Hello everyone,

I have finally started reloading and getting everything squared away with my workbench. I've done a batch of .308 for my lever gun and I'm going to test those soon.

However since I have an unholy attraction to military surplus rifles, I have come into ownership of an FN 49 Egyptian Contract 8mm Mauser (7.92x57mm). I have a dumb question about ammunition. Is there any specific ammo that I should feed her? Are modern 8mm Mauser loadings too hot or a slightly different size? Somewhere I remember reading that the older 8mm Mauser rifles had a slightly different bore that modern 8mm ammo could screw with. Is there any truth to this?

All in all I just want to be careful with the old girl, she is in pristine re-arsenaled condition and I don't want to damage her or myself.

~Man-Goat

Once upon a time, there was a lot of milsurp Egyptian 8x57 ammo at gunshows, etc.  That stuff was very high powered.  It was packed in 50-round boxes, no stripper clips.  Maybe for MGs, but it certainly made its way into FN 49s.

I think the early 8mm rifles you refer to are the pre-1904 Model 98s made in Germany.

'Man-Goat' - IIRC - Early 8X57mm Mauser ammo used a .318" diameter bullet. This was used in Model 1888 Commission Rifles and, as 'reincarnated' stated, in pre-1904 German model 1898 Mausers.

In the early 1900s, the 8X57mm cartridge underwent improvement, most notably, a change to a .323" diameter Spitzer bullet. The bore size of German 8mm rifles intended for this cartridge was increased to .323".

Some of the earlier German rifles were re-bored to .323" and the barrels were marked with a stylized "S". Some weapons, especially Sporting Arms, were not so altered, hence, the need for caution (and slugging 8mm bores).

Your Egyptian FN49 was made for ammo with a .323" diameter bullet. However, your rifle is gas operated (like the M1 Garand).

Like the M1, I am sure there is a range of bullet weights (and profiles) and specific propellants that give the proper gas-port pressures for correct and safe functioning of your FN49's gas system.

(It would probably be good to ask about proper 8X57mm loads, for the FN49, on one of the Military Surplus weapon forums).

Here's a decent thread from FALfiles regarding handloads for the SAFN:

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Thanks guys!

I know she has an adjustable gas block that's hidden under the upper and I have been told to start off and then work it open in small increments until she functions properly with the specific load. I know my manual has service rifle rounds for the M1 Garand but I don't think they have any for an 8mm Mauser.

Thank you for the links and assuaging my trepidation about the rounds.  :)

Because of the bullet diameter issue mentioned above.  8mm loaded in the US is rather anemic.  SAAMI set the max average pressure limit low, like 35,000PSI.