Berthier Carbine issue with ammunition

[jn1965]

Hey guys,

I bought some 8mm Lebel for both Berthier Carbines. While it chambers in both, when I try putting a bullet in the muzzle of the sport modified one and it will not fit! The bullet fits in the original one with no problem. Can somebody let me know why a 8mm Lebel bullet will not fit in the muzzle?

Thanks,

Joe

 

[41magsnub]

Not an expert on your particular gun, but the one where it only goes in part way is fine. The older one that it goes in all the way is very very worn. Take a look at this thread on muzzle erosion..

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=262588

The bullet should not go all the way in, if it were loose like that all the way in the barrel the rifling would not engage the copper jacket.

 

[jn1965]

I see now... Thanks!

The one where the bullet goes all the way in was going to be a wall hanger anyway so it will probably only be fired once (if that) and then hung up

I was concerned because the French had gone to a different cartridge (7.5x54) while the ones I thought this carbine needed were 8x50. I was hoping that the carbine I had picked up was not set up for 7.5x54 as I just bought a bunch of ammo in 8x50 lebel

 

[41magsnub]

Just a follow up (remember I know jack all about the calibers in question) you want to be really sure you aren't stuffing a 8mm in a 7.5mm hole for obvious face exploding prevention reasons. Hopefully if this is the case the 8mm rd would not fire due to the shorter dimensions preventing the firing pin from getting to the primer.

It is still possible the older barrel is an 8mm and very worn (this part I'm pretty sure of) while the newer one is a 7.5mm.

 

[jn1965]

Gotcha! They are both going to a gunsmith once I clean them up to make sure that they are in fireable condition After all they were made over 100 years ago and I am not going to take any chanced.

Thanks!