8 x 57 Mauser

[Daga Boy]

I have not used this calibre , but everyone who has speaks very highly of it, especially for bushveld hunting. Heavier bullets (200-220) are the norm and everyone I have spoken to says that the terminal effect is superior to the '06 - which is as one would expect given the larger diameter and, on average, heavier bullet. Based on these reports (and some common sense), I would highly recommend this calibre for African plains game hunting, especially in bushed areas.
BTW, there is also an 8mm x 60, which is available as a custom round. I have also not used one of those, but would think that it is about as close as one can get to the mythical "perfect" African plains game cartridge - assuming that that place has not already been taken by the .338 Sabi.

 

[Gert Odendaal]

My brother and I hunted once in the Clarence area of the Free state , I used the 8x57 JS to hunt a black wildebeest bull...he had his .30-06 caliber with him but want to feel how my 8x57SJ Mauser shoots when hunting.

He used the 8x57JS Mauser with a 180gn Barnes TSX bullet to shoot a big bodied black wildebeest..he was astonished after he shot the black wildebeest..

First thing he said was" bl#@#$##$$$@###$#&^em this rifle shot the black wildebeest off its four legs like some giant hit it with a sledge hammer..." he immediately ask me to find him a 8x57 JSMauser..

.Still today he can not get over the impact the 8x57js Mauser had on the black wildebeest..he told me that his .30-06 can not compare to the 8x57js Mauser ....since he is the owner of a .30-06 he shot for the past ten years , who am I to differ from his point of view???

 

[ZG47]

@Gert Odendaal If you brought him over from the dark side to the light … who cares how you did it?

 

[Patrik D]

30-06 vs 8x57js Same same but different... and I realy don't like the 30-06 but it ain't that much different.

7,62×63 - 8x57 = 22,6 :-D

 

[Gert Odendaal]

30-06 vs 8x57js Same same but different... and I realy don't like the 30-06 but it ain't that much different.

7,62×63 - 8x57 = 22,6 :-D

Patrik,D, I think you should rather look at it from the perspective of the rifling twist:
Mauser 8 x57JS : 1:9.45 , 225gn bullet = a lot of impact on a game animal like a black wildebeest

.30-06 cal rifle : 1:10/1:12 lighter bullets less impact on the black wildebeest.

Maybe this is what my brother experience when shooting the 8x 57JS Mauser when hunted the black wildebees bull....

 

[sestoppelman]

Loaded with the same or similar weight of bullet, to similar velocities, and here the '06 has an advantage due to a larger case, the two rounds are essentially the same. No animal hit the same by either will know the difference. I absolutely flattened a very nice black wilde in Namibia a couple of years ago with an '06. The load was a 200 gr Nosler Partition loaded to just over 2600 fps. Knock down, lights out, distance about 150 yards, frontal chest shot.
The '06 is at no disadvantage as to bullet weight, bullets of up 250 grs are available and 220 is common.

 

[Accidental Villain]

In Uganda my father took a friend elephant hunting. They found a nice tusker and got set for a side brain shot. My fathers friend fired and overshot the brain, but the 375H&H still managed to knock the elephant unconscious. After a few seconds the elephant got up again and the same thing happened again.. 3 rd. time the elephant got up my father (unofficially;P) fired his back up rifle for the occasion; an old military surplus Yugoslavian M24 8x57JS and killed the ele. I believe he used Kynoch 224 grain bullets of which he was given by the Brittish District Commissioner as tip for a successful zebra hunt.

I`m not at all saying that the 8x57JS necessarily is an elephant cartridge but, this is what the 8x57 is really about: surprisingly long straight line penetration well over its pay grade.

Nobody does it like Germans,, So when some Germans did a thorough scientifically good test in regards of penetration on huge monster boars I read it with interest. Shooting at those things, you definitely want to punch an exit hole. Only 9,3x62 and 8x57JS managed full penetration. None of the 30 cals went thru. Even 9,3x57 failed a little to my surprise.

8x57JS has comparatively mild recoil enabling you to easily stay on target for fast follow up shots.
If you have a proper Mauser rifle without an optical wonder on top you can speed load from a clip.
So, in my mind there`s no wonder why it has made a huge revival here in Europe the last decade or so.

 

[sestoppelman]

Such anecdotal evidence is fine, but lacking in information on the loads. Factory loads, handloads, bullet make, starting velocity etc?
As I said above, loaded in similar fashion, one is a good as the other. Nothing magic about either one, both are solid performers with lifetimes of experience.
Mentioned above was the 8x60 another good round. I have been playing with one a little longer, the 8x64 and finding it to be a very accurate round as well, and seems to prefer heavier bullets too.
I would not be afraid to tackle any large PG with it.

 

[Patrik D]

Patrik,D, I think you should rather look at it from the perspective of the rifling twist:
Mauser 8 x57JS : 1:9.45 , 225gn bullet = a lot of impact on a game animal like a black wildebeest

.30-06 cal rifle : 1:10/1:12 lighter bullets less impact on the black wildebeest.

Maybe this is what my brother experience when shooting the 8x 57JS Mauser when hunted the black wildebees bull....

I tried to be funny

 

[Serbian Hunter]

Nice and mild caliber very popular in ex-YU and Europe. I had great results with Hornady Interlock 195grs on wild boars using N550 powder, OAL=78.5mm reaching Vo=805 ms and Ek=4100 Joules. Just love it!

 

[Tom Leoni]

Regrettably, I only have a Nazi military 8x57 Mauser K-98 in 8x57mm (one of those super-cool ones with the reddish glue in the laminate stock, and accurate as hell)--but I have thought of adding a premium-quality sporting rifle in that caliber. Hey, it's the caliber that inspired the creation of the .30-06, so it's as good as it gets. When I do get it and go after game, I'll probably stick to bullets around 200 grains, which give you fantastic SD and BC in that caliber. Great choice, congrats on your rifle.

 

[flatwater bill]

Despite the OP being over 3 years ago this thread seems to have come back to life. Always interesting to read about the 8mm. I currently have a JP S&S that I took plains game hunting in 2016. My load was a Barnes X of 200 grains pushed by 51 grains of IMR 4350. Despite relatively low velocity of 2451 fps ave, it proved very effective, and bullets expanded well. Penetration was excellent too, and a large zebra mare I shot behind the shoulder had a silver dollar sized exit wound. As a teen, I hunted with an old 8mm brought from "the old country". It had the usual .319 bore shooting .318 bullets. It was an amazing killer to those of us used to a 25-35. When we ran out of ammo, it was not easy to buy back then. With the 318 vs 323 confusion, Remington came to the rescue by offering their load with a 170 grain bullet of .320 diameter. It was soft. It swaged or obturated as needed by the confused shooters, but penetrated poorly. But it did allow us to use the rifle again. Anecdotes notwithstanding, Sessto is right. There is no magic here that the 06 can't duplicate. But I must add that Sellier and Bellot 196 grainers produced 2696 fps in my rifle, a load I cannot duplicate in my 06....or in my 8X57 by handloading either. An anecdote or two proves little, though I love reading them. Thanks for posting........................FWB

 

[Gert Odendaal]

In Uganda my father took a friend elephant hunting. They found a nice tusker and got set for a side brain shot. My fathers friend fired and overshot the brain, but the 375H&H still managed to knock the elephant unconscious. After a few seconds the elephant got up again and the same thing happened again.. 3 rd. time the elephant got up my father (unofficially;P) fired his back up rifle for the occasion; an old military surplus Yugoslavian M24 8x57JS and killed the ele. I believe he used Kynoch 224 grain bullets of which he was given by the Brittish District Commissioner as tip for a successful zebra hunt.

I`m not at all saying that the 8x57JS necessarily is an elephant cartridge but, this is what the 8x57 is really about: surprisingly long straight line penetration well over its pay grade.

Nobody does it like Germans,, So when some Germans did a thorough scientifically good test in regards of penetration on huge monster boars I read it with interest. Shooting at those things, you definitely want to punch an exit hole. Only 9,3x62 and 8x57JS managed full penetration. None of the 30 cals went thru. Even 9,3x57 failed a little to my surprise.

8x57JS has comparatively mild recoil enabling you to easily stay on target for fast follow up shots.
If you have a proper Mauser rifle without an optical wonder on top you can speed load from a clip.
So, in my mind there`s no wonder why it has made a huge revival here in Europe the last decade or so.

Great story, it must be one of your great memories about your Father for sure...It would be spectacular if you still have his 8x57Mauser he used when killing the elephant.
There has never /will never be a more competent caliber designer than the German designers. The Mauser round be it for the 8x57/9.3 x 62 or 9.3 x70 DWM was the perfect rifle caliber for African plains game as well as dangerous game hunting.

The 9.3 x 62 Mauser was specifically designed for the German farmers in the old German South West Africa colony. It killed the most game in Africa for sure.Since even the farmers in South Africa has the 9.3 x 62 Mauser in the early years of South Africa .
The only reason why the German designed rifles/calibers did not became world leaders sellers is that the German Race has been demonized after the Adolf Hitler Natzi history ...people still think every German is a Natzi even today...

So after the second world war the only hunting calibers that was available to the world was the British and American calibers that became the norm for hunting rifles ...
I absolutely share your view :
Nobody does it like Germans,, So when some Germans did a thorough scientifically good test in regards of penetration on huge monster boars I read it with interest. Shooting at those things, you definitely want to punch an exit hole. Only 9,3x62 and 8x57JS managed full penetration. None of the 30 cals went thru. Even 9,3x57 failed a little to my surprise

To me there is just not a better designed caliber or rifle than that of a German company. The only critique I can voice that really lacks in the 1930 era and later years in Africa hunting is the poor quality of bullets made by the German companies..this is where the great 10.75 x 68 Mauser got it`s bad name from for poor penetration and bouncing off a buffalo boss as described in the Africa`s Dangerous Game rifles book..and in two or three similar incidents in other hunting stories...
This is my personal perspective and believe in German designed rifles ..I only shoot German designed rifles .Since I have an uncommon knack for knowing when a rifle is the best designed caliber in my hands..

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Regrettably, I only have a Nazi military 8x57 Mauser K-98 in 8x57mm (one of those super-cool ones with the reddish glue in the laminate stock, and accurate as hell)--but I have thought of adding a premium-quality sporting rifle in that caliber. Hey, it's the caliber that inspired the creation of the .30-06, so it's as good as it gets. When I do get it and go after game, I'll probably stick to bullets around 200 grains, which give you fantastic SD and BC in that caliber. Great choice, congrats on your rifle.

Tom, then we , us members on this forum has to get together with our 8x57JS Mauser rifles here in South Africa..I like organizing special dedicated hunts , my good friend Georg Poppel from Germany participates in our 1885 Era Black Powder hunt as well..one of the hunts I organized already from 2015 .. I would really like it to organize a Mauser hunt in South Africa or in Namibia if there are members who want to participate in a Original German Mauser rifle hunt from the 1871 to 1945 I would surely organize such a hunt..

 

[Gert Odendaal]

The only caliber that is in line with the German designed caliber in a British format is the 10.75 x 73 or the same brother from another mother the 404 Jeffery ...
Some photos of my second beautiful 8x57JS Mauser

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Flatwater Bill, it is known that the German hunters load the 8x57JS and the 8x68S to very hot loads , something the USA and British rifle owners don`t do. Due to the history of the .318 or .323 bore changes made tot he rifles in the past...

This is why I can re-load my 8x57JS to much hotter loads than the 30-06 owner who hunts with me and my 8x57JS Mauer and get a better performance from it ..

 

[Jon Glajchen]

Great story, it must be one of your great memories about your Father for sure...It would be spectacular if you still have his 8x57Mauser he used when killing the elephant.
There has never /will never be a more competent caliber designer than the German designers. The Mauser round be it for the 8x57/9.3 x 62 or 9.3 x70 DWM was the perfect rifle caliber for African plains game as well as dangerous game hunting.

The 9.3 x 62 Mauser was specifically designed for the German farmers in the old German South West Africa colony. It killed the most game in Africa for sure.Since even the farmers in South Africa has the 9.3 x 62 Mauser in the early years of South Africa .
The only reason why the German designed rifles/calibers did not became world leaders sellers is that the German Race has been demonized after the Adolf Hitler Natzi history ...people still think every German is a Natzi even today...

So after the second world war the only hunting calibers that was available to the world was the British and American calibers that became the norm for hunting rifles ...
I absolutely share your view :
Nobody does it like Germans,, So when some Germans did a thorough scientifically good test in regards of penetration on huge monster boars I read it with interest. Shooting at those things, you definitely want to punch an exit hole. Only 9,3x62 and 8x57JS managed full penetration. None of the 30 cals went thru. Even 9,3x57 failed a little to my surprise

To me there is just not a better designed caliber or rifle than that of a German company. The only critique I can voice that really lacks in the 1930 era and later years in Africa hunting is the poor quality of bullets made by the German companies..this is where the great 10.75 x 68 Mauser got it`s bad name from for poor penetration and bouncing off a buffalo boss as described in the Africa`s Dangerous Game rifles book..and in two or three similar incidents in other hunting stories...
This is my personal perspective and believe in German designed rifles ..I only shoot German designed rifles .Since I have an uncommon knack for knowing when a rifle is the best designed caliber in my hands..

Hi Gert
I own and have hunted with both a 8x57 JS and a 30/06. In fact I would go so far as to say together with my 375H&H, my custom Mauser 8x57 JS is my favourite bushveld rifle.

Having said that, I disagree that there is any noticeable difference in knock-down power or penetration between the two when using the same or similar weight projectiles of the same make. I doubt that any any animal shot at bushveld distances will be able to tell the difference either. Here I am referring to 196gr 8x57 J S compared to a 180 gr/ 200 gr 30/06.

Both are fantastic calibers for the bushveld!

My 8x57 JS

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Beautiful rifle ,it is a perfect rifle since it is in the 8x57JS caliber.. Keep in mind it was not my observation done in regards to the 8x57JS`s performance on the black wildebeest hunt ..it was the owner of a 30-06 caliber rifle who explicitly pointed out to me that the 8x57JS Mauser he used to shoot the black wildebeest has a much greater impact shot on the animal that he has ever experienced with his 30-06 caliber rifle BRNO....

I am just confirming what he said to me...it is my oldest brother , I really can not argue with him or differ with his opinion of the 8x57JS Mauser with the long 29.5" inch military stepped barrel members...it will be rude to even contemplating arguing his observations when shooting the animal...I am sure you all will agree with me on this point of view I did get hold of a great 8x57JS Mauser for my brother but sadly I am not able to sell this great rifle to him..I need this second Mauser 8x57JS if something happens to my other Mauser 8x57JS ...I just can not take such a chance at all..

 

[Gert Odendaal]

John, I am shooting my .375 H&H Magnum with it`s new barrel today for the first time..I build it in 2014 with the assistance and guidance of my mentor Johan Greyling..he gave me a barreled action in a Coggswell& Harrison make..this was my first rifle build ..

when completed the build I found the barrel to be shot out ..so I had to remove all the sights /quarter rib /flip up indicators to fit a new barrel..this was a few years later ,
now I am the point of shooting it today for the first time with the new barrel..then I will be able to fit the last piece of the puzzle , the quarter rib...and blue it to take it for it`s first hunt in the Kalahari in July..

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Note the incredible high carbon steel content in this Mauser V24 action...this action steel will make a great quality forged hunting knife as well Look at the explosion of the steel sparks ..the stars is an indication of extremely high carbon steel content.