I acquired a Mausr 98 a month ago or so. Its 8X57 with a 6Xscope. I loaded up some 150 grain speers with diffeent powders. I was gettin maybe 1.5" groups with 2 loads, Varget and H 4895. My question is, When starting load development, whats your standards in group size, when finding a load with potential, like 1"group, 1.5" group, 2" group etc. I was thinking of playing around with the 2 loads to see if I could shrink the group.

Group standards certainly vary with the type and caliber of rifle. For instance, I would be disappointed if a dedicated heavy-barreled varmint gun in .222 didn't shoot groups under a half-inch. On the other hand, I would be thrilled to get 2", or even 3", from an open sighted .45-70.

I'd say that very few 8x57 sporters do better than 1.5", and many aren't capable of that. That is not to say that yours can't do better, depending on how it is barreled and stocked. If it is a sporterized military gun, you've already exceeded expectations.

Powder can be important and influence group size, but many other factors are more important: How the case is resized and the alignment of the neck to the axis of the bore, the type and brand of bullet, the seating depth of the bullet, ad infinitum. In other words, when searching for the most accurate load, switching powders may not be of as much influence as changing other factors.

Correct me if I'm wrong (happens quite often) but usually when working on a new cartridge/rifle combo, I'll start with several bullet Mfr/weights that fit my intended purpose (or what I have handy), load them up with a safe, med velocity load and find which one groups best. Once I find what bullet the rifle likes I start varying charges to see if I can improve. If none of the bullets group to what I am looking for in the first goround, I try a diff powder with all the bullets again. My usual standards are around 2 moa for iron sights, 1 moa for scoped hunting rifles. If I can't get that I'll start working on the firearm, bore clean, trigger, bedding, action tune, barrel repl. etc. Hope that helps.

MY goal is the best group possible with a load that permit ten or more loads for each lot of brass. I start 10% below maximum published load level, and load five rounds at 0.5 grain increments up to 2 grains above the published maximum level. I test these for group, Pressure indications and velocity, and settle on the best grouping load that did not present excessive pressure signs. I then load 20 rounds at this level, and verify that the load is consistent. So far, there has been one loading level that shoots the best for that type of powder and bullet combination.

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Originally posted by Stonecreek:


I'd say that very few 8x57 sporters do better than 1.5", and many aren't capable of that. That is not to say that yours can't do better, depending on how it is barreled and stocked. If it is a sporterized military gun, you've already exceeded expectations.

Consider ,if you will an inch and a half group. At 100 yds. ,if you do your part and the rifle is so sighted, you will always be less than 3/4" from intended point of impact. If the rifle shot 1/2" groups you will be 1/4" from intended point of impact. Do you think the animal would know the difference? Not likelyWith the size of game normally taken with the 8X57 that ain't too shabby. roger

You guys think 1.5 inches is good enough. I was gonna try 150 grains to use for deer. I usually use 200 Accubonds for my other 8mm. I feel comfortable shooting out to 300 yards. Would the 1.5 inche group be good for that range or should I try to shrink the group down. I havent loaded any more rounds yet for the rifle. I'm using new remington cases and CCI 200. I'll also load up some Accubonds too. I would like too load up some more bullets too but these 2 are the only ones I have for this caliber. The rifle says Model 98, below the front base where the crest should be says( ar ) and below that it says ( 41 ) on top of the barrel it says 7.9, I havent took the stock off to see any other marks. And the scope is a Bushnell CommandPost 6X.