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8MM Mauser bullet selection question
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I have been shooting Yugo mil-surp and cast lead bullets only in the 8MM Mauser. Is there a preferred jacketed bullet weight for this round that is available in the USA?
In the 30-06, a similar round to the 8MM, the 150-168 match king is the go-to bullet, what would its counterpart be in 8MM?????
In the 30-06, a similar round to the 8MM, the 150-168 match king is the go-to bullet, what would its counterpart be in 8MM?????
Comments
A lot of data in the books is just wrong for the 8mm. They lo-ball it a LOT fearing someone might use it in a Gewehr 88 Commission rifle. For the 150 gr Hornady I use 49 gr of 4064, for the 200 gr I use 46. This for a 98 action of course. Obviously work up loads for your individual gun.
In one or two I've had good luck with the 185 gr Remington as well but never really match grade accuracy.
I've had good luck for accuracy in everything from the 125 on up to 200's. I load mine as hot as you can get. My Yugo M48BO gets 51 gr. of IMR 4064 heind a 200 gr. Speer or Nosler. The accuracy in it stays around 1.5-1.75". Even with those heavy loads. I also use IMR 4064 behind the 150's, 170's and 175's. Those when not loaded as hot shoot MOA.
The go to bullets for these are 196/198 gr. of European design. I shoot the Yugo M-75 (196) out of my sons Rem 700 classic for groups of .5".
The original load was for the heavier bullets until it was determined that the lighter spitzer bullets yielded better performance. I still use the 196 gr. FMJ available through S&B by the case. They are my preferred load for military Match shooting.
This is an interesting compilation of loads that I've had in my notes for quite a while:
IMR4895 powder loads for the 8x57mm JS Mauser cartridge:
1) "Sierra" [newer than 1971): 150 gr 50.5 gr 2800 fps 175 gr 48.1 gr
2600 fps
2) "Sierra 50 th Anniversary" 1995: 150 gr 50.5 gr 2800 fps 175 gr 48.1
gr 2600 fps
3) "Hornady Handbook" 1973: 150 gr 52.5 gr 2900 fps 170 gr 50.1 gr 2700
fps
4) "Hornady 5 th" 2000[ H4895): 150 gr 50.5 gr 2800 fps 170 gr 47.9 gr
2600 fps
5) "Handbook for Shooters and Reloaders volume 2" 1966 PO Ackley: 150 gr
54 gr 2900 fps 170 gr 51 gr 2700 fps
5.5) "Speer 6" 1964: 150 gr 54 gr 2864 fps 170 gr 51 gr 2704 fps 225 gr
49
gr 2452 fps
6) "Speer 7" 1966: 150 gr 54 gr 2864 fps 170 gr 51 gr 2704 fps 225 gr 49
gr 2452 fps
7) "Speer 8" 1970: 150 gr 54 gr 2864 fps 170 gr 51 gr 2704 fps
8) "Speer 9" 1974: 150 gr 48 gr 2849 fps 170 gr 46 gr 2640 fps
9) "Speer 11" 1987: 150 gr 48 gr 2675 fps 170 gr 46 gr 2640 fps
10) "Speer 12" 1994: 150 gr 48gr 2675 fps 170 gr 46 gr 2640 fps
11) "Speer 13" 1998: 150 gr 48 gr 2675 fps 170 gr 46 gr 2640 fps
12) "Lyman 40th" 1955: 154 gr 48 gr 2776 fps 170 gr 46 gr 2600 fps 227
gr 45 gr 2350 fps
13) "Lyman 41 st" 1957: 154 gr 48 gr 2776 fps 170 gr 46 gr 2600 fps 227
gr 45 gr 2350 fps
14) "Lyman 43 rd" 1964: 150 gr 54 gr 2920 fps 170 gr 51 gr 2695 fps 225
gr 49 gr 2410 fps
15) "Lyman 45th" 1970: 150 gr 51 gr* 2824 fps compressed 170 gr 49 gr*
2672 fps compressed 225 gr 46 gr* 2341 fps compressed
16) "Lyman 47th" 1992: 150 gr 51+ gr 2824 fps compressed 170 gr 49+gr
2672 fps compressed
17) "Handloading" William Davis and the NRA 1981 150 gr 36 gr 2310 37k
cup 170 gr 46 gr 2640 <50k cup
18) IMR catalog 1990 [current): 150 gr 36 gr 2310 37k cup 170 gr 33.5 gr
2145 37k cup
19) "Modern Reloading" Richard Lee 1996: 150 gr 36 gr 2310 37k cup 170
gr 33.5 gr 2145 37k cup
20) "Hodgdon No. 27" 1998: 150 gr 36 gr 2310 37k cup 170 gr 33.5 gr 2145
37k cup
Best.