8-06 users ?

[John Wasmuth]

OK, so I get there would be an "improvement" over the 7.62mm. But if I were going to do that, why not just bump it to a .35 Whelen? I mean, if I were filling out a battery, I'd probably go .25-06, then .30-06, then .35 Whelen. That covers North America. Bigger than that, .375 H&H.

I mean, it's not like the 8mm is going to kill a white tail "more dead" than the 7.62. If there's something the .30-06 would be marginal on, I'd want to step it up a bit more than 8mm. But that's just me.

I guess it does make sense that I could convert a 8X57 Mauser. Easier to re-ream the chamber than to re-barrel.

Originally the 8x57 mausers that were brought to the U.S. were hard to feed due to no ammo available. Reaming out to 8mm 06 made the best option as the chamber reamed out to the longer 06 casing was far cheaper for building sporting rifles than it was to rebarrel the rifle. Quick easy process and the results are a cartridge that can take any North American game animal with proper loading. Back years ago sporting rifles were a big cost for some people and this was a cheap alternative.

 

[SaintPanzer]

OK, why not bump it up to.400.....in the end it all comes down to personal preference......personally my choices are 6.5, 8mm and .400, sometimes its because that's the calibre barrel you have to do something with, sometimes its because you hate .243 ( G'Day Bob )
There is no " more dead " by going to a bigger calibre...dead by .22 or dead by .577 is dead....its preference, if everyone used the same calibre/cartridge it would be " dead " boring.

Roger

I guess to me, it's about the Venn Diagram. The overlap in the 8X63 is so close with the 7,62X63, I'd rather move up to something a little larger.

I certainly understand the re-chambering when there was a lack of ammo.

My metrical rifles are simple: I have a 6.5X54, and a 9.5X57. Neither are "long range".

If I were to win the lottery, and were to have my "perfect" traveller rifle made, I'd go .275H&H, .300H&H, and .375H&H. Granted, the .275 would be really esoteric, but if I'd won the lottery, I wouldn't care. That selection would take me anywhere in the world, whether I was hunting roe deer or larger. Yes, there is bigger, for bigger stuff, but that's a one world rifle.

I think my .30-06 is good for North America, save the great bears. .35 Whelen will do that (Hi Bob). Of course, there are others for the bears, and I'm not speaking against them, just going with the same case size. My point is I look for overlap that makes sense. YMMV.

 

[yumastepside]

Anyone using an 8mm-06, standard or improved ?
What are your opinions, loads, favourite projectiles and weights, etc......pics too please.

Roger

I don't mean to be rude, but did anyone read my opening question ?
I am well aware of the history and reasons for the 8-06, what I am really interested in is .....who has and uses one, what you think of it, whats your go to projectile and load.....

Roger

 

[John Wasmuth]

I gave the data to the gentleman I sold the rifle to but 57 gr of IMR 4350 and a 200 gr Barnes original or Speer 200 gr was my go to load. As always start well below the maximum charge and work up carefully.

 

[John Wasmuth]

I actually had both the standard and the AI and there wasn’t that much of a Difference between the two.

 

[400Jeff]

I have not used mine in years, but when I went on a bear hunt in Canada in the early 90's, I worked up a load using 200 gr. Nosler Partitions. My goal was to reach 2700 fps out of my 20" barrel, Mannlicher stocked M-98. I finally reached my goal using H-380 with a drop tube and neck sizing Winchester brass as they had the most capacity resulting in a compressed load. I reached 2730 fps . I could not break out of the 2650's with any American powders then before pressure signs and/or lack of case capacity, until I looked at a burn chart and saw that 380 looked right although I could never find it listed in any Manual. Anyways, it worked like a champ and flattened two nice black bears with one shot each and I felt better in grizzly country carrying it as it was the largest caliber rifle that I owned then. I am a 318WR, 8/06 and 338/06 fan as I feel they just fight above their weight class without beating you up.

 

[F. Vaccaro]

Back after the war an 8X06 made a lot of sense. Today if I had a nice 8mm Mauser I'd leave it as is & enjoy the 8mm.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I have not used mine in years, but when I went on a bear hunt in Canada in the early 90's, I worked up a load using 200 gr. Nosler Partitions. My goal was to reach 2700 fps out of my 20" barrel, Mannlicher stocked M-98. I finally reached my goal using H-380 with a drop tube and neck sizing Winchester brass as they had the most capacity resulting in a compressed load. I reached 2730 fps . I could not break out of the 2650's with any American powders then before pressure signs and/or lack of case capacity, until I looked at a burn chart and saw that 380 looked right although I could never find it listed in any Manual. Anyways, it worked like a champ and flattened two nice black bears with one shot each and I felt better in grizzly country carrying it as it was the largest caliber rifle that I owned then. I am a 318WR, 8/06 and 338/06 fan as I feel they just fight above their weight class without beating you up.

@400Jeff
From memory H380 is very similar to win 760.
Bob

 

[yumastepside]

I have attached part of a powder conversion chart..

Roger

 

[Jack Stevens]

Hard to beat the ol’ .318WR. Technically, in Euro-speak, it was an 8.4mm.

The go-to load was a 250grn bullet @ 2400fps.

 

[yumastepside]

Hard to beat the ol’ .318WR. Technically, in Euro-speak, it was an 8.4mm.

The go-to load was a 250grn bullet @ 2400fps.

Yes, this is a load I'm hoping to replicate in the 8-06 using Woodleigh's.

Roger

 

[DG870]

I shoot a 338-06 which is not too much different than an 8mm-06. I’ve had good results using 200 grain bullets and CFE223. I’ve not tried any bullets larger that 200 grain in the 338-06 but have had good results using CFE223 with 250 grain bullets in a 35 Whelen (thanks to 35 Whelen Bob).