| 8×63mm | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Rifle | |||||||||||||||||||
| Place of origin |
 Sweden | |||||||||||||||||||
| Service history | ||||||||||||||||||||
| In service | 1932–1975 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Used by | Sweden | |||||||||||||||||||
| Wars | UN intervention in Kongo 1960-1964 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Production history | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Designer | KAF, AB Bofors | |||||||||||||||||||
| Designed | late 1920s, early 1930s | |||||||||||||||||||
| Manufacturer | AB Bofors | |||||||||||||||||||
| Specifications | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Case type | Rimless, bottleneck | |||||||||||||||||||
| Bullet diameter | 8.20 mm (0.323 in) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Neck diameter | 9.10 mm (0.358 in) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Shoulder diameter | 11.51 mm (0.453 in) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Base diameter | 12.43 mm (0.489 in) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Rim diameter | 12.18 mm (0.480 in) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Rim thickness | 1.42 mm (0.056 in) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Case length | 62.81 mm (2.473 in) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Overall length | 84.62 mm (3.331 in) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Primer type | Large rifle | |||||||||||||||||||
Ballistic performance
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Test barrel length: 609 mm (24 in) Source(s): [1] | ||||||||||||||||||||
The 8×63mm patron m/32 was a bottlenecked centerfire cartridge with a slightly (0.25 mm (0.0098 in)) rebated rim for Swedish heavy and medium machine guns. It was used from 1932 to the finalization of the rechambering process of these machine guns to 7.62×51mm NATO in 1975.
In the late 1920s, the common service cartridge in Swedish use was the 6.5x55mm skarp patron m/94 projektil m/94 (live cartridge m/94 projectile m/94) service ammunition loaded with a 10.1 grams (156 gr) long round-nosed m/94 (B-projectile) bullet which was not considered effective enough for anti-aircraft and indirect fire so the Royal Army Administration tasked AB Bofors to manufacture a larger rifle cartridge to meet these needs. The 8×63mm patron m/32 round had the same overall length as the .30-06 Springfield cartridge, which allowed it to fit in the standard Browning receiver, but used a larger diameter case and uncommon 12.2 mm (0.480 in) diameter bolt face which together with the larger bullet diameter and heavier bullet weight allowed longer effective range.[2] The 8×63mm patron m/32 maximum range was approximately 5,500 m (6,015 yd) when fired from a kulspruta m/36.[3]
The 8x63mm cartridge was used in the following machine guns:[4]
The 8x63mm was also used in the gevär m/40 bolt action rifle. These were Karabiner 98ks rechambered in Sweden for the 8x63mm and issued to the machine gun troops so their rifles would fire the same round. These rifles were sold to Israel after the end of WWII.
See also[]
References[]
External links[]
- 8x63 M32 Bofors
- HISTORIC MACHINE GUN CARTRIDGES by Anthony G Williams
- 8x63 Swedish / 8x63 Bofors (in Russian)
- 8x63 Swedish Bofors / 8 mm Bofors / 8x63 Swedish For MG Mod.1932 / 8mm SK PTR M-32 / 8mm Sueco / 8x63 / SAA 4540 / XCR 08 063 BGC 010 (In Spanish)
The original article can be found at 8×63mm patron m/32 and the edit history here.