauser, too. My email is danbelisled@netscape.net Thanks - Dan

31 January 2005, 08:11

wildcat junkie

JOHAN;

Count me in too. I would also like a copy of that article.

beardy@slic.com

31 January 2005, 08:27

Tex21

Johan,

If you have time for one more, I would very much like a peek at that article as well.

Thanks in advance,

Tex
roscoedoh@yahoo.com

31 January 2005, 21:12

<JOHAN>

bajazzz

The article is to large for your hotmail..

Did my e-mail reach rest of the 8x68S loonies?

Cheers

/ JOHAN

31 January 2005, 21:35

Fritz Kraut

quote:
Originally posted by Tex21:
I'm slowly but surely putting together an 8x68s. I am going to get a 29" military barrel rechambered when the reamer gets here.

I donÂ´t know if the difference matters practically, but the 8x57IS has a rate of twist of 9Â½ inches, the 8x68S 11 inches.

Regards,

Fritz

31 January 2005, 23:43

bajazzz

Johan

Sorry, my bad. Could you please try my second e-mail adress: bolli@stud.ntnu.no

Thanks in advance

Bajazzz

01 February 2005, 01:24

z1r

Johan,

Yes, thanks for the copy! That zg47 would make a nice rifle. Post pics when you've completed it.

Thanks,

Mike

01 February 2005, 04:29

<JOHAN>

z1r

Your mail box is full

I got some more articles, if you would like ?

Cheers

/ JOHAN

01 February 2005, 07:31

z1r

Thanks Johan, I would. I was just trying to archive some emails to make more space.

There will be room soon.

-Mike

01 February 2005, 08:38

dan belisle

Thanks Johan, that's very interesting. - dan

01 February 2005, 15:16

bajazzz

Thanks Johan!

Superb!

01 February 2005, 20:08

Tex21

Thanks Johan! Excellent article!

01 February 2005, 20:41

bisonland

quote:
Originally posted by wildcat junkie:
quote:
Originally posted by Tex21:
Thanks fellers. I sort of figured a 26 incher would be appropriate. I hope to have all of this come to fruititon by mid-March. I can't wait!
Hi: Who/where is "Fourtails"?

Thanks, Tom
Wildcat,

I'm building mine on a pristine Czech 98/22.

TEX;

I took my "Dewy", some patches, my can of "Kroil" and my last can of "Whipe-Out" to the gun shop today to have a better look @ the Czech 98/22 that I had found a few weeks ago. The bore is pitted about 4-6" in front of the chamber.

I guess I will have to spring for one of those "Persian" barreled actions that are floating around @ the surplus brokers these days.

I got a "Persian" take off barrel from _"fourtails"_ a while back, and it has a "cherry" bore.

From what I have been led to believe, that is pretty much the norm. A lot of them saw little use, some are "unissued".