8X57mm mauser recipe

[Shane Tuttle]

I bought an 8mm Mauser M48 from Mitchell's Mausers some time ago. I wanted to reload with the Remington 185gr. psp. However, I've searched high and low for a load recipe including emailing Remington themselves. No matter where I search, I get the same old rhetoric of "here's a load recipe in so and so grain bullet" or "consult the powder websites" upon I already have. My reason for sticking to the 185 gr. is that Midway USA had a sale on the bullets and I bought a fair number of boxes to reload. ANY suggestions would be greatly appreciated. By the way, I'm a newcomer to the firing line and I'm glad I stumbled across this site. Lots of great insites and I've learned quite a bit by reading everyone's opinions.

[Jim Watson]

I cannot spoon feed you a "recipe" for the 185 gr Remington bullet in 8mm Mauser; and I have checked several sources. I think I can explain why there is no data for that specific combination.
The 185 gr 8mm bullet was introuduced by Remington for the 8mm Remington Magnum, and was never a common loading for 8mm Mauser. The 8mm RM has proven massively unpopular, which is probably why Midway was blowing out those bullets cheap.
Few Americans handload 8mm Mauser, either. It is a funny furrin caliber and has never been popular except as available in cheap surplus rifles and really cheap surplus ammunition. So there is no incentive for the powder and bullet companies to devlop a whole lot of reloading data for it.

The closest thing I could find was in the Hodgdon Annual where loading data for a 180 grain bullet is shown. A handloader might conclude that 5 grains of lead is not much difference when SAAMI data for 8mm is so mild in case it gets into a pre WW I rifle, and that that is what "starting loads" are for anyhow.

Maybe somebody will come along who has tried it.

Y'all be careful, now, you hear?

[Schmeisser]

Hi tuttle8, I've been reloading 8x 57 IS for my K 98k for many years now. This caliber works best with bullets close to 170 and 200 grs, the latter being better for long-range shooting. Honestly, 185 grs is not the ideal bullet weight for the Mauser's 1-14 twist. For my 1939 rifle, I load 44,9 grs Varget behind the 200 grs Sierra Matchking and shoot almost 1 MOA at 100 yds. To arrive at a decent accuracy, consult your bullet and/or powder manufacturer's recommendations and work up your own load from min to approx. max, because every barrel behaves differently.

Greetings, Schmeisser

[Leftoverdj]

Lee #2 lists two loads for a 187 grain bullet.

VEC SP7 33.4-52.5 1938-2733 fps
VEC TU5000 47.8-48.6 2398-2444 fps

[Olaf]

Ah, I can help you. I have been working on 8 x 57 loads, with this bullet (and others), for months now. First of all, Jim Watson is correct, the bullet was designed for the 8mm Magnum. However, there are good loads to be had (in 8 x 57). The other thing to understand is that, for hunting purposes, you MUST drive this bullet to a minimum of about 2400 fps (at the muzzle), in order for it to expand reliably. This info I have from Remington, directly. That is the design velocity. So, keep that in mind when developing hunting loads, with this bullet. For target shooting, of course, it does not matter.

First, IMR-4064. The most accurate load in my M48, with the 185 PSP bullet, is 42.0 grains, in Rem. cases, with Win. LR primers. This is about a 2150 fps load, thus too slow for hunting. The max. charge, with this bullet, is about 48 grains, or so. My M48 does not seem to like max. loads, so I am not usuing the 185 grain bullet for hunting. 42.0 grains is quite safe, so you might start there, and work up.

Next, Alliant Reloder 15. This is a nice powder, a bit slower than the IMR-4064....so more of a "push", rather than a sharp recoil. This powder also produced good accuracy in my M48. About 41 - 42 grains produced the best groups. Oddly enough, I also got good groups with 48.0 grains, which is certainly fast enough for hunting, with this bullet. 42 grains is likely 2100 - 2200 fps (though this is a guess). A max. charge would be about 49.0 grains, or so. Again, my rifle likes mild loads best. I would suggest starting at 41 grains....and working up.

Then, IMR-4895. I have just started using this powder, so I do not yet have any definitive accuracy numbers. However, from my testing so far, about 42 grains produces the best groups, with this bullet (in my rifle - which seems to be stuck in a mild-charge "rut"). A max. charge is about 51 grains. I have been in contact with someone who is also testing this powder and bullet....and he has successfully taken deer with this bullet, over 48.5 grains of the IMR-4895. This load chronos at about 2550 fps (his chronograph). This is certainly a good hunting load, just about ideal with this bullet ....and he likes it very much.

Finally, I will pass on a funny result. I have been reforming .30/06 brass, to 8 x 57 dimensions, as it is cheaper than 8mm cases....and produces a thicker case, with better bullet tension. In most cases, I am crimping my 8 x 57 loads, because the regular 8 x 57 brass has insufficient tension, from my sizing die. Anyway, I loaded 50 reformed cases with a light charge, 33 grains of the Alliant Reloder 15..and the Rem. 185 PSP bullet....for fireforming purposes. I chose the 33 grain load simply because it is about 65 % of cases capacity, so it would be safe, but a minimal charge. I used the bullets simply for the heck of it, because I had lots of them. Funnily enough, this load consistently groups at less than 1"....at 50 yards. The most accurate load of all, in my finicky M48. And with cases that didn't even fit the chamber, to boot. Go figure......

Well, that's the extent of my experimentation with this cartridge, so far. I hope that this information will help you. I am still experimenting. I have also just acquired a very nice M48a....and I'm restoring it now. I'm looking forward to trying it...and seeing what it does (and how it compares to my M48). Anyway, good luck and let us know how the load testing goes.

[sundog]

I thought the most of the 8x57 Mausers had a 9 1/4 or 9 1/2 twist???? sundog

[Olaf]

They do.....1 turn in 9.4", to be exact. And your point is .......??

[sundog]

Point is faster twist, longer bullet, but a 180 should shoot okay. Schmeisser said 14 and that would not work so well with longer bullets. sundog

[Olaf]

Ah, I see. Sorry, sundog, I hadn't read his post. 1 in 14 " ??? Where the heck did he get that ? Actually, 185 grains is just about in the middle of usable bullet weights, for the 8 x 57. As such, these are often very accurate through "Mauser" type barrels (1 in 9.4"). Schmeisser said it himself - Mausers tend to do best with bullets in the 170 to 200 grain range. Some do better with heavier bullets. The most accurate bullets in my Yugo M48, for example, are the 196 grain FMJ ones, used in Yugo milsurp ammo. I use these in my own handloads (pulled bullets)....for target loads. But, the 185's will do very well, with the right load combination.

[Schmeisser]

Sorry guys, I have to correct myself - I mixed up the barrels: the K 98k has a 1 in 240 mm twist, which is 1 in 9,488". If you apply the Greenhill formula to this twist, you will end up at a bullet weight shortly below 200 grs. As far as I remember the original bullet weight was 198 grs. There is hardly any round on the market which has been given birth with a higher input of math than the 8 x 57 IS.

Greetings, Schmeisser

[Gewehr98]

I've used it in my 8x57 to drop Wyoming elk and Montana mule deer, and have been quite satisfied with the results. I use Remington nickel-plated brass, Federal 210 primers. Starting load was 48.0gr of IMR4350, but I've since worked up the load to 51.0gr of IMR4350. Do-not-exceed load is up there around 53.9gr of IMR4350, but I was working for accuracy, not max velocity.

This is a favorite in both my sporterized Amberg 1917 Gewehr98, and Belgian FN-49.

[Shane Tuttle]

thanks for all of y'alls input. those recipes will come in handy. Can't wait to get my basement finished this winter so I can set up to reload again. I don't get online as often as it appears y'all do, but I will definitely keep tabs on new info posted. Happy Holidays!

[Toney]

You will find that all but min loads with that bullet weight will shoot hight. I'm shooting hornady 170gr round nose bullets at 2200fps {39gr imr 3031} there printing around 1-1 1/2" high at 100

the bullets work very good at this speed, the little buck had big hole in him Really with open sight you do not need any more.

Yep i would start with the min and work up untill they printed where i wanted them

[Olaf]

Yes, the Hornady 170 RN is a great bullet, isn't it ? Those are my chosen hunting bullets, as well. I very much like the fact that it is not necessary to drive them extremely fast, to get good results. My best load, with these, is 43.0 grains of IMR-4064....about 2300 fps. From 0 to 150 yards (my normal iron-sight distances)....they do the job very well.

[charly1]

using exact same bullet from midway. pushing it with 43.7 grns of imr 4064.
own a bushmaster dcm ar15 in 223. accurate as hell, but i turely believe the mauser with the bulk remington 185 gr. with the imr 4064 can out shoot it.
both guns will take out your pupile at 1oo yds. if the mauser had better sights (using orginal) it would beat the dcm considerably.

[Olaf]

Charly 1,

Try the Mojo rear aperture sight. No modifications required to the rifle - it simply installs in place of the standard rear sight leaf. Fully adjustable for windage and elevation, it is. I use this sight, with the largest aperture (0.150") installed, as a "ghost ring"...with the standard front sight blade. It's easy, quick to acquire the target.....and helps my shooting considerably.

www.mojosights.com