8mm Mauser ... worth getting it ?

[nasem]

I been looking some research for some cheap surplus ammo, and man, those 8mm mauser ammo are SOOOO CHEAP, granted they are corrosive, just clean your gun after every shooting day and you'll be ok.  They sell like 900 rounds for like $60, thats less than a penny a round.  Someone can really practice with those and improve thier shooting.

I might also use it for occasional deer / boar hunting, I think its more than capable up to elk (200 gr bullet at 2300-2400 fps factory ammo). 

What are people's opinion on this round, worth it ? or nah

[RaySendero]

8mm Mauser ... worth getting it ?  For Me - absolutely YES

I've just finished sporterizing this Vz-24 Mauser for my walikng/stalking hog rifle:



As you have already discovered, plinking ammo for the 8x57 is cheap in quantity (5 to 8 cents per round!).  A friend at the range commented once - that this just seemed too much fun!  We were taking turns shooting my 8mm and I had a big grocery sack of loose ammo - You just reach in and grab all you wanted!


I reload,  so I don't have the problem of finding full power hunting loads.  My hunting reload is a 200 Speer HC chronoed at average of 2,515 fps.  But the major American ammo manufacturers reduce their 8mm hunting loads to where its not much more powerful than a 170 gr 30-30.  This is ashame because the 8x57 has much more potential!  However, even if you don't reload there is some European ammo imported like S&B, Norma, etc. that are full power and reasonably available.

[Buford]

The little 8X57mm  has established a reputation as a game getter since it was introduced....it has a loyal, but knowledgeable, folllowing........

[nasem]

Woun't those "surplus" ammo of the 8mm mauser eventually run out ?  I mean they were all manufactured back in the 50s how much more is there...

Anyways, the rifle Im planning on getting is the remington 700 classic, apparently remington did chamber for 8mm mauser and I think i would be well worth getting.

One more question, most of the surplus ammo I see are about 196gain at about 2500 FPS, that would be safe to shoot for the remington 700 right ?  Its not too overly hot.. right ?

[Rummer]

The 8mm is a great cartridge.  It is a better one if you handload.

The factory loads from federal, remington and winchester are loaded rather lightly.  This is because there are a handful of 8mm rifles w/ .318" rather than .323" bores, (referred to as "J" bores).  This ammo can be fired down a J Bore safely.  They are loaded to .32 winchester levels and are perfectly capable deer getters, if you can find them and if your rifle likes them.

The 700 classic would be one of the safest 8x57's to shoot.  It is made of modern steel and definitely has a .323" bore. You can shoot any 8x57 ammo down the bore, but be careful with the corrossive stuff.

IMHO, When loaded to it's potential, I see no reason why you couldn't use an 8x57 for anything you would use a .308 or .30-06 for.

Here's a link to all of Midway's offerings for the 8x57:

http://www.midwayusa.com/ebrowse.exe/browse?TabID=3&Categoryid=7536&categorystring=653***690***

Rummer

[nasem]

yeh... I agree, I think Im going to get me one of them remingtons, cheapest centerfire to shoot in the world lol

[Blammer]

Here is a pic of a 3 shot group with my Yugo 8mm mauser with a different stock and scout style scope.


Here is a pic of the rifle.



And another pic of some targets.


I also have a Rem 700 Classic in 8x57. It is a shooter.

No the milsurp ammo will work fine in the modern rifles. Corrosive ammo, so make sure you clean well after shooting.

As far as milsurp ammo, they made it all the way up till the 80's. Plus some machine guns still in use use the ammo. There is lots but it may be drying up soon.

Wolf gold makes some modern ammo with brass cases for reloading that is not corrosive for about $12 for 20. That is still a bargain!

[beemanbeme]

Good looking Yugo.  Where did you get the stock?  Was it a "drop in"? 
Thx
John

[kombi1976]

The little 8X57mm  has established a reputation as a game getter since it was introduced....it has a loyal, but knowledgeable, folllowing........

Yaaayyyyy!!!!!
I'm knowledgable!!!!!
But seriously, the 8x57 is a real thumper.
And for super-thumpin' fun score yourself some Woodleigh Weldcore 250 grainers.
They'll knock the stuffing out of anything in Nth America, prob'ly even a brown bear.
It would be interesting to pop them into a 325 WSM and try em.

[nasem]

I do have a question about those 8mm mauser surplus ammo.... I underestand that most of them are old (made in the 1950s and such), I also know they are corrosive (which is OK aslong as your willing to clean up afterwards).... What I want to know is if these surplus ammo are bi-metal or copper plated.  I ask because I just don't enjoy shooting bi-metal steel down the barrel of a modern firearm.  I also go to some indoor ranges that do the magnet test and they would not let me shoot anything thats magnetic.

[Mikey]

RaySendero:  What powder charge do you use under that 200 gn Speer HC bullet?  I've just ordered some 200 gn Nosler Partitions that I plan on moving down the tube with some VVN160, and some Hornaday 195 grainers with the same powder or some N140 or N150.  How does your load group???  Thanks for your help.  Mikey.

[RaySendero]

RaySendero:  What powder charge do you use under that 200 gn Speer HC bullet?  I've just ordered some 200 gn Nosler Partitions that I plan on moving down the tube with some VVN160, and some Hornaday 195 grainers with the same powder or some N140 or N150.  How does your load group???  Thanks for your help.  Mikey.

I use IMR-4895, CCI 200LR primers in Remington cases and use a light crimp.

3 shot groups stay under 1.5" at 100 yds.

I don't ever give out my MAX powder charges I develop for my rifle reloads - Don't want some to get hurt.  Think that MAX charges can very widely from rifle to rifle.  Have also noticed a big difference in some 8x57 case volumes (Rems to S&Bs).  In addition, my rifle is long throated, so pressures will be lower with same charge than others that have less distance to lands.

[Cheesehead]

Nasem

I just got a 900 pack of 8mm from Midway. It is corrosive per Midway. It came in a sealed tin can and in very good condition. Made in Turkey in 1955. I pulled one round apart, an impressive looking 196 grain fmj boat tail. Charged with 41 grains of flake powder. The bullet does not stick to a magnet. I have not fired any of these yet, but the Midway reviews claim it is good accuracy. About 90 bucks shipped. Back to the original post, the 8mm is an excellent big game round when properly loaded. I have been using the 8mm for over 35 years. Lots of surplus ammo and also fun to reload.

[Blammer]

If you notice in my pics, there is one that is labeled Milsurp ammo. there are 3 shots in that one hole and a 4th way out. I have found that the 1950 and the 1970 milsurp ammo is very accurate in some guns.

magnet test? don't know haven't tried it.

if you shoot the milsurp in a modern gun, make sure you clean INSIDE the bolt where the firing pin is. Most forget about that and then, taaa daaa, rusty bolt and broke firing pin.

[Brithunter]

Magnet test?

    Sheesh don't buy any modern Norma or RWS hunting ammo then as most of that is magbetic ................ yep and it's soft point expandign too. works well on game. The jackets are sintered iron not steel copper or nickel plated.. Oh and it's the heat and powder buring which wears the barrel not the bullet itself. Norma did a test using compressed air and after thousands of bullets down the bore could not detect any measurable wear  Norma were supposed to be changing over to Tomac for the jacket material as it made their dies last longer not because it performed better  .

[Blammer]

Wow!

I really would like to look at the test norma did! This would be great info!

any chance you could point me to where the info is?

[Cheesehead]

Magnet attracting bullets are banned at some ranges claiming they tend to spark upon impact and start fires.

Cheese

[jred]

In my experience, you get what you pay for.  I tried some old Turkish 8mm ammo given to me "free" when I bought a Czech VZ-24 mauser.   It was exciting to shoot because you never knew when it was going to go "bang". Sometimes right away, sometimes it would hangfire, and sometimes you had to recock the rifle and pull the trigger a second time.   At least you could tell if you were flinching.       The 8mm is a truly great and timeless round, everybit as good in the hunting field, IMHO, as the 30-06, 308 etc.  While other similar class rounds may shade the old 8mm here and there, as a practical matter it holds it's own against them all.   

[TribReady]

I just bought a sportierized 8mm. It's still a C&R, it's a 1949 Husquavarna 8mm from Allan's Armory (www.allansarmory.com)
Of all the calibers I could buy, I still chose the 8mm.  It absolutely has everything I would need for Wisconsin deer hunting to bear hunting to elk hunting to.....
I have other 8mm's and just love them. They are old military surplus rifles but they shoot unbelievably well.

The 8mm is an awesome round!

[S.S.]

I have heard several people complain about the Turkish ammo not firing?
I have Fired more of it then I could count and with not a single misfire?
I would replace the firing pin driving spring and see if this helps.
It may not be the ammo, just a weak spring.
As far as an 8mm being worth getting ?
Contrary to a few opinions, ballisticly speaking, it can do anything a 30-06 can do.
(Or better yet, The .30-06 can do anything the 8mm Mauser can do. Mauser being older. )
This is speaking when loaded to its true potential and not the sissy loadings
American Ammo Companies load. (Not much over a .30-30 ...170 grain at about 2350fps)
Many European loadings surpass the 30-06 in velocity and energy with comparable bullet weights.
So yes, It is "VERY" worth getting.

[alsatian]

I have heard several people complain about the Turkish ammo not firing?
I have Fired more of it then I could count and with not a single misfire?
I would replace the firing pin driving spring and see if this helps.
It may not be the ammo, just a weak spring.
As far as an 8mm being worth getting ?
Contrary to a few opinions, ballisticly speaking, it can do anything a 30-06 can do.
(Or better yet, The .30-06 can do anything the 8mm Mauser can do. Mauser being older. )
This is speaking when loaded to its true potential and not the sissy loadings
American Ammo Companies load. (Not much over a .30-30 ...170 grain at about 2350fps)
Many European loadings surpass the 30-06 in velocity and energy with comparable bullet weights.
So yes, It is "VERY" worth getting.

It seems there is a reason American cartridge manufacturers make sissy 8 mm loadings.  Isn't it the case that some 8 mm Mauser rifles were manufacturered with poor steel -- perhaps improperly heat treated by less than state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities outside of Germany and/or under severely distressed manufacturing circumstances late in WW-II?  Thus, selling 8 mm Mauser ammo that is fully loaded invites disasterous failures in these widely available sub-standard rifles.  Thus, unless you are quite sure of the pedigree and the quality of your specific 8 mm Mauser rifle, isn't shooting full loads a risky experiment?

[Blammer]

I believe that the reason anemic ammo for the 8mm mauser exists is because of the older older 8mm rifles have a .318 diameter bore instead of the .323 dia.

as far as pedigree of your rifles concerning the steel they are made out of. It is EASY to find out. Pretty much any German K98 and Yugo M48 is designed for the standard 8mm ammo.

[TribReady]

blammer is right, pretty much any post 1940 m48 or k98  will be just fine.
The bore diameter and reciever tolerances are the main reason US mfgrs won't load 8mm to it's full potential.  Actually, it all comes down to that one potential lawsuit. Honestly, they're more afraid of the $$ lost from that than the $$ gained from providing a good 8mm load. I'm not blaming the US mfgrs one bit, it's just a fact of life/business nowadays.
Get some S&B ammo, Wolf Gold, Norma or do what i plan to do in the future--handload.
Other than the impotent, anemic US loads, the 8mm is an unbelievably awesome, and proven, round.

[Rummer]

Finally got my 8x57 tuned up.  It is a Remington 700 Classic.  The bullet is the 175gr sierra.  The powder is H4895. 

8mm   Sierra 175 spz, H-4895
left  48.5 gr  5 rds into 0.7" outer diameter (0.38" center to center)   est Vm=2722
 
right  49.0 gr  5 rds into 1.1" outer diameter  (0.78 center to center)  est Vm=2742

These velocity figures are estimates based on the data found at www.hodgdon.com.  Max powder charge is listed as 49.4 per Hodgdon.  Always remember to reduce your starting loads and work your way up to max charges.

[Drilling Man]

  I've put a LOT of meat in my freezer useing my 8x57jrs, handloading 200 NP's to 2,500 fps...  Includeing the moose in the pict..., well the moose that was under those antlers.  hahahahaa

  It's my one bullet to do everything in this gun and after more than 20 years of useing it, i have NO reason to change a thing!

  DM

[S.S.]

Nice rifle balancing out those Moose antlers too.
What model is it?

[Brithunter]

Could some one explain to me how come the European makers are happy to load the 8x57 cartridge to it's normal working pressure yet US makers will not  . Is it because the Europeans think that thier customers are more intelligent and can be expected to use the correct ammunition in the rifle? Or could it be politically motivated?

    Seeing as how loaded to it's proper CIP pressure the 8x57 is a better performer than the .30 Springfield cartridge  after all the 30-06 was adopted after the 8mm Mauser started using the 154 grn Spitzer bullet which had a service velocity of around 2900fps. The 06 when adopted used a comparable 150 Grn bullet but the velocity was only 2700 fps. Loading the 8mm Mauser to it's noral pressures would make the home growm cartridge look not so impressive whilst down loading the 8mm Mauser makes the 06 look good .

    Now S&B with their 196 Grn SPCE bullet claim a velocity of 2650 fps. Even if this is optimisic as a lot of makers claims are ans say it's a little slower than that it's still an impressive load. A thing which has puzzled me in this post is the mention of Turkey using the 196 grn bullet  as I understood that they stayed with the original 154 grn spitzer bullet at around 2900 fps which is why a lot of folks claim the Turk is hot ammo.

   Now me I use both cartridges so do notbhave a favorite between these two.

[Syncerus]

Hi Brit: the answer is that it's much easier to sue on this side of the pond than on your side. The manufacturers aren't idiots. They're just terrified of the lawyers.

William Shakespeare was right ...

[Drilling Man]

Nice rifle balancing out those Moose antlers too.
What model is it?

  It's a Krieghoff drilling, and it's been my "most used" hunting gun that i own for more than 20 years now.

  DM