8mm Mauser or 7.62x54R for deer hunting?

[northkid]

What would be a better deer round? Which would you choose 8mm Mauser or 7.62x54R? Ammo and rifles are both cheap and pretty accurate.

[Casull]

Either has more than enough power.  I actually have both, but if choosing one, I'd say the 8mm has the edge in accuracy, both the rifles and the ammo.

[RaySendero]

Either has more than enough power.  I actually have both, but if choosing one, I'd say the 8mm has the edge in accuracy, both the rifles and the ammo.

I'll second both of Casull's points!
 
Both wil work, but I'd choose the 8x57.

[Cheesehead]

8x57...
 
bigger bore, bigger cartridge, better ammo, better rifles. I am biased since I have had a least one for many years and many deers.
 
Cheese

[coss]

The ballistics are so close that there is no pragmatic difference between the two.  I can't think of a game animal that you can kill with one that you can't as easily take with the other.
 
The Mauser has a safer safety.  The Mosin has the better iron sights.
 
I would choose whichever one is more accurate and more comfortable in your hands, and for which you have an adequate source of soft point hunting ammunition.

[LanceR]

northkid, as has been stated, either one will let sufficient air into and blood out of a deer to do the job.  I suspect that you will have an easier time of finding ammo with hunting bullets in the 8mm Mauser.

Good luck whatever you choose.

Lance

[northkid]

I thank all of you folks input. I been looking online for 8mm last night, seems to be out of stock most places. Say many countries don't use, make ammo any more.
But 7.62x54R is for sale everywhere. Is the cheap surplus 8mm ammo coming to and end?
 
 
I may have to get a 7.62x54R also for the cheap ammo. What is a good rifle for 200yards for deer in 7.62x54R? I don't know much about them. Are the smaller ones better than the longer ones?

[tboy]

Both are fine for deer.
Remember, most states don't allow ball ammo for hunting. All surplus will be ball ammo.
 Look for Wolf, S&B, Privi Partisan or Igman for ammo for both calibers. Try Centerfire Systems and AIM Surplus.

The issue sights may not adjust enough for the hunting loads, requiring some mods to the front sight height.

The Yugo Mausers are usually good shooters.

In the Mosin Nagants you can find good shooters in many of the models. The Finnish models are very good shooters in general.

[Drilling Man]

  I have shot deer with both, but my choise of the two is the 8mm.
 
  My 8mm just keeps putting them in the freezer, and this year was no exception!
 

 
  DM

[Rock Home Isle]

Both calibres would be great Deer calibres. So from a versatility standpoint the 7.62 would have a greater variety of reload possibilities.
 
I do like the 8mm...I have an old Mauser and it is a great firearm to shoot.

[yellowtail3]

As others have said, either will do. If you're starting from scratch... you can get a lot nice Mosin for the money. Me? I'd opt for M91/30, since I picked this one last summer.

 But you know, I never did take it hunting this year. It's sorta zero'd at fifty yards... but not a fan of iron sights on a deer rifle, esp in low light (prime time dawn/dusk). I'm a lot more precise with the Marlin. I'll take the Mosin Hunting some next year.
Cartridge wise? I'd opt for Mosin because of cheaper/better avail of both milsurp and Hunting ammo. Used a 200gr Wolf on this 7pt; rifle is an M44

[Rock Home Isle]

That is a slick clean looking firearm. 
 
OMG!!! Is that a Bayonet in the picture? 

[yellowtail3]

OMG!!! Is that a Bayonet in the picture? 

it is a bayonet; I'd extended it just for the photo (I'd sighted in rifle w/o bayonet). I borrowed that M44 from a friend whom I'd introduced to shooting, his first centerfire was a Mosin (he's now got two safes full or rifles, shotguns, and pistols).


The rifle in at top of my post is the M91/30. I have to say, I do like shooting it better than the M44; less muzzle blast, and I seem to shoot a little better with it.