I have just gotten my father into reloading mainly for this caliber. I have two questions about it though. 1) Where is a good place to find bulletes for this caliber? 2) My father bought a Mitchells Mauser 8x57mm (thats all I know about it) and LOVE's it, but isn't too fond of the recoil. Does anyone have any suggestions for a lighter load? This gun will only be putting holes through paper targets. Thanks in advance for any help

Sierra, Speer, and Hornady all make bullets in 8mm. I've used IMR4198 for reduced loads, 23-26grs, depending.

quote:

Originally posted by George V.:
I have just gotten my father into reloading mainly for this caliber. I have two questions about it though. 1) Where is a good place to find bulletes for this caliber? ...

http://www.midwayusa.com/

http://www.grafs.com/

http://www.lockstock.com/

http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/

http://www.natchezss.com/

-Bob F.

Congratulations on your Mauser. Great caliber, good for both hunting and target - if you feed it with the right ammo. Depending on what you intend to use the rifle for, I would make the following suggestions:

- Although the 8 x 57 IS is an omnivore, try to get some decent brass. FC is fine (I've reloaded several batches 10 times and more), RP is better (less soft, in my view), Win is very good for the price. RWS is top of the line, but very very pricy and I would only get it if I had a custom Mauser based on an 1909 DWM system.

- The selection of bullets is quite good. As for the weight I would recommend bullets in the 156 or 200 grs range as they were standard (for different uses) in the Imperial German Army, the Reichswehr and the Wehrmacht. Personally, I reload Sierra 200 grs Matchkings which out of my 98k (1937) are extremely accurate. You simply have to try what your rifle likes best. Because of the soaring bullet prices I am looking for the Prvi Partizan 196s, which are much cheaper and almost quite as accurate out of many rifles. Should the barrel be more or less worn out, try a flat base bullet. They tend to be more accurate than the HPBTs in this case.

- As for the powder: 1000 shooters - 1000 recommendations. In my experience VARGET is a good choice, especially when matched with CCI BR2 primers. I'm going to test VV N 140 as well, but first I'll have to use up my keg of VARGET.

- If you find out that your rifle shoots very accurate with the load you developed, you may consider mounting a pistol scope with an S+K mount. Costs you about 200 bucks, but enhances the fun of Mauser shooting tremendously.

Good luck!

first ,150 gr have noticably less recoil.
second,get a slip on recoil pad,if you dont want to alter the stock.I just cut my stock off and fitted a black shotgun pad,i typically shoot 100 or so rounds a day for practice,a few times a month so,I wasnt worried about altering mine.
I have been using IMR 4320 powder with 150 gr hornandy sp at about 2600 fps with good results.

quote:

Originally posted by jb:
first ,150 gr have noticably less recoil.
second,get a slip on recoil pad,if you dont want to alter the stock.I just cut my stock off and fitted a black shotgun pad,i typically shoot 100 or so rounds a day for practice,a few times a month so,I wasnt worried about altering mine.
I have been using IMR 4320 powder with 150 gr hornandy sp at about 2600 fps with good results.

Amen to your load! I shoot Mauser Police Carbines which can be rather punishing with those heavy 196-200 grain bullets !!

LLS

especially with that cup steel but plate!

The first thing to get is a slip on recoil pad.

I use IMR's 4759 for reduced loads as it's safer due to it's bulk which makes double charging more difficult. Other powders like 4198 are also good.

Be careful of over sizing the brass with a FL die as many of those oldies have excessive headspace.

These a a couple of M-48's I picked up from Mitchell's a couple of years ago. For inexpensive bullets try Midway. I bought a bulk box of 500 Remingtons quite reasonable. Both of these guns are good shooters, and quite accurate with the standard iron sights. I also purchased the RCBS X-Dies in 8 MM, although I can't say how well they work as of yet because I'm still shooting the original new bulk brass I bought and don't have any reloads on them to judge how well they prevent case growth. Bill T.

I have kinda settled on the 170 grain Speer SMP bullet, and occasionally the Sierra 175 grain SP...

I have used IMR 4198, ReL7 powders with great accuracy.. I look at the 8 x 57 as a big 223 case... what works well in 223s work well in it..

I did try some SR 4759 for Reduced Loads, and the accuracy was so good, I went from 15 grain loads, to 20 grain Loads, to 25 grain loads... To it is NOW the POWDER I use for all of my 8 x 57 Loads,...

For deer hunting, and bear in brush, I use an 8 x 57 with a load of 35 grains of SR 4759, with the Speer bullet....

It might be a hot load, I don't know, and haven't chronographed it... but it sure will tear the heck out of wood and a few other medias I have tried it in.... So far tho, It hasn't had the opportunity to work on game, as none have presented themselves when it was in my hands...

But I really like that Speer bullet.. and I really like SR 4759 in that case... It is also my powder for my 444 Marlin....