doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com Ernst Stiegleder 8x60mmJ sporter

Im waiting on delivery of this little gem. It�s a pre-ww2 custom sporter rifle built on a Mauser 98 action in tradition German style. Caliber is 8x60mmJ, a bit of an odd ball. Will need to figure out developing loads. Will be perfect for deer or even up to elk and moose.

I�ve always wanted an example of an early German sporter. They didn�t cut many corners on them. The barrel on this one changes from octagon to round, and the full length rib and sling mount are machined integral. On anything but modern CNC machines the barrel alone has days of work in just contouring. Draw filing, polishing, and the matting of the rib is additional. A select few do this today at astronomical prices.

The rifle is missing its rings for the German claw mounts. I have a guy who can find some and fit them. For a Quick-release setup they are as good as it gets. Very stout, repeatable if fit correctly, and takes seconds to remove the scope in case iron sights become a priority. Another costly piece and usually only seen on the best guns of today.

The engraving done tastefully and well with traditional hammer and chisel methods.

The rifle has seen its years. Not abused, just showing it�s use. The color case hardening and bluing that adorned the rifle have since been removed in carry areas. The bore is in fair condition only showing light frosting. I�m still undetermined if I�ll restore it.

Nice rifle gm. Good find. Purely a matter of taste, the only thing missing for me is side panels. I have a few pre-WWII and pre-WWI German sporters....what can a fella say? They're about the epitome of bolt action sporting rifles. The 8 X 60 is just more of a good thing! I have a Christoph Funk barreled action in that cartridge that I should really have stocked, correct to period.

Another "matter of taste", I'd leave it as it is....but boy, they DO SHINE when restored to period.

That's a really nice rifle. I have a lesser version with a round barrel but one day I'd really like to get one with a ribbed barrel. The workmanship on those old sporters is amazing. Congratulations.

Gunmaker,
The typical Mauser Sporter, built between the wars, was built on a repurposed WW1 military action. This one seems to be a Mauser Oberndorf civilian action. The shape of the bolt knob, the flat on top of receiver ring is unusual, but the most telling ( for me) is that I can't see a tell tale joint, inside the trigger guard, where a typical double set trigger unit would have been let into it. It, therefore seems to be a Mauser double set trigger, built into the trigger guard, instead of being a separate unit. Markings under the action/ barrel/ rear of Mag. box should be positive ID. If it has a Mauser, rather than Suhl barrel, the chamber could have been reamed to allow use of .323" bullets, even with a .318" barrel. The 8x60 cartridge is a very good caliber, use 8x57 loads as starting loads.
Mike

Please review the Handloader Magazine Issue 315 August 2018 page 18 on the 8x60 cartridge

https://www.riflemagazine.com/magazine/index.cfm?magid=761

I�ve had the rifle a few weeks now, lovely little thing. I had thoughts of boring it to 9.3x62, but the rifles petite nature had other ideas. The bore is in great condition and I�ve found someone who will make loads for me. It stays 8x60mmJ.

Thought I�d share some more interesting traits. Take notice the shaping of the trigger guard bow, as well as the flats filed into the action ring to accommodate a narrow forend. Stamps on the barrel have dated it at 4/33.

That was a repair/rebarrel/something in April 1933. With the original 2,67g G.B.P. over StmG, the receiver dates to pre-WWI.

Cheers,

Raimey
rse

Interesting. The action and barrel both share a 112218 number, on top of another serial number on just the action. I had thought that might signify a 11/22/1918 date, but that would of course predate the 8x60mmJ and would have put its production at an odd time for a sporting rifle. An Austrian gunmaker told me the 433 was it�s manufacture date. Maybe it was made in 1918 as an 8x57, then reamed out to 8x60mmJ in 1933, long past the caliber mandate. That gives some explanation to the .318� bore instead of the .323�.

Can you rotate the tube & pleasure us w/ an image of the 4000 ATM stamp & the diameter, along w/ the serial number?


Cheers,

Raimey
rse