Gentlemen:

What are your thoughts for selecting an 8x57 JS as a chambering for a rifle project? Do you view this as a classic cartridge? Is it an accurate cartridge? How is the felt recoil?

Thanks in advance.

Buliwyf

I view it as a great idea. I will be building one on a surplus Mauser to match my 7x57 carbine length, open sighted rifle, and my 9.3x62. A 'German Trio' of sorts. Actually I will have two 7x57s and about 8 8x57s.

Lothar Walther makes threaded, long-chambered barrels in this caliber for Mauser 98s, about $160.

Good luck building,
Todd

Great idea. I love the cartridge, but then again I love mausers so I guess I'm a bit biased. Its an accurate round and recoil is nearly identical to that of a 30-06. What sort of rifle are you planning on making? Good luck
Andy

Andy,

I'm talking with a pal of mine about that right now. The current thought would be to use an older Czech action and build the rifle in classic lines. Its purpose would mainly be for pride of ownership and an ocassional trip to the range.

Bob

bul:
i think it's a great idea. i've had many a mauser and killed several whitetail with the 8x57. i'd say it recoils less than the '06 with equivalent bullet weights. something scientific about the bigger bore and the pressure proves this. so does my shoulder. i have thought long and hard about rebarreling my remington adl in .270 winchester to 8x57 in a lighter sporter contour. and come to think of it, if i had a spare $200 i'd send it off to er shaw right now. the idea of all that cheap mil-surp ammo out there waiting to be shot with a modern, lightweight, balanced rig like my adl ... my, oh my, why did you have to bring up this topic?

An excellent choice. And, I hear that the 8X57 Improved is even better....

I have really been shooting the 8mm a lot the last couple of years. I've found it very accurate and deadly on everything from ground hogs to 450lb.+ boars.

With projectiles in the 180-200grn. range it should hang right with the '06, for larger game.

If you are sticking with the 57mm length, don't overlook the Yugo m24,m24/47 or m48's. There are some very nice actions available at very reasonable prices. My best shooter is a restocked m24/47, that was rebarreled at the time of rearsenal work. All I did was turn down the steps,recrown, restock, refinish, add a "scout type" scope mount and a trigger job.

I enjoy mine enough that Ive been contemplating having a wildcat bbl made based on the 8X57. It is always getting compared to an 06 but I find that there are some very distint differences;

1- I agree that the 8X57 has less recoil than an 06.

2- even though it doesnt really have as much velocity with 200 grn bullets as the 06 (darn close but not quite) I do think that it shoots them better (more accuratley) because of the slightly larger bore. That being said, it seems like the bullets around 170 grains are about the optimum weight for it. Ive tried a couple different bullets, not too many, but I think Ill try the 175 grn sierras next.

Well, Im off to load up some 8X57 loads now. Im going coyote hunting tomorrow with some 196 grn fmj loads (at $2.00 a box why not!) and want to test some handloads for accuracy in the meanwhile.

If the 8X57 doesnt qualify as a classic cartridge than what does?

Forget that previous post, I guess maybe it will do everything an 06 will! I clocked those 197 grn fmj loads @ 2500+ fs and they were shooting real good at an estimated 400 yds. If there is less recoil from the 8X57 then it is just due to anemic loads. Does anyone know what kind of powder was used in those old 8X57 loads?

[ 02-10-2003, 07:04: Message edited by: Wstrnhuntr ]

I love my M-21 Brno (circa 1948)....I shoot the 185 gr. Corelokt, 200 gr. Sierra, and 250 gr. Woodlieghs in it...It seem about like a .308 to me...I have shot some reall big stuff with this caliber, and it works pretty well.

I don't know but, all the Old Turk ammo I chrono'd shot over 2875 fps. I've bought a case of Yugo of 1980's vintage that clocks out at 2790 fps. avg.
The new Indep ammo runs about 2750 fps. avg. and is non corrosive. My favorite rifle shoots it into >1.5".

Terry,

Is the Indep ammo boxer or berdan primer?

I shoot a Brno 21-H in 8x57 a fair amount. Very accurate and powerful.

Newly made Indep is boxer primed.

Carcano

Sorry,
I mis-typed my post, it is the Igman ammo I was referring to. It is Yugo manufacture ,not Portugese Indep.
It's reloadable however, the flash holes are very small, a standard decapper wouldn't fit. If I decide to reload any I'll just ream the holes to normal size.

[ 02-13-2003, 08:17: Message edited by: TERRY8mm ]