I've got a somewhat sporterized, probably late 30's or early 40's, 8x57 (or 7.92x57) that I'm considering converting to 9.3x62. Does it need a different magazine box? If so, what is a good source?

Thanks.

Duane Wiebe converted my old Mauser K98 from 8X57 to 9.3 X 62 with a rebarrel, no new box or bottom metal was necessary.

Thanks. I checked out his website, but he not who I will send mine to. He is building guns way beyond my tiny checkbook; very nice work. Mine will be more along the line of LOTHAR WALTHER barrel, Gentry safety, maybe some Williams or NECG sights and a McMillan stock.

If the rifle will pass proof and headspace and the stock is such that it will not beat you to death, your best option is a rebore. I have had two done by Norm Johnson, High Plains reboring in Turtle Lake ND.
One was a 700 Classic from 300 H&H to 400 H&H, the other a 1885 Browning 25-06 to a modern (.411) 40-82. Both turned out great and drop 3 in 1 MOA or less. He does a LOT of 9.3x62s.

Mag box length on a standard 98 is 3.3 inches long so as long as your ammo is less than that it will work. I just checked some Hornady and Privi bullets; from crimp groove center to tip is .726. Your brass will be 2.44 inches long, so add those and you get 3.166; voila; you are good with the standard 8mm box. Just make sure you don't have a Yugo short action.

I'm not real knowledgable about these but the receiver has the little eagle symbols (Wehrmacht?). All the numbers match except the bolt, which has been replaced, and of course the stock.

What is the code and date on the top of the receiver? That will tell you the manufacturer and the date. Do you mean the little eagles with the swastikas in their talons? if so, it is a Kar 98k made from 34 to 45. Those are firing proofs.

The "little eagles" are not proof marks, they are acceptance stamps. Think of a real 1903 Springfield. It carried a "P" on the wrist bottom. that was an indication of proof. Below the magazine cutoff on the left side of the stock was a set of initials, usually in a box. That was an inspection acceptance mark.
The "little eagles" are correctly called Waffenampts and indicated acceptance by the inspector. Some items have multiple stamps that may indicate multiple inspections or rebuilds.
You'll note that they were stamped on many, many items that were not any part of a firearm as you will find many American items with inspectors initials such as slings and holsters.
A reasonably complete guide to them may be found at:



http://claus.espeholt.dk/mediearkiv/waae.pdf


Your magazine is probably fine although the lips/ feed rails/feed ramp may need some tweaking (by a qualified gunsmith). Be sure you have him set it up for the bullet you plan to use the most as a 286 gr truncated round nose may act a little different coming up than a 250 gr spitzer.
A CF action like yours is not as tricky as a push feed (like my Savage 116 9.3x62) that loves long jacketed spitzers but can be persnicky with a shorter 230 gr cast bullet.

How about some photos ?

The eagles on the left side of receiver and barrel, without numbers, are firing proofs. (Springfields have punch marks under the serial numbers as firing proofs on the metal.)
The final acceptance stamp on 98ks is different from the firing proofs that are on the left side of the receiver and barrel. Final Acceptance stamps (one) are on top of the receiver, usually. The eagles on the left side of the receiver, with the swastika in their talons, without numbers under them, are indeed firing proofs; the ones with numbers under them often but not always on the right side are inspection stamps. Sometimes they have the WaAxxx, sometimes not. Late in the war they might not have any marks but they usually have firing proofs and one final acceptance mark. I was just getting him to look for eagles with swastikas and that would tell me it was a 98k. Been collecting 98ks for 40 years now. I can show you examples of every variation made. And I wouldn't rebore a military barrel; get a new chrome moly sporter barrel; it will look much nicer than the stepped barrel, which will be very light in weight.