hi
would a m98 in 8x57 do the job on plain games? what would be the limitation? factory loads like RWS with HM and and newer bonded bullets or norma oryx,
regards
yes

I have an old mauser 98 in 8x57 that was left to me by my uncle. I have never taken it to Africa but I use it on wild hogs here in the states using 170gr winchester power points and it works great. It should work well on plains game.

I used an 8X57 in 2001. Worked great on PG but I'd draw the line at Kudu sized game. I used 170 Noslers as I recall. Use caution to select bullets SPECIFICLY designed for the 8X57!!! With the advent of faster 8mm's such as the Rem. Mag & 325WSM mfg's now offer bullets designed for these higher velocities that simply will not expand at 8X57 speed.

Based on seeing my wifes use of the 308 on wildebest, 2 kudu and zebra [as well as a brain shot on a giraffe], my use of it on a heyena [we shot some smaller stuff with it as well]
I would not hesitate to use the 8x57 with heavy premium bullets.

I would consider it on the light side for eland, but a buddy of mone killed one with a 280 Rem adn Federal factory 150gr Nosler Partitons.

An 8x57 loaded to it's potential will do anything the 30-06 will do. Which means that with careful shooting there is no plains game that can not be harvested very cleanly with it. have fun!!!!!

The 8X57 Mauser is a very capable cartridge, but the factory ammo made in the USA is a little weak. The factories load it down because there a lot of old 8X57 rifles that were rifled in the old barrels which are .318 dia, rather than the newer .323 dia. They not only down load, but use very soft bullets as well so as not to do damage if the .323 bullets are accidently fired in a .318 barrel. As far as I know all the Mauser 98 rifles were .323, so if that is what you have, I'd get some dies, and load this cartridge up to it's full potentual, and use some 200 gr Nosler Partitions in front of about 50.0 grs of IMR 4350, which will give you right at 2580 fps, and will handle any plains game on earth, with proper bullet placement! I have taken a lot of game with the 8X57 cartridge, both the 8X57 Mauser (.323 dia) and the 8X57JR (.318 dia) which is a rimmed version in a double rifle with the old bullet dia, and it has never given me any reason to turn away from it! The only thing the 30-06 will do better than the 8X57 properly loaded is shoot a little flatter, but with equal bullet placement, they are almost identical, with the edge going to the 8mm,within 200 yds, for the larger dia of the bullet, at about the same speed! Good luck, and as already suggested, have fun!

I had a look on Noslers custom ammo site yesterday and they offer the 8x57 with various loads like Ballistic Tip, Accubond and Partion, and those loads are good velocity on.

Sadly the 8mm has been neglected by many but good powder and bullets, it can do what the `06 can do and perhaps some more.

The 8x57 will work just fine for all the plains game.

My only concern would be that one should limit his shooting distances.

The 8mmX57 is fine all around load. I have use it with Norma 196 grain loads with good results.

Hi
A week ago i was in a gun store looking to find an old and fine husky in 9,3x62, but i found a very nice 60 years old husky 640 in 8 mm with almost 100% original bluing. naturally I bought it. then my son came to visit us and we tried the gun att 50 yards distance with iron sight in the garden . it was amazing . 3 quick shots 2 touching each others and the third ½inch apart. my son did nearly the same thing. all that was done with cheap S&B fmj bullets. i actually have 2 other rifles one in 3006 and another in 6,5x55 , but none of them have the ballance and feeling of this old gun. it seems they made better guns for 60 years ago, the idea come to my head for using it in eventuell african trip.
regards
yes