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can you take a 308 barrel and make it 8mm, by lengthening the chamber and enlarging the bore?

The 7.62 case has less taper than the 8mm, so the brass would be stretched a bit at that point. I don't know if it would be enough to cause separations or not but it might.

How much would it cost to rebore a barrel like that? It might be just as easy to have a new barrel made and fitted to the extension.

TOM R wrote:can you take a 308 barrel and make it 8mm, by lengthening the chamber and enlarging the bore?

Sure you can do anything but let's take a look at the economics. Price of a 308 barrel 70.00. Rechamber-75.00-100.00, rebore and rifle 200.00 +. I think buying a 8mm barrel outright is cheaper even if you have to pay 200.00 for it.

One thing everyone has to keep in mind is the hardness of the MG barrel. It is measured on the Rockwell Scale (RC) An original GI MG barrel will measure RC 48-52. A new manufactured barrel blank is RC 26 +-. You're much better off with an original barrel.

I had a 1919A4 and bought a new RC 26 8mm barrel for it. I literally shot it out with less than 10,000 rounds. I've got an original 30.06 barrel that I have run 25,000 + rounds thru and it gages a 5 on throat erosion.

just ryin to think of a use for shot out or rusted 308 barrels

TOM R wrote:just ryin to think of a use for shot out or rusted 308 barrels

curtain rods
tomato stakes
crow bar
adjustable wrench extension

TOM R wrote:just ryin to think of a use for shot out or rusted 308 barrels

I have a couple of those myself. How about we get together a group buy on having them bored out to .358 Winchester?

thought I saw on the 1919 board 8mm barrels that were bored out 308 barrels must have been imaginin things

^ that would be a neat trick. I'd sure like to see a MG42 in 45-70 or 45acp

Hey Y'all,

It is easier to remove the extension and using a plentiful M1919 .308/30.06 Barrel as a blank to thread the breech, and to machine/profile the barrel in a lathe. Short chamber the barrel and then Re torque the barrel back into the extension and finish the re chambering.

I have bored and rifled barrels, not hard just time consuming. Much easier to re barrel.

Mike Spivey
Spiveys Lock and Load

I just used a calipers on an 8mm shell, and a 7.62x51, and the 8mm shell is smaller in diameter than the 7.62 shell.... I'm no machinist, but isn't it pretty tough to mill out the chamber and make it longer but smaller in diameter? .... am I missing something?

The bullet diameter for the 8mm is also larger. If I rember it is .312 or .318 bigger than .308

fine guys i get the hint just tryin so the 308 shell is larger but the 8mm bullet head is larger, think we need to make our own size with 308 shells and 8mm heads lol

Must 1919 8mm barrels were made by converting 8mm MG-34 barrels. At least that's what Ive been told by a few guys Ive asked that make them for the 1919. So next time you wonder where all those nice new/excellent chrome lined IZZY barrel you wanted for your 34 remember it may be in your 1919!

Actually the 34 barrels could(?) be a source for a 42 barrel. I was cleaning a few last might but Id have to look closer to see if you could do it...a chrone lined 'new' 8mm MG42 barrel would sure make for a great blaster - purists would frown but for blazing away it would be nice.

my 8mm 1919 barrel is new made(I think) and identical to the 06 nd 308 ones I got