The good old 7.92 x 57 Mauser

[Patrik D]

Very very close The rifle is in fact built in Sweden..by a Norwegian..

You can see that the rifle was built in Sweden. I guessed that it was P-O Stenmark who had built it.

Beautiful weapon!

 

[8x68]

Some really nice rifles listed in this thread. I have two 8x57's, BRNO 21H & CZ 550. Alas I have failed in my duty as a firearms enthusiast to shoot either of them yet. In fact the BRNO still has the auction tag on it from 3yrs ago (I hang my head in shame)!

 

[Cleveland48]

Sure Bob. 8mm-06 is a fine caliber indeed. No question about that.
That being said, my 26" premium barrel delivers well over 2700 fps with 200 grain bullets.
2600 - 2700 fps is great speed for optimum bullet performance from a 200 grain 8mm, at least if meat destruction is a concern combined with punching an exit hole be it a large bull moose or 400 lb wild boar.

After an incident with a bear I decided to get rid of all my rifles that did`nt have open sights as primary sights. I needed a rifle that filled the gap between my 6,5x55 and my Rigby preferably a light sporter. After a long thought process I decided to go for 8x57. I`ve shot large moose with 375H&H, 338WinMag, 9,3x62, 6,5x55 and 8x57 btw..
Here it is. 26" original Mauser profile barrel, Pre WW II Oberndorf action, Silvers, 1/4 rib, 400 yrs old Juglans Regia full fiddleback, WR frontsight without the flip up.

View attachment 362038

Goodness that wood is simply beautiful!

 

[dchamp]

Some really nice rifles listed in this thread. I have two 8x57's, BRNO 21H & CZ 550. Alas I have failed in my duty as a firearms enthusiast to shoot either of them yet. In fact the BRNO still has the auction tag on it from 3yrs ago (I hang my head in shame)!

Shame, shame on you. You are definitely missing out. If you like factory ammunition Norma or Lapua are my preference but Sellier & Bellot or Prvi are good too.

 

[MS 9x56]

Some really nice rifles listed in this thread. I have two 8x57's, BRNO 21H & CZ 550. Alas I have failed in my duty as a firearms enthusiast to shoot either of them yet. In fact the BRNO still has the auction tag on it from 3yrs ago (I hang my head in shame)!

I aspire to own enough rifles that a new one could sit for a spell before ai shot it. Alas I have not attained this level of armament as of yet.

 

[Accidental Villain]

Goodness that wood is simply beautiful!

Thanks. I picked the stock blank for its very dense and straight grain. That it came out that good is a bonus really, although 400 yrs old walnut generally look exceptionally well.
And, the gunmaker just nailed it.

Once or twice a year I apply a thin layer of linseed oil on it in good light. I`m normally impatient but that I can do for hours... and Wifey & kids think I look really weird

 

[Cleveland48]

Thanks. I picked the stock blank for its very dense and straight grain. That it came out that good is a bonus really, although 400 yrs old walnut generally look exceptionally well.
And, the gunmaker just nailed it.

Once or twice a year I apply a thin layer of linseed oil on it in good light. I`m normally impatient but that I can do for hours... and Wifey & kids think I look really weird

Haha well its a beautiful rifle man.

 

[Nhoro]

Of course the 8x57 does. Whether .318 or .323 bore, standard or rimmed, it will do anything a 30-06 will. Quite a few travel south with European hunters every year.

Red Leg Do you know how to tell between the .318 and .323 bore and does it matter ? Can you shoot modern ammo through both ?

 

[John Telford]

The 8 x57 is very useful for Bushveld hunting in Africa loaded slow and heavy.

 

[Red Leg]

Red Leg Do you know how to tell between the .318 and .323 bore and does it matter ? Can you shoot modern ammo through both ?

Slug the barrel is the only certain way, though sometimes one will find “S / IS“ for.323 clearly marked.

US manufacturers loaded 8mm Mauser ammo (all of it .323) at very low pressure because of the age and condition of many Mausers, sporters and military, brought home from the wars, and because few on this side of the Atlantic knew the difference between a J or S bore. Modern European loads are built to higher pressures. I would never shove a .323 down a .318 if hoping to achieve full potential from a 8mm Mauser.

.318‘s we’re not often built after about 1933. It is, however, why one has to be careful with the lovely old pre-war German sporters one sees for sale in this country.

 

[Nhoro]

Thanks I have just seen an old gun-the recoil lug has a J stamped on the bottom so pretty clear that it is the .323 barrel.

 

[Red Leg]

Thanks I have just seen an old gun-the recoil lug has a J stamped on the bottom so pretty clear that it is the .323 barrel.

J typically denotes a .318 bore. S / JS or IS normally denote a .323.

 

[8x68]

Shame, shame on you. You are definitely missing out. If you like factory ammunition Norma or Lapua are my preference but Sellier & Bellot or Prvi are good too.

I have dies and brass to load said beasties. I've been concentrating on shooting my 7x57's more so lately.

 

[Jon Glajchen]

My friend used my 8x57 JS to take this nice Blue Wildebeest last weekend. Dropped it in its tracks!

 

[Professor Mawla]

Of course , it does . We used to refer to it , as the 8 x 57 mm Mauser during our time . It used to propel a 227 grain bullet and ammunition used to be manufactured by RWS . It was an extremely popular choice among my Continental clients . Winchester Western and Remington Peters also used to load cartridges in this caliber , by utilizing 170 grain bullets . How ever ... I did not like these much , because their charge of propellant powder was fairly low compared to the fine German RWS factory loaded ammunition . The 227 grain soft point bullet has been used by my clients to take all of India’s non dangerous game , with utter impunity . Amongst dangerous game animals , it used to be a superb performer on panthers ( All sub species ) , bears ( All species including our much imposing Himalayan Brown Bear ) , Bengal Bush Boar, Ganges River Crocodile and ( Non charging ) royal Bengal tigers .

Sporterized military surplus Mauser 98 bolt rifles chambered in this caliber , used to be a common sight in the hands of my Continental European clients of modest means . Combination guns were also made in this caliber , with the shot gun barrel invariably being of 16 Bore .

@Major Khan Sir
I know why the powder charge in Winchester and Remington brand 8 mm Mauser factory loads was significantly reduced . There were factors of pragmatism involved . After the second world war , the American war veterans were returning with numerous military surplus German 8 mm Mausers . Many of these were severely worn out or poorly constructed , to begin with . In order to prevent too much strain from being incurred by these rifles , Winchester and Remington loaded their 8 mm Mauser factory ammunition to fairly low velocities .

 

[Tubby’s Canteen]

@Major Khan Sir
I know why the powder charge in Winchester and Remington brand 8 mm Mauser factory loads was significantly reduced . There were factors of pragmatism involved . After the second world war , the American war veterans were returning with numerous military surplus German 8 mm Mausers . Many of these were severely worn out or poorly constructed , to begin with . In order to prevent too much strain from being incurred by these rifles , Winchester and Remington loaded their 8 mm Mauser factory ammunition to fairly low velocities .

one would think you were also more likely to purchase a new rifle if ammunition for surplus rifles was fairly anemic.

 

[flatwater bill]

When I could no longer get good cartridges for this caliber as a boy, I used the Remington 170 grainers mentioned above. Lightly loaded, and with soft bullets of .320 diameter, Remington engineers knew that many would fire them in both J and S bore guns.............and we did............They did OK with deer......used my 8mm in Moz and RSA in 2016 and had one of by best hunts ever. 200 grain X/4350..............FWB

 

[Forrest Halley]

I aspire to own enough rifles that a new one could sit for a spell before ai shot it. Alas I have not attained this level of armament as of yet.

This is not a good goal. Might I suggest that you aspire to three or four exceptionally good rifles as that way you can continue to enjoy them regularly. I find with many, that I actually forget that I have some of them to my horror and shock. There is often a great lament that I have not fired them in years. Going hunting is always such a bittersweet selection process. I have been known to carry a gun slung on either shoulder. Once when I was headed into the woods a gentleman asked me why I needed so many guns to go hunting. In my youthful exuberance I replied, "I'm not hunting. I'm dealing death." He laughed so hard he unseated himself from his tailgate. For many years afterward when he would see me he would smile and loudly exclaim, "Dealin' death!" Therefore only select a few good rifles or face perpetual confusion...

 

[Fastrig]

This is not a good goal. Might I suggest that you aspire to three or four exceptionally good rifles as that way you can continue to enjoy them regularly. I find with many, that I actually forget that I have some of them to my horror and shock. There is often a great lament that I have not fired them in years. Going hunting is always such a bittersweet selection process. I have been known to carry a gun slung on either shoulder. Once when I was headed into the woods a gentleman asked me why I needed so many guns to go hunting. In my youthful exuberance I replied, "I'm not hunting. I'm dealing death." He laughed so hard he unseated himself from his tailgate. For many years afterward when he would see me he would smile and loudly exclaim, "Dealin' death!" Therefore only select a few good rifles or face perpetual confusion...

Tend to agree with that gentleman, find the handful of rifles that truly fit you and you shoot the best, then call it a day. Sometimes, fortunately or unfortunately depending on how you look at it, it takes going through quite a few rifles to find that handful

 

[BeeMaa]

This is not a good goal. Might I suggest that you aspire to three or four exceptionally good rifles as that way you can continue to enjoy them regularly. I find with many, that I actually forget that I have some of them to my horror and shock. There is often a great lament that I have not fired them in years. Going hunting is always such a bittersweet selection process. I have been known to carry a gun slung on either shoulder. Once when I was headed into the woods a gentleman asked me why I needed so many guns to go hunting. In my youthful exuberance I replied, "I'm not hunting. I'm dealing death." He laughed so hard he unseated himself from his tailgate. For many years afterward when he would see me he would smile and loudly exclaim, "Dealin' death!" Therefore only select a few good rifles or face perpetual confusion...

Tend to agree with that gentleman, find the handful of rifles that truly fit you and you shoot the best, then call it a day. Sometimes, fortunately or unfortunately depending on how you look at it, it takes going through quite a few rifles to find that handful

Quality over quantity.