I would like your opinion of a new lot of RWS 8x57IR 12,7g - 196grain Tmantel bullet that I shot over my Chrony yesterday.
The velocity of the new ammunition in the yellow/black box was very high, 2510fps. The old stuff with the yellow/white box showed normal velocity of 2365fps. The specifications supplied by RWS on the box of the new stuff list the expected velocity at 2310 fps. The bullets look the same shape and style, but the older version is silver coloured and the new one is copper coloured.
I am shooting an old pre-war Sauer drilling. Both loads shoot to the correct point of impact with the fixed iron sights. Extraction and primer flattening seem identical. Other loads shot yesterday through my chrony with a .30-06 and .222 yielded velocities exactly what I expected to see, so I don't think it was my equipment calibration giving odd readings. I like the higher velocity if I'm hunting moose or bears but am concerned about shaking my old gun apart.
What are your thoughts?

I'm sure RWS loaded these to pressure spec, Keep in mind that you'r gun being from Germany was proofed with much higher pressure loads than what these are.
Keep a little lube on your hinge pin and have fun you won't rattle the gun apart no matter how old it is.

I think that we all have to keep in mind that we are in a new era, so to speak, when it comes to slow-burning powders, and velocities attainable with them now at acceptable pressure levels. I just picked up the Hornady Manual, 8th Edition today. There are loads listed with powders that I've never even heard of before and at higher velocities than I'm used to seeing for some cartridges. I'd say that if your gun regulates with this load, shoot it and don't be concerned.

Hmmm...... RWS lists the 8x57IR with 705m/s, that´s ~2300fps.
The older boxes, the yellow/white, are made in the 70´s. Than, for nearly 30 years, the boxes were yellow/black. And now, since last year, there´re green with an yellow strip.
The very old, silver jacket bullet is made from soft steel. Now it´s made from gilding metall.
I would keep an eye on it. It´s true, German guns are proofed with +30% overpressure, but also RWS can do any wrong.
The best would be, if you can do a pressuretest.

Martin

The S&B ammo seems hot at times, too.

I get cratering on the primers with some of it...the later loads. I have ammo from them that dates back 15 years that doesn't show this.

A long chamber causing a too long headspace will flatten primers. Often are chambers to the maximum for kipplauf weapons.