After coming upon a Mauser full stock with set triggers as a gift from the son of a departed an beloved uncle. I took his old RCBS dies for this wildcat, that came into life as an 8mm, and some once fired 30-06 cases and set about finding a load this old rifle would shoot well. The rifle itself hadn't been fired in 30 years or so though it is tight and the action butter smooth.
Settling on 52.5 grs of H4895 under a Speer 170gr (.323) that for some reason or another was sitting on my reloading shelf and a WLR primer I have found the rifle to be more than accurate. A five shot group on a windless afternoon at 100 yds from a LeadSled rest measured a surprizing .725." with an average speed of 2790 fps over a chronograph.
Though superly accurate and able to kill most every big game animal in North America performance is along the lines of an equivalent 30-06 load, which BTW is a pretty damm good performer in it's own right.
Makes me wonder what ever became of the original German owner whom lost the rifle during WWII to a GI whom my uncle won it from in a poker game!

If those old guns could talk.

Are you using 8mm-06 dies or just neck sizing with 8mm dies?

Called the poor man's Magnum in the Rifleman in the late 40s or early 50s. A buddy of mine in the Yukon still uses the one I made for him in the mid 60s.
The 8mm-06 can deliver most bullets with more authority than the 30-06. This particularly true of heavy for caliber bullets. It for some reason never became very popular for any period of time.
Had it received popularity It probably would have been overshadowed by the .338 gang anyway.
Took some measurements on a 8mm-06 barrel just last week. roger

Good caliber, I have the AI version. Works well with 185 gr Rem bullets. - dan

I used mine with 200 gr. Partitions at 2740 fps. on black bears and IMO, it kills all out of proportion to its paper ballistics. Just a well balanced round,like the 338/06, that does not get the respect it deserves!

quote:

Originally posted by dan belisle:
Good caliber, I have the AI version. Works well with 185 gr Rem bullets. - dan

Hey Dan did you buy that 8mm-06 barrel off me?

quote:

Originally posted by lee440:
I used mine with 200 gr. Partitions at 2740 fps. on black bears and IMO, it kills all out of proportion to its paper ballistics. Just a well balanced round,like the 338/06, that does not get the respect it deserves!

You might want to try some Vv N550 in that 8mm-06.

I'm getting nearly the same Mv W/a .323 200gr Partition from an 8X57 using 53.5gr ov N550.

quote:

Originally posted by wildcat junkie:

quote:

Originally posted by dan belisle:
Good caliber, I have the AI version. Works well with 185 gr Rem bullets. - dan

Hey Dan did you buy that 8mm-06 barrel off me?

One of, yup. I rechambered my original 8mm-06 AI to 8x68S, and installed the barrel I got from you on an FN Mauser I had laying around. Worked out well. - dan

quote:

Originally posted by dan belisle:

quote:

Originally posted by wildcat junkie:

quote:

Originally posted by dan belisle:
Good caliber, I have the AI version. Works well with 185 gr Rem bullets. - dan

Hey Dan did you buy that 8mm-06 barrel off me?

One of, yup. I rechambered my original 8mm-06 AI to 8x68S, and installed the barrel I got from you on an FN Mauser I had laying around. Worked out well. - dan

How did the 8X68s turn out? My 8X68S project has been on the back burner. I have a couple of 29" 8X57 barrels, one 98/29 & a really primo Persian. They have the larger diameter 2nd step out to 24" from the end of the thread. They will allow a heavier profile when turned down & I already have the persian barrel cut & crowned to 26" for the 8X68S.

I want to re-use the original J P Sauer action for the 8mm-06 A.I. & I have a really nice "42" code Oberndorf action for the 8X68S.

I recently put together a Budget Oberndorf Custom on a commercial Vz500 intermediate length action.

I laid out a different profile for turning out the steps. It's not a "taper", but a constant radiaus sweep from the front of the chamber "flat" to blend into the muzzle diametem about 7 3/4" from the crown. It leaves the maximum amount of stock. It's a real shooter too as you can see by the link.

That's a nice looking rifle. The 8x68 still needs finishing, but it shoots well. I have been traveling a lot for work, so haven't had enough time to finish things. I probably have a dozen rifles (and a few handguns) in various stages of completion, lol. And a few favors for friends. Just never seems to be enough time, sadly. - dan

Just want to fall in on the 8mm-06;

a wonderful cartridge! Very efficient, modest recoiling and easy reloadable.

My Swedish Husquarna 640 got a Hightech stock, the original 60cm 8x57IS barrel cut to 56cm, recrowned, the rechambering cleaning up old marks etc.

It makes 2580 fps with the deadly 220gr Woodleigh RN.
When stalking for moose(with a dog in a leach) its very handy. I even feel secure in bear country

m