I kinda have an old german 8mm found but have an incling to to change it from 8mm to 358 win. Is this an easy re-barrel job or should I hold out for a 243, 308 or somesuch caliber?

Dave

.358 is straightforward in a Mauser. You may have to do a bit of feedrail work to insure proper feeding. The .358 has a relatively straight-walled cartridge shape compared to the 8mm, but it is certainly doable if that is what you want. I say, "Go for it."

Clemson

All you need is a 'smith with a 358 Win reamer and a suitable barrel blank, actually you should let the 'smith get the bbl for you as they can get it to you for your cost and still make a buck or two.

Ive considered sort of specializing in that conversion myself as 358's seem somewhat hard to come by and Im just getting my feet wet in the rebarreling thing and its going to take some time to get a variety of reamers. I think it is a great and much unappreciated caliber and the conversion is quite a simple one.

If you are looking to do it on the cheap you might give ER Shaw a look, dont expect to get it back real soon, but for a project like that they would be a very good option IMO.


I suppose the important thing here is that your Mauser is a suitable one, a small ring action would not be a good one for the job. Any "large ring" Mauser would do. Can you tell us about yours? I think a Yugo M-48 would be an excellent choice for such a project.

Dave,

Just Curious - Why do the 358 Win. instead of a 35 Whelen? or if you reload why not a 35 Whelen AI?

Ray, the obvious and logical reason to do it in .358 is that's it will do anything the Whelen will do but ammo isn't generally available over the counter.

That way you get to make your rookie friends think you are really really cool.

Truth is I own a .358, but if I were going to consider a Whelen I'd just go ahead and do a .338 and be done with it.

wstrnhuntr--I don't have the mauser yet but had my eye on one for this job.

I like the 358 win, I don't really know why but I think I'd rather have the shorter cartridge than the longer whelen-plus not having a whelen now gives me another project to look forward to in the future!! I imagine the 358 win burns less powder than the whelen also, and maybe has less recoil? That and "just because" would be my answer to a 358 over a Whelen.

Thank you all for the replies so far!

Dave

Dave,
heck yeah it's an easy one!!
if your smith has a reamer, it should be a pretty easy one. if you have the choice go with a 22" barrel and a 1x10 twist. Why the 1x10? Mannlicher (sP) did their's in 1x10, win did it in 1x12, i THINK ruger did it in 1x14 and savage did it in 1x16.

I have the savage, and did a 1x10 and 1x12.. since the case is SOOO little, expecially when compared to the whelen, that little extra pressure from the twist has the effect of a higher pressure/longer barrel... at least in my case, as my shortest barrel (20" 1x10) has the same vel as my 22 1x12) within like 5 fps.

I still suggest getting a ruger or win 70 and doing this, as the trigger, safety, bolt, scope mounts/mounting will run the mauser to about the same price as the commerical..

better still, find a sears FN action....

jeffe

get a new barrel please.....don't try to have the original 8X57 barrel rebored.
.358 Win is a superb cartridge for the '98 mauser

There was an earlier cartridge...the 9MM mauser that is somewhat hard to find but it's essentially the 8 X 57 necked up one MM and it's history in african hunting is good. If you like wildcats this is also a good idea.

Dear Dave,
Your 358 is just a barrel away. I have done quite a few and feeding wasn`t an issue. I would opt for the 358 and a shorter, handier rifle. It`ll do about anything the 35 Whelan will do. You`ll love it!

Aloha, Mark

What can you do with a 358 that you can't do with an 8X57 (especially if you handload)? Really, I'm just curious as I've never used either cartridge.

quote:

Originally posted by ForrestB:
What can you do with a 358 that you can't do with an 8X57 (especially if you handload)? Really, I'm just curious as I've never used either cartridge.

Excellent point. Also surplus 8X57 ammo is so cheap, you can buy it cheaper than building it.

Terry

Nothing wrong with the 8x57 but I sure do enjoy my 358. I can shoot heavy cast bullets or jacketed bullets ranging from the stout ones of 250 grains down to the 125 grain Hornady XTP. Mine's based on a Remington 600. Enjoy the 358!

Someone suggested, why not just go with the .35 Whelen? Actually, while that is not a bad idea, I've seen several 98 Mausers in 8x57 where the magazine is too short for a 30-06 length cartridge. I have several Mausers like that right now, including one in .358 Win. made by an outfit called Kodiak. Going with the faster twist is the right idea. I don't know if a 1 in 10" is all that necessary as Winchester used the 1 in 12" twist. My Browning BLR has a 1 in 12" twist as does my Savage 99. My Ruger 77 has a 1 in 16" twist, which to me is the epitome of assininity.
FWIW, Both Remington and Ruger also used the 1 in 16" twist for the .35 Whelen. The Whelen was originally designed to use a 1 in 12" twist for 250, 275 and 300 gr. bullets, which makes it a horse of a different color.
My Ruger 77 in .358 will just barely stabilize a 250 gr. bullet which handicaps the hell out of what would be one hell of a nice rifle.
You don't have to worry about brass ever running out. Even if Winchester stops making ammo and brass altogether, it's a real simple job to run .308 Win. brass though a .358 sizing die to make ammo. Yup! I like the .358 and the .35 Whelen. Either round is a winner.
Paul B.

quote:

Originally posted by ForrestB:
What can you do with a 358 that you can't do with an 8X57 (especially if you handload)? Really, I'm just curious as I've never used either cartridge.

Forrest,
now don't be going all rational here...

after all, the same could be said that the 6.5, 7, 7.5, 8, 9, 9.3, and 10 mauser all have been there and done that...

I mean, why would one need the 300 sav, 308, 30-06, 338-06. 300 HH when you can properly load 8 mauser can (and has for 100 years) do that?

then again, why not the 30-40krag?

Because it's a 35!!! that's why...

Now, since you are my friend, if my wife reads this YOU have to buy all my guns!!!

and I'll be left with a 1903 turk in 8 mauser....




The 358 can load any 9mm/35 cal pistol bullet all the way to 300 gr bullets, at reasonable velocities, in a short action!!

jeffe

No one has ever accused me of being rational when it comes to rifles.

I have a needle-thin gap in my collection that can only be filled with a 338-06. I have no idea what has me hung up on that particular cartridge, but I won't rest until I have one.

Maybe I should just buy an 8X57 Turk like yours and be satisfied.

Hey Dave..I am glad to see that you are considering putting a rifle together...it is about time you got serious and just went ahead and did it!!

You won't have a bit of trouble with that .358, and you won't regret it either...

So what are you waiting for!!!

Z