Hi Mickey!

Please don`t be confussed(hahaha)

I have been collecting Mausers for some time now, and have come across "Alot " of Mausers, and NO, no-one can not generalize vintage/calibers..

The .318cal has been used from 1888 to the late 1950愀 in
8x60 8x57 8x64 8x75.

I have two M98 of Commercial production made almost in the same year of eachother(1913-1914) one Model M in
8mm N (N=Normal= .318cal) and the other a model B Sporter
in 8mm S (S= spitzgeshosse= .323Cal).

If the 8x57 (318 cal) are fired in a M98 it can be loaded equaly to its "bigger" brother in .323 cal.

However one reason that one preferre to "download" the 8x57N i .318cal was that it was originaly made for the M88 rifle which isn`t so strong as the M98, but yet widely available in sporterrifles along with the M98line for many years.
I think I read somewhere the when Mauser came out in 1905 with the .323 cal dia, they "fooled proofed" their ".318 rifles" the .323 cal ammo, so no blow could occure.

ALLWAYS when in doubt regardless of "ol`wifes tale" SLUG THE BORE.
One shouldn`t be afraid or disregard an old rifle in the .318cal bore, just enjoy them.
I have just here recently ordered 200 bullets in .318 cal weighing 230 grain from DEGOL in belgium for my model M stutzen. RWS and GECO still make the .318 cal bullets because their are so many drillings and Kipplaufer(breakaction) in that boresize.