The date will be stamped in a 3 digit number on the rifle barrel, on the very bottom, beneath the fore end. Also, the rifle caliber should be stamped. Under lever latches are anywhere from the late 1800ss to 1920ish. The most common rifle calibers of early drillings were straight tapered cartridges like 6.5x48mm. From about 1915 on, it was the 8mm bottle neck mauser or the straight cased 9.3mm (9.3x72mm was the most common) Lass common, but VERY desireable, is the metric equivalent of 25-35 win, something like 5.6x 52 I think. I've had drillings in .22 hornet all the way up to 30-06.
If the barrel is staamped 7.99mm it is likely 8x57JRS (.323"), if it says 7.8mm, it is likely 8x57JR (.318") Any 8mm drilling of the vintage of yours should have the bored slugged, as it's possible to shoot the larger bullet in guns intended for .318" causing very high pressures. With the exception of the early tapered cartridges, most of the loaded ammo is again available, but cases for all of them are available.
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