Gentlemen,

what loads do you have for a 8x60? I�m going to load with 196 grains Sellier & Bellot and 220 grains Hawk. The rifle is a SAKO M98 from 1954. The barrels is a .318" and I have swaged the bullets to correct diameter. Available powders are the IMR 4350 and Norma 204, but I�m grateful for other suggestions.

Gratefully,

Fritz Kraut

Gruss Gott, Herr Kraut! Waidmanns Heil!!
I have an OLD (1912) J.P. Sauer double that is an 8X60R. (Convertred in 1942 from "7,8X57R". I slugged and miked my bores. They came out .322". I fired a couple of rounds I made by cutting off necked-up .30/'06 brass, ejecting them with a ramrod, and found that my rifle's throats were big enough for a .323" bullet to drop freely into the fired cases. I got some RWS 7X65R cases, cut them off, and set the shoulders back so they would just barely permit the rifle to close on them. I have been using 200-grain Nosler .323" bullets in mine, since it is stamped as being regulated for 198-grain bullets. The load I have been using with these bullets is 56 grains of H205, a Hodgdon powder which is no longer available, but which, in an 8mm, produces the same velocity as an identical charge of IMR 4350, but at lower pressures. I used it because of the gun I was shooting it in, which is not nearly as strong as yours. My MV was right at 2620 FPS. You could use a similar load of IMR 4350 with the 196-grain bullet, and could probably work it up to a higher level in a M98 Mauser!

Once you have a few cases fired from your chamber, try dropping a .323" bullet through the case mouths. If a bullet will drop in easily, you COULD SAFELY use .323:" bullets with slow powders like 4350. Have you slugged and miked your bore? I understand that the Gew. 88 used .318 bullets, but had .321" to .322" groove diameters, since at one time in Europe, they shot undersized bullets in the new smokeless powder arms (ca. 1880-1910).

Here's a couple other loads, from Handloader Magazine, Ken Waters: (years ago!!)

150 Gr. Speer-52 Gr. IMR 4320, MV 2865 FPS
170 Gr. Horn-51.0 Gr. IMR 4895, MV 2701 FPS
170 Gr. Speer-56 Gr IMR 4350, MV 2506 FPS
175 Gr. Sierra-53 Gr. IMR 4320, MV 2796 FPS
175 Gr. Sierra-55 Gr. IMR 4350, MV 2544 FPS
200 Gr. Nosler Par. 55 Gr.Norm N204, MV 2574 FPS
220 Sierra 51 Gr. IMR 4350, MV 2450 FPS

Let me know how it works out!! Good Luck!

[ 03-14-2003, 01:05: Message edited by: eldeguello ]

Thanks for your reply. I�ll test the data and come back later.

You must have a really nice and admirable double rifle - that type of rifle have an obvious advantage, as they can be loaded silently. And they are indeed beautiful too.

Best regards,

Fritz