Interested in people's thoughts on the 8mm mauser

As above, interested on hearing peoples thoughts/ experiences with the 8mm mauser (8x57).

I know they were historically big here, based on supply of surplus weapons and ammunition but I'm looking at one now and wanting to get a handle on its strengths and limitations and whether it is still a useful cartridge for reds given other modern cartridge options.

Also keen to hear about ammunition choice, as I've heard that, similar to some other older surplus chamberings, factory loads tend to be weak as piss

Thanks

I have a Brno VZ24 and absolutely love it. It had a butchered stock so have put it into an after market stock. Is a bit brutal on the shoulder but certainly puts animals down. Running 195 grain S&B factory ammo currently. Have only used it for hunting. My shoulder is too soft for plinking with it.

Like most of the century or older military cartridges it will do the business as well as any of the newer inventions which are mostly developed from them anyway. Case design and better powders mean that you can match the performance in a smaller case often with less powder but not significantly so. I'm a big fan of the swede I don't think any of the new 6.5s offer much in the way of superior performance just convenience in shorter actions. Powder savings at around a cent a grain are a non event.
Use it, in that class there's not really anything better.

Hard hitting caliber.
Suitable factory ammo for hunting may be expensive/hard to find.
Would better suit a reloader, but the caliber in general will certainly get the job done.

Id put it beside something like a 30-06. Fairly hard hitting, average ballistics. Bested by modern cartridges on paper but will certainly do the job well out to any reasonable distance.

If you buy European ammo loaded to the CIP standard (56,565 PSI) it'll hang right with 308 etc - bested by nil - probably with slightly better ballistics than cheap 308 stuff. Just don't use any USA ammo as the dumb buggers have never understood how it works.

With reloads there are a few projectiles about that will really make it shine, the Hornady 170 SST is the best as far as I've experienced. From my 1956 Brno model 21 (fitted with a 1920's german sporter barrel) I'm getting consistent 30mm groups @100M with a MV of 2680 fps and am able to hit a 250mm gong with ease first shot at 300 - and thats with a light "snotty" rifle.

As others have said, my favourite calibre but you are better off rolling your own for best performance

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Originally Posted by hthomas

I have a Brno VZ24 and absolutely love it. It had a butchered stock so have put it into an after market stock. Is a bit brutal on the shoulder but certainly puts animals down. Running 195 grain S&B factory ammo currently. Have only used it for hunting. My shoulder is too soft for plinking with it.

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Do you think a slip on limb saver would make it a lot nicer to shoot. I'm looking to get a 8mm Mauser m48.

Excellent all round cartridge! So what if its old, it still achieves what most hunting cartridges do - it delivers a sizeable boolit, at a reasonable speed, pretty accurately, to any game animal you care to shoot at within 300 metres. And if you know your ballistic's, beyond 300 if that floats your boat. As said above, source some European ammo, the Yanks have no bloody idea. Norma is excellent, and have been told the S&B is good. The m48 might be a bit harsh on the shoulder because of the stock shape, but my Husky 1600 is a dream to shoot with. Buy it, go shoot it, have fun and post some pic's

Yep as above. Shit hot with s and b 196gr. I'm reloading with cfe223 and 170gr sst and 150gr speer hot cor to good effect at around 2850 and 3000fps respectively.

Husky 640. Like it a lot

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Originally Posted by Husky1600

Excellent all round cartridge! So what if its old, it still achieves what most hunting cartridges do - it delivers a sizeable boolit, at a reasonable speed, pretty accurately, to any game animal you care to shoot at within 300 metres. And if you know your ballistic's, beyond 300 if that floats your boat. As said above, source some European ammo, the Yanks have no bloody idea. Norma is excellent, and have been told the S&B is good. The m48 might be a bit harsh on the shoulder because of the stock shape, but my Husky 1600 is a dream to shoot with. Buy it, go shoot it, have fun and post some pic's

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Yeah I've heard the Huskies are a great bit of kit. I wanted a kar98k but they seem to start at about 2.5k for an ok example and sky rocket from there so the m48 is a option to get almost the same thing.

I already have a nice Tikka 308 and a 3030 so this is more for collecting / enjoyment target shooting a milsurp rather than hunting.

Hopefully I can still shoot on on the farm I shoot at after this second lot of gun laws come in.

Been reading online that you can use 30'06 and .270 cases to make 8mm Mauser - is this correct?

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Originally Posted by 308mate

Been reading online that you can use 30'06 and .270 cases to make 8mm Mauser - is this correct?

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Dont need to, just go buy a couple of boxes of factory, shoot em off, then reload. Gunworks had empty cases in stock last time I looked, but that was a while ago. Just checked my data, am loading a 150gn SGK for 2800fps, 3 into moa, easy peasy

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Originally Posted by Husky1600

Dont need to, just go buy a couple of boxes of factory, shoot em off, then reload. Gunworks had empty cases in stock last time I looked, but that was a while ago. Just checked my data, am loading a 150gn SGK for 2800fps, 3 into moa, easy peasy

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Beat place for factory? Just about to order a m48

Btw how many reloads are you getting out of your cases?

It's a good cal, a lot like 30-06. Most of the main WW2 battle rifle calibers were good - nothing inherently wrong with them in design of the cartridge, so it comes down to the gun. With some variability in strength of guns chambered in 8mm mauser (some small ring mausers, especially spanish guns in 8x57) and the fact that the early 8mm mausers had a bore diameter of .318 rather than .323, a lot of commercial companies download their 8mm out of fear of someone shooting a hot load out of a junk gun and blowing it up. Leads to kind of meh performance where they would otherwise shoot better with handloads at normal pressures.

I do prefer the gun to be heavier with the 8x57 - full wood k98's don't kick terribly. Don't know if I would want it in a pencil barrel lightweight sporter. The FN49 or Hakim in 8mm mauser was a great gun, but sadly those guns have been "taken off the streets" so no kiwi's will have an opportunity to hold history in their hands anymore.

https://youtu.be/AnMjxbbq2Aw