Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles The Most American Cartridge

jwall, you're only getting the 2nd part of the history of the 8 X 57. The ONLY difference between the 7.92 X 57 you're posting about and the original from 1888 is the bullet diameter. The 8 X 57 beat the -03 by 15 years and the -06 by 18 years. Sorry. In 1905 the German Army changed the bullet diameter from .318 of the original 8 X 57 to .323 and the bullet weight from 220 to 150 grs. The .318 change to .323 has confused most American shooters ever since. The case head, rim and body diameter of the -06 are, for all intents and purposes, identical to the 8 X 57. Any cartridge based on the 8 X 57 can be easily made from -06 brass usually simply by resizing and trimming. Many thousands of handloaders have made those modifications of -06 brass, me included, probably millions of times. Rarely will the neck diameter of the formed cartridge need to be reduced.

The 30-06 is indeed derived from the 30-03 which was derived from the 8 X 57. So much so that Mauser took Springfield to court not only over the 1903 rifle but also the spritzer bullet of the 30-06. I am open to correction but I believe Mauser won both cases. I know Mauser won the case over the 1903 for patent infringement and except through WWI, Springfield had to pay Mauser $1.00 per rifle royalty. The bullet law suit I am foggy on but I thought Mauser won it as well.

So, essentially, gnoahh is right. The essentials of the 30-06 are not of American origin. But for cryin' out loud, what is more American than a 30-06?....and I don't really care for the cartridge.