[Wulfmann]

The US ammo is loaded in case some idiot puts it in an old commission 1888 rifle so it won't blow that up.
The original 8MM was a .318 bore but that was changed in 1905 to a .323 high velocity spitzer bullet.
When the Germans adopted the Karibiner 98 Kurtz they standardized the ammo to the MG34 machine gun 198gr 2550FPS thumper.
With a ballistic coefficient of .575 and extra powder from Luftwaffe machine gun rounds at 2700FPS snipers made 1,000 meter kills with 4 and 6 power scopes.

A fully charged up 8MM has more knock down for a big bear than any 3006 but I would prefer a 338 Lapua if I had to face one today or a 338 win mag.

32 caliber, heavier bullet, please don't get all were Merkun and we be better cause this is simple math like those arguing a 9MM has any advantage over a 45ACP.

If you want factory ammo you need European ammo or load a 200gr at the top end as a Mauser is strong.

Now lets get something straight people. The Yugo is not better nor is the Czech or German or FN or whatever your national price dictates it goes purely by each gun and its condition.

I have 25 98 action Mausers ( German, Czech, Argentine, Yugo and I have had most others) and the worst for accuracy is about 3 inches at 100 yards with the best about 3 inches at 200 yards with iron sites. The sniper (repro) will shoot 3/4MOA with match ammo and 1-1.25 MOA with German pulled bullets.

Matter of opinion but the K98k when you have a good one is still the best but opinions vary on personal choice.

Matching K98ks can be very expensive because of their collector value and with matching bolts the early guns are wonderful.
A K98k Mauser with a full charged 198 gr makes a great through the steel door home defense weapon.

The best deal money wise, IMO, is the Yugo 24/47. These were refurbished model 1924s that had the barrel replaced and gone through, not used, then stored before being sold as surplus.
The M48 is also good but these were well used by the Yugo military so buying in person to check the bore is preferable as many have been shot out.
The Czechs and Argentines are generally the smoothest actions along with matched early German K98ks but the Czechs are cheaper by a long shot.

Cole distributing sells the Norwegian K98k 308 replacement barrels.
Norway inherited what was left there by the Germans and rebarreled some in 3006 then when they entered NATO the arsenal made exact K98k barrels.
They surplussed the unissued ones and for $100.00 you can get a brand new never mounted K98k barrel that is for the German stock and sites.
I have 2 mounted and the are sweet and am buying 2 more.

One more thing, 8MM Mauser milsurp ammo has dried up because the Chinese have bought most brass cased to melt down for the metal. The Yugo ammo had a hard MG primer and the Yugo 98s have a stronger spring.
If you use Yugo ammo (exact copy of German but no iron, lead core) in an old Czech or German 98 you may want to get a Wolff Blitzschnell 22 or 24 pound spring to set off that primer.

Once you know how to take down a 98 action you can change the firing pin or spring standing up in a fire fight. Short of changing the barrel you can fix anything on this gun easily and if I had to trust my life to any rifle it would be a 98 action Mauser. I love my Remi snipers but if they broke I would be lost.

Wulfmann