8mm Mauser Bullet 225 gr

[MSgt Mike]

I came across some 8mm (.323) Speer bullets that are 225 gr. I know that's heavy for 8mm Mauser. My rifle shoots better the heavier the bullet is. I want to see if this really heavy bullet will further that reality. Not finding any loads for this bullet. It's Speer 2287 225 gr round nose and most likely meant for 8mm Rem Mag. I will chrony this so I'll have a spread and I have many powders from which to choose. Any ideas for a starting point?

 

[Steve C]

What you have is a really old bullet that is no longer made so there is no information in the current data for bullets heavier than 220gr. I had to look back to my first manual Speer #9 to find data for it. Scanned image attached.

 

[MSgt Mike]

Thanks Steve!! That's exactly what I was looking for!

 

[Bigdog57]

Interesting! I have used 220 grain, and it shoots good, but never knew there had been a heavier bullet in 8mm Mauser.
Wonder if it had been used for very large game in Africa? 8mm Mauser was quite popular there for a long time.

 

[Edarnold]

This very old ( ~1960 ) Speer design was probably intended to duplicate the original bullet used in the 8x57 cartridge before 1905. This was back in the day when long round-nose bullets were the standard for military ammunition: see the original .30-03, it's predecessor the .30-40 Krag, the early .303 British, etc. if you had an early double-rifle or combination-gun made for the 8x57, it would be regulated for this bullet and not the light Spitzer designs. Today this would be the ticket for game needing reliable deep penetration.

 

[ColonelKorn]

I found out by using a Speer 275gr semi spitzer in my .338-06 that at 2100 fps it would drop a deer in its'tracks with extremely little meat damage. You may find the same results with the 8mm/225 gr combination if you ever choose to hunt with it.

 

[DM~]

I found out by using a Speer 275gr semi spitzer in my .338-06 that at 2100 fps it would drop a deer in its'tracks with extremely little meat damage. You may find the same results with the 8mm/225 gr combination if you ever choose to hunt with it.

I've shot a lot of the 275 Speers out of my .338-06's, at 2,300fps, and I haven't seen any big game animal drop in it's tracks, unless the CNS was hit.

I've found that bullet/load to be a pretty good brown bear load....that and 250NP's..

My "by far" 8mm bullet of choice in my 8x57, is the 200NP! Best all around 8mm bullet I've ever found.

DM