Austrian Mosin Nagant Rifles Rechambered for 8x50mm in WWI

Published on March 27, 2026
Duration: 9:19

This video details the Austro-Hungarian Army's modification of captured Russian Mosin Nagant rifles during WWI. These rifles were rechambered for the 8x50mm Rimmed cartridge, primarily for rear-echelon troops. The process involved cutting new chambers and recalibrating sights, often without re-barreling, leading to squeeze-boring of bullets. Several companies, including OEWG and the main Austrian artillery workshop (AF), performed these conversions.

Quick Summary

During WWI, the Austro-Hungarian Army rechambered captured Russian Mosin Nagant rifles to their 8x50mm Rimmed cartridge. These modifications, often performed without re-barreling (resulting in 'squeeze boring'), allowed the rifles to be issued to second-line troops. Conversions were carried out by companies like OEWG and the Austrian artillery workshop (AF).

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did the Austro-Hungarian Army rechamber Mosin Nagant rifles during WWI?

The Austro-Hungarian Army captured a large number of Russian Mosin Nagant rifles during WWI. To utilize these captured firearms, they decided to rechamber them for their own 8x50mm Rimmed cartridge, primarily for use by second-line troops in rear areas.

What were the key modifications made to Austro-Hungarian Mosin Nagants?

The primary modification was rechambering the rifles from 7.62x54mm Russian to 8x50mm Rimmed. This often involved cutting a new chamber and recalibrating the rear sights to 'Schritt' (Austrian paces) without re-barreling, leading to a process called squeeze boring.

Who performed the rechambering of Mosin Nagant rifles for the Austro-Hungarian Army?

Several entities performed these conversions, including OEWG, the main Austrian artillery workshop (marked AF), four contracted private shops (marked JS, R, WWF, or a bear logo), and to a lesser extent, the Budapest arsenal.

What is 'squeeze boring' in the context of these Mosin Nagant conversions?

Squeeze boring refers to forcing a larger diameter bullet (8mm for the 8x50mm cartridge) through a smaller diameter bore (the original 7.62mm Mosin Nagant barrel). This compresses the bullet, allowing it to be fired from the original barrel.

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