8mm Mauser help please

[sfwusc]

I have loaded up 3 rounds of 8mm with 220 gr Remington core lokt. I have 35 gr of 4895 imr behind it.

When I compare it to the ppu factory round, the round is a lot shorter. The actual projectile is shorter though. I set the bullet to the mark on the projectile. I will post pics.

Thanks for the help!!

[sfwusc]

https://postimg.org/image/l8ctwthpx/

[emcon5]

You sure about that bullet weight? Never seen one that heavy. Only 8mm Remington ammo or components I have seen are 170 gr.

[JT-AR-MG42]

Help with what? I see no question.

Just how long have you been re-loading?
You might want to go back and re-read your manuals, look for the chapter on seating bullets in the rifle section of it.
The mark on the projectile is called the cannelure.
Seating a bullet to the cannelure is not necessarily the proper depth, nor is it necessarily the best depth for accuracy.
You will also find info on different methods to determine proper seating depth.

You have made no mention as to the firearm the ammo is intended for either.
Probably a 98 of some sort, but it could be an 88 Commission rifle.

Remington designed that bullet with the 8mm Rem. Magnum in mind and the 220gr. was never
loaded as a factory round in 8mm Mauser.
Western made a 200 gr. loading, but it was neither popular nor long lived.

I do not recall that bullet/caliber combo in the older DuPont manuals either,
although if such data exists, thats where you'll find it.

Stay safe, JT

[emcon5]

I guess I stand corrected on the bullet wt, it looks like they did make them that heavy, but no stopped at some point evidently. It is not in their current catalog.

Looking at the photo, I think I understand the question, you are worried that the overall length is different, and the PPU stuff is longer?

If this is the case, I would not worry about it, OAL varies depending on bullet construction, and a soft point with a rounded nose will be shorter overall compared to a FMJ with a point. The important part is not the OAL, but the distance from the ogive to the rifling. If you look at your bullets and the PPU, but don;t look at the tip, look at the curve of the bullet, they are actually pretty close in that regard.

What JT said about the cannelure is correct though, that only matters if you are crimping, and assuming this is a bolt gun you don't need to.

I do notice that your bullets are not the same length though, looking at where the cannelure meets the case mouth. You need to work on consistency.

[sfwusc]

I am a complete newbie. These are my first 8 mm mauser loads. I am trying to be safe and the shortness scared me.

It is a yugo capture k98. They are older projectiles that a guy traded me for some .223 range pick up brass.

My manual says i can use 220 gr bullets with up to 39.5 gr of IMR 4895, but I am starting at the 35 gr. I know these are more hunting rounds, but I will be likely just plinking with them. The OAL for the 220 sp is 3.000 and I am at 2.875. I set them to deep didn't I? I guess I need to pull the projectiles and reseat them.

[Jim Watson]

The Hogdgon maximum is 45 gr IMR 4895 and a 220 gr 8mm, 39.5 is their starting load; which is about the very mild SAAMI spec. You are at 78% of maximum, far below the usual 90% starting load.
No need to look for stuff to worry about, go shooting.

[mehavey]

Look at your pic again.

You have loaded to the factory crimp which -- as a default -- ain't bad BECAUSE...

- The factory/PPU round (military Full Metal Jacket) is a slim pointed round.
- The 220 CoreLokt is a stockier/blunt exposed-lead nose, and it's diameter as
...compared to the FMJ is about the same at the point the bullet engages the lands

[Road_Clam]

Couple comments and I will base this feedback on the assumption you're loading for a K98 ? The 220 gr bullet is really heavy for a K98, my K98 much more prefers 170 gr Spitzers. As for your longer OAL don't worry about it. The K98 Mausers have a very deep chamber so feed a round in and if the bolt closes you are good to go.

[Gunplummer]

I used to load 220 grain Sierra for mine. You will get variation on the overall length depending if the load book you are using is matched to the bullet. I don't see a problem there.

[F. Guffey]

You sure about that bullet weight? Never seen one that heavy. Only 8mm Remington ammo or components I have seen are 170 gr.

I believe I have 1,000 Nosler 200 grain match bullets, I can see no advantage to going to 8mm Remington Magnum if not for using heavier bullets. I also have 3 8mm/06 rifles. I am building two 8mm magnum wildcats, I have no ideal what the two rifles will like.

F. Guffey

[Jim Watson]

Wasn't the pre-1905, pre-spitzer 8mm bullet a 236 gr RN?
To say a 220 gr bullet is too heavy for the cartridge does not follow.

[emcon5]

Wasn't the pre-1905, pre-spitzer 8mm bullet a 236 gr RN?
To say a 220 gr bullet is too heavy for the cartridge does not follow.

The original M88 load was a ~225gr round nose, so yeah a K98 is certainly capable of shooting a bullet that heavy. When the S Patrone was introduced in 1903 it was 153 gr, and the 1933 s.S. Patrone was ~198gr.

The problem is that I expect all the ~220gr bullets were intended for the 8mm Rem Mag, and designed to hit the target a lot faster, about 800 FPS IIRC, and my not work all that well on game.

If you are punching paper, doesn't matter.

[sfwusc]

Thank you all for the help. I am punching paper so if they don't open up then it doesn't matter.

I got 100 of them for 400 .223 casing that I picked up at the range.

[Unclenick]

sfwusc,

Welcome to the handloading forum.

Remington has made 8mm Core-Lokt Spire Point bullets in 170 grains, and PSP (pointed soft point) bullets that look like yours in both 185 and 220 grains. So, my first question to you is, did you weigh one of these bullets or did you just take someone's word for the weight of them?

If these are, indeed, 220 grains, as you say, what is the total length of these bullets and what is their length from the base to the knurled crimp cannelure? Knowing how far they stick into the case is important to estimating pressures.