8mm 8 X 57 Reloading

[TomTX]

Purchased the 180 gr Nosler BT for my 98 as well as my bother's 98 mausers. Both of our 98s are in great shape, timney triggers, scoped, stocked, etc. Nosler recently said here that "we had best results with IMR4064 43.0 grains." Did you try warmer loads? What was the MV at 43.0 grains? Did accuracy drop off with warmer loads? Someone posted that they were loading 49 grains of IMR4064 and getting 2800 fps with the 180 grain BT. Thanks to all.

 

[Val]

I have a sporterized K98 and I shoot 180 grain Nosler BTs with 43 grains of IMR 4064. I get a muzzle velocity of 2272 fps (chronograph). My K98 did not like lighter pellets but some of them do. You may want to try some 150 grain bullets if you want a higher muzzle velocity. I get an accuracy of just under an inch with the 180 grain BTs. The accuracy did degrade as I increased the powder in .5 grain increments.

 

[mauser270]

I am reloading for the Nosler 180 gr using reloader 15. Nosler's 5th edition lists the min load as 44.5 and the max at 47 gr. I tried crossreferencing with one of my other manuals and the closests I could find was data for 170 gr in the Lee 2nd edition. They state the min load as 37.4gr and the max at 41.4gr. This is a substantial difference and wanted to know if anyone has used this load. My 8mm is a sturdy milsurp which has shot milsurp ammo, usually loaded hotter than factory.

 

[Savage99]

Noslers #5 has loads for the 180 BT in the 8x57 Mauser. They include minimum and maximum loads.

 

[Anonymous]

Just a side note,...Those loads listed in Nosler Reloading Guide #5 are for the 8X57mm JS Mauser with a .323" diameter bullets. Some early 8mm Mausers had .318" bullets dia. Thanks for the great posts guys.

 

[LoneStar]

I get a muzzle velocity of 2272 fps (chronograph). My K98 did not like lighter pellets but some of them do. You may want to try some 150 grain bullets if you want a higher muzzle velocity.

The Nosler #5 lists loads up to 47 grains and 2636 fps, so one could work up to heavier charges and higher velocities without exceeding safe pressures with 180-grain bullets.

The reason for very low maximum charges in some manuals (IMR lists 35 grains as maximum with 170-grain bullets) has to do with the weaker M88 rifles chambered for the original 8x57J cartridge. This was upgraded to the 8x57JS and chambered in the much stronger M98 rifles; this latter will safely handle more pressure. Speer and Hornady use pressure limits of ca. 50,000 cup for their 8x57 loads, while IMR uses 37,000 cup. The potential for someone to use 8x57JS loading data in a M88 with it's 0.318" bore could result in excessive pressures for the action. Modern reloading manuals are all about safety - thank goodness!

 

[Tiny]

You will never know what your Rifle likes best unless you try working up the different charge wieghts, listed in the data, the same applys to other bullets and weights.

 

[wildcat junkie]

49gr IMR 4064 should generate about 60,000psi @ 2800fps with the 180gr Nosler BT @ 3.150" COL

Is this over SAAMI specs? You bet. But how many .270 Wins built on M98 actions are used with factory (SAAMI spec) ammo @ over 62,000psi?

European ammo is loaded to pressures similar to the 49gr 4064 load.

 

[BFaucett]

Just as a point of reference, here are some European factory load ballistics for the 8x57JS. I purchased one of the 2004 Remington Model 700 Classics in 8x57JS. I wanted to have some frame of reference for CIP factoy level loads for the 8x57 when working up my handloads. I collected these stats from the various European factory ammo web sites. By looking at the Euro specs I could at least determine what velocities can reasonably be expected with the different bullet weights.

-Bob F.

Blaser http://www.blaser.de/ Germany
Hirtenberger http://www.hirtenberger.at/ Austria (web site no longer lists sporting ammo)
Lapua http://www.lapua.com/ Finland
Norma http://www.norma.cc/ Sweden
Prvi Partizan http://www.prvipartizan.com/ Serbia
RUAG Munition http://www.ruag.com/ http://www.swissmun.com/e/sport/ Switzerland
RWS http://www.rws-munition.de/ Germany
Sako http://www.sako.fi/ Finland
Sellier & Bellot http://www.sellier-bellot.cz/ Czech Republic

 

[303carbine]

I have a Yugo M48 in 8x57 and I shoot Remington 185 Core-Lokt bullets. 47 grains of IMR 4895 lit up with Federal LR primer, chronographed at 2582.
Also 170 grain Speer Hot -Cor over 48 grains of IMR 4895 gets 2663 on the chrony. Federal LR primers. :grin: Chrony set up at 10 feet from the muzzle. This load is safe in my rifle and very accurate. The heavy bullets are slightly more accurate. Nosler 180's are still on back order from my supplier :x

 

[chundoo]

In my Douglas barreled M98 I'm using H4895, Fed210, and Nosler 180 BT's to get a cronographed 2600 fps. I encounter early pressure signs at 2650 and the groups open up substantially.