Its getting so hunting loads hurt my old bones and want to shoot my sporterized 8x57 for fun with a light plinker. My sights are set up for a 150gr East Coast soft point whitetail load, so a 150 LRN plinking load would seem like a good place to start.
I have some reduced load info (Trail Boss, IIRC) but I'm having trouble finding the bullet, and don't cast my own. Can anybody suggest a source?

I cast my own and every bullet for three different mausers likes .325". .324" should be the smallest size considered.

Try Montana Bullet Works as a good quality product.

I had issues getting the 170 grain flat points to feed in my Mausers, but I may have seated them too deep (to the cannelure).

-Brandon

You will find your sight settings need change when you launch cast at 1400-1900 fps. Generally will be 4-6 lower than your whitetail jacket load. 1-2 thousandths over usually works best on size.

That's a good reason to get into casting your own slugs.

I've had both shoulders replaced so I try to load down too as I like to shoot a lot when I do get out to the range.

I found about 10gr Red Dot works great. I haven't cast for 8mm's yet, and just sold both my guns. I shoot lots of cast 115gr RN's in 30 cals with this load. Ten grains will load 700 rnds from a pound of powder. Something to think about. Self casting is plumb cheap once you get the mold for $20-60 and pot for about $50-75. Then just go 'pellet picking' from your ranges berms. Others have already mixed the metals, you don't have to mess with that using this stuff and it's free for the picking. Half hours picking you'll have five years worth of metal.

It's perfect to teach women and kids how to shoot the big guns without hurting them.

George