Load question for 8x57 IS

DavidJBlythe · October 6, 2007, 02:36 PM

I have new brass and 185 Gr. Remington CoreLokt bullets. I want to use H4895 (I've been reading good things about it) but I cannot find a starting load anywhere! Does anyone load 8mm Mauser with heavy rounds like this and use 4895?

Trapper L · October 6, 2007, 05:55 PM

I show the following for your bullet powder combo:
41.0 minimum- 46.5 max load. It shows a velocity of 2491'ps which is fairly hot for this old timer cartridge. I'd approach the data with caution and work up.
185 gr Remington
H4895 powder

Zak Smith · October 6, 2007, 07:01 PM

8x57 Mauser can be loaded to .30-06 ballistics. American load data for this caliber is severely watered down to avoid catastrophic disaster if shot in a .318"-bore rifle. The vast majority of these old 8x57 barrels were replaced shortly after 1905.

Scorch · October 6, 2007, 11:25 PM

A 195 gr bullet is not too heavy for the 8X57, many European loads use a 196 gr bullet. I used to load 200 gr Speer for my 8X57 and it worked beautifully, but I never used H4895. IMR 4320 always worked best for me. The more common bullet weight is 170 gr, and you can get the velocity well beyond 2600 fps.

DavidJBlythe · October 7, 2007, 08:28 AM

Awesome... I will begin at 40 grains and work from there. Thanks for the help!
I pulled apart a factory 170 gr. corelokt round and it had a tad under 46 gr. in it.

**44 AMP** · October 8, 2007, 11:51 PM

Ammo makers buy/make powder by the ton. Ammo is loaded to a pressure/velocity standard, not a powder weight standard. Each different lot of ammo, even though producing the same pressure and velocity may have several grains difference in weight. Don't use factory loaded powder weight as a guide, it is NOT SAFE.

Factories also load powder that is not available to handloaders. It make LOOK just like the powder you buy, but it is not. It is different chemically (pressure curve/burn rate). Cannister grade powder for reloading is pretty consistant, lot to lot. It is supposed to be. When the factories get a new lot of powder, they test it, and adjust the charge weight for the batch of ammo to be loaded, as needed.

Get a good reloading manual. get more than one. Compare what they found safe with their components (they don't all test the same components) and in their test guns. This will give you an idea of a safe place to start. Every gun is different, and a starting load in one gun can be near max, or even over max in a different gun.

I use IMR 4895 for loading the 8x57 Mauser right now, which is a different powder from H4895. Very similar, as the names are similar, but not identical. Don't confuse the data.

DavidJBlythe · October 9, 2007, 05:58 AM

I completely understand what you are saying. I noticed that different types of powder had very different loads for the same caliber... some used almost twice the powder for the same velocity.

What kinds of loads do you use with IMR 4895?

[email protected] · October 9, 2007, 02:04 PM

I use 47.0 grains of IMR4064 under a 150 hornady and it isn't too hot at all. You can get alot of power out of that old warhorse if you're careful

October 6, 2007, 02:36 PM	#1
DavidJBlythe Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2005 Location: USMC, Centcom Posts: 214	Load question for 8x57 IS I have new brass and 185 Gr. Remington CoreLokt bullets. I want to use H4895 (I've been reading good things about it) but I cannot find a starting load anywhere! Does anyone load 8mm Mauser with heavy rounds like this and use 4895?

October 6, 2007, 07:01 PM	#3
Zak Smith Senior Member Join Date: December 12, 1999 Location: Fort Collins, Colorado, USA Posts: 2,682	8x57 Mauser can be loaded to .30-06 ballistics. American load data for this caliber is severely watered down to avoid catastrophic disaster if shot in a .318"-bore rifle. The vast majority of these old 8x57 barrels were replaced shortly after 1905. __________________ Zak Smith . DEMIGOD LLC . THUNDER BEAST ARMS CORP . COLORADO MULTI-GUN *My PM inbox full? Send e-mail instead.*

October 6, 2007, 11:25 PM	#4
Scorch Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2006 Location: Washington state Posts: 15,248	A 195 gr bullet is not too heavy for the 8X57, many European loads use a 196 gr bullet. I used to load 200 gr Speer for my 8X57 and it worked beautifully, but I never used H4895. IMR 4320 always worked best for me. The more common bullet weight is 170 gr, and you can get the velocity well beyond 2600 fps. __________________ Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs. But what do I know? Summit Arms Services

October 8, 2007, 11:51 PM	#6
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,835	Warning! Danger! Do NOT Use Factory Powder charge as a guide! Ammo makers buy/make powder by the ton. Ammo is loaded to a pressure/velocity standard, not a powder weight standard. Each different lot of ammo, even though producing the same pressure and velocity may have several grains difference in weight. Don't use factory loaded powder weight as a guide, it is NOT SAFE. Factories also load powder that is not available to handloaders. It make LOOK just like the powder you buy, but it is not. It is different chemically (pressure curve/burn rate). Cannister grade powder for reloading is pretty consistant, lot to lot. It is supposed to be. When the factories get a new lot of powder, they test it, and adjust the charge weight for the batch of ammo to be loaded, as needed. Get a good reloading manual. get more than one. Compare what they found safe with their components (they don't all test the same components) and in their test guns. This will give you an idea of a safe place to start. Every gun is different, and a starting load in one gun can be near max, or even over max in a different gun. I use IMR 4895 for loading the 8x57 Mauser right now, which is a different powder from H4895. Very similar, as the names are similar, but not identical. Don't confuse the data. __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

October 6, 2007, 05:55 PM	#2
Trapper L Senior Member Join Date: November 20, 2006 Location: South Texas Posts: 804	I show the following for your bullet powder combo: 41.0 minimum- 46.5 max load. It shows a velocity of 2491'ps which is fairly hot for this old timer cartridge. I'd approach the data with caution and work up. 185 gr Remington H4895 powder

October 7, 2007, 08:28 AM	#5
DavidJBlythe Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2005 Location: USMC, Centcom Posts: 214	Awesome... I will begin at 40 grains and work from there. Thanks for the help! I pulled apart a factory 170 gr. corelokt round and it had a tad under 46 gr. in it.

October 9, 2007, 05:58 AM	#7
DavidJBlythe Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2005 Location: USMC, Centcom Posts: 214	I completely understand what you are saying. I noticed that different types of powder had very different loads for the same caliber... some used almost twice the powder for the same velocity. What kinds of loads do you use with IMR 4895?

October 9, 2007, 02:04 PM	#8
[email protected] Junior Member Join Date: May 10, 2007 Posts: 13	I use 47.0 grains of IMR4064 under a 150 hornady and it isn't too hot at all. You can get alot of power out of that old warhorse if you're careful