A local shop has what a ppears to be a pre war combo in 16 ga. by what I believe is 7.7 x 57 (marked 7.7 and then 57 below, the latter being what I assume is length and not year of manufature. The gun is old and has like 5% blue on one barrel. The stock was repaired, presumably in Germany, with brass or copper plates on both sides of the wrist. The barrels look good and the gun locks up tight. The forearm is good but the checkering is worn. The price is cheap. Is it worth the hassle? Safe? 7.7 x 57 is .303

Hello David and welcome to the board

It sounds as if she needs a good home where she will be properly cared for.
It also sounds like a nice project (if it is in fact cheap).
JMHO.

Better versed members will give you more down to earth opinions.

JC

Without pics its hard to say if its worth putting money into,or more then likely, more money then its worth.But that's up to you

The condition of the barrels could be the most important factor.If the gun is saved you will have to slug the barrel and do a chamber cast to be sure of rifle cartridge.

7.7 x 57 is likely an 8 x 57 Rimmed. They marked bore dimensions differently than we do. The only way to be sure is to slug the bore and to do a chamber cast. 8 x 57 Rimmed is available. Restocking such a gun can be very costly. You'll have to be the judge as to whether you'll be happy with a patched together stock.

It is most probably the 8x57 JR (.318" diameter bullet), rather than the later JRS which uses a .323" bullet. I own the exact same gun and I love it. The rifle barrel is VERY accurate.

Is yours marked 7.7 w/ a 57 underneath the rifle barrel? Thanks

Mine is marked 7.8mm over 57 over St MG. The latter means "steel jacketed bullet' in German. My gun was built in November 1931. The one that you're looking at should have a date stamp on the barrel flats as well, like 11/31.

The shop was closed on NYE and NY Day and I'm now out of town until Thursday. I'll take another look then and try to take a picture if I don't buy it. It was marked at $700 and the owner seemed eager to take an offer. The bores were quite nice and may make the project worth while. I think I can have the bore and chamber confirmed (8x57JR (notS) as the majority here surmise) for about $80 at a local smith and then just keep it as is and maybe hunt with it once for kicks. It's kind of like a pre war jaguar or something like that--useable it's neat and always of some value by virtue of what it is. The cost to restore to as new is nuts, so why do it when my grandkids can.

A bit off topic but there were no pre war Jaguars. The company was in those days the Swallow Sidecar company of Holbrook lane Coventry. They were known for the SS100 sports car but after the war the name SS on a product went down like a lead baloon.
Martin

Technically the 8mm Mauser cartridge is the 7.92x57, 7.92 being nominal bore dia (.312"). 7.7mm = .303" & 7.8mm = .307". When the official ammunition was changed from the roundnose bullet to the Spitzer it was fearedit would not be gripped firmly enough & the grooves were deepemed & diameter increased to .323 thus the S mark for Spitzer. Actual bore size for the "Army" rifle remained unchanged.

Sporting rifles of course do not necessarily follow exactly the military specs, so different sizes of bores are encountered. Not positive but I believe at this point the bores were marked in .1mm increments per the largest gage (plug) which would enter the bore the required depth.

This one with the 7.7 mark could well have been just shy of accepting the 7.8 gage & actually be closer to .307" than the .303" the mark indicates.

Hello All
My Krieghoff Semper drilling is mark thus:



It shoots the 8x57R with 318 bullet

http://www.natchezss.com/Ammo.cfm?conten...odTitle=Sellier and Bellot 8x57 JR 196 gr SP 20/box

Enjoy
Mike

$19 for a box of S&B 8x57IR? That is really good price, I must pay almost twice that amount here - and I'm only a few hundred miles away from the Sellier & Bellot factory...
With kind regards,
Jani

Jani, I recently bought 3 boxes of Sellier and Bellot 8 x 57 JR from MidwayUSA. I can't remember the exact price but it was less than $25 per box