[bullfrog99]

What's your opinion on the 8x57 or 8mm mauser (the .323 diameter not the old .318) Do you like the round in general and do you feel it is a good hunting round?

[keederdag]

I really don't know the data, but I believe it to be about equivilent to a .30'06 in power/ect. I shoot mine quite a bit, but they are all milsurp rifles, and I shoot milsurp ammo as it is dirt cheap right now. I would'nt hesitate to hunt anything I'd feel comfortable hunting with an '06 with an 8mm.:) And proper ammo of course!:D

[mgw1181]

keeterdag is right on the money with the 8mm's ability, but be aware that all US made commercial ammo is loaded weaker (in one manufacturer's case, slightly weaker than .303 British).

This is because of liability concerns from stupid people putting modern 8mm loads in 1888 .318 rifles. :rolleyes: Anyway, if you're a handloader, it doesn't really matter.

Hope this helps, its my first post here. I am also an 8mm owner but not a hunter. :)

[Art Eatman]

Even the low-powered loadings will work just fine, on out to where trajectory becomes a factor. But, that's probably out beyond 200 yards or so. For 53,000 psi-type loadings, the 8mm will do just fine for all North American critters except the big bears. Zeroed at 200 yards, I'd guess it would be some eight or nine inches low at 300...

Art

[Futo Inu]

What's the difference in 8x57J and 8x57JS, etc.? Same thing? Thanks.

[Mannlicher]

I have loaded the 8 X 57 for years, and I like the cartridge a lot. Velocity with the 170 grain Speer is about 2600, from my Mannlicher-Schoenauer carbine. Plenty fast enough for anything within 250 yards. With 220 grain bullets at about 2400fps, its a great hog gun.

Folks tend to worry too much about mixing J with JS cartridges. There are not many of the old Commision rifles around these days, with the .318 diameter bore.

[Mike Irwin]

It's a fine cartridge, right in the running with the .30-06 and the .308.

Pretty much anything you want to hunt with it you can take.

It's been the base for a LOT of necked up and necked down European hunting rounds over the years, too.

[Futo Inu]

"Folks tend to worry too much about mixing J with JS cartridges"

Hmm, K. Interesting. But I ask again, what's the difference? Thanks. For example, which brass do I order to reload 8x57 for a K98?

[Reason]

J is the old, 19th century .318 round.
JS is the more modern variant, which you want.
JRS is the rimmed version of JS, and I haven't personally seen any guns that fire it. I guess they exist, though...

[Futo Inu]

Thank you!

[Feanaro]

It's about the same as 30-06, it's great for hunting. I suggest that you either hand-load or buy some foreign(Igman, Olympic etc) ammo. The crud the big American ammo makers sell is under-powered.

[Mannlicher]

Futu,

If you order brass, you will, by default, get brass for .323 Diameter bullets. I am not sure if .318 neck size brass is even available. One thing that might help, is using Google.

[OEF_VET]

Some of the German Commission Models of 1888 were rechambered to fire the JS round. They are stamped with a small S on the reciever. I own one such Gewehr 1888, with the small S, but when I tried to chamber a JS round, to see if it would fit, it wouldn't. I don't think I'll ever actually try to shoot the rifle, I'll just keep it as a wall hanger. Not many people can say they have a rifle that's 113 years old.

[Okiecruffler]

The 8mauser used to be my main hunting round. This was many moons ago, when your choice in ammo in these parts was Remington or Federal. Solved that little problem by learning to reload. 170 gr bullet on top of a good healthy dose of Reloder15 makes a fine whitetail round, and makes a pretty good impression on elk as well.

[cracked butt]

Great round, very underrated. Leave it to American ammunition makers to squeeze .30-30 level of performance out of a 30-06 class cartridge:rolleyes: