8X50R Steyr

[oldpaul]

My wife and I were at a local antique store where I found this full clip of 8X50R Steyr. If I read the information correctly this is Bulgarian made in 1935 at Voenna Fabrika at Kazanlak. I disassembled one for informational purposes and found the following: The bullet weighs 244gr. and measures .323" (not .330"), there is 33 grains of flat square shaped smokeless powder and the case appears to be boxer primed (one centered primer hole) with a balloon head brass case. I bought it to add to my box of miscellaneous ammo as I load for this round with reformed 7.62X54R and Hornady 225gr .338 bullets swaged to .330. I had not come across 8X50R Steyr before. Tom

Information

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[jmoore]

Have not run across any of the old style 8mm Steyr ammo before! Surprising it was still being made that late.

[jonnyc]

Military contracts for the 8x50R continued into the 1950s as the rifles were still in stock with rear-area and police units, as long as the rifles were still serviceable.

[Brit plumber]

What's the difference between the 8x50r and 8x56r ammo, is it just 6mm in length difference?

[jonnyc]

They share bullet diameter and a rim, but that's about it. Very different projectile and case designs. If I get a chance I will post a pic of the two together.

[Bruce_in_Oz]

Is the case "proper" Boxer-primed, single flash-hole type, or like some of the contract .303 ammo for Portugal.

A lot of this Portuguese stuff has a large primer that appears to be the same size as 7.62 x 54 Russian,(.254"). However, it has a BIG anvil that is slotted and has a small central flash-hole.

If that is the case, maybe the Portuguese ammo was made in Austria on machinery once used for the 8 x 50 or, maybe, the Portuguese bought a Steyr ammo plant.

RWS USED to make all of those odd-sized primers, but................

[green]

It will be Berdan primed with an anvil integral with case but with a hole in the centre.

[DocAV]

Bulgarian 8x50R Ammo. Follows the Austro-Hungarian design of Cartridge...Roth Patent Berdan primer ( Flash hole thru Anvil, Primer diameter 5.0mm (.199")..Bullet diameter is .323", due to cylindrical shape ( high surface contact area), BUT Both 8x50R and 8x56R Rifles have .315 Bores and .329-330" GROOVES...The 244 grain Bullet Upsets to obturate the deep grooves )but the Boat tailed 207 M30 projectile does NOT, so has to be Groove diameter (ie, .329").

Cases for 8x50R are correctly made from 7,62x54R Russian cases ( a bit undersized) or by trimming and sizing Prvi 8x56R Cases ( Correct diameters.). Correct Bullets for 8x50R are Flat based .323" ( cast or jacketed) but for BTs, a .329 ( ie .338 swaged down in Lee Die) will do.

I reload Czech made for Bulgaria 1935 Ammo (RWS #5005 primer); .199 primer Cases can be recut for .209 Large rifle Boxer Primers.

I have a reloading tool set (8x50R) with a decapping pin suitable for the Small central Flash hole ( 0,8mm).

CA (Sofia ArsneaL) and B phi( VF) Kazanlak made 8x50R up to the mid-1930s, ands then switched over to 8x56R in 1936 (Brass Case); Bulgaria maintained stock of 8x50R with Czech supply contracts from "M" circle (Bratislava) which became "Z", when taken over by ZB Brno, in 1936, and shifted to Banska Bystrica, eastern Slovakia.

Regards,
Doc AV