8mm'06 Beautiful Sunday Afternoon

[shooting on a shoestring]

Oh my, late February in Central Texas. Blue sky, 75 to 80 degrees, slight breeze, no one on the rifle range but me.

I exercised the old Mauser 98 8mm'06, sporterized, 2X scope.

The first load: 323470 GC in 50/50 WW/Lino, 15.0 gr Herco, Felix lube, COL 3.185".
5 shot groups at 100 yds
1652 fps/9 SDEV, 3.125"
1662/5, 3.0"
1661/13, 2.0"
1655/4, 1.375"

Same load 5 shot groups @ 200 yds: 6.875", 8.25", 6.375", 5.125".
Same load 5 shot groups @ 300 yds: 8.125", 12.75", 8.0".

Second load: Lee 175 GC WWWQ'd, 16.0 gr Herco, Felix lube, COL 3.163".
5 shot groups at 100 yds
1659/14, 2.75"
1669/8, 1.75"
1661/9, 2.25"
1666/4, 2.625"

Same load 5 shot groups at 200 yds: 7.5", 9.5", 8.625", 4.75".
Then the suprise of the day,
Same load 5 shot groups at 300 yds: 5.25" & 7.0"

The Camp Perry people would not be impressed, but I've never seen cast boolits shot at 300 yds. Now I see not only can it be done, but I can keep them on paper!

[Four Fingers of Death]

That's minute of most things up to 150yards in my book. Kinda satisfying when you get a cheapie to work isn't it?

[shooting on a shoestring]

Cheapie? Dad gave it to me. It doesn't get any cheaper than that. I don't know how much he had in it but I'll bet it was short of $100.

Also contributing to the sunshine on Sunday were the 57 pieces of once fired commercial 30-06 brass in the range trash can, just sitting there waiting to be necked up to 8mm.

Yep its not a prairie dog rifle yet, but its a decent boolit flinger. Its also got me excited to load another batch and go revisit the 300 yard target again.

[Four Fingers of Death]

Keep us posted, I have often wanted an 8mm/06, but in reality, need one like a hole in the head, i can't get around to shooting all my rifles as it is.

[Lumpie]

Keep us posted, I have often wanted an 8mm/06, but in reality, need one like a hole in the head, i can't get around to shooting all my rifles as it is.I have a P17 enfield,that I had converted, to 8mm-06. I find that the group sizes that you mentioned can be better if you use a different bullet design. I use a H&G 76. It is spire design, and comes out of the mould 177gr with 9-1 Nichol Babbit,and lead. I shoot several rifles with this combination, of above mixture. When you exceed 2600fps,you need something that is tough,and casts to a consistant weight. If you want pm me about this mould. Carl

[Freightman]

Is it worth the effort to convert it from 8mm to 8-06? the reason I ask I have a Turk and I have access to a reamer for free and I have another rifle to shoot 8mm out of.

[jrgift]

I had a M98 rechamberd for 8mm06 back in the 60s, back then it was called the poor mans magnum.Haven't tried cast in it for several years,mostly use just a plain jane G 98.