8x57mm IS

R

rdf.hack

New member
The european/military loads for 8x57mm IS, how do they stack against other cartridges of the same class, such as .308, .30-06, 54R etc.?

I have noticed recoil is less than 54R, and that bullet weight is on average somewhat heavier, no doubt due to the larger diameter bullet.
 
Reference to the Sellier & Bellot Catalogue, I see

8x57 JS
12.7 gram bullet @ 790 m/s = 3963 J

.30-06
11.7 gram bullet @ 805 m/s = 3791 J

.308
11.7 gram bullet @ 765 m/s = 3424 J

7.62x54R
11.7 gram bullet @ 800 m/s = 3744 J

Sorry, all they showed was metric. Conversion is left as an exercise for the OP.

But it is clear that the European 8mm is right in there with the competition, actually a bit more powerful.
 
I see, sacrifice some velocity for considerably more muzzle energy. I wonder what bullet drop is like considering these figures.
 
You are talking .32 bore vs .30. At the same bullet weight, the .30 is going to have a better BC generally. However, though the selection is limited, you can find some nice 175 - 200 grain 8 mm bullets. With European commercial or handloads, the 8x57 will be right there with the other WWII military rounds. You just cannot beat the '06, but a good rifle in 8x57 will do anything you want it to do.
 
Oh I do have an m1917 in .30-06, but my 8mm mauser is much nicer, not bubba'd and is a war trophy (have not fired it yet...). I have some 8mm Core-Lokt Remington ammo, from which I dont expect much, but it has good brass and therefore I can reload it. I'll check out selections for it when I get my equipment and such. Casting and swaging are definite options for me, and I'm going to look into such equipment.
 
I havent a chronograph to measure bullet speeds, I do know that American made commercial 7.92mm Mauser is loaded on the weak side for lawyer reasons... so many old rifles (they say) out there that shoot the smaller-bored .318 pre-ww1 rifles. Fact is the military rifles were all converted to the larger .323 prior to ww1. The slow stuff is ok but definitely not approaching the cartridge potential. Some of these are round-nosed bullets, not the best ballistics. That being said, European 7.92mm, including commercial ammo like S&B or Norma rip out at a much faster rate. Euro hunting ammo works well especially in the heavier bullet weights, 170 gr and up.
Most of the surplus stuff that flooded the market the last few years has 198 grain spitzer bullets, some boat-tailed- great for longer ranges. The 198 gr has been the standard loading for the 8mm for quite awhile with some exceptions. This stuff will rip anything it hits (within reason) a new one same as the 06 or NATO .30 cal.
Romanian 7.92 is a lighter weight bullet, @ 155 grains thereabouts, and the old Turk round runs about the same.
Goes without saying, if you handload for the 8mm you can do quite a bit better than the commercial stuff.
 
8mm Mauser is pretty much comparable to the .30 caliber military rounds.

The 98 Mauser and K-98 are great guns. Just about any cartridge is going to be a good one chambered in these guns.
 
Where and when I grew up, in the Laurel Highlands of SW PA (Ligioner Bill knows the area I believe ;) ), folks hunted deer with Model 94's and surplus rifles. Very occasionally one would come across a guy with a Savage 99 or a high end bolt gun. The 30-30 was commonly referred to as a high power rifle. The 303, 30-40 krag, 7mm mauser, 30-06, 8mm mauser etc. were all well respected as efficient deer and bear killers. If anything, the 8mm mauser was considered superior when handloaded with proper projectiles.

I don't have one now, my last was a Turk. Pretty decent metal work and shot quite well, even if it was stocked with walnut by a hydrocephallic arab with a broken rasp in a hut.
 
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