8 mm Mauser Cast question

[Ford SD]

Well i did the unthinkable and bought a rifle that I have no dies / brass or bullets for
its a Husqvarna Commercial Fn98 in 8x57 and when I saw it I thought rebarrel to 358 winchester as I have looked for a 358 and have not found one in my price range. been looking for a savage 99 in 358win for about 5 years passed on the last 2 i saw as they had been molested and too much $$

My Problem is when I got it home handled it cleaned and bore scoped the barrel.
I like it the way it handles / the weight / feel / balance :) :) ;) Barrel still needs a brush but looks excellent

It has a few problems cracked toe on the stock / no butt plate ...it came with a tasco scope and mounts (mounts were loose)

Question how cast friendly is the 8 mm Mauser thinking pinking round 100/200 yards max 300

Bonus it came with express rear sight

I have 30-06 brass as I load for m1 garand and a 35 wheelen

358 win was to be a pistol bullet plinking fun rifle but this one is too nice to do that to

[oconeedan]

I have an Lee Karabiner that casts about a 215gr bullet, if I recall. It shoots well. I never plinked beyond 100 yds myself, but I would guess your rifle would shoot cast bullets well.
You may want to slug the barrel and measure the throat, as there are a variety of molds available for 8mm.

[Dutchman]

8x57 .323" is very cast friendly. All of mine are military but the Czech Persian 98/29 will put 5 rds into 1 hole at 50 yds. Heavy is better: Lyman 323471 sized .324" or .325" seated to touch the rifling. Powders like Unique are my favorite but 700X is also excellent as is 2400.

Dutch

[hc18flyer]

My favorite 8 mms mold is an Accurate 33-205T, shoots GREAT in my Yugo M48. Flat nose hits hard on whitetail too. I have NOE 325470 or 471 too. My brothers Yugo has a smaller throat and loves the Lee 323- 175 grain. Your 8 x 57 will love cast!

[frkelly74]

Well I was having some fun shooting that 230 gr 8mm Lee boolits over about 11 grains of Herco at 100 yds. I was hitting a chicken target on an 8X11 piece of notebook paper. My 8mm are both old model 93 Turks refurbished in the 1930's.

[Texas by God]

I’ve only shot cast in two 8x57 rifles; a Tikka T3 and a 29 (98) Polish sporter with original barrel.
Both liked the 175 Lee bullet.


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[Ford SD]

Plain base or Gas check bullets ?

[hc18flyer]

I have mostly used gas checks. I have since started powder coating, but haven't tried pc with plain base bullets yet. hc18flyer

[cwlongshot]

I have been making a few videos on the 8mm Mauser. Some cast but mostly jacketed. Its a good cast shooter. I have a few suitable molds.

https://youtu.be/SCR0eqpYEaQ?si=V8LorScmSF_LUZD1

[hemmjo]

I have a Mauser K98 that I inherited from my grandpa. I have only fired what was left, about 12, of a box of Remingtion "Kleanbore" and a box 20 of military surplus. Difficult to find ammo around here. I got a Lee 175gr mold, but I have not yet got set up to cast. My son, 42, has recently expressed interest in shooting, and loading, so I do not want to delay getting started, so I ordered a box of precast, lubed bullet and a box of new Hornady brass. I also have some IMR 3031, IMR 4895, and Trail Boss powder.

I have found loading data on the Hodgdon site for using both 3031 and 4895 with a 175 grain bullet, BUT that is a jacketed round. I am guessing that data would be too hot for a cast bullet. Where do I find data for cast bullets? Can someone suggest a starting load for what I have on hand?

Thanks for your help.

PS ....Well I am embarrassed.. Right after posting this, I found the "Sticky: CB load data: online sources". It was hidden, right AT THE TOP of the list. oops

[racepres]

I shoot Only Cast, in my 8X57's, wether Sported, or Military Trim. Red Dot for Fun, and 3031, for business..

[FredBuddy]

Hemmjo:

Where in Ohio are you?
Maybe I'm close enough to help.

[WILCO]

Plain base or Gas check bullets ?

The Lee Precision 8mm boolit is gas checked.
The Karabiner is too.

[gwpercle]

Ford SD ,
Hang on to that 8 X 57 chambering .
As a dedicated cast boolit shooter , a 175 gr or 190 gr. cast boolit ...
Over 13 grs. Red Dot , makes for a real sweet shooter .
Don't fear the gas check ... they can help with accuracy .
Test it out before you dump it ... The 8 X 57 is a real sleeper and that Husky 98 was made to feed it perfectly .
Try it ... you just might Like it .
Gary

[kungfustyle]

+1 on the Lee 185 gr Gc boolit. The Lyman Loverlern design works well. Now I have this one https://www.mp-molds.com/product/8mm-hunter-gas-check-solid-2-cavity-mold/
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p4432023.m570.l1313&_nkw=8mm+mauser+jig&_sacat=0 get one!!!
https://www.harborfreight.com/power-tools/power-saws/cut-off-saws/2-in-mini-benchtop-cut-off-saw-62136.html same!!!
You can just use your full length die but these help https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1012624638?pid=552646
https://www.badacetactical.com/collections/ndt-mount-for-mausers These work well!

[hemmjo]

Fred, just saw your message.

I am in central Ohio. Used to shoot at the ODNR Delaware range, 50 years ago. Then was able to shoot at home when I first moved out in the country. Then the corn and bean started growing houses. I can squeeze of a round once in a while to delete a groundhog, but I don't want to push my luck shooting too much. Now, traffic wise, I am a bit closer to Zaneville there are a couple of ranges in that area/

[Soundguy]

I load for a couple old Turks..rough lookig rifles..but decent bores..cast n gas checked do great on paper for me. i use the lee c-324-175-1r mold.

[frkelly74]

Quite a bit of my 8mm brass says 270 Win on the headstamp. I didn't have a 270. Point is it's easy to come up with brass from found brass in several calibers If brass is rare in your area. It is an excellent chambering to play around with.

[MostlyLeverGuns]

A Mauser 98 in 8x57 works as well as an ought six on any game. Excellent with cast bullets, I have used plain base commercial .324 cast boolits made for the 32-40/32 special for light plinking loads. Matt's Bullets has a .323 185 grain flat nose gas check bullet that runs well. The Lee 8mm 175gr works well, I have the Lee 8mm molds made for Midsouth, but have not tried them. The 8x57 is pretty much the grand daddy of all the 12mm/.470 based cartridges, 7x57, 30-06, .250 Savage... For a long time, most of my 8x57 brass said RA53 or FA 52 for the head stamp. Easy conversion, lube outside and in neck, size, trim.

[K43]

I have a Husky 640 on the FN commercial action. My most used deer rifle.
30-06 can be resized into 8x57 easily. All my brass is converted Lake City 30-06.
You don't need any special dies to do it. I just shorten the brass on a band saw, remove the decapper/expander button rod and run the brass through my Lyman sizing die. Then lube the inside of the neck and resize with the decapper/expander button rod installed to get the neck expanded. Trim to final length. Not bad or tedious if done in batches one step at a time.
Tons of cast reloading data on this site. Plus, get the Lyman Cast Bullet book. Not a ton of boolets are listed for 8mm, but plenty of powders are covered. It will get you in the neighborhood and a place to double check any loads you see on this website.
Good luck!

[jimb16]

Sound Guy, I'm up in the NE corner of Ohio. I also shoot cast in 8mm. I've had good luck with a range of weights. If at first, you don't succeed. try again using a tuft of dacron poly!

[hemmjo]

snip... If at first, you don't succeed. try again using a tuft of dacron poly!

Is this for real? Talk more about this.

[racepres]

^^ It's Real... But, It is something I will Not Do. Use an appropriate Powder..in fact even Red Dot or Uniique, do Not need a Filler!!!
In My Mausers anyway!

[Larry Gibson]

Is this for real? Talk more about this.

It's real for sure but depends on the bullet weight and powder burn rate you are using. Suggest you read post #2 in https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?109280-The-proper-use-of-fillers

[Ford SD]

Up date on the FN 98 Husvarna

Been to the range 2 times with it

Using 3006 converted brass

Lee C324-175 mold with gc

1st time was not very good target / brass was hard to close / bore scope = tiny bit of lead

slugged barrel / lapped sizing die to .325 / took another .002 off shell holder = ( more as first size bolt would not close at all)

Using unique

2nd trip 10 of each
Unique 15.0 = average velocity 1721
Unique 16.0 = average velocity 1860
Unique 17.0 = had some werd velocity 1761-2024 and large group size

Have to load some
12-13-14-15 for next trip

[kungfustyle]

You may have to turn the necks of the brass if they are converted. The brass is thicker on the sides of the cartridge, so when you seat a .325 boolit and the ticker case neck it is too large for the chamber. https://www.brownells.com/reloading/case-cleaning-prep/case-neck-turning/neck-turning-handles/ https://www.brownells.com/reloading/case-cleaning-prep/case-neck-turning/stainless-steel-neck-turning-mandrels/?sku=749011562 Lyman makes a neck turning fitting for their case trimmer.
Speer and Hornady make great jacketed bullets in the 150 to 170g range and you wont have to turn the necks.

[MT Gianni]

In the early days of this board, Oldfeller gave the opinion that the 8x57 could be made to shoot faster and longer than the 35 Whelen. There was a Mid South custom 8mm bullet that weighed 240 gr. Those who chose to push it said the almost needed shoulder therapy and wondered if the stock would hold up. I would look at custom designs from accurate but it can be an amazing cartridge. I barreled mine to 243 in the 80's and haven't had one since.

[gwpercle]

Up date on the FN 98 Husvarna

Been to the range 2 times with it

Using 3006 converted brass

Lee C324-175 mold with gc

1st time was not very good target / brass was hard to close / bore scope = tiny bit of lead

slugged barrel / lapped sizing die to .325 / took another .002 off shell holder = ( more as first size bolt would not close at all)

Using unique

2nd trip 10 of each
Unique 15.0 = average velocity 1721
Unique 16.0 = average velocity 1860
Unique 17.0 = had some werd velocity 1761-2024 and large group size

Have to load some
12-13-14-15 for next trip

:goodpost:
LIKE ... Keep us up to date !

Gary