8mm Mauser

It is in the same class as the .30-06. The 8mm just never gained much popularity in the U.S., but it does have kind of a cult following. Remington did a production run on the caliber a few years back in the "Classic" CDL, and there are plenty of sporterized military rifles out there to be had. I wouldn't hesitate to use one for elk if I owned one.

Factory hunting ammunition isn't easily found in most stores, but thanks to the internet you can find it. I have an 8mm-06, throat was bad so it was reamed out before I bought it. I can't complain how it shoots but I've only used 175 grain bullets in it, and it has only killed paper.
 
Get the ammo catalog Remington gives away and do some comparison.
Nearly if not all calibers in that range of power and size are fine with good shot placement and bullets.
 
I have an old Model 98 Mauser in 8mm. I've never used it on elk but I shot a couple whitetails with it that were very dead after hit. It is very close to 30-06, like mentioned above.
 
I can't remember which gun writer it was, but he said that if he had to do it all over again, he would just own an 8X57mm and handload to hunt everything. Very versatile, like the 30-06.
 
I've got an uncle who has probably killed more elk than anyone I've ever met. All with a Argentine 8mm Mauser. Seems to work for him.
elkman
 
Unless your Uncle rechambered his Argentine, it was probably a 7.65mm.

the 8x57 Mauser makes a fine hunting round, but works best when handloaded. For my Mannlicher rifle, I handload a 220 grain Sierra over 4064 powder. This is a great hog round. For Whitetails, I use 150 Speer Spitzer for 2900 fps and great accuracy. It is deadly on deer.
 
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