Heavy bullets in the 8mm Mauser - data?

[ejjuls]

Hey guys,

Been away awhile and side tracked on other stuff - so there is A LOT of discussion I have missed out on. If this question has been asked in the past - I apologize in advance.

I have a nice Turk 8mm mauser I just put back together. Stock was in two pieces, etc. Looking for a good load in my pile of bullets and data I came across some slugs that were given to me a year ago from a friend. These are 255 grn +/- (250grn mold) 8mm bullets sized at .325". I was told these ran real well out of his (the guy who gave me them) Yugo 48. He never divulged what kind of load he was using - powder etc.

These slugs may be too fat for my throat - Don't know that yet though.
Does anyone have a suggestion on a powder and charge to get this slug flying safely downrange? I have IMR-4198, H335 and H4227, Unique as my cast bullet powders. I would want to keep the velocities low for a start to see how this things behaves - say 1600-1900fps give or take?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks
Eric

[SharpsShooter]

I'm using 12gr of Unique with a 251gr GC boolit sizer .326 and nose sized to .316 for the throat and getting 1" groups at 50yds regularly. This is with a receiver sight on my 1943 K98. In the same gun 22gr of 4198 yields 1600fps and is both accurate and pleasant to shoot. If you want to open the throttle a bit more, 43gr to 46gr of 4350 will get you 2000-2200fps respectively. That last load is a bit punchy, but not unbearable to shoot and is sudden death for medium sized game.

SS

[Buckshot]

..............Any of the generic type loads for the WW2 era full power military cases should work. Naturally start on the lower side, especially with that big heavy slug.

10-12 Unique
14-18 2400
18-23 4227
20-24 SR4759
21-25 4198
24-30 3031

The Turks I have (4) all have good tight barrels and throats that require sizing to .323". I did a special run of SC Lee moulds for a "Heavy 8" that came in right at 240 grs:

http://www.fototime.com/95526EC254D5D0C/standard.jpg

Mine is the one in the middle. For some reason I decided it needed to go 2300 fps. I started with surp WC852 (slow) and finally DID reach 2300 fp from a nice Turk M38/46 (24" bbl) but managed to split the stock at the wrist doing it! It was rather indifferent inletting and dry wood that allowed it, but recoil was certainly there!

A load I've found which has worked exceedingly well has been a full case of TCCI 5020 ball (surplus) and that slug for 1900+ fps. It is so accurate from a M88/14/35 that I'd load that for our weekly Burrito Invitational.

.................Buckshot

[ejjuls]

Thanks guys,

I also have a coffee can of 190grn Saeco slugs cast up for my 8mm's. A friend runs this bullet as his hunting/plinking bullets with excellent results out of his M48 Yugo.

His load for the 190grner is IMR-4198 somewhere I believe around 30grns.
It is hard to find any data for the truly heavy 8mm slugs based upon my initial looking and searching. I have been toying with the idea of having a custom mold done up for me that brings the weight in around 250-260 grns. It turns out I was off on the weight of these slugs in the first place. I was told they were 250's and I trusted the weight and never bothered to weight them until now. It turns out these slugs are approx 234.2 grns checked and lubed. Not as heavy as I was hopinh for but they look good.

I have my doubts about the accuracy these will achieve based upon the design. This is a round nose style with a very short base which is the bearing portion of the bullet. If I had to guess I would say there is approx 70-80% of the bullet length that will never touch the rifling. Seems like a slug like that will not be able to stay centered and in sync with the bore axis and would be prone to tipping or wobling as it travels down the bbl. Maybe I'm all wet - maybe these little darlings will shoot like a barn on fire!?

Anywho,
Time to load up some rounds and then get out and test them. This will be a virgin run on this gun with the repaired stock. I am a little leary of wrapping my hands around this stock should it split in two again. My first few rounds will be out of an "un-manned rest" to see if my repair will hold.

Oh the joys of the Milsup rifles!
Thanks again for the data!
Eric