8mm bullets suggestions

[Blammer]

anyone shoot 8x57 (8mm mauser) and have a bullet suggestion for shooting deer (smallish 180 pound max) and a bullet suggestion for hogs?

I am most interested in results from those using bullets other than nosler and Barnes bullets. But I'll listen to those suggestions too.

[Brithunter]

You might like to look at the S&B 196 grn SPCE bullet and ammo as both are available. Although I have yet to shot any Deer with my 8mm my old friend the Game-Keeper who I hunt with uses the S&B 173 grn SPCE in his 7x74 for Roe and Fallow Deer and also for European Wild Boar and it works very well indeed. Otherwise you have the 170 Grn Speer and the 150 Grn Hornady both will work on Deer and Hog but again I have not used thepersonally as of yet  :oops: .

[Cheesehead]

I have loaded 200 grain Speer bullets for the 8mm Mauser for years. This bullet is relatively inexpensive and available. I decided to use this particular 200 grain bullet since much of the original military ammo and rifles seemed to based on the 196 grain bullets. This round has been used by 2 friends of mine on deer in the 100-170 lb deer with great success. I have shot it in my 98k at 100-200 yards with great accuracy. Bullets were never recovered from game since total penetration has been the rule.

Cheese

[Demonical]

220 Barnes X
200 Barnes XLC

200gr Nosler Accubond
200gr Nosler Partition

Hornady 195gr Interlock

Sierra 220 SBT

200gr Speer Hot Cor


IMHO sectional density is one of the most important criteria, second to accuracy. I wouldn't be shooting something less then the 195gr Hornady. So I would be trying handloads with the above bullets.
I'd be happy with any of these, whichever I found to be most accurate in my rifle.

I have a 2004 Rem M-700 8x57. So far I haven't settled on a load that I liked. I tried the 200gr Speer with RL-15, IMR-4350.
I have some loads built with H-414. I also have loaded up some 200gr Nosler Accubonds with H-414.

[mountainview]

Not tried these on deer or any other critters since I have the tangent sights on my Yugo but the Hornady 170 grain propelled by IMR 4350 in handloads seems to give me decent accuracy and the price is not too bad. You might want to give them a trial in your rig.

[Brithunter]

Hmm what seems to be forgotten here is that the original spitzer loading which shocked the military world so much in 1905 was the 154 Grn at 2950 fps. It was only when machine guns and aircraft came into use that they changed to the 196 Grn bullet as it retained it's velocity and had better penetration and produced more damage on material things like aircraft.

    For most normal applications in hunting the 150 grain bullet is very effective, even more effective than the 150 grn 30-06 due to it's slightly larger diameter and loaded to CIP pressures it's more efficient too. Heck loading to CIP pressures against the SAMMI ones the 8x57 propelles a 196 grain bullet at nearly the same velocity as the std 30-06 propelles a 150 grain one. I believe that the std velocity of the 30-06 wiht the 150 Grn bullets was 2700 fps whilst the std velocity of the 8x57 (7.92mm) is 2650 fps. For some reason the extra 0.015" in bullet diameter makes for a more efficient burn............ and no I do not understand why that should be either  . As I have Parker-Hale rifles chambered in both cartridges there is no favoritism there either

[RaySendero]

anyone shoot 8x57 (8mm mauser) and have a bullet suggestion for shooting deer (smallish 180 pound max) and a bullet suggestion for hogs?

I am most interested in results from those using bullets other than nosler and Barnes bullets. But I'll listen to those suggestions too.

I've used the 185 Rem CLs, 200 Speer HCs, 200 SMKs and 220 SGKs.

• 200 SMKs are good for Target shooting and Plinking.
• 220 SGKs did not open on the only deer I shot with them - Went through like an 8 point like FMC!  Lost that deer.
• 200 SP HC and 185 CLs performed well on deer and hogs.

[kombi1976]

I use Speer 170gn Semi-Spitzers for my k98 sporter.
Here's a pic of a 100yd group:



It's probably more than you need for a smaller sized deer and it's perfect for hogs.
The BC may not be as good as a 30 cal bullet but you wouldn't be worried about using a 165gn bullet in a 308 and the 8mm is in that sort of territory.
Mind you the big fun in 8mm cal is the Woodleigh Weldcore 250gn RNSN!!
Try them for a hitter if you can find them.

[Snowshoe]

I have been using Hornady 170g RN with IMR4064 at a velosity of 2630 fps. Whitetails I have hit with this bullet have gone down fast. I also have used 196g Norma bullets at 2450 fps for very fast kills. I have tried Hornady's 195g bullet at 2560 fps, and it made a 1" group at 100 yards. Nothing other than yet  targets has been shot with this bullet, but it really sets you back when you pull the trigger. The Hornady 150g bullet also shoots very accurate in my rifle, but even at over 2800 fps, it hits the gong at 300 yards a lot lighter than the other bigger, slower bullets. The Nosler 180g Bt is in the future for me, but time has been to short to get them loaded up. I think they will be a good bullet in the 8mm.

[Blammer]

thanks for all the suggestions! Keep em coming.

I just finished testing 180gr Nosler BT's and 200 gr Nosler Partitions and 200 gr Speer Hot cor in my Rem 700.

I'll attach some photos of the groups I shot.

I have also tested the 175 gr Sierra's and the 150 gr Sierras.

the 180 Noslers, I am not impressed with, the 200 gr Nosler Partitions I am impressed with.

I also like the 175 and the 150 gr sierras and I also like the 200 gr speer Hot-cor.

I also tested the 170 gr Horn RN's. Mind you all this is on paper so I have NO idea how they do on game. I will be going to TX to hunt hogs the end of Aug so I should have some field reports by then. I just need to decide what bullet to laod and take, I will probably take several kinds.

Here are some pics.

this is the 200 gr Speer Hot cor with IMR 4350


200 gr Partition IMR 4350


Yugoslavian 8mm Mauser with scout scope 100 yards Sierra 175 gr

[Blammer]

yes i know I said no partition info. Why? because I am cheap.

I just tested those partition and BT's because I was coerced into doing so.... I typically don't buy such "premium" bullets.

I am currently out of them.

I like the 200 gr Speer Hot Cor the best so far due to good accuracy and economy!

I have some 185 Rem Cor lokt to try next....

[Cheesehead]

I have also loaded the Remington 220 grain soft point for the 8mm Mauser. Very accurate and flat shooting out to 200+ yards. Muzzle velocity cronographed at 2218 fps. I have not taken deer with this round but two friends of mine have. Both deer dropped in their tracks. I bought a quantity of these bullets for very cheap so why not use them. A max charge of RL-15 works well. I think these bullets were designed for the 8mm Remington magnum but work well for the Mauser on targets and deer. With these bullets, the Mauser is capable of taking much larger game.

Cheese

[kombi1976]

yes i know I said no partition info. Why? because I am cheap.

Arrrrr!! I likes the cut of ye jib!
Sorry.....I'm watching Pirates Of The Carribean.
Those muzzle loaders look like fun too.
But I digress.

I just tested those partition and BT's because I was coerced into doing so.... I typically don't buy such "premium" bullets.

I am currently out of them.

I like the 200 gr Speer Hot Cor the best so far due to good accuracy and economy!

I have some 185 Rem Cor lokt to try next....

The Speers are good value.
Despite the assurance that the jackets on the larger cal Ballistic Tips are heavier and thus designed for big game there've been a lot of ugly rumours about them blowing up on game, admittedly at close range or when using magnums.
As such the Hot-Cors seem a good deal.

[Harold50]

I get the same results as Blammer in my 33/40 shooting 175 Sierras and about 1/2 a grain less in powder.
Have yet to shoot a deer with this load.

Harold

[USMC0332]

I have been learning to reload and looking for a load for my Turk sporter. I have shot 1 1/2" with 180 BT using around max load of Varget. I have shot 2" with the 200grn Speers, using around max of H4895. I have not finished testing with the 175grn Sierras, but have not had much luck with them yet. These were shot from a 1941 K.Kale, with 21" barrel and 1.5x4.5x32 Alpen scope, and reshaped original stock.