ejpaul1

Anybody ever reload for the 8mm mauser? I have a co-worker that doesnt know anything about anything about hunting or reloading and insists that this old piece of junk rifle is the most amazing thing. He has a hard time finding ammo so he wanted to reload the old brass. I could barely find a recipie and he didnt get the powder i told him to. ANyway, We went ahead and found something close online. 46 grains of winchester 748 with some sierra spitzer 175 grain. The site said it was good for 2400 fps. He says he is gonna use this for elk. I just dont feel right about loading for a junk rifle with a half @$$ recipie. Any opinions or known recipies? EJ

charlie brown

I don't know where you are looking for load info, but there is a TON of info for the 8mm Mauser out there. I am currently loading a 150 grain Hornady for mine. If I were loading for elk (and I wouldn't hesitate to, but I have a .30-06 and a .50 caliber muzzle loader), I would use the 200 grain NP. With a 150 grain bullet in agood action, such as the VZ24, and 24/47, and several others, you can reach 2800 FPS, which is right on par with the .308 Winchester. You should be able to get 2500 with a 200 grain bullet with the slower for cartridge powders, which would be good for elk out to 250 yards or so, providing you get a decent set of sights or a scope and can hit with it. In my Lee manual, I see 3 pages of info. For a 170 grain bullet, I see W748 right in the middle, with a max load of 46and a starting of 40.5. That will bring between 2150 to 2400 FPS. I wouldn't use that particular bullet on elk, but would use another one. Other powders to look into would be H335, H4350, V-N140, V-N150, H414, and a slew of others. Hope this helps.

rjhans53

Any of the reloading sights, and manuals have reloading data on the 8 x 57. The only thing you won't find is data for the 185 remington corelocks and that info is floating around in various forums. I load 44. to 45 of IMR 3031 pushing a 185 corelock, shoots under 1 1/4 @ 100 out of my $200 ER Shaw stainless barrel on a V24 action. Yep and sometimes it clover leafs so it's probably just me

charlie brown

rjhans53 - how do you like that 3031? I am working with it and the 150 grain Hornady right now. I have found 48 grains to be the most accurate right now, seems to be working good in my 24/47. Gonna get a set of Mojo sights for it and go from there. I had thought about using the 185 grain CoreLokts. Have you shot them on game at all?

ejpaul1

I dont have a big reloading manual. Just the one that came with my kit and I shoot 243 and 30-06 so they are covered in the little manual and I dont need a big thick one. Anyway, I do know a lot of 8mm are accureate but this one literally has a hard time keeping 6 inches at 100 yards. You can take a fresh bullet and stick it in the end of the barrell. This is worn out! So, I am not disrespecting the 8mm, merely this particular rifle and the bone head shooting it. I appreciate the info. Thanks, EJ

Soilarch

Don't know what his situation is but maybe this would be a time to play the devil's advocate and tell him the 8mm simply isn't a reasonable choice for elk? Get him to buy a cheap (and accurate) 30-06, 300, whatever it takes...I don't like the idea, but if it gets him an elk and saves one from suffering it just may be worth it.

Briman

If that's the case, no amount of careful handloading is going to help. It might be counterbored where the first inch or so of the muzzle is drilled out to get to fresh rifling.

If anything, I'd try a bullet with a lot of bearing surface like a 200 gr sierra or a 170 gr hornady RN.

3Ddepression

Just make sure of it is a 8x57J or an 8x57JS. The JS is slightly larger in diameter. If it is an old surplus rifle there is a small chance that it is a J. As in all oldies there could be wear and tear that means that the rifle cannot handle hot loads. Most manufacturers make .323 cal bullets. Nosler, barnes, norma, hornady...

Norma has factory ammo including cheap trainers. (maybe not in US).

The caliber will work for anything a 30-06 will work for.

eldeguello

ej, according to Steve Ricciardelli, (http://stevespages.com/page8a.htm - W-748 From 41.6 grains to 48.8 grains) 48.8 grain of WW 748 isa max load with the 175-grain Sierra flatbase spitzer bullet. I see no reason why you cannot start with 45 grains and develop a load for his rifle, PROVIDED he has had it checked by a competent gunsmith who says it is safe to shoot with 7.92X57JS military ammo....

That Sierra 175-grainer at 2400 FPS will certainly kill elk, but if it were I developing an elk load for the 8X57mm (an "S" -.323" bore), I'd use either the 200-grain Nosler Partition or 200-grain Nosler Accubond bullet at 2400 FPS, which you can do with IMR 4350 or RE 19.....

48thguns

Yep, for about 40 years. The IMR4064 is my go to powder. Most of the old military rifles like the bigger bullets. I've got a little sporter that is so accurate it's scarey. The 8mm Mauser is a terrific deer/elk rifle very similar to the '06 in energy. Good luck Rick.