Q on Brit/Canada use of M1917's

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Originally Posted by wheaty

Check and see if the barrel has been changed or evidence of re-barreling. A LARGE number were converted to 7.92mm in Belgium with the receiver notched for the longer 7.92mm cartridge. I wonder if due to the poor sales that the remainder were just put back into original calibre but had been modified with the cut. The conversion price did not justify the additional price and 7.92mm ammo was not that common in North America after WW II other than what was brought back by dad and grampa. Surplus ammo did not start to hit the streets in bulk until the early and mid 60's.

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Surely 30-06 is the longer of the 2 cartridges, it having a 63mm case as opposed to the 7.92mm's 57mm case?

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Originally Posted by wheaty

A LARGE number were converted to 7.92mm in Belgium with the receiver notched for the longer 7.92mm cartridge.

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I only saw P. 14 convertet in 7,92 in Belgium. They were made in the 30s.

There is clearly no practical advantage from enlarging the loading aperture to handle either the .30-06 or 8x57 cartridges. I think some keen Danish armorer got the inspiration and was allowed to run with it.

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Originally Posted by Melanie_Daniels

I only saw P. 14 convertet in 7,92 in Belgium. They were made in the 30s.

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Actions from these were for sale a few years back. They had been refitted with M1917 bolts for the rimless 7.92 and I suspect the barrels had been rebored from .303.

The Red Chinese converted M1917 rifles captured from the Nationalist forces to 8mm because they had facilities to mass produce 8mm ammo.

Some Scandinavian countries used an 8mm long range Browning MG that fired a longer cased 8mm cartridge.
Usually the bullet was seated deeply to maintain the same OAL as the .30/96 but there may have been some with greater OAL.
MG crews were often armed with Mauser rifles converted to use the special MG cartridge.