Below is just another story with no particular point, but I enjoyed writing it.

I have a strange son (Actually, I wouldn't have it any other way). He has this "thing" about hunting with unsporterized military weapons.

Last season he shot two deer with a Russian M-44 Nagant using 180-grain S&B, 7.62x54 ammo. He then decided that he wanted to shoot one this season with an SMLE .303. He found a good deal on a No. 4, Mk 1 at a gun show and bought it. Unfortunately, it is a Savage manufacture with the flip up "L" apature sight, and on its lowest setting is still almost 12 inches high at 100 yards (great groups, though). He is trying to find a higher front blade to solve the problem, but it will have to wait until next season to draw "first blood" (deer blood, that is).

So, he is on to something different: He has asked for a Model 98 Mauser, unsporterized, of course, for Christmas and wants to hunt with it in Alabama all the month of Jaunary (in case you don't know, in Alabama, the deer hunting doesn't get cranked up good until the new year due to the fact that Alabama's rut takes place in mid- to late January). So, I started a search.

My goodness, are those things made of gold? I remember when you could buy a dozen Mausers for $200. Now, it's hard to find one for under $400 -- in good condition, that is. I found a lot of the Yugo M-48s (an M-98 knock-off) for around $300, but no true 98s.

Then I happened to walk in a pawn shop in Snellville, Ga and saw what appeared to be a M-98 on the rack. It looked pristine, so I figured it was a M-48 (they all look good, as they were just recently imported in "new" condition). But when I asked about it, the clerk said it was a 98 -- and it was!

I examined it and came to the conclusion that whoever had owned it, had taken really good care of it. The price tag said $250, so I offered 200. To make a long story short, I bought it for $215, plus tax. (Now, before everybody says I got a great deal, you should know that the only numbers that match on this rifle are the bolt shroud and the bolt itself -- that is what makes it a "shooter" and not a collector's piece. It's collectors that have been running up the price lately.)

It just so happend that I was on my way to the range to chrono some hand loads, so I stopped at a sporting goods store in Loganville and bought a box of Winchester 8mm Mauser ammo (170 grain power points). As I usually do with a new (to me) used rifle, I fired the first round from the sandbags while I hunkered below the concrete table, then examined the brass. All looked normal, so I came up and fired for effect.

I was amazed! This stupid rifle shot as good as any open-sighted rifle I own. At 100 yards, I could easily put all the rounds in in a 6-inch bull, which is saying something with those military sights. It definitely shot "minute of deer."

Only thing is, the ammo seemed awfully weak, with very little recoil, for a round that is supposed to be able to duplicate 30-06 ballistics. When I got home, I looked up the Winchester ballistics and found out that their bullet leaves the muzzle at a little over 2300 fps. That's not much more than their 30-30! I also found out that Federal and Remington load their 8mm ammo exactly the same as Winchester: 170-grain bullet @ a little over 2300 fps. Ya gotta love American company legal departments!

So I did an internet search of European ammo (after all, this is a European cartridge). I found that both Privi Parizan and Sellier and Bellot load their 8mm hunting rounds with 196-grain bullets, fired at 2600 fps. I can almost absolutely, double-dog-guarantee you a good blood trail with nearly 200 grains of lead entering (and leaving) a deer at this velocity, no matter how soft the bullet! So I ordered five boxes from Ammo To Go for $12 per box -- less than half the price of any of the anemic American stuff. I am very confident that the ammo will not be too hot for this rifle, as 90 perecnt of all 8mm ammo is used in surplus M-98s and 48s. Should I worry?

So that's the story of my (until christmas) new M-98 Mauser.

There is nothing I'd worry about, but I would visit a gunsmith and have the head space checked. Somewhere between the 308 and 30-06 in power, the 8X57 is an awesome round.

I have several military 8MM Mausers some 24/47 which are like the M48 but nicer and one full M98. All shoot well and came to me sighted in for the Yugo Heavy ball 196 grain ammo. I like the S&B 196 grain load also. I usually build sporters on Mauser actions but My true M98 is certainly a war trophy rifle. It has the winter trigger gaurd, excellent bore and looks like it's been there. I don't think I'll hunt with it but I'm not going to change this one.

I agree, have the headspace checked. Most military surplus 8x57 is downloaded to ensure it won't blow up older, weaker actions than the standard M98. Same with most factory US ammo. You can handload it much closer to 30-06 specs.

I bought a VZ24 thinking that I'd take off the (heavily pitted) barrel and make something more interesting (9.3x62), unfortunately, after I cleaned the cosmoline out, the barrel is almost pristine! The muzzle is a little worn from cleaning rod use, but not much. It is in such good shape I'm having a hard time deciding weather to take it off. With the issue sights, it shot 4 inch groups at 100 yds. Hate it when that happens.

You will notice a BIG difference in S&B 8mm ammo vs. Remington or Winchester. Kicks like hell, at least in a Brno 21-H. I like shooting military 98s too, usually keep a 1935 Chilean 7x57 carbine in my farm truck.

If you are not an experienced shooter/reloader, having the headspace checked is a decent idea.

If you ARE an experienced shooter/reloader, it may be a waste of time...depends on your experience level.

You have both unfired ammo and fired cases on hand. you should be able to compare the two to find whether there appear to be any headspace issues. If there are adverse signs of case stretching just in front of the case base after firing, primers protruding from the primer pockets after firing, or significant apparent movement of the shoulder forward after firing, in comparison with the unfired cases/ammo, then Yes, you should pay for a headspace checkup before using the higher pressure factory ammo.

If there are no signs of headspace issues with your fired pieces of brass, I'd personally try a couple of rounds of the high-octane stuff. If it appeared problem free, I wouldn't worry about it.

WHAR'S SNAIL-VEAL?

Do ya' think David's might have an 8-57 no-go gauge? Then again, it might be cheaper to buy one.

BTW, can you be induced to reveal who you trust to do trigger work?

The gunsmith at Tucker Gun had a set of go- no-go gauges for the 8x57. The rifle closed on the go-gauge, but he said it was actually quite a tight fit, with absolutely no play. Of course, it didn't come close to closing on the no-go gauge.

He said I should have no problem with any factory ammo, unless it is out of spec. But he said I would have to be careful with my sizing if I decide to handload for it, as it is minimally head-spaced.

Cheers!
-Bob F.

"If the serial numbers of the bolt and the receiver do not match then it would be imprudent to shoot it again without checking the headspace. I have seen mausers with mismatched bolts that were as tight as if they had the lugs lapped to the receiver. I have also seen mausers with mismatched bolts that had dangerous excessive headspacing problems."

If you look back two posts, you will see that I already did that. Tight headspacing! No slop at all.

Five boxes of Privi Partizan 196-grain soft points arrive today (accoding to UPS tracking codes). I have no idea what their bullet construction is, but I'll bet it's pretty soft stuff. But I figure that even if it is soft, the shear weight of nearly 200 grains moving at a moderate velocity will fully penetrate just about any game in North America.

The Privi ammo did not show up on Friday, but David's Gun Room had six boxes of Sellier and Bellot, 196-grain soft points, for 17.99 a box. Bought two boxes and took them to the range this morning. I shot a whole box, with my best three-shot group measuring 2-1/2 inches at 100 yards. Not too shabby with open combat sights!

Man, whoever said I would notice the difference between the S&B and the American stuff was right. That stuff is hot! Slaps the sh-- out of my cheek. Feels Goooooood!

Anybody have a load that will get the 195 Hornady bullets or the 200 grain speers to 2600 fps? I am wanting to work up a good hunting load that matches the sights on my 24/47. Great rifle.

Well, out of four powders, I found that IMR 4064 (46.0 grains per speer manual) gave me a point of impact within 1/2 inch of the 196 yugo fmj ammo out of my yugo 24/47 rifle. My load uses the Speer 200 grain spitzer. Puts them in at about 4 1/4" high at 100 yards. It is hard to shoot paper much past that range with the iron sights. I have good vision, but it is very hard to do much with that broad front sight.