Is this a Gew-88 contract rifle?

[Wulfmann]

I bought a couple rifles from what was left over after well picked through from an estate ignorant of what they are
This one by guessing looks like a Gew-88 Turkish contact refurbished with newer style stock and re-chambered to 8X57 in 1939 that opinion based on researching when I got home
Notice wood is shellacked. Should I remove that?
Proofs appear to be German.
Any idea of its true value?
I intend to shoot it this week with Turkish 154gr surplus. Any reason that is not a good idea and should I reload some lower pressure rounds?
I can pull those bullets and load them in Boxer cases

 

[Brooksy]

You got it figured out. It's an 88/05 restocked by the Turks. 25 years ago you could buy those for 89 bucks and 1400 rnds of 8mm for another 89 bucks. Those were the days!
If you can't live with the gloss finish I'd use a stripper and avoid sand paper.
I probably not shoot turk ammo these days. I prefer to load my own stuff with lead projectiles at around 1900 fps. Much more pleasant to shoot. In my experience, turk ammo is very hot. But, you never hear of these old M88s blowing up.

 

[Cyrano4747]

I wouldn’t shoot that ammo. It was hot when it was 50 years newer.

Pull the bullets, reload the projectiles, recycle the cases, and fertilize your garden with the powder.

 

[Wulfmann]

I have been pulling 8MM bullets for 20 years now and believe it of not I reuse the powder at 10% less.
The powder is not corrosive just the primer.
Anyone have a ball park idea what this is worth.
I just won't shoot this after testing and if it shoots good would like some young whippersnapper to play with it

 

[Brooksy]

I see them sell for $300-$400.

 

[bnz41john]

Turkish 88/35. Of all gew 88 derivatives, these are safest to shoot with surplus 8mm as the turks rebarreled these rifles with actual .323 8mm barrels. I still wouldn't shoot turkish out of it to be honest.

 

[Cyrano4747]

I have been pulling 8MM bullets for 20 years now and believe it of not I reuse the powder at 10% less.
The powder is not corrosive just the primer.
Anyone have a ball park idea what this is worth.
I just won't shoot this after testing and if it shoots good would like some young whippersnapper to play with it

It's not about it being corrosive. It's unknown powder with an unknown burn rate and an unknown peak pressure. Plus unknown storage conditions for ~50-70 years. All you have to go off of is a military loading that is known to have been hot as hell.

It's like drinking someone else's moonshine. Maybe it's 30%, maybe it's 45%. Only with shine all you're looking at is a bad hangover and some regrettable decisions if it's higher test than you expected.

Your fingers, your eyes, your guns, your call. But me, personally, I don't shoot unknown powders.

Powder, all things considered, is cheap. It's a damn sight cheaper than the rifles we shoot it out of.

 

[Wulfmann]

Thanks guys.
I pulled a couple rounds of Turk ammo and put the powder, less 10%, in a boxer case with Federal primer to check the function.
I will ask 250 and take 200 when I do the next local show May 31

 

[Wulfmann]

I loaded a couple rounds using those Canadian Bay of Pigs cases, the Turk projectiles and Turk powder 10% reduced charge just to insure function
Off hand at 30 yards shot high (expected) but both rounds centered and within 2".
Also felt nice. That is actually a decent shooting rifle
I agree one should take care to download for these. They aren't 98 actions