The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Guns, Politics, Gunsmithing & Reloading Reloading .30-06 is it worthwhile?Go | New | Find | Notify | Tools | Reply | |
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| one of us |
I am wondering if I want to rebarrel my very smooth pre-war(1933, the year Nazi raise to power, has a Mauser factory stamp rather than military stamps/swastika) Mauser 98 to a .308Win or .30-06. I know .308 performs because it is loaded to higher pressure but if .30-06 is loaded to higher pressure too(may I?), would it be more worthwhile than .308? Thanks for your input. | ||
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You well get better preformence from the 06. When you use the heaver stuff even more so. | |||
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Would this be an 8x57? You need to see Deerdogs Africa Forum post 'killer bushveldt combo' CIP (continental data) pushes 8x57 past 308 and on a par with 30-06. Consequently unless it's knackered or you can't get continental ammunition or don't reload the answer has to be a resounding no if the books are to be believed. Ask Ray he loves both so should give an unbiased experienced opinion depending on which side of bed he got out of. | |||
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Assuming your current barrel is 8 x 57, I agree with 1894. All three cartridges are based on the same case, and in the same gun, all three can be loaded to the same pressure (nominally, around 52,000 CUP or about 60,000 PSI). When loaded to the same pressure, the larger case and larger bore of the 8 x 57 will give you considerably more power than the .308, and similar power to the larger case/smaller bore .30-06. So, unless you have some other compelling reason to rebarrel, leave it alone and you will also have the benefit of maintaining the gun in its original condition. | |||
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I had a sporterized rifle exactly as you describe: marked 1933 on the top of the ring, Mauser Werke Oberndorf on the side. I believe these rifles were ostensibly made for the postal service but Germany was in fact re-arming in violation of the Treaty of Versailles. Very fine, pre-war commercial quality. Unless the bore is bad, use the factory barrel. Nothing at all wrong with 8x57, a real powerhouse when properly handloaded with the correct diameter bullets. | |||
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If it is an 8x57JS (and it probably is) you owe it to yourself to take good care of it. My father has shot some 80+ moose with his 8x57JS and only one has walked away more than 40 meters, that single one due to a bad shot alone and the calible can not be blamed for that. It is a "firm but gentle" killer which leaves is perfectly suited for moose-sized game but its moderate speed and heavy bullets makes it grat for smaller game too - it will not waste any meat... It will beb outperformed by fast and flashy calibers in the ballistics charts but when it comes to *elegantly* dispose of a moose, deer or bear you really want to have a 8x57JS. Imho, it is only rivalled by 9,3x62. Stick to the Norma brass and try the Norma Oryx bonded bullet(I'm Swedish so I'm biased, though). /HerrBerg | |||
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8mm Mauser is the basis for the design of the 30-06. Springfield paid Mauser patent royalties for the design of the 1903 bolt action service rifle. 30-06 ammo can be neck trimmed and resized to load 8mm Mauser. You really need to keep this gun intact. It's collectable. Besides which, you can purchase a Turk Mauser (M-1938) for as little as $40 these days. The Czech M-98/22 runs about $80, and a new Yugo M-48 or Y-48 can be had at about $100. I've been clocking a mean velocity of 2965 fps for Turk surplus ammo. This is steel jacket, corrosive, circa 1944 military ammo in the green cloth bandoliers. 29" bbl. and 155 gr. bullets. LOTS of energy in the 8mm Mauser load. Bullets can be found to 220 gr I think. ------------------ | ||
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I can't fault any of the comments about the 8mm. It is an excellent cartridge in a good gun and with handloads. Factory ammo is deliberately loaded down. However, all these good things aside, the 06 would be your most versatile of the 3 cartridges you listed, simply due to the vast bullet selection available for .30 cal. As for the suggestion that you stick with Norma brass, I'm afraid I have to differ with that. My experience with Norma brass has always been that it is too soft and case life is poor. There are better brass case makers out there for sure. ------------------ | |||
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Pecos: I haven't used any Norma brass in 30 years, but back then it was noticibly softer than U.S. brass. From what I hear today, I don't think this is still the case. Regardless, I do all my 8 x 57 loading with reworked '06 brass; this is cheap, easy, and extremely satisfactory. As far as bullet selection, while admittedly not as numerous in choices as .30 caliber, I have 8mm bullets in my cabinet from 123 grain spitzers to 250 grain round nose. After all, only one good bullet is all you need, and Nosler, Sierra, Speer, Hornady, Remington, Norma and several others provide bullets that will work on anything from dik-dik to moose. The Sierra 175 would be good all around, and the new Nosler ballistic tip 180 looks interesting. The Nosler 200 partition would hammer anything in North America. [This message has been edited by Stonecreek (edited 05-15-2002).] | |||
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How lucky will I be if I had a fully intact commercial grade Mauser. But NO, the previous owner of this rifle brutally chopped it, the stock is very ugly and is bedded with wax(the owner seem to use wax both as a bedding compound and as an adhesive.) The guy isn't good at targeting cause of feeding problem either. The bolt face and extractor claw had so much metal removed that it no longer is a "controlled round feed". It is a push-feed that fails to extract cases 60% of the time. I replaced it with a new extractor and cured it. Other than that the rifle is glass smooth with deep, high polished blueing. The barrel is only in good condition with worn rifling. And I can get both brand new .308 and .30-06 barrel in stepped military contour for this poor baby. | |||
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You can get a damn fine, military spec Mauser in 8mm for less than $100. Best bolt action rifle that's ever been designed. But, I'm a Mauser nut . . . ------------------ | ||
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I would leave it a 8x57, great cartridge. but if I was going to convert it I would do so to a 30-06 as the box is correct for feeding... Problems can arise with the .308 unless it's a large ring short action, which it is not....It is just more costly to convert to a .308 and it will need a block and perhaps rail work. All three calibers are basically equal in trajectory and killing power. ------------------ | |||
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In view of your last comments Pyro, I think I would rebarrel to 30/06 and then go shoot the guy who sold me such a poor butchered gun. That's a sad story. Obviously the previous owner was an idiot.  Sounds like you are a candidate for a restock job too while you are at it.Or if you are wanting an iron sighted military rifle, ask Genghis for his source of good mil surplus mauser rifles. Spend the $100 he is talking about...if he can produce a valid market for you...and you'll probably be money and grief ahead from the sound of your current rifle. ------------------ | |||
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quote: Unless you are really wanting to make a fancy custom piece out of this action, I think I'd probably just leave it alone and buy another one. You can pick up a Yugo K98 rework for about $150 with near perfect bluing and wood. You would barely be able to buy a new barrel for your rifle for that. The 8mm x 57 is a GREAT cartridge. You can get bullets up to 250g for it. It's a real deer hammer. | |||
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