8x57 loads

[spiska]

Just picked up a nice sporterized German Mauser in 8mm. Wanted to give 8x57 a try this deer season.

Anyone have any bullet preferences and/or load data to share?

 

[steve white]

42 gr IMR 4895 with a 196 gr bullet is a mild sweet spot in 8X57 JR.

 

[MauserDuff]

175 gr Sierras and IMR 4320 (2750 fps) has been my favorite for almost 50 years. 200 Partitions (2600 fps) and 4064 for bigger stuff. Both are sub-moa out of my 1944 M98.

 

[MS 9x56]

Believe it or not my rifle shoots the Sellier & Bellot 196 grain better groups than my handloads, so I use those with the SPCE bullet.

 

[rdog]

Just picked up a nice sporterized German Mauser in 8mm. Wanted to give 8x57 a try this deer season.

Anyone have any bullet preferences and/or load data to share?

I use a Speer 170 grain hot core in mine they are priced well 3 shot 1 inch groups & do a job on pigs.

 

[yamoon]

323 or 318 bore?
Mike

 

[dchamp]

This is what I use. They are for modern day rifles.

8X57is .323
(160 TTSX @3.16oal). H4895 & IMR 3031.
180 Hammer @ 3.0”+/- oal - (220 SGK @3.205oal). CFE223
Charge weight range 48 -51.5
I use R 9-1/2 primers

 

[spiska]

323 or 318 bore?
Mike

323. 1941 K98.

 

[spiska]

This is what I use. They are for modern day rifles.

8X57is .323
(160 TTSX @3.16oal). H4895 & IMR 3031.
180 Hammer @ 3.0”+/- oal - (220 SGK @3.205oal). CFE223
Charge weight range 48 -51.5
I use R 9-1/2 primers

Would a 1941 German Mauser qualify as a "modern day rifle"?

Was thinking about the Barnes 160 grain.

 

[dchamp]

I don’t know. Good chance your seating depths will be different. I measure for seating depth’s with a Hornady Gauge. As for powder charges, start a couple of grains lower and work it up looking for pressure signs. The 160gr TTSX is a really good bullet for the 8x57.

 

[BFaucett]

Just picked up a nice sporterized German Mauser in 8mm. Wanted to give 8x57 a try this deer season.

Anyone have any bullet preferences and/or load data to share?

I don't know what type of terrain you'll be hunting in for deer but I thought I'd share my bushveld (brush country) load that I used in the Limpopo Province of South Africa way back in 2005. Classic, old school recipe of a heavy (high sectional density) round nose bullet at moderate velocity. [Note: I do NOT subscribe to the old theory that round nose bullets fired at moderate velocity make good "brush buster" loads.]

Rifle: Remington Model 700 Classic (2004 edition) in 8x57JS

Just my two cents... Cheers! Bob F.

 

[MS 9x56]

I don't know what type of terrain you'll be hunting in for deer but I thought I'd share my bushveld (brush country) load that I used in the Limpopo Province of South Africa way back in 2005. Classic, old school recipe of a heavy (high sectional density) round nose bullet at moderate velocity. [Note: I do NOT subscribe to the old theory that round nose bullets fired at moderate velocity make good "brush buster" loads.]

Rifle: Remington Model 700 Classic (2004 edition) in 8x57JS

Just my two cents... Cheers! Bob F.


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Not a cull in the lot.

 

[93marlin]

Not a cull in the lot.

Nope! All really good cartridges,
Points out just how close in size they are.

 

[MS 9x56]

Nope! All really good cartridges,
Points out just how close in size they are.

As with muscle cars there is no replacement for displacement.

 

[BFaucett]

Looking through my notes today, I ran across the following. It's a handload recommendation for the 8x57JS posted by John Barsness on another forum site (forum member name "Mule Deer"). I haven't tried this load but I saved the information for my reference. I thought I'd pass it along.

John's website:

(John Barsness and Eileen Clarke)​

link: https://www.riflesandrecipes.com/​

I find it interesting that John's 8x57 load basically duplicates the stated factory ballistics of the 180 gr load of the .318 Westley Richards cartridge. From my Kynoch / ICI 1936 catalog reprint:

.318 Westley Richards​

bullet diameter = .330" ; barrel length = 28.0 inches​

Bullet Weight - Muzzle Velocity - Muzzle Energy​

180 gr - 2700 fps - 2913 ft lb​

250 gr - 2400 fps - 3197 ft lb​

I like to think of my Remington Model 700 Classic in 8x57JS as being sort of a poor man's .318 Westley Richards. Just for fun, maybe call it a ".315 Mauser." (8mm / 25.4 mm per inch = .315") By the way, John Taylor, in his book African Rifles and Cartridges (originally published in 1948), mentions the 8x57JS as also being known as the .315 Mauser back in the day. I think the name has a nice ring to it.

Some links that may be of interest:

Head to Head: 8x57 Mauser vs. .318 Westley Richards
by Philip Massaro posted on December 7, 2018
link: https://www.americanhunter.org/content/head-to-head-8x57-mauser-vs-318-westley-richards/

Behind the Bullet: .318 Westley Richards
by Philip Massaro posted on June 28, 2024
link: https://www.americanhunter.org/content/behind-the-bullet-318-westley-richards/

Behind the Bullet: 8x57 Mauser
by Philip Massaro posted on March 10, 2017
link: https://www.americanhunter.org/content/behind-the-bullet-8x57-mauser/

5 Reasons Round Nose Bullets Are Still Cool
by Philip Massaro posted on April 8, 2016
link: https://www.americanhunter.org/articles/2016/4/8/5-reasons-round-nose-bullets-are-still-cool/

.318 Westley Richards (Wikipedia)
link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.318_Westley_Richards

Just my ramblings... Cheers! Bob F.

 

[spiska]

I appreciate the help guys! I'll give some of these a try.

 

[mauser98]

Believe it or not my rifle shoots the Sellier & Bellot 196 grain better groups than my handloads, so I use those with the SPCE bullet.

I have found this to be a common occurrence in all my 8x57's. This load is not only very accurate, but it is loaded to the 8x57's true potential the federal, rem, winchester 170gr loads which come in around 2100-2350 fps.

Between 22-24 inch barrels 2550-2600 is the norm.

 

[mauser98]

As for reloads, I've had good results with IMR 3031 from Ken Waters load data. 46.5gr with 195gr Interlocks at 2550 fps for 3/4"-1 inch groups.

H4895 with 180gr Barnes TSX at 2750+ for one inch groups.

IMR 4064 with 170gr and 200gr loads.

IMR 4064 with 220gr SMK at 2450fps or Re17 at 2500 fps +

Lots of good options if one looks around the data books and recommendations from the other users.

 

[jruby]

Looking through my notes today, I ran across the following. It's a handload recommendation for the 8x57JS posted by John Barsness on another forum site (forum member name "Mule Deer"). I haven't tried this load but I saved the information for my reference. I thought I'd pass it along.


View attachment 712107

John's website:

(John Barsness and Eileen Clarke)​

link: https://www.riflesandrecipes.com/​

I find it interesting that John's 8x57 load basically duplicates the stated factory ballistics of the 180 gr load of the .318 Westley Richards cartridge. From my Kynoch / ICI 1936 catalog reprint:

.318 Westley Richards​

bullet diameter = .330" ; barrel length = 28.0 inches​

Bullet Weight - Muzzle Velocity - Muzzle Energy​

180 gr - 2700 fps - 2913 ft lb​

250 gr - 2400 fps - 3197 ft lb​

I like to think of my Remington Model 700 Classic in 8x57JS as being sort of a poor man's .318 Westley Richards. Just for fun, maybe call it a ".315 Mauser." (8mm / 25.4 mm per inch = .315") By the way, John Taylor, in his book African Rifles and Cartridges (originally published in 1948), mentions the 8x57JS as also being known as the .315 Mauser back in the day. I think the name has a nice ring to it.


View attachment 712122

Some links that may be of interest:

Head to Head: 8x57 Mauser vs. .318 Westley Richards
by Philip Massaro posted on December 7, 2018
link: https://www.americanhunter.org/content/head-to-head-8x57-mauser-vs-318-westley-richards/

Behind the Bullet: .318 Westley Richards
by Philip Massaro posted on June 28, 2024
link: https://www.americanhunter.org/content/behind-the-bullet-318-westley-richards/

Behind the Bullet: 8x57 Mauser
by Philip Massaro posted on March 10, 2017
link: https://www.americanhunter.org/content/behind-the-bullet-8x57-mauser/

5 Reasons Round Nose Bullets Are Still Cool
by Philip Massaro posted on April 8, 2016
link: https://www.americanhunter.org/articles/2016/4/8/5-reasons-round-nose-bullets-are-still-cool/

.318 Westley Richards (Wikipedia)
link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.318_Westley_Richards

Just my ramblings... Cheers! Bob F.

Since the 318WR is a hand loading proposition I wonder if it has anything over an 8mm-06.

 

[BFaucett]

Since the 318WR is a hand loading proposition I wonder if it has anything over an 8mm-06.

In my opinion, the 8mm-06 (and the 8x60S) would be very close to the .318 Westley Richards. Especially if you handloaded the 8mm-06 and the 8x60S with the Woodleigh 8mm 250 gr RN bullet. And the 8x57JS, loaded with the Woodleigh 8mm 250 gr RN, wouldn't be too far behind. However, I think the easiest and closest substitute / approximation for the .318 W-R would be the .338-06 (or a .338 Win Mag handloaded down a little) given the ready availability of a variety of .338" 250 gr bullets.

8x57JS .323" bullet diameter
8x60S .323"
8mm-06 .323"
.318 W-R .330"
.333 Jeffery .333"
.338-06 .338"
(Just for reference.)

Just my musings and ramblings... Cheers! Bob F.

my Ruger M77 Mk II .338 Win Mag

I had a handload worked up with the .338" Woodleigh 250 gr RN at 2500 fps that I planned to take to South Africa back in 2008. I cancelled the trip in 2007 due to concerns about the economy and my job back then (the "Great Recession"). That would have been my fourth trip to South Africa. Sadly, I never made it back to Africa. The handload approximated the Kynoch 250 gr load in the .318 Westley Richards (2400 fps) and the .333 Jeffery (2500 fps). I think it would have been a great load for the Bushveld. The reduced recoil, compared to factory .338 Win Mag 250 gr loads, was also nice.

From Google AI: "The Great Recession was a severe global economic downturn, particularly in the U.S., lasting from December 2007 to June 2009, caused by the bursting of the U.S. housing bubble and a global financial crisis."