8mm mauser loads: help please!!!

[courtgreene]

I am starting to get into reloading, specifically because it's hard to come by decent 8x57js loads without having them shipped (hasmat, shipping, etc ads up). I like barnes bullets so I went with their reloading manual's suggestions for the ttsx in 160grn. The best load I shot today was as follows.

160grn ttsx over 48.5 grns varget. coal is 3.05. I'm using S&B brass and cci LR primers.

They did not perform anywhere near the level that I would have liked. The S&B's that I had been using grouped well, but were terrible on game and as I mentioned they are getting expensive. So that brings me to my question.

Any mauser or vz24 shooters/hunters have a pet load that they would recommend to me? If you have come upon something that works well with the barnes 160grn ttsx that would be great, but I can always go and buy something different. I appreciate your help.

 

[Mr_Pale_Horse]

Remington 185 gr PSP over 48.5 grains IMR 4895, WLR Primer, PMC Brass

Chronographed @ 2685 fps, from M48 B Yugo. Grouped under 1.75" for 5 shots with 2x scout scope.

YSMV

 

[Zak Smith]

Are you not happy with the performance in terms of accuracy, or velocity, or both?

 

[courtgreene]

good question, like I said I'm new at this so I don't know when I leave things out. I meant accuracy. I don't have a chrony so I couldn't tell you about the speed, but it was a heck of a lot faster than the factory loads just based on recoil and sound. the best I did was still about the size of a piece of copy paper. I'm willing to bet that some of it was the fact that I was using a 2x scope and could barely see the bull, it might could do better. Generally i have done well with that scope, but that's when I have the forethought to buy a decent target instead of drawing a dot on a doughnut box. but I know that y'all are WAY beyond me so I hope to see what you recommend.

 

[NCsmitty]

I don't use Barnes bullets, so no help there. I have used the Remington 185gr, and as Mr_Pale_Horse mentioned, they shoot well. The problem is that they were designed for the 8mm Rem mag and as such, has a heavy jacket and may fail to expand properly at longer range, with the lower 8mm Mauser velocity.

I use a 170gr Hornady RN with H4895, and they would expand very well if I used it on game. I have not had good results with Varget myself, with disappointing velocity.
I suggest using the 175gr Sierra Pro-Hunter with one of the 4895 family of powders, as I think it's a better match.



NCsmitty

 

[Lovesbeer99]

So based on your loading, go look at your loading resource book and it should give you an anticipated velocity.

Anyway, my pet load is a Hornady 150gr SP with CCI large rifle primer and 38grains of IMR 4895. This loading is basically a 30-30 with a spitzer bullet so it should be good for deer and it's really accurate and easy on the shoulder. I also like to load these at 44 grains also but it's much hotter. I've shot these loads from Mil Surp M48, 24/47, and VZ24 all with really good results.
IMR 4895 is very efficient and forgiving powder.

Note: you should not take anyone's load data here, including mine, without referencing your load manual to make sure I'm not a crazy person. (check the lee load data to start with)


Good luck.

 

[courtgreene]

Thanks. Looks like I'm picking up some 4895.

 

[Lovesbeer99]

Just to be clear, Lee has the starting load for this combo at 31.7 grains and Speer has the starting load at 44 grains. (really big difference).

This is because Lee is using load data based on the American lower pressure loads that were originally used with the .318(8mm) bullet. The book explains that to keep things safe and to not confuse shooters that even after the .318 was replaced as the .323 load data remained at .318 pressures. Speer uses the European load data for the .323 bullet but specifically states that the pressure is too high for commerical recievers and should only be used in Mil Surp rifles that are appropriate for the stated presures.

Just read the load data and good luck. You might also want to post this in the handloading section, you might get a better response.

 

[critter]

IMR 4895 is a good choice. I have several M98's including VZ24's. Several of mine seem to prefer the heavier bullets (accuracy wise). The 8mm Mauser is quite a successful game round on deer at least.

 

[A Historian]

+1 on the IMR 4895.

You won't hear me complain about Remington 185 PSPs, I've even taken game with them, but I have achieved better accuracy with some other bullets. Namely, Hornady's 150 grainers, and Sierra Gameking's 220 grain SPBT.

 

[courtgreene]

OK, imr4895 purchased. I will try that with the barnes bullets and see the difference. I would have followed your suggestion about the remington bullets, and will in the future, but I can only find the high end stuff here, which means I will have to order them later.

 

[GooseGestapo]

Be sure you're seating the bullet far enough off the grooves (throat). Barnes recommends .035-.070".

Also, some barrels just won't shoot the Barnes bullets.
That, the the high cost are why I've never used them. Too many other options to justify the high cost.

I'd also try Reloader 15 and strangely enough, IMR4350. It's a bit slow for the 8x57, but have seen and heard of some excellent results. Also, H4895 and IMR4064 are good powders.

I've never had a bad experience with Sierra bullets. For accuracy I always start with Sierra's. If it won't shoot Sierra's well, youve got a barrel problem....

 

[357 Terms]

My Yugo likes the heavier bullets the best. 190gr.

 

[Clark]

I have got a 1" 5 shot group at 100 meters with a $50 1903 Turk Mauser with 200 gr Sierra match kings jammed into the lands, concentric ammo, at 2600 fps with a 40X scope, no wind, and very consistent recoil control.

Sure that is a trophy group, but the average group that day was not twice that big.


Much easier is to get a .5" group with a .223 of the same weight, but shooting 35 gr bullets.

A big problem with 8mm target shooting surplus military rifles is recoil. The gun is not pointing in the same direction when the bullet comes out as it was when the trigger was pulled. The trick is getting the change to be consistent.

 

[Afy]

I use a 196 grain FMJ with 47 grains of Tubal 5000. Tubal seems to do well with the mauser.

 

[DM~]

Hi guys, first post here,

I've hunted and killed quite a few big game animals with my 8x57, i much prefer 200 NP's, (Nosler partitions) for my "all purpose" bullet. The reason i like the NP's so much is, they will give deep penetration on bigger big game, like moose, yet will give some expansion on small animals, like Javolina or small deer making fast clean kills.

Here's the results of the first big game animal i shot with my 8x57/200NP,



I've taken 25 more big game animals with my "go to 8x57" since that first moose, including a big blk. bear, and many deer and other big game animals.

DM

 

[courtgreene]

can anyone recommend a cartridge length? I've heard people say ".05 off the lands." Is that pretty common among mausers or is this like most rifle related things... varies from gun to gun?

 

[Lovesbeer99]

Read your load book and base it off the bullet. Each bullet design will have a recommended COL and you can start there, then play around with length. My 150 grain bullets have a cannelure so I just load to the middle of it and crimp the bullet after I make sure I didn'd exceed the Max COL.

 

[hiawatha]

IMR 4895 is a great powder and should be fine for 8x57. I like IMR 4064 and have used 45.0 grains of that powder with the 170 gr Sierra spitzer SP. As others have said, I might be nutzo and your mileage may vary, so check that load out before you try it. I'm using it in a Turk.

 

[courtgreene]

thanks to everyone for their help. I went with 185grn corelokt over 47grns imr4895. worked like a charm when seated just below the canelure (sp?) thing on the bullet. I also found a decent, but not quite as good load for the barnes ttsx's. The same 47grns of IMR4895 works well when seated at a 3.06" overall length. The best news, though, is that my 300WSM loves Varget so I won't waste the powder I originally intended to use. Thanks again!