Which caliber for my Yugo Mauser M-48 action project?

[Smokey]

I was leaning toward .358 Winchester until a friend suggested that the 350 Remington Magnum would give me more range and power.  He pointed out that a heavier rifle would negate much of the recoil associated with the earlier Remington 660 bolt asction in .350 RM because that rifle weighed only about 6 lbs.  Is he right?  I'd be looking to hunt mostly deer and elk with an occasional moose thrown in, all at ranges within 250 yds.

Any advice?

Thanks, in advance, for your comments.

[JBabcock]

Boy if you handload, I wouldn't change it from the 8x57 Mauser. If you load the cartridge up to it's true potential, it's got more power than the 358 Winchester, and isn't that far behind the 350 magnum. The 350 would require feed rail work, and that can alway's be tricky. Make sure you have somebody who knows what there doing work on the rails. I'd leave it 8x57 Mauser. More case capacity than the 358 Winchester. Checkout the Handload info for that round and I think you'll be surprised. Also can get Sellior and Bellot ammo, (not sure if the spelling is right) that is loaded pretty hot in 196 grain loads.

[Advocate]

The 350 Remington shines in the intermediate length m-98 Mauser action which is a little too short for the 30-06 length .35 Whelen.  It's the perfect length for long throated .350 Rem Mag, whereby the longer, heavier bullets (i.e. 250 grains) are seated with the base of the bullet flush with the case neck.  You can easily get 2650 fps  with the 250 grian bullet set up this way, 200 fps over the factory loaded 250 grainer or handloaded in the short action length.  

The 180 grain Barnes X bullet can be handloaded to more than  3000 fps in this cartridge and it's a very credible long range deer load. For elk, the 250 Nosler partition, Swift A-Frames, etc.,  at 2650 fps can't be beat.  Do you realize that the factory loaded .338 Win mag int he 250 grain bullet is only 2660 fps?  

I already have a good .338 Win Mag (Long throated for  extended seating of 250 and 275 grain bullets) but I am considering an M-98 Mauser in .350 Remington Magnum  with a 20-22" barrel.    

The .358 is also a good round, but th .350 is better in that it can duplicate the .35 Whelen AI and I would select it for that reason.  

Another option is the 9x57 Mauser, based on the 57 mm case, but it's kind of  a head ache beause factory ammo is not available any more and the actual specifications of this cartridge are for .355 diameter bullets instead of the usual .358 diameter as with the .358, and .350 Remington.  Also, you have to form brass, etc.  With the .358 and/or .350 Rem Mag you have a factory round with ready made brass.  Also, .350 Remington Magnum cases can be easily formed from just about any other belted magnum case including the 7mm Rem mag,. .338 &  300 win mag, 300 H&H, .375 H&H, .458 Mag, and u name it.

[razmuz]

Check out "Shooting Times", 02-02, "Handloading The 8X57MM Mauser" article before you change calibers.  It might change your mind, it did mine.

[Snowshoe]

I put my vote with rasmuz, the 8x57 is a fine round. I shoot a Turkish 8x57 and love it. It shoots very strait [moa], and hits hard. You can shoot from 125g to 220g bullets.

[Advocate]

Snowshoe:  I could not help but admiring that handsome whitetail deer in your photograph and would really enjoy hearing the details of that hunt. What kind of rifle/loads did you use?  What was the distance?  How did you find and stalk him?  Where was he taken?  Anything else you might care to add would be very nice.

[Snowshoe]

It was the last day of black powder season a few years ago. A friend and I were hunting in the Assiniboine River valley. I was using my new Lyman Deerstalker in .50 cal, and having trouble getting used to it. Having missed a couple of opportunities in the first few days, I was starting to feel skunked. My hunting partner, Ron, was gently walking a river bend, and I was sitting at a funnel area, near the end of the bend.
 The buck exploded in front of him and tried to head around him, but he cut it off and it turned for me. The only places he could go were by me , or to swim. The river had huge ice floes crashing by, so he took my route. I could see him coming for 200 yards or so, jumping over brush and downed trees. As he came closer I started to look for a shot, but he was not giving one. Desperate, I whistled, but that did no good. So I stepped out and into his path and hollered at him. He lifted his head and turned on the after-burners, straight at me! At 12 feet I shot, hitting him in the neck. Later I could see that  the ball had travelled up the spine, which is why he had dropped on the spot. He tobogganed in the knee deep snow,  crashing into tree that was laying at my feet. I was so excited, and a little unnerved, when I thought that he had planned to go through me! I couldn't quit shaking - or grinning.
 :lol: He dressed out at 210 lbs. The antlers were 5 and 6 tines.

[Advocate]

Snowshoe:  What a great story. Thanks for sharing it.

[Smokey]

...and I'm going with the .358 Winchester.  I dropped the action off with the gunsmith today.  He'll be lapping the lugs, squaring the bolt face, contouring the bridge (to get rid of the stripper clip rails), recontouring (narrowing) the trigger guard, drill and tap for Weaver bases, installing a Winchester-type safety, and installing a Timney adjustable trigger.  I'll be arranging for a Microfit Monte Carlo stock in AAA fancy fiddleback maple and a Shilen #3 match grade barrel to be sent his way.  He'll chamber, crown and thread the barrel, gloss blue the whole thing and inlet the stock.  After I finish the stock, he'll final fit the barreled action to the stock and away I'll go.  Can't wait!

[Advocate]

Smokey: I can't wait either. Keep us posted.  Looking forward to hearing how your project turns out.   Best.

[Buckeye]

8X57 is a differant cartridge handloaded :just as the 45/70 is . When the 8X57 is loaded hot it  is awfully close to the 338./06.

[razmuz]

While your waiting for your rifle you can spend some time trying to hustle some 358 brass.  I hear Midway will have some in July; maybe?