What have you killed with the 8x57?

[mauser98]

.323 Rigby Express

That sounds catchy! Offered with high velocity cartridges. 175gr @2800fps

 

[Tintin]

323 Overkill

 

[Pavel U]

A friend of mine is a firm believer of old 8x57IS. After some years and some dozens of wild boars later (among other local species), he anchored at Sellier Bellot 200 gr Nosler bullet:

8 × 57 JS – NSR (V342732) – 200 GRS – Sellier & Bellot

www.sellier-bellot.cz

 

[7x57Joe]

Gentlemen you have some absolutely gorgeous rifles!

Back in the early 1960's when I was about 12 years old and already had a fascination for firearms. My grandfather had an old German "army" rifle hanging on the wall which I admired greatly. I asked why he never shot it and the reply was the caliber was unknown but, it wouldn't take a .30-30 or .30'06. I talked with some of my friends at school and one said if it was German it was probably 8mm.
I told my dad what I'd learned and he thought we should go to the hardware for cartridges. Naturally, none was in stock but, a box was ordered and dad said he sure hoped they were right because of the high price of $4.95!
Ammo came in and everything seemed to fit. We lashed the rifle to an old tire and used a long cord to fire it and everything worked as planned. It came to be known as my rifle and I used that M.98 all through my teens.
Now to answer the question, I shot everything from snakes to crows and hawks, some even flying, and tried my best for deer but, they were very scarce so I never got one.
Thanks for indulging me down memory lane!

 

[F. Vaccaro]

Gentlemen you have some absolutely gorgeous rifles!

Back in the early 1960's when I was about 12 years old and already had a fascination for firearms. My grandfather had an old German "army" rifle hanging on the wall which I admired greatly. I asked why he never shot it and the reply was the caliber was unknown but, it wouldn't take a .30-30 or .30'06. I talked with some of my friends at school and one said if it was German it was probably 8mm.
I told my dad what I'd learned and he thought we should go to the hardware for cartridges. Naturally, none was in stock but, a box was ordered and dad said he sure hoped they were right because of the high price of $4.95!
Ammo came in and everything seemed to fit. We lashed the rifle to an old tire and used a long cord to fire it and everything worked as planned. It came to be known as my rifle and I used that M.98 all through my teens.
Now to answer the question, I shot everything from snakes to crows and hawks, some even flying, and tried my best for deer but, they were very scarce so I never got one.
Thanks for indulging me down memory lane!

Nothing like fond memories.

 

[C.W. Richter]

.318 I believe.

that sounds about right and that would explain its popularity back in the early days (318 WR w/ FMJs) even on elephant

 

[Kraut]

Former half stock rifle. After some modifications it turned into a stutzen. Shot everything from hare to wild boars and fallow deer with it. Even some black angus bulls, which were not willing to enter the trailer that should bring them to the butcher.

 

[Longwalker]

I like the 8x57JS, but only took one animal with mine so far. Running bull elk, neck shot at about 80M. Very effective with Norma Alaska 196 gr. The bull actually did a summersault when hit. Pretty sure the bullet fragmented, I didn't find any of it. But almost anything works on a neck shot. I have some 200 Nosler partitions loaded at 2500 FPS, expect I could hunt anything in North America with that load.

 

[Opposite Pole]

I have a single shot 8x57JRS. I’ve shot some Red and Roe deer with it, couple of Boar, as well as some Foxes. All at relatively short ranges, nothing over 100m I reckon. I think as a short range round it’s pretty good and offers surprisingly mild recoil. So far I’ve used factory loaded RWS 160grain lead-free projectiles, when these run out (very soon) I’ll load up Norma Oryx for it. I posted this in another thread already but just a few hours ago I shot a healthy, three-legged female Boar with it.

 

[mauser98]

Great content and stories! keep it coming!

 

[Jon Glajchen]

The last victim of my 8x57!
Shot last year on a cloudy overcast day in Limpopo Province.

 

[mauser98]

Here's another deer from 8 years back or so. This one was with a Husqvarna M98. Shot was around 150 yards broad side. Double lung with exit using 196g Norma Plastic points at 2600 fps, deer ran 100 yards or so and found him laying dead in a creek. That's the furthest I've had a deer run on me with a clean shot like that. Some deer sure have the will to live.

This one was shot around 100 yards, with 180gr Nosler Ballistic tips at 2700 fps. Quartering shot, took out both shoulders , deer made it 30 yards. I was very impressed with the penetration and performance from that bullet.

 

[mauser98]

Ill add a few more pics of recent hunts with the 8x57.

These are from the fall of 2022. Used 180gr TSX at 2780 fps and 195gr Interlocks at 2550 fps

2023- Black bear shot with 180gr TSX and Buck shot with 170gr Speer hotcor

My niece shot this buck with her Tikka t3x in 8x57 with a mild load 170gr speer hotcor at 2500 fps

 

[vlwtx348]

I'll have to come back and post photos later.

I took a Remington 700 in 8x57 to South Africa in 2019. Mountain zebra, Sable, bush pig, warthog, mountain reedbuck and impala! I used Norma 196 gr Oryx ammunition

Best part? I paid $350 including shipping for the rifle. Sub MOA groups.

I zeroed it in at 200 meters (quite unlike me, I usually use MPBR) and my zebra was at 309. Had to use Kentucky windage.

 

[Rare Breed]

Ill add a few more pics of recent hunts with the 8x57.

These are from the fall of 2022. Used 180gr TSX at 2780 fps and 195gr Interlocks at 2550 fps

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2023- Black bear shot with 180gr TSX and Buck shot with 170gr Speer hotcor

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My niece shot this buck with her Tikka t3x in 8x57 with a mild load 170gr speer hotcor at 2500 fps


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beautiful animals!!!

 

[wvfred]

I haven't taken any game with it but look forward to taking it on a cull hunt soon. 8x57R.

 

[Excessexpress]

I managed to kill a firing pin with mine

It's now fixed, time to get the loads sorted out.

 

[rdog]

The what have you killed with the 7x57 thread got me thinking of starting one for the 8x57. I looked around this site and there doesn't seem to be much love for this old grand cartridge. I haven't hunted Africa yet (something I dream of for the future) but I have hunted in Canada with the 8mm's I've owned. I'm a big fan and believer in the 8x57 being an all around cartridge just like the 30-06 if loaded properly or European ammunition is used(American made ammunition is very underloaded for the older .318" bore), and am confident in dispatching anything this continent has to offer.

I've used many bullet types From Hornady, Speer, Nosler, Sierra, and Barnes. A few bullets that stood out to me in performance has been the 180gr Nosler Ballistic tip loaded to 2700 fps and the 195gr Hornady interlock/196gr Norma plastic point going 2550-2600 fps. Great penetration and knock down power. Furthest shot I've had to take was 300 yards on a Mule deer and closest on a treed Black bear at approx. 10 yards. The 8x57 has never failed me. As long as i do my part the cartridge will do its part with authority.

Now back to the original question, what have you killed with the 8x57? How did your specific bullet hold up and preform?

I'll post some pictures of my personal kills using the 8x57 to begin with!

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WOW ! I have a M98 Zastava 8/57 have not hunted with it yet you have inspired me thank you.

 

[Jon Glajchen]

Warthog shot a while ago. Shot it almost immediately as we started our stalk and dragged him into the shade to be collected on our return. On our return we found him about 20m away from where we left him and he was severely mauled and almost gutted. I asked the tracker if perhaps it was a Hyena that had caused the injuries, he laughed and said that it was another Warthog that had mauled him after his death.

Pic is back at the camp after we cleaned him up only showing his good side!

 

[guerero]

It’s my the best all around caliber.
I have been using it since 2016 as my primary caliber. I had the opportunity to hunt every species of game found in Polish forests: foxes, roe deer, fallow deer, red deer, wild boars, mouflon.
I'm delighted!
At the beginning I used RWS ID Classic with great result and for last 4 years I use hand loaded ammunition based on Remington Core-Lokt bullets which is even better!

It is worth noting that in Poland we have a lot of legal regulations regarding hunting, including the distance at which we shoot. The maximum legal distance in Poland is 200 m. I do not need to make any corrections for this distance.

It’s perfect caliber for hunting in Poland and I believe not only in Poland.

All the best!
Maciej