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Thread: Gew 1888/05/35 8mm Mauser loads

  1. #1
    Boolit Master
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    Gew 1888/05/35 8mm Mauser loads

    I have one of these neat old rifles on the way and I was wondering about reloading data for them. From what I understand, you want to keep the pressure below 40,000 PSI, and you want to avoid European made ammo as it's loaded hotter than American ammo which is loaded light.

    I'm having some issues tracking down decent reloading data for 150gr and 170gr j words. For the powders I have, my sources either do not list the pressure, or list it in CUP. I have no idea what CUP would be safe for this gun.

    I have IMR 4320, H4895, BLC(2), and CFE223 on hand.

    Do any of you guys load for one of these old warhorses?

    I plan on mainly shooting cast in it, but I would like to occasionally shoot j words too.

    Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk
    ______________________________________________
    Aaron

  2. #2
    Boolit Buddy
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    You should be safe with the starting loads from most manuals for the standard 8mm Mauser. Using powders that can be loaded even lighter than starting loads such as IMR 4895 can also help. I have loaded standard Gew 88 for a long time, and never worried about pressure values, which only count for the actual rifle used in the test. Currently, I have one off these neat Turkish rifle, and load it the same.

    With open sights, for me, there has been little reason to go much past the mid-range level anyway. Some people swear max loads give best accuracy, but personally, I haven't been able to tell.

  3. #3
    Boolit Buddy jugulater's Avatar
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    The turk 88/05/35 has a new turk made barrel installed on it and is significantly safer than the older 1888/05s and 1888/14s. The major safety concern on 1888s with original barrels is the smaller bore diameter.

    That said the 1888 action is significantly weaker than any 1898 action, and does not vent gas well. Still the 1888/05/35 should be safe with all published data to a reasonable extent. i wouldnt run max loads in it, but i seriously doubt that its unsafe.

    The Turks trusted it enough to rebarrel it and keep using it.

  4. #4
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    Last count I had 5 of these, but since they're stored by themselves in a dark place there may now be more. Anyway, jokes aside,
    they were and are great old rifles. But, there is quite a bit to know about them, and when you receive your Gew 88 you should do a little measuring and research on it. They can be found in .318" bores and .323" bores, and for many years Remington loaded a compromise .321" bullet. I've had good luck using a cast boolit in all of mine from a Lyman .321" mold intended for .32 Win. Spec. These rifles range from the original bore size (less common, as most were reworked) in which it is dangerous to shoot a modern 8x57mm round, through the more common (most of them) in which it is "iffy" but was commonly done, to the Turkish re-works that were re-barreled specifically for modern ammo. I personally use .30-30 Win. level loads with IMR-4895 for most of my home brews. If yours is an "05" it was converted to work without the Mannlicher-type en-bloc clip, a big plus. A good book to have is "The German Gew. 88 Commission Rifle" by Paul S. Scarlata. Mowbray Publishers, 2007, softcover.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master
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    I have an 88/05 which I shot an under 1 inch group with using Hornady's .321 bullet. This was over ten years ago when my eyes were young,and I really fell in love with that rifle. If I can find the target, I will give you the load, I think it used a moderate load of BL-c2, and if I remember correctly, 4064 shot well also. I would start looking for the Hornady's , as they can sometimes be hard to find.

  6. #6
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    I have one of the 88/05/35 and shoot all cast in it. What a wonderful shooter.
    Using 16.0 grs of 2400 and any 30 cal cast bullet, it will keep all shots on a 10"
    steel plate at 200 yds all day long.
    Denny

  7. #7
    Boolit Grand Master Good Cheer's Avatar
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    Mine was rebarreled by Richard Hoch in '81 with one of his 12" twist cast only barrels.
    4064 was found to be a great powder.

  8. #8
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    I have had good groups and fun using a Lee Karabiner double cavity mould, it throws an over size bullet. I sized to .325 I think, and using gas check, they shoot real good when pushed to around 1600fps.
    Dan

  9. #9
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    It'll be a week or so before I have the gun in hand, but I believe the Turked guns are pretty much guaranteed to have a .323" barrel, or thereabouts. It's good to hear that those Turked guns are stronger than a standard 1888/05. I'll just keep the loadings reasonable and enjoy it.

    For cast, I have the LEE 175gr boolit, and the LEE Karabiner, which mine last time I checked dropped a massively heavy bullet. Like 255grs IIRC. I have no idea why it casts that heavy. I need to dig it back out and see if I can figure out what's up with it.

    Thanks fellas.
    ______________________________________________
    Aaron

  10. #10
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    I think the Lee Karabiner is advertised as 215. But I think mine drops about 230 with standard ww. And it shoots very well.
    You would be hard pressed to find a smoother bolt action than the old 88, and nothing wrong with the turked guns, they are good shooters.
    The book mentioned above is a good one, and tells you everything about the rifles that you need to know.....except loading cast bullets.

  11. #11
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    [QUOTE=Der Gebirgsjager; A good book to have is "The German Gew. 88 Commission Rifle" by Paul S. Scarlata. Mowbray Publishers, 2007, softcover.[/QUOTE] Out of print and currently going for $221 on Abebooks.com...

    A bit more affordable book that details the German Commission Rifle's as well as the 8x57 cartridge development as well as the Mauser 98 series of rifles is Hans Dieter Gotz's book "German Military Rifles and Machine Pistols 1871-1945". That book is between $40-50 online and in most used books stores.

    I've owned several and they are a very capable rifle that was eclipsed by Paul Mauser's 93/95 and Model 98 versions. The Chinese and the Turks used their Hanyang 88s and Turk /35 series rifles well up to the 1950's

    Bruce
    I Cast my Boolits, Therefore I am Happy.
    Bona Fide member of the Jeff Brown Hunt Club

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    Wow! I had no idea. I've got 2 copies, like new, and I think I paid $35 or less for each 3-5 years ago. Well, one never knows what bargains they might find looking around on line or at yard sales, etc. Sometimes there are sellers of used gun books at gun shows.

  13. #13
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    I use reloading data for the 30/40 KRAG, as it is a very weak action and you will be safe shooting the KRAG load data. that is what I do. not saying it is OK! and you understand why. I shoot the bottom load data.

  14. #14
    Boolit Man El Gato's Avatar
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    I have had luck with Privi Partizan .322 diameter bullets. The 175 grain HPBT in .322 shot amazingly well out of my 1888/05/35. Grafs sells this bullet.

  15. #15
    Boolit Buddy Eddie1971's Avatar
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    If it was in Turkey it's most likely got a .323 barrel on it. Slug it and be sure of it. I have a few 88S rifles with original .321 barrel and when I use jacketed, I use the Hornady .321, 170 grain bullet over 44 grains of IMR4350, and gave me 1 inch groups at 100 yards. With Cast I use NOE's 323-191 mold that after powder coating and gas checking is about 200 grains. I also use IMR4350 but around 36 grains, or sometimes a lower dose of W748. Use at your own risk...

  16. #16
    Boolit Master 15meter's Avatar
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    Being on the Cast Boolit website, that is a prime candidate for "The Load", I loaded for one that belonged to a buddy a couple of years ago. He loaned it to me just to play with, IIRC, I ended up with the 16 grains of 2400 under a Lee 8mm boolit.

    Shot great but had to give the rifle back to him when I was done playing. And he's not taking offers on it. Bummer. It's a very cool old rifle.

    Doesn't hurt to repost this link:

    http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...Rifles-Article

    Tons of good stuff here.
    Last edited by 15meter; 05-16-2020 at 03:35 PM.

  17. #17
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    It bugs me a bit when someone calls a Commision rifle a “Mauser”. I’ve read that Mauser was upset when the 1888 rifle was chosen instead for Germany’s military. Under the Turkish contract, Mauser could have been required to build the ‘88 Commision rifle for the Ottomans- but Turkey stayed with the 1888/89 and later 1893 Mausers(7.65mm). Would I like to have a ‘88 Commision rifle? Absolutely- especially one of the German sporters like the Haenel.

  18. #18
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    The Haenel sporters and similar are treasured items, and it's not only difficult to find them, it's difficult to find them at any remotely reasonable price. Seems that most often the old time gunsmiths chose to make them from the Karabiner model, so uncut carbines are scarce as well. I think, besides the short length, they liked the butter knife bolt handles. There is "something about" 1888 rifles. If you get the bore size and boolit all worked out they shoot very well. Not that heavy compared to some military rifles, and have good balance. Unless you get a late model Turk they do have that sheet metal hand guard, and look sort of peculiar, but it grows on you. How I wish
    I would have stocked up on them when they first appeared on the surplus market. Not only were the inexpensive compared to some of the other offerings, but many were in unissued condition. When I finally caught wise the ship had sailed and most of the '88s for sale were "Fair to Good".

  19. #19
    Boolit Buddy tmanbuckhunter's Avatar
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    I have a 91 Danzig that was turkish property at some point, but not re-barreled, with all of the S modifications. Slugs out at .321 and is scary accurate with cast boolits and 2400. The gun shop I bought it from had it marked "not for firing" and I'm glad they did because the price was great. There is really nothing unsafe about shooting these rifles, even rifles with a .318 groove diameter. Just need to fit the projectile to the bore and throat regardless if it's a j-word or a cast bullet.

  20. #20
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    Funny everyone says they dont handle gas well ,which is true.....but the Mannlicher of legend is a straight copy and Mannlicher didnt bother putting the little tab on the striker nut ,so any gas ,brass,or ejector bits will hit you in the face ,even with a pricey Mannlicher made in 1963 or so when they were discontinued..............Incidentally ,the Turk rebuilds generally have new bolts made in the 1930s.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check