Engineering:8×50mmR Mannlicher

Short description: Austro-Hungarian service rifle cartridge

8×50mmR Mannlicher
Type	Rifle cartridge
Place of origin	Austria-Hungary
Service history
Used by	Austria-Hungary Kingdom of Bulgaria Kingdom of Italy
Wars	World War I World War II
Production history
Designed	1890 (M. 90)
Specifications
Parent case	8×52mmR Mannlicher
Case type	Rimmed, bottleneck
Bullet diameter	8.15 mm (0.321 in)
Neck diameter	9.03 mm (0.356 in)
Shoulder diameter	12.01 mm (0.473 in)
Base diameter	12.48 mm (0.491 in)
Rim diameter	14.11 mm (0.556 in)
Rim thickness	1.38 mm (0.054 in)
Case length	50.38 mm (1.983 in)
Overall length	76.21 mm (3.000 in)
Ballistic performance
Bullet mass/type Velocity Energy 244 gr (16 g) M90 RN 1,950 ft/s (594 m/s) 2,060 ft⋅lbf (2,793 J) 244 gr (16 g) M93 RN 2,035 ft/s (620 m/s) 2,244 ft⋅lbf (3,042 J)
Test barrel length: 30

The Austro-Hungarian 8×50mmR Mannlicher or 8×50mmR M93 is a service cartridge dating back to the days of semi-smokeless powder. It was later replaced by (and many weapons were rechambered for) the 8×56mmR cartridge.

History

M90

In approximately 1890, the Austro-Hungarian Empire converted the older, black powder filled 8×52mmR Mannlicher round into a semi-smokeless cartridge, following upon the heels of France's 8 mm Lebel cartridge, the first smokeless military round. This new round was designated 8mm M.1890 scharfe Patrone or "nitro-Patrone". It was loaded with the same 244 gr bullet but carried a 43 gr charge of "Gewehrpulver" ("rifle powder", Austria-Hungary's name for their version of smokeless powder, which was actually a "semi-smokeless" powder). The new semi-smokeless loading pushed the bullet to a velocity of 1,950 ft/s (590 m/s) in the converted M.88/90 and M.86/90 Mannlicher rifles.

M93

In 1893 the loading was once again updated with the perfection of a completely smokeless powder by the Austro-Hungarians. This new loading was designated "8mm M.1893 scharfe Patrone", it was loaded with the same bullet as the two previous loadings but used a 43 gr charge of the new Gewehrpulver M.1892. This improved ballistics slightly to 2,035 ft/s (620 m/s) out of the M.88/90 and later M.95 long rifles, it was about 200 ft/s (61 m/s) less out of the repetier-carabiner M.90 and M.95.

Current use

The IOF.315 Sporting Rifle uses this cartridge under the title of .315 (also .315 Indian).

The 8×50mmR Mannlicher cartridge has a long history of sporting use in India, as it was a simple matter to modify the Lee–Enfield action to accommodate the 8×50mmR in place of the .303 inch cartridge, thus providing a solution to the British colonial administration's 1907 ban on civilians possessing rifles chambered in British military calibres while offering a cartridge of similar capabilities.

British gunmakers BSA produced sporting versions of the Lee–Enfield military rifle, chambered in "8mm (.315")" from well before World War I until at least the 1930s. The British-founded "Rifle Factory Ishapore" continues to manufacture Lee–Enfield sporting rifles in this chambering.

Handloading

Reloadable cartridge cases can be produced by reforming and trimming 8×56mmR Mannlicher or 7.62×54mmR Mosin–Nagant Russian brass. Standard .323" 8mm S-bullets are correct for this caliber though best results are obtained from open-base bullets that can expand to fit the .329" bore. RCBS offers both reforming and reloading dies.

When reloading for "wedge-lock" Mannlicher rifles such as the M.88, M.86/88, M.86/90 or M.88/90 chamber pressures should be kept low for safety. Rifles such as the Mannlicher M.95 using a stronger rotating-bolt design can be loaded to higher pressures.

References

• "8 x 50 R Mannlicher - MUNICION.ORG". municion.org. http://www.municion.org/8mann/8mann.htm.