Locating 8mm mauser?

Ty500+

Ty500+

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Southern Ontario
Just bought myself a nice k98 in 8x57 and Im trying to locate some ammo in the GTA..wondering where you all may be finding it? Everywhere seems to be sold out.

And Ive seen the same ol FMJ Prvi stuff ranging from .98c/rnd to 1.75/rnd.
Is it always that random?
 
the new stuff that comes up is always Prvi or S&B. I used to see 8x57on the shelves from other makers but haven't for years now. gun shows are a good bet.
 
Grand news...
Guess I shoulda looked into it more. Haha
I have honestly zero room to reload in my small apartment so I'll just have to make it a once in a while shooter :( or...buy reloads off a friend
 
hey if you can get it for less than a buck around, get it. well if its non corrosive and boxer primed anyway.

But like has been said, reload.

Primary reason I got into reloading.

Paved the way for 7.5x55 Swiss.
 
Ty500+ said:
Now if I do get into reloading down the road, can/is it worth converting berdan to boxer primed?
Click to expand...

Ugh, I've seen the videos of guys doing that. I just scrap Berdan primed cases (1.50 a pound!) that come into my possession. I buy the Prvi rounds when I can. They are fairly reasonable, FMJ (Aka: Looks awesome on a stripper clip), and I like the brass for reloading.

Things Military in Calgary usually carries it. Bill's prices are hit and miss on items, so check up before ordering, but I don't recall a time when he hasn't had 8 mm in stock. EDIT: OOoops! Forgot Bill doesn't ship ammo (I usually buy in person) sorry for any misinformation.
 
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Hey no worries! I know it's a pain to ship ammo, or can be..so yeah. Hoping to find local :(


Good to know its worth just scrapping those berdan cases.
Although I dont reload, I do save my brass for someone who might.
 
Ty500+ said:
Now if I do get into reloading down the road, can/is it worth converting berdan to boxer primed?
Click to expand...

Hardly. Keep an eye out at gun shows for new 8x57 boxer primed brass. Over the years, I've managed to gather up enough to re-equip an army. Reloadable ammo shows up at gun shows too. Buy it. Have fun! Be safe! :)

Reloading doesn't have to be on the scale of Patton going into Germany. One of the collapsible work tables, a single stage press, scale, some dies and small tools, reloading supplies. The table can be put away under the bed, the rest stowed in a decent box (read coffee table!).

I started years ago with a Lee Loader kit for a 30-30. Loaded on the kitchen table. Many people on here have small setups and gain a lot of pleasure from loading their own.

First step. Do some reading with regards to reloading. Then maybe find someone to mentor you. Go to it! :)
 
I do have a friend who said he'd be more than happy to show me some reloading for specifically 8x57 seeing as his milsurp collection is fairly extensive.

Once I have an idea of NECESSARY tools I can judge my startup cost and required area.
So I think I'm going to take him up in the offer.

As for the Boxer/Berdan thing..can you ID them externally? Without being told by the packaging? (I have a lot to learn. Haha)
 
Ty500+ said:
Grand news...
Guess I shoulda looked into it more. Haha
I have honestly zero room to reload in my small apartment so I'll just have to make it a once in a while shooter :( or...buy reloads off a friend
Click to expand...


Buy a set of dies and find a buddy's place to reload at. Who would turn away a fellow shooter with a case of beer in his hand?


WHen I first got into 8mm I picked up 20 or so boxes of S&B and PRVI because it has good reusable brass. At some point later I ordered several hundred really good quality Norma Brass and use mostly that today. There is some surplus around that shows up here and there, but be ready to jump on it quick cuz it goes fast.
 
As for the Boxer/Berdan thing..can you ID them externally? Without being told by the packaging? (I have a lot to learn. Haha)

Generally most surplus is Berdan. Any commercial ammo I've run across in the last 50 years is Boxer primed. You might run across some really, really nice looking surplus ammo that has nice brass, but, alas, it is 99.99% likely it is boxer.

I know people do reprime Berdan brass, mostly because Boxer brass is non-existent or unobtainium. Years ago I got some gorgeous FNM 8x57 ammo from the old SIR in Winnipeg. I still have some and it still looks like it just came off the production line. :)

Don't let the fact that loaded ammo is not readily available stop or discourage you. Reloading is the way around that little problem. 8x57, 8mm Mauser, 7.92x57 is a wonderful old cartridge. Enjoy! :)
 
as for not bothering with berdan brass? I disagree. If its a hard to find cartridge and you like to shoot it a fair amount, berdan brass can be used.

You have to decap it differently, yes. It takes longer to decap, yes. And Berdan Large Rifle primers are harder to find. However, if your brass is getting expensive and/or hard to find, its worth it.

you can either decap it and clean up the crimped pocket(if it has it), and then prime with Tula primers, then load as normal. This is fairly easy. Definitely takes longer, but not the end of the world.

or you can convert the decapped brass to boxer. This is much more work initially, but once done, you are set and can use it just like regular boxer brass.

I recently bought a bunch of 8x57 brass that I thought was boxer and it turned out to be berdan, so I am going to attempt some conversions. I already do Berdan reloading with the Swiss rifle, so I may try something new.

oh and just because there is a central hole and no primer in the pocket doesn't mean its boxer brass...
 
someone pushed the anvil out from the inside... :( looking closer at it you can see it, but thru the baggie, I could see fired primers and then some central holes.

some of the holes are not even centrally located, may have to toss a couple. I just figured someone had deprimed a few and left the rest.
 
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