Anyone have any experience with these monsters? Good, bad? Where would I find dies? Looking at one that seems like someone poured in a lot of cash to build. I need to buy a rifle soon cause of all these posts on new rifles is driving me nuts!!! Regards, Rick.

Go for it! There, that was the push that you needed. The ballistics will be real similar to the 338-06. Dies shouldn't be too hard to come by, I belive that RCBS makes them and I've seen them at Sportsmans Warehouse here in Denver. The extra powder space helps with the heavier bullets over the 8X57. Good luck and lets see some pics when you get it.

Here's the deal. The rifle has been sporterized and is on consignment at a gun shop. It has one piece mount and rings...probably Leupold. It has a 4 power Leupold m8 scope. The markings on top of the receiver say Deutch then covered by the mount then -und 2d line covered? SN 48 on back of bolt, 2 other faint markings. The wood is a blond walnut with some figure a black ebony pistol grip and cap on front of stock w/ no checkering. The bore is "very good". 4 digit SN ending in 48. Pachmeyer recoil pad...vintage. 14 1/4 inches from trigger to end of pad. No pitting or rust anywhere with "very good" blueing. Mod 98 with no other apparent markings. I wonder what this is???? Asking 495 which seem high to me. Barrel, safety and trigger unknown. Your thoughts from the collective "brain trust" appreciated as always. Regards, Rick.

It sounds like an old sporterized mauser. The barrel is original just rechambered. They did this quite alot many years ago because 30-06 brass was plentiful and cheap. It's a good cartridge but strictly a reloading proposition. You may want to point this out to the owner and offer to buy it for much less. Unless it's a prime piece of the gunsmith's art or has been done by a famous name in the business, it's just another sporterized mauser in an odd caliber. God bless and good shooting.

With the aparent sucess of the 8mm WSM (sorry, just had to;) ,) I believe this caliber makes more sense now than ever. I am looking for a cartridge to put in Grandad's Savage 110, and the AI version of this just may be the one. It should come close enough to the WSM that bullets designed for the WSM will still work. Plus you get full magazine capacity, less pressure, etc. I agree the price is high, I'd bet he thinks the Leopold justifies it.

495 is a bit much, even with the Leupold. I can pick thoes up for a hundred bucks at the gunshow. How long has it been there? You may try making an offer to the guy and see if he'll come down. Point out that for that much you can get a new Ruger 77 in a caliber that you don't have to reload for. As for the trigger and safety about the only thing you'll be able to tell just by looking is that they hve been replaced which I'm sure they have with all the other work that's been done. Like I said, if it was maby 250 I'd be all over it but at 500 it's a bit much. If he won't come down let it sit a while and try again later.

I looked around today and $250 to $300 dollars is about all they bring. A friend picked up a nicely sporterized springfield last year at an auction for $125 and thought he'd make a small fortune reselling it. He finally got $250 for it. An 8mm mauser recently sold for $200. No scope just a receiver sight. Very nice piece though. Modern mass produced rifles that weigh less and shoot new cartridges seem to have spoiled the market for these fine old rifles. This means we can have new toys for a bargain! God bless and good hunting.

I own an 8mm-o6 it is an excellent cartridge. Dies can be had from redding,lee,rcbs and hornady. The one i have is an excellent shooter.

Unless you are looking for strictly a load your own, you might consider a 35 Whelen.

Tell him you'll give him $250 w/o the Leupold and midwayusa has dies for this caliber in stock.

Thanks M1.....that's exactly what I did....we'll see what happens. Regards, Rick

Hope you get it, good luck.