8x68S owner's opinions

[Wishfulthinker580]

Mannlicher shoenauer Model 19568x68 magnum action rifle

Mannlicher shoenauer Model 19568x68 magnum action rifle for sale online.

www.gunsinternational.com

 

[Gert Odendaal]

DM, I now by has to make a 180 degree u-turn on my statement. Due to my cast exercise of a Mauser magnum action not realizing I had to use a Mauser 98 MOD action. So beggers can not be choosers I proceed with a 8x68S build..there is a thread of the build here on the forum.
I decided to open up the action to facilitate a 91mm round length.
My rationale: the RWS brass has extremely thick base and bottom part brass overall. This ensures less powder capacity. I therefor counter this phenomenon by lengthening the magazine box znd opening up the MOD98 Mauser action.
I am having time to spend on the 8x68S build again. Will upload as I am making progress.

 

[ZG47]

DM, I now by has to make a 180 degree u-turn on my statement. Due to my cast exercise of a Mauser magnum action not realizing I had to use a Mauser 98 MOD action. So beggers can not be choosers I proceed with a 8x68S build..there is a thread of the build here on the forum.
I decided to open up the action to facilitate a 91mm round length.
My rationale: the RWS brass has extremely thick base and bottom part brass overall. This ensures less powder capacity. I therefor counter this phenomenon by lengthening the magazine box znd opening up the MOD98 Mauser action.
I am having time to spend on the 8x68S build again. Will upload as I am making progress.

Hi Gert, good to hear that you are getting back to working on this rifle. I am looking forward to the next instalment on your progress. Onwards and upwards.

 

[FrontLines]

I love 8mm's, just so under appreciated in this country. That's a beautiful rifle in a wicked cool chambering.

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Thank you kindly members, yes , although I keep adding new projects to my work schedule the rifle building still is a great passion of mine. I am going on pension next year and have to have a few projects concluded. Rest assured then I will spend most of my time in the hunting regions culling game for my home based butchery and making Italian salami and South African game salami . Processing game carcasses for fellow hunters is my main priority..harvesting my own game for my butchery project will ensure me being hunting the whole year around..

I am setting myself up for a lot of culling, hunting and shooting before old age catch up to me ..

 

[dchamp]

Gert I look forward to seeing the results of your 8x68s in action. Have you thought about which bullet you want to start reloading with?

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Gert I look forward to seeing the results of your 8x68s in action. Have you thought about which bullet you want to start reloading with?

Good to hear from you dchamp, yes, I am doing some research on the type of bullet I need to use for the 8x68S ,
First I have to determine what my game specie , that would be heavy body /thick skin antelope like Giraffe, Eland , Gemsbuck Blue wildebeest on 300 to 400 meters .
So a heavy grain bullet with huge impact like a 220 gn bullet will do the trick.

Since I will shoot at the optimum precures to achieve flat shooting bullets it has to be tough bullets same use in the 8mm Remington.

If I can get the round length to seating the bullet at an AOL of 91mm it would be a bonus and I will be able to achieve the maximum performance of this caliber .
I will shoot hot loads, since it is the benchmark of the 8x68S caliber .

So now I have to research a bullet to cover all these requirements and hope to find it on the shelves in South Africa .

Making use of South African bullet manufacturers in South Africa ..I do have a ton of 8x68WRS brass, courtesy from Georg Popple here on our great forum...

I will discuss this subject with Georg Popple (HWL) around the 1885 Era Black powder hunt this year while we will be reloading in camp/casting /swaging bullets over the camp fire for my Mauser 71 or Mauser 43 as it is known in Europe and the USA.

 

[comen]

Good to hear from you dchamp, yes, I am doing some research on the type of bullet I need to use for the 8x68S ,
First I have to determine what my game specie , that would be heavy body /thick skin antelope like Giraffe, Eland , Gemsbuck Blue wildebeest on 300 to 400 meters .
So a heavy grain bullet with huge impact like a 220 gn bullet will do the trick.

Since I will shoot at the optimum precures to achieve flat shooting bullets it has to be tough bullets same use in the 8mm Remington.

If I can get the round length to seating the bullet at an AOL of 91mm it would be a bonus and I will be able to achieve the maximum performance of this caliber .
I will shoot hot loads, since it is the benchmark of the 8x68S caliber .

So now I have to research a bullet to cover all these requirements and hope to find it on the shelves in South Africa .

Making use of South African bullet manufacturers in South Africa ..I do have a ton of 8x68WRS brass, courtesy from Georg Popple here on our great forum...

I will discuss this subject with Georg Popple (HWL) around the 1885 Era Black powder hunt this year while we will be reloading in camp/casting /swaging bullets over the camp fire for my Mauser 71 or Mauser 43 as it is known in Europe and the USA.

Gert, I know you are seeking a bullet made in South Africa, and I applaud your desire for a 220 gr. projectile. That said i would like to recommend the 220 gr. Woodleigh protected point listed in their catalogue for the .325 WSM. I shoot these in my 8x68 at 855.3 meters per second and load to only 86.4mm length. I have managed to stop only one of these, on a quartering away shot through the body and the off side shoulder of a large (70 Kilo) mule deer doe at about 240 Meters. The bullet after breaking the shoulder weighed 166 grains, and measured 21.2 by 20.6 mm. These are a bonded bullet

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Gert, I know you are seeking a bullet made in South Africa, and I applaud your desire for a 220 gr. projectile. That said i would like to recommend the 220 gr. Woodleigh protected point listed in their catalogue for the .325 WSM. I shoot these in my 8x68 at 855.3 meters per second and load to only 86.4mm length. I have managed to stop only one of these, on a quartering away shot through the body and the off side shoulder of a large (70 Kilo) mule deer doe at about 240 Meters. The bullet after breaking the shoulder weighed 166 grains, and measured 21.2 by 20.6 mm. These are a bonded bullet

Comen, the only reason I am sourcing South African bullets is that here in South Africa we have quality bullet manufacturers like Perigrine, Stewert Core Bonded bullets, Impala and a few other bullet companies. Since the 8x68S is a longer range hunting caliber for thick skinned heavy body game animals it still will be accurate out to 400 meter .I am trying to source locally first, since the Covid 19 catastrophe visiting hunters from the USA are not so frequent anymore..usually I was extremely fortunate to have members on our forum who came to SA to hunt and was willing to bring items from the USA to SA.. unfortunately even the USA items has become scarce. Definitely in Germany as well according to my good German friend HWL.

I do try to be practical when precuring reloading components ..

 

[Asho99]

DM, I now by has to make a 180 degree u-turn on my statement. Due to my cast exercise of a Mauser magnum action not realizing I had to use a Mauser 98 MOD action. So beggers can not be choosers I proceed with a 8x68S build..there is a thread of the build here on the forum.
I decided to open up the action to facilitate a 91mm round length.
My rationale: the RWS brass has extremely thick base and bottom part brass overall. This ensures less powder capacity. I therefor counter this phenomenon by lengthening the magazine box znd opening up the MOD98 Mauser action.
I am having time to spend on the 8x68S build again. Will upload as I am making progress.

Norma make brass for 8x68s if u wanted a different option

 

[Rule 303]

Norma make brass for 8x68s if u wanted a different option.

To me this is the way to go. When I had an 8X68S I found I had to neck anneal all brass before I used it or I would loose about 5% to neck splits and a bit more after the first fireing. I did not have this worry with the Norma brass.

 

[comen]

I also like and use Norma brass, though many here in the US regard RWS as the pinnacle of quality.
Woodleigh should be back in production after the fire, and I love the weldcore bullets. South Africa has Stewart, and Claw bonded bullets that have great reviews, and would hopefully match the outstanding accuracy and performance I receive from the Woodleighs.

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Norma make brass for 8x68s if u wanted a different option

Asho,I already have at least three hundred RWS 8x68 S brass I received from my good friend Georg (HWL ) here on the forum. Then another 200 x RWS 6.5x58 S brass as well. The Mauser 6.5 x 68 is the next rifle I will be building after I completed the Swedish 6.5x55 Mauser next year. I will complete the 8x68S this year. I really believe RWS is great quality brass. Like any other brass product from other companies you have to take care of your brass..resetting brass to it`s original blueprint qualities is making sure you do apply proper annealing practices.

Every piece of brass has it`s used by date life span. Just buy new brass when it expires.

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Members, some feedback..I am working on the 8x68 rifle build again.Busy with the inlay process. Currently busy with more than one project so it will still be a while before I start reloading the 8x68 rifle..but I enjoy the journey. The 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser build I am doing alongside the 8x68 build..so working on two rifles currently.
Meanwhile I am building a 4x4 off road /camping trailer as well and building my own home butchery to keep myself busy while on pension..

 

[rookhawk]

Members, some feedback..I am working on the 8x68 rifle build again.Busy with the inlay process. Currently busy with more than one project so it will still be a while before I start reloading the 8x68 rifle..but I enjoy the journey. The 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser build I am doing alongside the 8x68 build..so working on two rifles currently.
Meanwhile I am building a 4x4 off road /camping trailer as well and building my own home butchery to keep myself busy while on pension..

I want to be you. Building home butchery...you're the kind of guy I want to hear talk while I drink brown liquor. Carry on, you're doing everything the way man was intended to live!

 

[Rule 303]

Members, some feedback..I am working on the 8x68 rifle build again.Busy with the inlay process. Currently busy with more than one project so it will still be a while before I start reloading the 8x68 rifle..but I enjoy the journey. The 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser build I am doing alongside the 8x68 build..so working on two rifles currently.
Meanwhile I am building a 4x4 off road /camping trailer as well and building my own home butchery to keep myself busy while on pension..

I wish I was as handy as you with all the projects you can do.

 

[ZG47]

Members, some feedback..I am working on the 8x68 rifle build again.Busy with the inlay process. Currently busy with more than one project so it will still be a while before I start reloading the 8x68 rifle..but I enjoy the journey. The 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser build I am doing alongside the 8x68 build..so working on two rifles currently.
Meanwhile I am building a 4x4 off road /camping trailer as well and building my own home butchery to keep myself busy while on pension..

Good update, Gert. How ancient are you? I turn 61 this year!

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Good update, Gert. How ancient are you? I turn 61 this year!

ZG47 an ancient 58

 

[Gert Odendaal]

I want to be you. Building home butchery...you're the kind of guy I want to hear talk while I drink brown liquor. Carry on, you're doing everything the way man was intended to live!

Thank you rookhawk, I really enjoy doing different projects and all the research that comes along with it.

 

[ZG47]

ZG47 an ancient 58

I had a feeling it was something like that. Ah well … go forth young man. Will your trailer be hidden behind a row of trees when you do your old style hunts OR will that wait until your 70th birthday ?