Was at the gun show today, and came across some WWII era 8mm ammo, at $5 a box, I figured why the hell not and bought 4 boxes to play with

Ammo appears to be all a mixed lot (maybe why it has "FUR MG" on it?) and all of it but 2-3 rounds are steel cased and a varying lacquer or some kinda strange finish, a few are brass cases and have a silver colored bullet.  

I have looked up the codes on how to read this type of ammo, and it looks like most comes from 1940, with a few 44, and a 45 thrown in.

I plan to sort all through it, and pull anything rare, and keep it, and shoot the rest.  Anyone seen this stuff before?????

"Fur MG" indicates it is 196 grain heavy ball intended 'for machineguns (Maschinengewehr), this stuff eventually became standard ammunition for all 8mm weapons and is, at least it was, safe for use in all weapons.
Depending on how well it was stored over the last 65-70 years, the ammo may or may not still fire.

Germans switched first to plain steel, then copper washed steel, and then lacquer washed steel cases as the war progressed and brass became scarce.
Bullet composition varied also with lead core copper jacket followed by lead or steel core-curpo nickle jacket followed by steel core gilding metal jacket as the war progressed and material became scarce.

Because the ammunition is mixed in the boxes, my guess is somebody filled some boxes with ammunition on hand to make them full boxes and the boxes may even be reproductions made for reenactors.
5 bucks for fifteen rounds isn't bad for something interesting.

Boxes are originals, I've never seen new repro boxes look this old or have 1939-1940 stamps on the inside flap

I did find that over 75% of the ammo is all P25 1940 made ammo, and I also had about 7rnds of P490 1940 made stuff.  I did find 2 rnds of 1945 production, and 3 brass cased 1944 made stuff also.

It is pretty interesting to sort through it all.  It's really clean stuff on the out side, none corroded badly, I'd say it'll shoot just fine.  I plan in testing it out next range trip.

I have bought ammo from this particular fella before at the shows, I think he gets alot of his stuff from Dan's Ammo in PA,he's local to there.  I guess odd lots and stuff.  He may be at another show I go to at the end of the month I may have to pick up a few more boxes....

I don't need more 8mm ammo, but damn it it is history!!

be really careful with that stuff, i bought some of that same steel cased ammo several years ago and while some cases might look like they're fine, they can be badly corroded on the inside.

I had several cases that got very bad splits going length wise down the case from the neck to the base of the case

I bought 900 rounds of German 8mm from J&G several years ago.  The ammo was loaded in 15 round boxes and 300 rounds in a larger cardboard box with a cloth handle on top.  It's nice, shiny brass cased 196 grain ball.  Beautiful ammo that looks like it came off the loading presses yesterday.  I think it was made in 1939 or 1938.  I've shot maybe 30 rounds or so and the rest I still have.  I usually shoot NC stuff and my reloads nowadays so this ammo will most likely stay just like it is for my kids someday.

I have heard that before, and plan to check it as I fire it.  I'm probably just going to shoot 2 of the boxes, and save the rarer codes and dates for a collection...

Since it's mixed lots, I'm not figuring on great accuracy from it, besides I have a shit ton of czech, yugo, romanian ammo.  I have about 6 mausers that all shoot the stuff and still I can't resist buying more when I find it