8 x 57 Mauser

[Gert Odendaal]

Yes, the 8x57 JS with a 1: 9.45 twist is known to love heavy bullets..even my rifle like them very, very much..

 

[Gert Odendaal]

dchamp, any good groupings using the Barnes TTX at 300 to 400 meters and further out? How are the groupings then????????

 

[Gert Odendaal]

dchamp, here is the spread sheet for the BarnesTTX ...

 

[dchamp]

dchamp, here is the spread sheet for the BarnesTTX ...

This shows my load workup with QuickLoad. As you can see I am near or at the top of max pressure. Can't help you with grouping at 300 and four hundred as I have only been shooting gongs at 300 yards. But they hit them.

 

[Gert Odendaal]

I think there will be a significant difference between my rifle`s velocity and yours since my barrel length is 29.1 " Much longer than the 22" barrel on your rifle...I already ordered a pack of 50 x 160 gn TTX bullets and will began shortly working on a load...I am sure using the Barnes bullets will get me an accurate shooting rifle...I will give you feedback ..thank you again for the info it really is much appreciated...

 

[dchamp]

Please be aware, I have found these loads to be safe in my rifle(s) but may not be safe in yours. I have a fair amount of throat and lead and attribute that to my loads acceptability as I have not seen any high pressure indicators with it. Please use good safe practices when developing your loads.

This load is over pressured but I have found it safe in my rifle. I show it only for its potential.

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Thank you dchamp, yes, I will develop my own loads for my rifle..I never copy/duplicate any other loads ...the key point being the probability of my 8x67JS Mauser give good groupings with this light bullet...this will be my objective...since there is a conundrum about the .318 " and .323 " bore in the USA, reloaders in the USA tends to go with softer loads to prevent law suits..I still believe the 8x57 JS Masuer can be reloaded to hotter loads ...

 

[dchamp]

I did not think you would but you are not the only one out there and these would be considered high or over pressured loads. I too think the 8x57JS can be pushed to higher pressure. What is the Somchem equivalent to IMR3031 and H4895 or are other powders available to you.

 

[Gert Odendaal]

At this stage I am using S355 ..I do not have a comparison chart of USA powders and that of SONCHEM.

 

[leslie hetrick]

my 98 german mauser came home with a returning GI at the end of ww-2 and sat in a closet for years, until his son got it in the early 60,s and had it sporterized and has been a very good deer killer with 150gr bullets at 2700 fps. it will stand heavier loads, but they are not needed for deer.

 

[browningbbr]

My C.O.A.L with this bullet (160gr TTSX) is 3.160". I shoot it out of 3 different barrels, 1 Blaser, 1 Sako and 1 Remington 700. The Blaser R8 barrel is 3.306"- .146" jump. The Sako 85 Grizzly is 3.360"- .200" jump. And the Remington 700 is 3.270"- .110" jump. All shoot it well.

For a heavier bullet I would suggest trying the 220gr. Sierra Game King in front of some CFE223 powder. I've only shot it in my Blaser, C.O.A.L. 3.205", to the lands 3.260"- .o55" jump. I am getting around 243o+/- fps and it is accurate and has good precision.

Thanks! My first tests were 0.050 and 0.060" off of the lands. I'll try a little closer with the next loadings.

 

[browningbbr]

Browningbbr, it is great to hear that your want to get a light load for your 8x57 JS l.I will definitely try it in my 8x57 JS Mauser if you succeed . In South Africa the 8x57 JS Mauser is not a well known rifle...the South African hunters tend to use /know/prefer the American calibers , the 300H&H Magnum and the .30-06 caliber .
It is only a few hunters who know about the German calibers who hunt and use them extensively.
My 8x57JS is a devastating caliber /round in walk and stalk hunts. I use 220 gn bullets at 2100f/s which gives an incredible hard hitting hunting bullet as well as an accurate load. The rifling twist is 1:9.54 , suitable for long heavy bullets ranges from 196gn to 225gn bullet weight .
I previously tried to get a good grouping with 150gn bullet but I did not succeeded . This is why I am curious to see if a 160 gn bullet will work in my rifle...

At what muzzle velocity do you shoot the 160gn bullets?

Gert,
I am loading to a speed of 2700 feet per second. I don't intend to use it in Africa, I have a .300 Win Mag, a .375 H&H and a .416 Rigby for that type of hunting. I used the the .300 for a hunt in the South Cape.

I built the 8x57 on a M98 military action, but the barrel, stock, trigger, magazine, floor plate, safety, firing pin and all springs are after market. I wanted the light load for hunting white tail deer from tree stands on my property. Hence the desire for a light rifle with light recoil

Browningbbr

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Browningbbr, it is a real good looking rifle you have ..a step barrel , is it a small ring Mauser or large ring Mauser? It seems the cheek piece has been design like the soup bowl of the Mannlicher Schoenauers from 1950...Did you cut the barrel or is it the original length?

 

[browningbbr]

Gert,

The barrel on my 8 x 57 is a Shaw. It's not a step barrel. I just completed retesting of rounds last week and had pretty good success with Speer 170gn HCSS (0.978" center to center) and Barnes 160gn TTSX (0.985" CtoC) bullets. I used 47.0gn of RL15 powder for the Speer bullets and 49.0gn of Varget for the Barnes.

The rifle is a large ring 98. It's a WWI German military action.

I made the stock out of a piece of English walnut and spaced the grip cap and forearm with 3/32" maple. I shaped it to fit me. I used a cheap beechwood stock to fabricate and adjust the pattern to my way of holding the rifle, then made the stock.

I'm pretty happy with the weapon. I intended to use it this morning for the opening of white tail deer season, but we had a wet snow all day and the the rifle is too beautiful for that kind of weather. I used my stainless .300 Win Mag instead and shot 2 does. I still have 3 tags left, so I'll use the 8 x 57 tomorrow when the weather clears.

browningbbr

 

[browningbbr]

Gert,

PS: The pictures of my Mauser can be found under the post "Just-finished Mauser Project"

browningbbr

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Gert,

PS: The pictures of my Mauser can be found under the post "Just-finished Mauser Project"

browningbbr

Thank you Browning bbr, this info is much appreciated. I am awaiting bullets in 160 gn weight for my 8x57 Turkish Small ring Mauser...I will give feedback about the performance of these bullets.

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Gert,

PS: The pictures of my Mauser can be found under the post "Just-finished Mauser Project"

browningbbr

Browningbbr, please send me the link..???

 

[browningbbr]

Gert, here is the link

https://www.africahunting.com/threads/just-finished-mauser-project.23429/

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Browningbbr, it is a beautiful rifle you build, and since it is a 8x57Mauser it is a perfect hunting rifle for sure

 

[browningbbr]

A very late follow up note: While the 160gn TTSX bullets seemed promising, I was unsatisfied with the group consistency on follow up testing. On a whim, I bought a box of 200gn TSX and tested loads at 0.050 and 0.060" off the lands. Both were better, but the 0.060" spacing gave me CtoC groups of less than 1.00" at 100 yards. I bought another box of 200gn TSX and loaded up all of my brass with them.

I rarely shoot over 60 yards at white tail on my property, so I am well set going forward. This project is now complete.