Building a new 8mm rifle, is there any good data on the AI version out there and does it really do anything? Not looking for an 8mm mag or a .325 on the 57mm case.

I'm sure you will get some huge numbers. Key thing to remember is the 8X57 factory is loaded to a very low pressure. An AI will give you about 7.8% capacity increase. Assume you can use all of that at the SAME PRESSURE you will gain 1% fps per 4 % powder. So that is around 60-75fps. I burned a lot of powder over the years to verify that 1 for 4.

Get a good action, load to 60-63,000 in an 8x57 with the longest oal you can have and you will have 99% of what the AI can give you.

If you want a wildcat, like the looks, somethng to talk about around the fire. Then go for it.

This comes from a man with far more Imp cases than factory.

If I was into looks I'd be building a .325WSM! I have a Zastavia/Chas Daly 98 action to use. I plan on putting a Shilen on it at 24", stock is open perhaps a laminate Sako pattern from Boyd's or an Accurate innovations. I don't know yet. I think this combo will take 63,000 psi. I have always found the published data a tad weird as it seems you can't drive 150's any faster than 180's- no where I have seen anyway. Thanks for all the info, finding anything on 8x57 is hard enough the AI next to impossible.

I've built several rifles on the Daly. It will handle what you are looking to do just fine. My wife has 7x57 on a Daly that will shoot subMOA. Darn if she can't shoot it better than I can.

Using maximum oal the mag, bullet and chamber will allow. Loadtech shows a 150 over 3000 with RL15 and several other powders. The 180 with Imr 4831 at 2900+/-.

Planemech,

Why not a 8X64S Brenneke? Brass can be formed from 270 win (280 rem would be possible with a bit of work). Plenty of punch and it doesn't require any drastic modifications

Cheers
/JOHAN

quote:

Originally posted by Planemech:
Building a new 8mm rifle, is there any good data on the AI version out there and does it really do anything? Not looking for an 8mm mag or a .325 on the 57mm case.

Just some data to show what the standard 8x57JS is really capable of:



http://www.rws-munition.de/
http://www.sellier-bellot.cz/

There was an article about the 8x57JS Improved (40 degree shoulder) in the 1996 Handloader's Digest. FWIW, the velocities the author got from his 8x57 Improved (Ruger No. 1 - 22" barrel) didn't vary a great deal from what I get with the standard 8x57JS in my Rem Model 700 Classic (24" barrel).

BTW, the Sellier & Bellot 196gr SPCE load listed above at 2592 fps, chrono'd an average of 2647 fps (instrumental) from my Rem Model 700 Classic.

-Bob F.

Johan, the 8x64 is hotter than I'm looking for, heck a 180 at 2900 is more than enough, so even the firewalled 57 case isn't what I desire. An old shoulder injury from a helicopter crash agrivated by jumping out of airplanes and rapelling from helicopters keeps me fairly mild at the bench recoil wise.

Thanks for the info gentlemen, it has helped.

The 8x57 is allready 'improved' as originaly supplied. The shoulder is further forward and of greater diameter than the other x57 cases.

I have allways hankered after a 8x60S. In effect a 3mm longer 8x57S.

quote:

is there any good data on the AI version out there and does it really do anything?

The standard 8 X 57 case will deliver very impressive performance "as-is" The AI version might fetch you an additional 50-75 feet/second.

In the end run the AI versions are usually a very poor choice but some folks insist on them anyway.

If one wants something different he might want to look to the 8MM-06 and then if he wants something "different" he can look at building a 8MM-06 Gibbs. Here's the fun part.....after all this he will still not be shooting a lot faster than the standard 8 X 57!!!

A wise posting, Vapodog. Thank you for it !

Carcano