anybody deer hunt with a 8mm mauser?

[ebonitekid767]

whats the max kill range on this caliber? and does anyone shoot the winchester Power Points out of theirs?what kind of accuracy do you get?


thanks!

[Robert]

I haven't taken a deer with mine yet...but I have no doubt that it will perform at least as well as a .308 Winchester with Iron sights.  If you have a bent bolt and can put a scope on....the sky is the limit.  Mine is reamed out at the muzzle from years of abuse with a steel cleaning rod...but amazingly it will still perform nicely on the 800 yd gong.

[jh45gun]

I have not yet as I have other lighter guns to use as mine is a Turk 29 inch barrel model. I do remember though that I had friends I went to school with that were of Chech background and they. ( 2 brothers and a dad) all used Milsurp 8mm mausers. They did very well with them and always got their deer with them. Not sure on this but they were farmers and I think the dad was not that removed from the old country maybe his dad came from there or maybe even he did so maybe that is why the dad felt comfortable with the milsurps. At the time they were the only folks I knew who used them for hunting every one else I knew used lever guns or bolt sporters or semi auto's. I always felt sorry for them for the old heavy guns they had to use until I got interested in milsurps 30 years later now I know they were not put at a disadvantage at all and their 8mm guns sure had more power  and distance than my 30/30 did. Not knocking the 30/30 I shot a deer last year with one for old times sake and it still works as intended. One shot one deer.   Jim

[RaySendero]

whats the max kill range on this caliber?

Max kill is way out there!

If you mean Max hit in vitals - Its about 150 yds (maybe 200) for my set up with 2X scout scope.  Depends having enough sun light and a good rest.

.....and does anyone shoot the winchester Power Points out of theirs?

Nope never tried the Win. PPs.

Have reloaded 185 Rem CLs, 200 Sierra MKs, 200 Speer SPs and 220 Sierra GKs.  I like the 200 Speer best followed by the 185 Rem. CLs for deer and hogs.  Had a 220 SGK fail to expand at lower 8x57 velocity - I'm told its designed for the 8mm Rem. Mag.

[Mikey]

ebonitekid767:  If you intend on using the 8x57 (8mm Mauser), don't bother wasting your money on the Winchester Power Points or any other American made 8mm ammo, it is simply not loaded to the proper power levels.  The Winchester loads are slightly better than the 30-30, and the 8mm all by itself, with proper loads, doesn't even give anything up to the 30-06.

Sellier and Bellot make some of the finest 8mm ammo I have ever used and I have 5 different 8mm Mausers that I have used.  Their 8mm loading in either a 196 gn soft point or fmj clocks at better than 2500'/sec - you have to reload the 30-06 to get that.  If your bore is good you should be able to group very well at 100 yds with those loads.  If you scope your rifle and bed the action (if needed) your 8mm may well become your 'go-to' rifle.  

For reloading purposes, the 57mm length cartridges are very efficient.  The 8mm has always had a lot going for itself, until the American ammo makers started loading it down (and way down at that) either for liability purposes (so they say) or to better hype and sell the American cartridge designations.  JMO.  Mikey.

[Racepres]

Odd to me also that the win power points in 7mmx57 seem hotter than any of the (American) factory  8mm's by alot.... "this looks like a good place for a reloader"  
Marty

[Snowshoe]

I have taken several whitetails with the 170g Hornady RN bullet loaded to 2630 fps. All deer have fallen on the spot. My rifle is a sportered 38 Turk with a 24" barrel, a bit heavy but a good shooter. My 8x57 will take a deer farther than  I want to shoot, and that is 300 yards. I also have Hornady 150g sp's loaded to 2950 fps, but have not used them to hunt with yet, as I am a little concerned with meat damage.

[Badnews Bob]

They work very well If you want to buy hunting rounds look at hornadys 196gr offerings they shot a 4" group at 300yards out of my yugo M 48. And they are loaded to europian specs not US.

[Dan Chamberlain]

My dad used an 8mm made in 1937 for a gosh awful long time.  It was a lovely sporter with an aperture sight.  He was always a one-shot wonder.  He used Rem factory loads - not the heaviest load, but no deer ever walked away!

Dan C

[Oldtimer]

Just a thought about the US loaded ammo.  It seems to shoot to point of aim in my M-48.  We talk about changing sights at the drop of a hat, but after WWII, anything that would shoot was in high demand and parts for any guns were a rare thing.  As an added bonus, if someone happened to stick the ammo into an old M-1888, it would not blow up the thing. As to killing power, the 8mm seems to do the job better than it should, even with the low powered American loads.

[kombi1976]

I've got a k98 with a cut-down stock and although I haven't taken it out for deer yet(hopefully will later in the year) it's been pretty convincing on the bench, even with open sights.
The most effective load I have for it presently is the Speer 170gn Semi-Spitzers and they're shooting 3-shot groups amazingly although I'm shooting a fair few fliers with the battle sights.
But there's enough to show good signs and the 4-12x I'm going to fit on it should make a big difference.
As far as effective range, you should be able to get it operating well out to about 260yds although with Euro ammo it'll almost do better than that.
Certainly as good if not better than a 308.

[S.S.]

AN 8mm Mauser properly loaded with proper
pressure ammunition will do just about anything
a 30-06 will do at any range a 30-06 will do it.
The only reason I buy American Ammunition
is to pull the bullets, dump the powder and
reload them with a real powder charge.
As for Whitetail deer hunting with it, ...
WAY TOO MUCH GUN.
It works great on Hogs Though.

[jh45gun]

AN 8mm Mauser properly loaded with proper
pressure ammunition will do just about anything
a 30-06 will do at any range a 30-06 will do it.
The only reason I buy American Ammunition
is to pull the bullets, dump the powder and
reload them with a real powder charge.
As for Whitetail deer hunting with it, ...
WAY TOO MUCH GUN.
It works great on Hogs Though.

Why way too much gun??? It cannot be the bullet diameter as the 32 special is 8mm too and lots of folks use larger bullets in diameter than 8mm from 35 to 45. It like the 06 can be loaded down so I do not see how it is too much gun?? Since the US loadings are weak they sure would not make it too much gun? Just curious what makes you think it is too much gun?

[kombi1976]

I agree with jh45gn.
It's usually the opposite...too little gun rather than too much.
The 8mm is perfect for any deer.
I'd rather use a 8mm "sledgehammer"(if it is one) and be sure than the other way around. :roll:
Elmer Keith would've said it wasn't enough.
Geez, I'd even use my 8x57 on goats.

[kevin.303]

oldtimer hit it right, most 8mm ammo is loaded down for liability reasons, so if someone fires it in a GEW '88 they won't have a lawsuit on there hands. same with the .30-40 Krag ammo. new .303 on the other hand, i would not be comfortable sticking in a Lee-Metford or any gun inteneded for BP cartridges.

[Robert]

Just for the record....I have an old CZ probably 1940-ish....  I finally got around to 'slugging' the bore...It is definately a .318 bore.  So Do Not Assume that you have a .323 safe bore with any of these old rifles.  THIS IS the reason that the ammo is loaded down to 30-30 levels.

[kombi1976]

Unless you have a 1888 German Commission Mauser you're almost certainly safe to use .323" cal bullets.
They're the only cartridge, with the exception of the .318 Westley* Richards that uses .318 cal.
If you feel so moved slug away but I personally wouldn't be concerned about anything built post 1914.
By then the German army were using the spitzgeschlosh(sp?) bullet.

* I apologise. 318 Westley Richards is actually a .330 cal bullet.  :oops:

[S.S.]

In my Opinion most cartridges used by hunters today
on whitetail are overkill. By saying too much gun, I meant
that the kind of power afforded by the 8MM mauser is
not necessary for whitetail.

[kombi1976]

In my Opinion most cartridges used by hunters today
on whitetail are overkill. By saying too much gun, I meant
that the kind of power afforded by the 8MM mauser is
not necessary for whitetail.

Clarification noted. :wink:
In truth people comparatively use more than enough gun for a lot of hunting.
But then the old "Use enough gun" adage means different things to different people.
Plenty of old hunters that believed a bigger cal in a slower cartridge was more effective than a fast small bore. :|
I think at the end of the day that there is a secret kind of exhilaration to using a very powerful rifle when perhaps a less powerful one would've done the job just as well if not better.
You're not going to persuade that out of people.
I know one thing for sure.
Using a 303 Brit on hogs when a 22-250 or 243 Win would've done just as well is very fun.  :grin:
The extra boom! when you hurl a bullet double the mass of the .224 or 6mm bullet and then see the effect is very gratifying. :mrgreen:

[wormbobskey]

Amen to that. I like a rifle that lets you know its there.

[S.S.]

I don't know, I have gotten to the age that I don't
really like being "ABUSED" every time I pull the trigger.
I normally have some pretty extensive range sessions
(When I shoots......I shoots lots)
and I just enjoy shooting something that is not going to
leave me sore the next morning.
Don't get me wrong, I like touching off a cannon every now  
and then still too.

[kombi1976]

I can relate to that, Sumner, but if your rifle is heavy enough and/or has a good recoil pad then a lot of that discomfort can be avoided.
At worst you could wear a "sissy bag"..... :mrgreen:
I guess I'm still young and stupid and up for the next big gun. :roll:
My 8x57 is the biggest gun I own so far and I intend to score some Woodleigh 250 grainers for it to see what horrors they can inflict.  :twisted:
The horrors may be on my shoulder too.    :cry:  
Only live once though.  :wink:
Couldn't be as bad as the time I shot trap with an old BSA hammerless 12g sbs that had a brass butt plate.
Into the second heat I kept dropping the butt off my shoulder and onto the top of my upper arm just before pulling the trigger.
I had a bruise the size of a lemon on my bicep that resembled an explosion in a paint factory.  :cry:  :eek:
Live and learn.  :| :grin:

[kevin.303]

tell you what cuz, when you come up here we'll get you a Mosin Nagant M44 and a couple boxes of the yellow tipped Hungarian ball ammo. or better yet, my cousins .300 RUM! as much as like my .303 and .30-40, after about 25 rounds in one sitting and my shoulders start to hurt, thats one reason why i'm buying a .44-40.

[kombi1976]

Kev, surely you're not going all wussy on me now?  :?  
A big lad like you oughta be able to take his medecine.  
Nah, I'm a big girl like the rest of you.
Both my sporterised mil-surps have slip-ons over the butt plates to save the complexion on my pretty little shoulder.  :-D :mrgreen:

[S.S.]

My cannon is a 45-75-550
That translates to 45 caliber
75 grains powder
550 grain bullet.
That thing kicks like a Mule and I don't shoot it that often. It is an old single shot with only a 19 1/2 inch barrel.
It will knock Boars flat though!
The gun will shoot factory .45-70's also, they are just a bit short. it is a little more managable with them

[1911crazy]

S.Sumner I understand what your saying the 6,5 swede is enough gun and easier on the old body.  I put the thickest recoil pad on my '06 a while back and its like awesome to shoot it now it costs like $5 at numrich.  One of the most accurate american 8mm ammo for me has been the PMC 8mm 170gr SP.  I'm not sure if i would bear hunt with it being less in power but it would be a very good whitetail round if the 8mm is all you have.  It doesn't shoot bad in both my Hakim and 98 mauser.                                                             BigBill

Fact; Lets face it the 30-30 is the most popular round for deer and it has taken more deer than all the other rounds added up too.  I'm sure it has taken more blackbears too because it was the most popular round for so many years with the older hunters.  All I can remember many years ago with the old timers using is the 30-30,  30-06 and something called a 303britt(justkidding kevin303) I'm sure the 308 is a close ties with the '06 today and the 35rem is in there too in popularity.  Today I think one of the hottest calibers for whitetail is the 25'06 / 243 / 270  they have been gaining ground with the younger hunters.

The 12ga slug is starting to come into its own too because of its short range and were losing forest land every year to housing here too.

[baitwaister]

My Dad has shot a 8mm since he got it after WWII.  He had it sporterized and scoped.  He has killed antelopes to moose with it.  he got his moose last year at 200yds with a 220gr handload in the neck.  He was 79 at the time.  He doesn't pack it around any more because of the weight. We have handloaded for it for as long as I can remember.

[stolivar]

I have a 29 inch turk 8mm that I have with a turned down bolt and nikon on it. It is loaded with 150 grain sierra's at max powder with no signs of high pressure. It clocks at 3015 fps. Now this is one deer killing machine. One of the nicest triggers of any of my guns. I shot my last deer at 196 yards by the rangefinder and she dropped like a rock.


steve

[Stan in SC]

I deer hunt with mine that I call "Little Boomer" which I had made.Here's a picture of it.It originally was an M48 Mauser.
http://p223.ezboard.com/fcurioandrelicfirearmsforumfrm11.showMessage?topicID=708.topic

And here's the guy who cut down the M48 for me.]
http://www.gun-shop.biz//

Recoil?It doesn't bother me.It used to until I started shooting enough to get used to it.

[kombi1976]

Stan, your sporter is lovely.
What sort of stock is that on it?