8MM Mauser

[triggerhappy243]

ok, so a friend has an 8MM Mauser, and wants to possibly hunt with it. Deer(mule deer), Elk and nuisance bears. He wants to cast for it. Any recommendations for a bullet mold?

[skeettx]

https://www.rcbs.com/bullet-casting/moulds/355277.html

more penetration and a good one to experiment with because it is CHEAP

https://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item/000068mmkar/8mm-karabiner-215-grain-double-cavity-reproduction-mold

[Der Gebirgsjager]

I've had good luck on the range with the Lee 175 gr. RN, but have never shot a deer with it. I did get a very nice buck with a Rem. JSP in an as-issued K98k.

[Noffsinger]

ok, so a friend has an 8MM Mauser, and wants to possibly hunt with it. Deer(mule deer), Elk and nuisance bears. He wants to cast for it. Any recommendations for a bullet mold?

I am using the following mold with a full charge of WC867, I get 1980 fps in a Yugo M48-A and nothing has yet got up off the ground and complained.
NOE# 326-258-RN-BQ4
257756

[444ttd]

https://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item/000068mmkar/8mm-karabiner-215-grain-double-cavity-reproduction-mold

its what i want when i start shooting deer.

[Texas by God]

Accurate’s 33-205(t) looks like a good hunting bullet. It and the Lee C324175R shot great from my Tikka 8x57. For a friend that’s thinking of casting, I’d go with one of the Lee offerings. But I’d slug the barrel first- you didn’t say what rifle he has. Some milsurps reportedly prefer the Kar( heavy,fat) boolit.

[hc18flyer]

I have the Accurate 33-205T, used it on a doe a couple of seasons ago. It is very accurate out of my Yugo M48. Building a deer rifle on a 96 action in 8 x 57, looking forward to shooting it! hc18flyer

[kungfustyle]

I have a Yugo Mauser. It won't feed some boolits from the left side of the mag. My suggestion is to get some of these boolits from the people above and test them out unless you want to feed them in single file. The Lee 8mm https://www.titanreloading.com/lee-precision-reloading-equipment/lee-molds/bullet-molds/762-x-39-303-b-8mm/lee-dc-mold-c324-175-1r-mold-dc- WORKS!!! I did have an RCBS FN all kinds of trouble with it. I do have an Mp hunter that I haven't tried yet. My suggestion is to get the Lee mold and get a hollow point maker from forster.

[Noffsinger]

I have a Yugo Mauser. It won't feed some boolits from the left side of the mag. My suggestion is to get some of these boolits from the people above and test them out unless you want to feed them in single file. The Lee 8mm https://www.titanreloading.com/lee-precision-reloading-equipment/lee-molds/bullet-molds/762-x-39-303-b-8mm/lee-dc-mold-c324-175-1r-mold-dc- WORKS!!! I did have an RCBS FN all kinds of trouble with it. I do have an Mp hunter that I haven't tried yet. My suggestion is to get the Lee mold and get a hollow point maker from forster.

If you are wanting super slick feeding as well as great accuracy and tremendous impact with deep penetration from a n M48 Yugo, might I suggest Accurate Molds #32-210C in the gas check version, specified at .325 or .326 as cast size, (You specify the type of alloy you will use). 2000 - 2150 fps is safely reachable and it really does knock the stuffing out of 500+ lb. pigs as well as mulies. I cant tell you how well it works on elk as I am still hoping to draw a tag. By the way, I use WW lead and Pure lead 75%-25% and my best performance and accuracy happens right around 2000 fps @ 10 ft per my Crony.
257815

[triggerhappy243]

https://www.rcbs.com/bullet-casting/moulds/355277.html

more penetration and a good one to experiment with because it is CHEAP

https://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item/000068mmkar/8mm-karabiner-215-grain-double-cavity-reproduction-mold

skeettx, have you tried this Lee mold? and if soo, what alloy?

[skeettx]

No,
I would use Wheel weights, for target and softer for game.
Softer = 2 pounds of wheel weights and 1 pound of lead.
Less fracture this way in game.
Hornady Gas Check
Mike

[beemer]

I have a Yugo Mauser. It won't feed some boolits from the left side of the mag. My suggestion is to get some of these boolits from the people above and test them out unless you want to feed them in single file. The Lee 8mm https://www.titanreloading.com/lee-precision-reloading-equipment/lee-molds/bullet-molds/762-x-39-303-b-8mm/lee-dc-mold-c324-175-1r-mold-dc- WORKS!!! I did have an RCBS FN all kinds of trouble with it. I do have an Mp hunter that I haven't tried yet. My suggestion is to get the Lee mold and get a hollow point maker from forster.

I don't hunt anymore but agree with the above post, my Yugo M48 will not feed the 8mm Kar from the left side of the mag. With the limited experimenting I have done it does shoot well but if I were hunting not feeding properly would not be acceptable. The Lee 175 both shoots well and feeds properly in my rifle and it's a cheep place to start.

[triggerhappy243]

I don't hunt anymore but agree with the above post, my Yugo M48 will not feed the 8mm Kar from the left side of the mag. With the limited experimenting I have done it does shoot well but if I were hunting not feeding properly would not be acceptable. The Lee 175 both shoots well and feeds properly in my rifle and it's a cheep place to start.

beemer, do you shoot these 175 gr. bullets as cast? or do they need to be sized and lubed?

[beemer]

My Lee 175 mold drops heavy at .327 but I run them through a .325 sizer to lube and add a gas check.

[Went2kck]

I use the Lee 175 8mm mold. It shoots great out of my yugo. I didn't really want to reload for the 8mm but figured why not. That old rifle shoot great with cast and them J bullets reloads. I have played with lead alloys to get the weight down to the mold weight. almost seams like it shoots the heavier ones better for some odd reason. Distance is 100yrds once dialed in all in the black.

[TCLouis]

Noffsinger
What are you calling a full load?

Powder to the base of the boolit?

[waksupi]

I have found bullets of 220-240 gr. work excellent in the 8mm, and will kill anything you point them at.

[sharps4590]

What Texas said, Accurate 33-205. I have that mold and it's a dandy in every 8mm I own. As long as the 8 X 57 has been around I expect there's a pile of good ones for it.

[Larry Gibson]

I've shot a few deer and an elk with the 323-471 HP shortening the HP stem so the HP is 3/16" deep. That is a 215 gr bullet when cast of COWW + 2% tin then mixed 50/50 with pure lead. I size at .325, lube with Javelina (Lars NRA 50/50 or 2500+ work as well) and use Hornady GCs. I pushed them at 2150 fps over H4831 out of a BYF M98 with an excellent bore and it holds 1 1/2 - 2 MOA at 200 yards for the first 10 shots out of a clean barrel which is fine for hunting but accuracy will open up after 10 shots as fouling picks up. I believe the accuracy attainable at that velocity while pushing the RPM Threshold is due to the long bearing surface of the Loverin style bullet, the bullet is seated with the GC at the base of the case neck leaving the bullet to seat into the long throat of milsurp 8x57 chambers, the slower burning powder and the .005+ groove depth of milspec Mauser barrels. The 323471HP fed out of both sides of the magazine of BYF M98 as it does my Yugo M24/47 and M48s.

If I did not already have the 323471HP I would look very seriously at NOE's 326-220-FN-P5 and the 326-221-RN-Q1. They are very similar to the 323471 and should perform as well.

[beemer]

I forgot to mention that the Lee 8mm Kar is listed at 215 grains, mine weighs 240 grains with lube and gas check. Like I stated before it gave feeding problems.

The second round is on the left side of the mag and swings too far to the right hitting the back of the barrel shank. The first round on the right just barely makes it into the chamber. I tried seating a little longer, didn't help and the round wouldn't chamber. The large flat nose is the problem. Makes it a two shooter if you help the first round feed, it does shoot well so far. My rifle is a Yugo 48, I have wondered if a 98 would work.

[waksupi]

I've shot a few deer and an elk with the 323-471 HP shortening the HP stem so the HP is 3/16" deep. That is a 215 gr bullet when cast of COWW + 2% tin then mixed 50/50 with pure lead. I size at .325, lube with Javelina (Lars NRA 50/50 or 2500+ work as well) and use Hornady GCs. I pushed them at 2150 fps over H4831 out of a BYF M98 with an excellent bore and it holds 1 1/2 - 2 MOA at 200 yards for the first 10 shots out of a clean barrel which is fine for hunting but accuracy will open up after 10 shots as fouling picks up. I believe the accuracy attainable at that velocity while pushing the RPM Threshold is due to the long bearing surface of the Loverin style bullet, the bullet is seated with the GC at the base of the case neck leaving the bullet to seat into the long throat of milsurp 8x57 chambers, the slower burning powder and the .005+ groove depth of milspec Mauser barrels. The 323471HP fed out of both sides of the magazine of BYF M98 as it does my Yugo M24/47 and M48s.

If I did not already have the 323471HP I would look very seriously at NOE's 326-220-FN-P5 and the 326-221-RN-Q1. They are very similar to the 323471 and should perform as well.

Just curious. When your accuracy goes bad after ten, does the bore then lube purge, and accuracy return? I wonder what results you would have with powder coating?

[ChristopherO]

I've had good luck on the range with the Lee 175 gr. RN, but have never shot a deer with it. I did get a very nice buck with a Rem. JSP in an as-issued K98k.

Noffsinger, can you provide the velocity and alloy hardness you were using with this RN bullet? I have some experience with round nose pistol rounds and small game and I am not a believer in them. Yet, speed does kill, so I am assuming your NOE cast is getting the job done with help from more velocity. The more information I glean the better I can decide which direction I want to go with the 35 Whelen I have. As noted above, this too is a sporterized Mauser action and FN bullets won't feed, they catch up on the edge of the chamber. The round nose cast bullets I have will feed.
Any additional information on size of animals you put down, distance to target, etc, is appreciated.
Christopher

[yeahbub]

Another alternative to 8mm bare cast is paper patching convectional .30 cal cast boolits. Being cheap and already having a selection of them, I use 2 wraps of .004 paper (copy paper cover wrapper) or 3 wraps of .0025 drafting vellum. On a .311 casting, either will get you .325 or a little more and a trip through a .325 sizer will take care of any overage. I've patched the 150gr Lyman 311466 and a plain base 180gr 311041 clone among others. With PP, I can drive a softer hunting alloy with no leading at jacketed velocity. I played with a Yugo M-48 for a while and accuracy was 2" at 100 yards when I worked out what it really liked.

[Larry Gibson]

Just curious. When your accuracy goes bad after ten, does the bore then lube purge, and accuracy return? I wonder what results you would have with powder coating?

With the softer alloy (for expansion) the bore begins to foul around 8 rounds and accuracy begins falling off. This doesn't pose a problem with hunting loads as if I haven't got the game in 8 - 10 shots I might as well go home and clean the rifle anyways...….

I haven't tried PC because I don't touch the stuff [except testing for others]. Besides when the PC is baked you WQ the bullets which essentially heat treats them which negates the use of the softer alloy for expansion. Same bullet of COWWs + 2% tin with the same load can be shot all day long and maintain 2 moa or better accuracy for zeroing, practice and fun shooting.

[roverboy]

I've had good luck on the range with the Lee 175 gr. RN, but have never shot a deer with it. I did get a very nice buck with a Rem. JSP in an as-issued K98k.

That Lee should be a good boolit.