8x57 African big game load

[grand veneur]

The cartridge 8x60 was created out of necessity in order to cheat a law that had banned military cartridges. Initially there was no attempt to improve the performance of the cartridges 8x57. An attempt was made to turn the cartridge 8x60 into a high-performance cartridge by using a stronger load, but success was limited.

THE CARTRIDGE COLLECTOR

 

[Louis Toadvine]

Very cool! 8x57 is one of my favorite calibers, and I would love to find some heavier bullets in factory-loaded ammunition; the heaviest I tend to find are 198 or 200 grains.

Of the rifles in my stable, my favorite is chambered in 8x57.

 

[PerH]

https://lfb-munition.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Katalog-LFB_2021_deu_Drueckjagdpatronen.pdf

LFB load a 220 bonded version for both IS and IRS

 

[flatwater bill]

@PerH That is a lot of power out of an 8x57......would like to try some in my Sauer.....(.LBF is driving a 220 grainer at 765m/s).....my usual load is 51 grains of 4350 driving a 200 grain Barnes at 742m/s (2451fps) but bbl is only 22.6" Penetration and performance on plains game has been outstanding even at this energy level. Wonder if LFB is available here stateside?.......to the OP....the 236 grainer is what we hunted with as kids, factory loaded. We had no chronograph then, but estimated their velocity at 2250....quite low compared with your photo. Thanks for posting........FWB

 

[PerH]

Woodleigh make a 250 Weldcore also , i have a couple of them around somewhere snd they are veeery long . Good moose handler bullet ( short ranges lot of smack )

 

[ZG47]

“Dynamit Nobel” …. Ha, love it!

Just have to ask if you’re certain they’re non-corrosive? Got a BRNO VZ24 off GunBroker to clean up and restore a bit. Iowa seller gave a glowing description, included a laughable “Certificate of Authenticity” signed by him and his buddy apparently. Worked my nads off to clean it up, and finally borescoped the barrel only to find severe putting from corrosive ammo, it looks like. Unusable junk.

So, just at the forefront of my little world at the moment. Those pics are great!

Not a problem. Only lazy people have issues with corrosive ammo. Parker Hale 303 can very mixed with water. Ballistol can be used straight OR with water. Cold water, just by itself, followed up by any light emulsifying oil, is good.

 

[mauser98]

@PerH That is a lot of power out of an 8x57......would like to try some in my Sauer.....(.LBF is driving a 220 grainer at 765m/s).....my usual load is 51 grains of 4350 driving a 200 grain Barnes at 742m/s (2451fps) but bbl is only 22.6" Penetration and performance on plains game has been outstanding even at this energy level. Wonder if LFB is available here stateside?.......to the OP....the 236 grainer is what we hunted with as kids, factory loaded. We had no chronograph then, but estimated their velocity at 2250....quite low compared with your photo. Thanks for posting........FWB

I'm not surprised to see that velocity. RE 17 does great with 220gr bullets. Sierra Gamekings SPBT can be shot past 2550 fps (777M/S) all within safe pressures. Woodleighs near 2600 fps.

 

[dchamp]

My son has used his 8X57 twice in African. He has taken all of his game from Springbok to Kudu with it using 160gr TTSX propelled with IMR3031 at somewhere between 2800-2850fps.

 

[MD Driver]

The 8 x 60 is to all intents and purposes pretty much identical to the 8 x 57, the additional 3mm was a simply "work-around" following the Treaty of Versailles

Interesting! Never knew that.

 

[pilar]

I’m looking for a 8x57 for a general purpose rifle
what is the best grain ammo for it as I only ever see 196gr S&B ammo

 

[ZG47]

175 gr Sierra is probably the most popular reloading option for all round use. The Partizan/Highland load with a 139 gr projectile is popular hunting ammo here in NZ. Norma may still offer a 165 gr load and Hornady 125 gr projectiles are also available.

 

[8 x 60]

175 gr Sierra is probably the most popular reloading option for all round use. The Partizan/Highland load with a 139 gr projectile is popular hunting ammo here in NZ. Norma may still offer a 165 gr load and Hornady 125 gr projectiles are also available.

Hollow-point the 175grn .323 Sierra and you will have a devastating round
(Below left)

 

[ZG47]

Hollow-point the 175grn .323 Sierra and you will have a devastating round
(Below left)
View attachment 557882

OR … rechamber to 8mm-06 and you get the effect without modifying the projectile, due to the increase in revolutions per second. That is why the standard twist rate for the 8x68 S is 1-280mm, as opposed to the problematic 1-10” for the 8mm Remington.

 

[steve white]

“Dynamit Nobel” …. Ha, love it!

Just have to ask if you’re certain they’re non-corrosive? Got a BRNO VZ24 off GunBroker to clean up and restore a bit. Iowa seller gave a glowing description, included a laughable “Certificate of Authenticity” signed by him and his buddy apparently. Worked my nads off to clean it up, and finally borescoped the barrel only to find severe putting from corrosive ammo, it looks like. Unusable junk.

So, just at the forefront of my little world at the moment. Those pics are great!

You could rebore it--shame to let it go to waste

 

[steve white]

Never had an 8x57 that didn't like 42 gr IMR 4895 for accuracy--with a 200 gr bullet.

 

[dchamp]

I’m looking for a 8x57 for a general purpose rifle
what is the best grain ammo for it as I only ever see 196gr S&B ammo

For factory ammo I prefer Norma or Lapua. I would look for:
1. Norma - 160gr. Eco Strike
2. Norma - 196gr. Oryx or White Tail (Alaskan)
3. Lapua - 180gr Naturalis
I use to buy Norma ammo from Grafs but haven’t seen lately. They have Lapua in stock only but with a 120gr. bullet that I have no experience with.

Privi and S&B make decent ammo. Federal is anemic but is suttable for old Mausers.

For hand loading I prefer 160gr. TTSX, follwed by 180gr and 196gr bullets. The 220gr. SGK is also very good and you should be able to get it going between 2400 - 2500fps.

Overall I prefer the 160gr. bullets

 

[dchamp]

OR … rechamber to 8mm-06 and you get the effect without modifying the projectile, due to the increase in revolutions per second. That is why the standard twist rate for the 8x68 S is 1-280mm, as opposed to the problematic 1-10” for the 8mm Remington.

Please explain, as I don’t understand how the 1-10 twist for the 8mmRM is problematic compared to the 1-11 twist for the 8x68s.

 

[PerH]

Is the 8x64S cartridge the best all around hunting cartridge? — Ron Spomer Outdoors

If you closely follow the RSO blog, you already know two useful metric 8mm/.323 inch diameter cartridges. In ballistic performance the 8x57 IS is practically a metric counterpart to the 30-06 Springfield, though it shoots slightly larger diameter bullets. The 8x68S shoots as close to the trajectory

www.ronspomeroutdoors.com

Even ZG47 were chambered in this one

 

[8 x 60]

OR … rechamber to 8mm-06 and you get the effect without modifying the projectile, due to the increase in revolutions per second. That is why the standard twist rate for the 8x68 S is 1-280mm, as opposed to the problematic 1-10” for the 8mm Remington.

With thin-skinned game like Roe Deer a standard 175 grn Prohunter may give less than ideal terminal performance. In my humble opinion, this is a great fix -based on my experience. Your experience may be different? Didn't want to start a pissing competition

 

[Gert Odendaal]

The 8x60 Mauser is an extremely scarce rifle in South Africa, these rifles are been given down from Great Grand Father to Grand Father to Son to Grand Child in South Africa, so you are not able to purchase these rifles . If there are rifles available on auctions it is extremely expensive .

The Mauser 8x57 JS is unknown by the larger hunting community /hunters as well as shooters here in South Africa . The German made /designed calibers really has a small following here in South Africa due to ignorance . It is the best bushveld hunting rifle you are able to get in South Africa. Bullet weights range from 176 gn to 225gn weight bullets.
Twist rate is ; 1:9.45 stabilizing a heavy for caliber bullet.
Penetration is always excellent.
Most rifles are build on military Mauser 98 actions.
It seems more hunters are building rifles with new barrels but keep the Mauser 98 Actions as part of the rifle.
I have two of these Mauser 98 8X57JS Mauser rifles and will never part with them..
Re-loading components are readily available.
Ammo is readily available .
The barrel length usually were 29.5 inches .
The Turkish Mauser is a small-ring Mauser
Most Mauser 8x57JS rifles are build on a Mauser 98 action as was used in the German army ..

It is possible to hunt out to 300 meters on open plains , as well.