8mm Mauser Cast bullet shootin.

[cwlongshot]

I have had one since forever. Couple others picked up since early days.

Never cast or shot cast in one.

Been casting some time just never for the 8mm. I usually powder coat all bullets as well.

Just target maybe, steel. Dont see need to hunt with cast in this one.

Looking for experiences advice and anything so related to 8mm Mauser and cast bullets. Both are 1898 Military Mausers one “factory” the other sporterized and scoped.

What mold (s) have you found to be best? Powders n loads welcome as well. Just looking to shoot these more often.

CW

[WILCO]

LEE Precision C324-175-1R is a good bullet to start with.
You'll want gas checks.
I think 16 grains of Alliant 2400 works well too.
Has been awhile since I played with my 8mm.

[frkelly74]

Agreed! that is a good first choice and may prove to be all you will ever need. I got one of the Kar 8mm molds and find that it works as well but uses a third again more lead. I would call it a good boolit for shooting bears if they were coming after you.

[sharps4590]

I cast two 8mm bullets. One is an Accurate 32-205B and the other is a Lee, 170 gr. round nose. I prefer the Accurate bullet but within 100 yards one is as accurate as the other. I shoot several 8mm's and use Unique, IMR-4227, SR-4759 and IMR's 4064 and 4895. Depends on the rifle and use.

[44Blam]

I have the NOE 323-185-RF. My first attempt was high velocity Varget loads and I leaded the crap out of my barrel... Took forever to get the lead out.

But, I don't shoot it very often and was going to sell the gun - would sell the mold too. If you want a couple sample boolits, I'll send you a few if you'll pay the shipping.

[Larry Gibson]

I've had several 8x57 M98s over the years and shot numerous cast bullet loads with different cast bullets in them, still have 2 rifles. Currently I have 4 moulds I use; 2 Lyman's are the 323470 and the 323471HP which are both excellent Loverin designs for use in the long throats of most milsurp chambers. I also have 2 Lee 6 cavity group buy moulds; a 325-150-FN which is a plain base bullet intended for plinking, small game loads in the 80 - 1100 fps range. The other is a C326-190-FN which has proven to be an excellent cast bullet in the 8x57.

I use an NRA formula lube or 2500+ lube and Hornady or my own GCs made from .012 Brass shim stock. I most often cast the bullets using COWW+ 2% tin and WQ them out of the mould. All of the M98s I've used have had very good to excellent bores so sizing the bullets .325 has always worked very well. I also use a NS die to NS the case necks so cases last forever. I've formed a lot of cases out of US milsurp '06 cases but mostly use commercial cases.

For the plinking/small game loads I use the 325-150-FN loaded over 6 gr Bullseye. It also makes a very pleasant 50 or 100 yard load. The 323470 casts a 162 - 164 gr (fully dressed) bullet which I use over 15 gr Unique. Neither of these loads uses a filler or wad. Both are loaded in pull down Berdan primed milsurp cases (mostly Turk in the past) or in some formed cases that have had the flash holes drilled with a #28 drill.

The 323471HP is used for hunting and is cast with the COWW + 2% tin alloy mixed 50/50 with lead. I push those to 2050 fps with H4831 in commercial cases. A Dacron filler is used over the powder.

The C326-190-FN is used for most of my "casual" shooting from 100 - 500/600 yards at targets of opportunity (rocks, sticks ant/termite mounds, cow pies, etc.) on walk abouts in the desert. I load this bullet in commercial cases or Berdan primed milsurp cases (pull downs) over 31 gr 4895 with a Dacron filler. It is a very accurate general purpose load. The pic is of this load in Turk milsurp cases testing for any accuracy difference between my own brass GCs and Hornady's.

250917

[Texas by God]

The 8x57 seems to be a natural for cast.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20191109/3805c205772b7e72a5af1eb7dcfe9e34.jpg

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[Hanzy4200]

Very interesting info. I've got a '43 Russian capture waiting around for this project. Still have a few ahead of it in line.

[wmitty]

I bought a 8 x 57 Zastava sporter with the peculiar "humped" stock for $300 and have used the RCBS .32 cal boolit and am currently trying to load the Maximum boolit which weighs about 245 grains in wheelweight alloy. I was hoping for a longer throat as the longer boolit is seated rather deep in the case with the stock throat. Groove dia. is .324"; while both moulds seemed to drop about .325" with the ww alloy. Haven't got to shoot this rifle very much as it's a recent purchase. The RCBS boolit did seem to shoot well with 4895 but I was only shooting groups at 50 yds.

[yeahbub]

Those are some good looking results. I haven't experimented much with pistol powder loads in the 8mm. I have no 8mm molds and can't comment on results with bare lead, but I've had excellent results at full power with paper patching conventional .30 cal designs up to .325 with 2 - 3 wraps of drafting vellum, depending on as-cast diameter. PP'ing a bore riding design gives the option of moving the full diameter portion as far forward as needed for positive alignment in generous or worn throats. A good one for hunting is the Lyman 311041 so patched. No worries about the nose obturating off-center when the normally unsupported ogive length is supported by the patch. Just thought I'd throw that out there as another option. . . .

[cwlongshot]

I found and am buying a Ideal 323470 single cav mold. I like and have had good results with these style bullets.

I read that the heavier version 323471 is about best one can get for the 8mm.

CW

[OS OK]

I'm a little embarrassed to chime in on this thread....I found an old Ideal 323-378 RN-243gr., 252gr. with this alloy, single cavity GC'd mould and started out hot-N-heavy to develop a load and then got sidetracked to this day when I moved to a new home where I don't have a rifle range anymore, just pistol distance.
Any way, I thought with those long Mauser throats this would be an interesting cast round. Here it is pictured beside a couple 180gr. SP's...


https://i.imgur.com/sjub5MW.jpg

I did get a few shots off at only 30 yards and it does look promising...using H4831SC for a slow kick in the butt. If I recall...avg'd 2,002 fps.


https://i.imgur.com/MFL5ICF.jpg

[cwlongshot]

Its a long one!!

My sporter is a very good shooter with 4064 & a 175 Sierra

I have t shot the stocker as much. But since shooting the Argentine 7.65 Im thinking maybe the 98 needs love too. Plus my club does mil rifle fun Matches. Any military non altered rifle legal. Most of the shooters are AR. But thats not the “spirit” of the match. Some use Garrands other use Sweeds and two guys always there with Swiss 7.5’s and they do very well!

CW