14 May 2004, 14:27
Major CaliberRe: 8 x 57 Mauser, Blue Dot, 170 grain Speer
I used a mild load with some Speer 170's pushed to 2300fps at the muzzle of my 20" VZ-24. I killed hogs with it up to 100yds range, dropped them in their tracks!
I am pushing a Hornady 170g RN at 2630 fps with IMR4064.Even at that speed, I see no sign of preasure. The rifle is a sportered Turk with a 3-9x40 on it. It shoots very accurate to 300 yards, thats my limit, not the rifles.
13 May 2004, 16:12
bartsche8mmX57-Blue Dot Loads 5/11/04
(new scout w/ Bartsche recoil compensator)
150 gr. Sp Interlock Hornady, RP cases, Win.Mag. primers 50yd.
17gr. Blue Dot, sooty, 1634 to 1721�/sec. 3� group,
19gr. BD. sooty, 1799 to 1812�/sec. �� grp. Impact 2� higher
21gr. BD. Less soot, 1934 to 1953�/sec. 1�grp 2� higher impact.
22gr. BD. Less soot 2007 to 2018�/sec. 1�grp. 2� higher impact.
23gr.BD. littlle soot 2076 to 2086�/sec. 1� grp. 2� higher impact.
185gr. psp ? WLR, RP cases, 50yd.
17gr. BD.sooty 1444 to 1450�/sec. 1�grp. Very low impact
19gr. BD. Sooty 1531 to 1591� /sec. 2� grp. Higher impact
21gr. BD. A little sooty 1730 to 1737�/sec. ��grp. Higher
22gr. BD. Less soot 1790 to 1810�/sec. 1�grp. A little higher
23gr. BD. Hardly any soot 1845 to 1862 1� grp. 1� higher
I hope this is usefull.NO PRESSURE SIGNS Low recoil. Pleasant to shoot.Thank you Seafire

roger
Roger,
It is funny that you posted that today. I went out and tested some 8 x 57 myself this morning.
I do wish I had some 185 grain Rem Corelokts but I don't.
My 8 x 57 bullet that I have settled on is the Speer 170 grain Semi Spitzer.( or Semi Pointed).
Firearm Used: CZ 8 x 57 sporterized 1923 production date on receiver
Barrel: 23 inches
Case: New Rem Brass
Primer: Fed 210
OAL: 79.00 mms
I was looking for hunting loads with this rifle. I also tested powder weights from 18 grains to 27 grains. I consider 26 grains as max for this bullet, at the OAL listed. Deeper seating will cause an increase in pressure in my opinion, ( but this is not tested, so draw your own conclusions)
18 grs: 1809 fps
19 grs: 1858 fps
20 grs: 1937 fps
21 grs: 1961 fps
22 grs: 2051 fps
23 grs: 2128 fps
24 grs: 2156 fps
25 grs: 2226 fps
26 grs: 2267 fps
27 grs gave a velocity of 2322, but also displayed extractor marks. the velocity difference in 26 and 27 grains velocity is not worth the effort.
Back stop was another tree, a myrtle wood tree. Diameter was about 8 inches or so. These loads not only completely penetrated the tree at about 30 ft away from the muzzle, but went back another 30 ft, and were doing a fair amount of impact damage to a much bigger myrtle wood.
Wood was flying off the back ( in the form that I just call tooth picks)of the tree some to distances of 20 ft away.
I think this combo would be awesome to carry bear hunting or elk hunting in deep cover. This particular rifle has a slim sporterized stock, and a Lyman peep site.
For the amount of damage that was happening to the back stop media, in ratio to the muzzle velocity and the lack of any real recoil, I was truly amazed and highly impressed.
The Speer 170 grain SMP at this type of velocity is not a long range affair, but it sure does a very impressive job. But trees are not game, but I would carry this bullet and any of these loads with a lot of confidence in the field. According to the trajectory charts, this would still be a good 200 to 250 yd load.
Cheers and Good shooting
seafire
Roger is the * x 57 any relation to the & x 57? or the % x 57?
LoL, I am the typo queen so dont worry about it!
14 May 2004, 05:40
bartscheI'm curious,John, why our velocities don't seem to correlate.Your 170s are faster than my 150s. Our barrel lengths are the same yet the difference is greater than the normal variables would cause.

roger
Roger,
I am posting my Cartridge overall lengths. I am seating my bullet out quite a way since my rifles's throats will take them that long. Military 8 x 57 is seated with minimal depth.
My OAL was 79mms. I assume you are seating yours deeper than mine, and with the rifle's long throat, you are not building as high of a pressure as mine are, because you are dealing with a lot of freebore.
Try to seat your bullets out farther and see what you get.
I noticed that you had stopped at a lower powder volume than I did. Was it based on reaching max pressure before I did based on a deeper seating depth?> That caught my attention on your tests.
Let me know what you find out.
seafire
Roger,
YOU answered the other aspect of your differences.
You are crimping a bullet. without a crimp you will get a faster velocity. Also as far as accuracy, I don't think the 150 grain bullet you use has a cannelure. And that being crimped will decrease accuracy alot!
Try shooting the same loads uncrimped. If I can get ahold of some 150 grain 8mm bullets, I will try and duplicate what you are loading and see what I get.
Could be at the lighter powder volume, using a heavier bullet, I am just getting more pressure and that is why I am getting faster velocity.
By process of elimination I am sure we will figure it out.
cheers and good shooting
seafire