Olympic 8mm

[Luchtaine]

Well I get my 98k from its hostage of the state of California status today. Anyways I was curious is the olympic 8mm any good or okay for the mauser. I didn't get around to ordering any ammo for it yet and the olympic stuff is cheap over at the store was gonna buy a couple boxes just to take it out and shoot it a bit today.

 

[sumpnz]

I had a lot of FTF problems with Olympic 8mm in my Turk. This was probably 5-6 out of 10. Sometimes they still wouldn't fire after several repeated strikes. The Turk surplus would only do that maybe once every 50-70 rounds, and would always fire on the second strike. And some handloads I have never gave me that problem.

If you're willing to shoot corrosive ammo, order some Turk surplus from J&G. Not counting shipping I think its about $60-70/1400. Also check out the Rallying Point forum for the Cali/AZ shoot that's in the early stages of organization. If you live close enough and can make it I could make you a good deal on my remaining Turk ammo (300+ rounds IIRC).

 

[Luchtaine]

Well I wanted to take it out after work tonight, so the 4 or 5 hours to AZ is out unfortunatly.

I guess I am not opposed to firing corrosive out of a bolt especially one thats seen corrosive ammo before.

Though I am kind of a lazy cleaner... but usually get them clean within a day or two of fireing with the non corrosive stuff what exactly would be the procedure for cleaning out the rifle after corrosive ammo.

 

[sumpnz]

I'm a lazy cleaner myself which is why I gave up on shooting corrosive ammo. That and the Turk ammo is dirty. But it's really cheap too.

As to cleaning techniques, get some really hot water (you can add some soap too if you want, but it's not necessary - if you do make sure you rinse it off). Pour that really hot water down the bore. You may want to put a bucket under the muzzel to catch the water so you can re-use it a couple times. After that run a dry patch or three down the bore and dry off the outside (using HOT water helps this as it evaporates quickly). Once dry you can store the gun until you're able to do the normal cleaning.

The purpose of the water is wash out the salts from the primer compound. Once those are gone, you're not at any more risk of corrosion than with normal ammo.

Make sure you take the bolt apart and clean the firing pin too. There will be some blowback and you don't want the pin to start corroding.

 

[Luchtaine]

Thanks a lot.

Since no one has said that olympic stuff is dangerous (or atleast I assume not since nones posted a horror story yet) like the A-merc stuff I might grab a box on the way home just to try it out till some ammo can be ordered and arrive.

I don't care if a few fail to fire I just want to fire it since its new and all.

 

[dasmi]

I was just looking at 8mm online.
www.ammoman.com
Great prices on there right now.

 

[spacemanspiff]

while hot water is a good method, it wouldnt hurt to soak the bore in windex. the amonia can also help break down the corrosive salts. i plug the muzzle with a couple patches wadded up, and fill the bore from the breech with windex. let it sit for a few minutes, it will slowly drain through the patch, then go at it with the bore brushes.

i'd also suggest scrubbing the bore before you shoot your new-to-you k98. probably has some copper fouling.

i mostly shoot the corrosive ammo from my k98 and yugo m48a, and i do wind up spending a good hour or so cleaning each one after shooting. true, its more time than some spend, but its worth it to me to take the extra time, and ensure that my barrel will be shootable for another generation.

if its going to take you a day or two to get around to cleaning your rifle, maybe you could soak the bore in windex at the range? only takes five minutes, and your range bag probably already has the patches. i'd suggest adding some plastic sandwich bags and a few rubberbands so you can seal that muzzle off completely. then you can worry about cleaning the powder/copper fouling off a few days later.

 

[Luchtaine]

Thanks I appreciate the tips.

Generally I feel its worth the extra money to avoid haveing to worry about cleaning right away, atleast I know it is in my semi autos. I'd be willing to consider it with a bolt though since there is so little to clean in comparison.

 

[sumpnz]

Do you reload? If not I'd suggest getting into it. While you'll never be able to reload for as little as the Turk ammo runs, you can easily beat a lot of the commercial ammo on price and get match quality at the same time. Plus, most commercial 8mm ammo is loaded to about .32 Win special levels (170gr at about 2200-2300fps). The cartridge is easily capable of .30-06 performance so long as your gun is a good strong one (most of the German, Turk and Czech 1898 style should be). The Turk surplus ammo runs over 2900fps from my Turk Mauser (154gr spitzer FMJ with the cupro-nickel jacket). I have handloads pushing a 150gr Hornady Spire Point to 3007fps from the same rifle. I did put Mojo sights on that rifle, and with the handloads I had little difficulty hitting the 300 yard gong. I did rest the rifle's forearm, but not the butt, on sandbags.

A fellow High Roader gave me a bunch of 8mm FMJ bullets he'd pulled since he used to go to a range that didn't allow FMJ's. I've sorted them into 154gr and 196gr and probably have close to 700 total. I'm certainly looking forward to loading them up, but if you're into handloading I might be willing to give some to you. All you'll have to do is make it to the Cali/AZ THR shoot in Oct/Nov (it's not worth the cost to ship them).

 

[spacemanspiff]

thats what i'm ready to start doing, loading the 8mm.

i bought a rem 700 classic in what the gunshop assumed was 8mm mag, never bothering to look and see the barrel was stamped 8x57. score!

so now that i've got all the equipment and components, i just have to set my bench up. going to take a few weeks maybe even 2 months, until i get a place designated for my press to be mounted.

i'll be able to get the perfect hunting loads for the remington, and i'll scour the gunshops and gunshows for cheap projectiles to use in my k98 and yugo m48a.

 

[surfinUSA]

Olympic 8mm is ????. I had alot of failed to fire with it and won't buy it again. Surpisingly I did not have this problem with olympic's 223.

I buy Igman now. Its cheap, powerful, accurate and fires every time. Igman is also a jacketed soft point, loaded to european specs (similar to our 30-06) and suitable for hunting.

I have been very tempted to buy some Yugo surplus. It may be mildly corrosive, but its outstanding and cheap.

 

[Luchtaine]

Well I bought one box of Olympic just to satisfy my need to pull the trigger and its the only thing I was able to find on hand. oh well if it doesn't ignite it was only 6 bucks and I'll get to get a fix while I work on ordering stuff.

Anyways I cleaned it tonight it was too dark to take out and fire. Rifle is in great condition bore is a bit pitted (I kinda expected this being a 65 year old rifle that existed through 4 years of war) but far from worn out.

 

[ajax]

I have put over 800 rounds of olympic through my Yugo and they have all went boom. Not to mention that 6 inch groups at200yards with open sights i recomend it highly

 

[Sleeping Dog]

Corrosive ammo is generally cheap and it adds about a minute to the cleanup. I have a little bottle of auto windshield washer fluid in the shooting box. After shooting, I run a couple of patches soaked with that through the still-warm bore. When I get home, I clean the bore with the "normal" stuff (usually clp). Never a problem with corrosion.

Water or soapy water would work as well. The auto fluid won't freeze when I shoot in January. Probably not a big problem in California.

Regards.

 

[GunGoBoom]

Hey guys, how hot is that Olympic 8mm? I ask because I have some, and also have a Gew 88 Commission rifle, in which you're not supposed to shoot anything hot and/or .323. Light and .318 or .321 is my understanding - would Olympic be safe? (I've not shot my Gew 88 yet)

 

[sumpnz]

IIRC the Olymic is about as hot as most non-Turk mil-surp ammo. IOW probably too hot for your Commission rifle. Plus it's JS specs, which means .323".

I believe J&G, when they can get it, sell S&B 8x57J that should be safe in your rifle.

 

[Luchtaine]

yeah all my Olympic went boom too. Seems a tad dirty but that could just be residual still in the rifle that I didn't get all out.

Whats CLP by the way, Trying to find stuff that works better for cleaning out my bores.

Never been able to get them as clean as I could useing some old remmington stuff my dad had but thats all gone now.

I've got a bit of an odd question here how do you use that side mounted sling when you are shooting I find it awkward. I generally shoot off the bench until my arms to tired to hold still. Usually standing as the range close to me is only 200 yards. I didn't get to see my target I think I hit the dirt right in front of it once and blew it away. oops oh well atleast I was hitting or hitting close.

 

[cracked butt]

Whats CLP by the way

Its stands for Cleans, Lubricates, Protects, "CLP." It does all three, but none particularly well.

 

[sumpnz]

To get cosmo out the metal isn't too bad but will take a bit of effort. Easiest way is to disassemble the rifle to all its component parts (no need to remove the barrel from the reciever, or take bolt down to any more than the two basic parts). Make sure you completly take apart the trigger group. Using something like brake cleaner or engine de-greaser clean each part by giving them a good hosing with the cleaner. Wipe them down and if there's any cosmo residue go at it again. For the bore, that'll take a little more effort but a good hoseing followed by a patch or two (to get the worst of it) follwed by a bore snake should do a pretty good job. Brake parts cleaner won't leave its own residue, not sure about de-greaser. When you're all done, use either CLP or some sort of gun oil to coat all surfaces, especially with any moving parts. Reassemble and you're done.

The stock, however will take a bit more. Probably the easiest is to do is to set the stock in the sun on a hot day and wipe it down every couple hours. However, I've had my Turk Mauser for 6 years or so, and it still weeps a little cosmo from the stock on a hot day at the range. It took 2 or 3 years to get it to that point.

 

[Luchtaine]

Well its not cosmo its just general burnt powder and copper residue in the bore on this one. IT happens to not be an import so it probably belonged to someone whose been useing it since the war. hence no cosmo.

 

[sumpnz]

Never tried it my self, but a number of people speak highly of Wipe-out for getting powder and copper fouling out. Check midwayusa.com in their cleaning section.

 

[ajax]

gungoboom that stuff would be to hot. Its loaded to NATO specs. Not SAAMI like some comparable ammo. Also its .323