8x56mmR
Encyclopedia
The 8x56mmR or 8 x 56 R M30S (C.I.P.
civil designation) cartridge
was adopted in the 1930s by both Austria and Hungary as a replacement for the 8×50mmR Mannlicher cartridge. It was originally created for the Steyr-Solothurn light machine gun as the M30. Later the cartridge was adopted for use in rifles in 1931 as the M31 to replace the 8x50mmR Mannlicher cartridge. The updated cartridge coincided with an update to the Steyr-Mannlicher M1895
rifle in which the barrel length and caliber were changed. This ammunition
was made at a variety of plants as well as countries, including Austria
, Germany
, Bulgaria
and Czechoslovakia
.
in small amounts, but are hard to find. The new manufactured ammunition is similar to the original military specification. Because of this considerable bullet drop is experienced after about 200 yards due to the large projectile. With significant compensation however, the cartridge is effective at longer distances.
Prvi Partizan
of Serbia produces Lead-Tip cartridges, the availability of which in Europe increases more and more with normalization of diplomatic relationships towards Serbia. However, when ordering via retail, they can take considerable time to deliver.
Some manufacturers like Haendler & Naterman (Germany; 190 grains) or Degol (Belgium) still produce various bullets for sporting (ordinance rifle) or hunting purposes. Prvi Partizan produces a FMJ Boat tail bullet under the number B-384 and a Soft Point bullet nr. B-561, both 208 Grains.
Lee Precision, Inc. can make a bullet-sizing die in .330", allowing .338" bullets to be swaged down to this calliber. Bullets in the 200 to 225 grain weight class would work best. Lyman offers cast molds in this caliber. Corbins offers swaging dies for their bullet swaging-presses to make various bullets from raw materials.
Reloadable cartridge cases can be produced by resizing 7.62x54mmR Mosin-Nagant Russian brass. This results in a case neck 2mm short, but no problems arise from this, as the cartridge will still headspace correctly on its rim and shoulder. The remaining case neck is also still sufficient to hold the bullet firmly. RCBS produces a reforming die. The resized Russian rounds will easily fit into the proper Mannlicher charger clips, though of course normal Mosin-Nagant stripper clips will be useless with a Mannlicher rifle. Surplus dealers like Sarco frequently have charger clips for sale.
Reloading dies are made by Hornady and RCBS.
Commission Internationale Permanente pour l'Epreuve des Armes à Feu Portatives
The Commission Internationale Permanente pour l'Epreuve des Armes à Feu Portatives is an international organisation whose members are 14 states, mainly European....
civil designation) cartridge
Cartridge (firearms)
A cartridge, also called a round, packages the bullet, gunpowder and primer into a single metallic case precisely made to fit the firing chamber of a firearm. The primer is a small charge of impact-sensitive chemical that may be located at the center of the case head or at its rim . Electrically...
was adopted in the 1930s by both Austria and Hungary as a replacement for the 8×50mmR Mannlicher cartridge. It was originally created for the Steyr-Solothurn light machine gun as the M30. Later the cartridge was adopted for use in rifles in 1931 as the M31 to replace the 8x50mmR Mannlicher cartridge. The updated cartridge coincided with an update to the Steyr-Mannlicher M1895
Steyr-Mannlicher M1895
The Steyr-Mannlicher M1895 rifle is a bolt-action rifle, designed by Ferdinand Ritter von Mannlicher that used a refined version of his revolutionary straight-pull action. It was nicknamed the "Ruck-Zuck" by Landsers...
rifle in which the barrel length and caliber were changed. This ammunition
Ammunition
Ammunition is a generic term derived from the French language la munition which embraced all material used for war , but which in time came to refer specifically to gunpowder and artillery. The collective term for all types of ammunition is munitions...
was made at a variety of plants as well as countries, including Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
and Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
.
Current production
Newly manufactured rounds are being produced by HornadyHornady
Hornady Manufacturing Company is an American manufacturer of ammunition and handloading components, based in Grand Island, Nebraska.The company was founded by Joyce Hornady in 1949 and is currently run by his son Steve Hornady who took over after his father's death in a plane crash in 1981.Hornady...
in small amounts, but are hard to find. The new manufactured ammunition is similar to the original military specification. Because of this considerable bullet drop is experienced after about 200 yards due to the large projectile. With significant compensation however, the cartridge is effective at longer distances.
Prvi Partizan
Prvi Partizan
Prvi Partizan is an ammunition manufacturer, located in Užice, Serbia. Founded in 1928 as FOMU - Fabrika Oružje Municija Užice. The company produces ammunition for civilian and military consumers in a variety of calibers in various loadings. Their products are available worldwide...
of Serbia produces Lead-Tip cartridges, the availability of which in Europe increases more and more with normalization of diplomatic relationships towards Serbia. However, when ordering via retail, they can take considerable time to deliver.
Handloading
Reloading the 8mm X 56R Mannlicher is inconvenient, due to the .329" groove diameter of the barrel. .323" 8mm S-bullets will produce very poor accuracy. However, the reloading situation for this cartridge, at least in Europe, has improved significantly in the last few years.Some manufacturers like Haendler & Naterman (Germany; 190 grains) or Degol (Belgium) still produce various bullets for sporting (ordinance rifle) or hunting purposes. Prvi Partizan produces a FMJ Boat tail bullet under the number B-384 and a Soft Point bullet nr. B-561, both 208 Grains.
Lee Precision, Inc. can make a bullet-sizing die in .330", allowing .338" bullets to be swaged down to this calliber. Bullets in the 200 to 225 grain weight class would work best. Lyman offers cast molds in this caliber. Corbins offers swaging dies for their bullet swaging-presses to make various bullets from raw materials.
Reloadable cartridge cases can be produced by resizing 7.62x54mmR Mosin-Nagant Russian brass. This results in a case neck 2mm short, but no problems arise from this, as the cartridge will still headspace correctly on its rim and shoulder. The remaining case neck is also still sufficient to hold the bullet firmly. RCBS produces a reforming die. The resized Russian rounds will easily fit into the proper Mannlicher charger clips, though of course normal Mosin-Nagant stripper clips will be useless with a Mannlicher rifle. Surplus dealers like Sarco frequently have charger clips for sale.
Reloading dies are made by Hornady and RCBS.