8x57 Loads

I'm not overly experienced with 8x57 loading, but I don't think there's much difference strength-wise between domestic brass and Prvi/other european brass. I use federal, remington, and PRVI brass.

As for which bullets to use, find out what your gun likes. I'd stay with 170 gr + pills. I use lots of 175 gr Sierra SP and 200 gr Nosler Partitions. I get 2600 fps out of the partitions in my spanish M44 w/ a 23.5" barrel. I wouldn't hesitate to shoot mule deer out to 300+ yards with it. The 150 gr bullets are probably a little light with a sectional density of barely over 0.200 but they'd probably be sufficient for deer if you gun will shoot them well.

I have some speer 200 gr and nosler 180 gr BT, but I haven't had a chance to try them yet.

Matt

Hey Dakota, I have been reloading the 8mm Mauser for about 7 years.
I don't load weak like the American factory loads, but I don't load excessive either.

I have loaded 170, 175, 180, and 200 grn loads with many different powders.
These loads were made using Federal, Remington-Peters, and Winchester brass.
All of my loads are listed in published data and none are max loads.

So here goes,

the rifles are;
a 1941 German 98k, a Yugo M48a (1950), a Yugo 24/47 scoped & sportered (rearsenaled 1948), all are original barrels & action.

Hornady 170grn RN soft point over 45 grns IMR3031 for 2600fps (very accurate in Yugo M48A & German Kar98k) both with iron sights. (1"-3" @ 100 yds)

Sierra 175grn Pro Hunter over 44 grns H-4895 for 2600fps (2"-3" @ 100 yds) in the M48A.

Nosler 180grn Ballistic Tip over 48 grns IMR4007ssc for 2550 fps (1-1/4" @ 100yds, 3"@ 200 yds) out of a Yugo 24/47 scoped sporter.

Speer 200grn Hot Core over 42 grns H-4895 for 2450 fps (1-5/8" @ 100, 2-7/8" @ 200) out of the Yugo 24/47.

All loads used CCI 200 Primers, and of course your mileage may vary.

Reloading sources: Hornady, Hodgdon, Speer, Lee, and Nosler manuals from the mid 80's to current.

All of these loads were developed in my rifles and I believe them to be safe; in rifles in good to excellent condition.
Some of these loads have been fired in my buddies Yugo M48 and a German 98 with similar results.

I'm sure I could push them all faster; but don't see the need, as these heavy pills kill well,
as for Elk I would only use the 200 grainers, but the Nosler BT's dump deer like bag of cement, DRT.

Good Luck !!

dak0ta said:

Hi,

I want to make some good European loads for my 8x57.

I'm shooting a rifle with a 4x32 scope, and it's mainly for hunting mule deer, black bear, elk, moose (big game).

Do I need 174 or 200 grain bullets to get the job done? I expect that the max I'd shoot is 250 yards with the 4x scope. I suppose I need to figure out the MPBR so that I can aim and have the 8mm bullet hit the vital zone from 0-300 yards if I zero it roughly at 200 yards.

Anyways, in your guys experience, what kind of bullet/powder combinations have you found work well? My rifle is a Husqvarna 640 FN 98 action. I think it's supposed to shoot better with the heavier bullets.

Also, I have Prvi brass to reload for. Is it better to use Euro brass that may be closer to actual specs, or does the American brass loaded at weaker pressures also work with hotter loads?

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Dakota you can make a shot on a moose or elk further then 200 yds with a 4x scope. they are as big as a volkswagon lol. but after 300 yds I would not take the shot. I have used varget powder with 175 sierras and in my gun they shot real good. the mausers like the heavier bullets and the 175's are a happy medium and fly good. the privy brass is OK. try the varget powder. the 8x57 is a great round and overlooked here

The BEST all around bullet for big game that i've found for the 8x57 is the 200 Nosler partition...

It expands some at low velocities in small animals like a coyote, and still holds together at higher speeds on "bigger" big game. I push them 2,550 in my 8x57.

Over the last 25+ years, i've taken everything from coyotes to blk bear, moose and a pile of deer with the 200NP and it has worked perfectly for me.

It's my "go to" big game hunting bullet in 8mm...

DM

DM~ said:

The BEST all around bullet for big game that i've found for the 8x57 is the 200 Nosler partition...

It expands some at low velocities in small animals like a coyote, and still holds together at higher speeds on "bigger" big game. I push them 2,550 in my 8x57.

Over the last 25+ years, i've taken everything from coyotes to blk bear, moose and a pile of deer with the 200NP and it has worked perfectly for me.

It's my "go to" big game hunting bullet in 8mm...

DM

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DM the partions are great bullets one of the best but a little too expensive to be shooting coyotes and deer with lol

My rifle likes 150 gr. and my shots aren't all that long. 100 yrds or less...

I just make up, work up, my own loads.
In 8x57 I get the best accuracy with 200 gr Sierra match kings, 2600 fps. 1 moa
I get the most power with Sierra 2420, 220 gr, 2675 fps, 29 " barrel. 2 moa. and the hairy edge of short brass life.

The two 8x57 Mausers I have both shoot the Nosler 180 BT well enough to hunt with. I think the last batch are loaded with IMR4064.

150 gr Hornadys over 49 gr of IMR-4064 works well for us in a M48.

We had been using 50gr, but that exceeds at least one manual I've seen. Decided to reduce the charge as a result.

150 gr. Hornady spire point. 52 gr of imr 4320 that's what I been using for ever,,My rifle shoots 1/2 in groups or better,,at 100 yards..

You can load the 8x57js two ways. US factory loads at @ 125 - 150 grs for effectively 30-30 performance with the likes of 3031, 4198 and 4064 or to Euro loads (like S & B) at 30-06 comparable loads in the 170 - 200 gr zone over 4350, for example. US load data is light. In solid 98 actions it can be heated up quite a bit.

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Yes and yes. I bought a bunch of S&B loaded ammo (196 sp) to get CIP standard performance rather than the anemic SAAMI loads. I have since reloaded some of that brass about 8 times. Primer pockets are properly sized and there was remarkably little burring to remove with the flash hole uniforming tool. No signs of case mouth stress yet.

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The S&B 9.3x74R brass a friend had WASN'T high quality, don't know about the 8mm...

DM

Oddly enough I also have a Husqvarna M-640 in 8X57S, and use PRVI brass. I second the 200 gr NP.

European 8X57S ammo is loaded to [strike]61,400 PSI[/strike] see moderator note below. Every bit the equal to the '06. A case full of IMR4350 will get the job done.

For plinkers, I use 42.5 gr Accurate 2520 behind the 150 gr Hornady Spire Point.

The 200 gr NP approaching 2700 fps will harvest anything in this hemisphere.

Safety Note: CIP max average pressure for 8x57 IS is 3900 Bar, or 56,565 PSI. Ref - http://www.cip-bobp.org/homologation/en/tdcc_public?page=3&cartridge_type_id=1
Loads exceeding this pressure must be used with extreme care, and are at the user's own risk.

I load 53.0 grs IMR 4350, 200 gr Speer Hot Core, LRP, S&B cases for 2500 fps in my 98K. Have taken several deer with this load. Shoots about 2 - 2.5 moa in my scoped 98K. I have read in several places where 195-200 gr bullets were best for the Mausers, duplicating Greman Army WWII ballistics.

Generally IMR4064, both 4895's, IMR4320, are good general choices.

Wanted to work up a deer load for my old K98 using 150 gr. bullets for woods hunting. Played around with a lot of stuff and finally settled on a 150 gr. Hornady S.P. with 47.7 gr. of IMR-3031; which is half a grain< max in my Hornady 6th edition manual. They're running a little under 2800 fps and I'm real happy with the accuracy. Only problem is every time I'm in a rifle zone I haven't had a chance to try it on deer yet. The only deer tags I fill are in shotgun/handgun areas. At least I have confidence in the guns accuracy and the power factor of a 150 gr. Hornady at that velocity.

Sierra 175grn Pro Hunter over 44 grns H-4895 for 2600fps (2"-3" @ 100 yds) in the M48A.

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In my range trip yesterday, H4895 in the 8x57 did as it always does consistently well. My stocks are low and cant find it anywhere. Best groups of the day were the H4895/ 185gr Rem Core-Lockt. All loads tested hovered around an inch. Heaviest load averaged 2650 fps. The M700 likes the 185gr.

CFE223 also did well with the 175 Sierras.

Nosler 180grn Ballistic Tip over 48 grns IMR4007ssc for 2550 fps (1-1/4" @ 100yds, 3"@ 200 yds) out of a Yugo 24/47 scoped sporter.

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Nice report on IMR4007. I have a bunch of this stuff. How did you like it?

I used Varget for 125, 150, 200gr bullets. Great accuracy in a custom barreled M98.

Hodgdon likes H4895 in their data.

Nosler data for 200gr bullet with IMR4350 is the stoutest looking data I've seen for 8x57.

RHS and Norma brass are the best for 8x57. However I have used a lot of Rem and W-W. Domestic brass just takes more work to make uniform.

ForneyRider said:

I used Varget for 125, 150, 200gr bullets. Great accuracy in a custom barreled M98.

Hodgdon likes H4895 in their data.

Nosler data for 200gr bullet with IMR4350 is the stoutest looking data I've seen for 8x57.

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In two M98's and a Rem M700 classic 8x57's, I have never reach the Nosler published data for the 200 grain part and their charge weights for Imr4350. Maybe someone has.

The M70 FWT should be back from McGowan in a couple of months and IMR4350/200gr Partitions is the first load work up. I am not optimistic, however.

At 53.0 grains I was only approaching 2500 fps in the Remington.

Here's a link to some data for the 8mm Mauser, and it's full power stuff in a long barrel, so start low and work up. I'm not sure what you're expecting, but 2500fps with a 200gr bullet is not far out of the norm for an 8x57 with a 22" barrel.
Published velocity is often hard to achieve in real world situations.

http://www.realguns.com/loads/8x57mmjs.htm


NCsmitty

RentaCop said:

In two M98's and a Rem M700 classic 8x57's, I have never reach the Nosler published data for the 200 grain part and their charge weights for Imr4350. Maybe someone has.

The M70 FWT should be back from McGowan in a couple of months and IMR4350/200gr Partitions is the first load work up. I am not optimistic, however.

At 53.0 grains I was only approaching 2500 fps in the Remington.

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I get pretty close to the Nosler max data velocity with the 200 gr partitions using IMR4064. I get just a hair under 2600 fps in a 23.5" barrel. It's 46 grains (their listed max) over CCI 200 primers. I do need to load up some of the ballistic tips and see how they do. I like what their 120 gr BTs do in my 7x57.

Matt