8mm information

ArtyMan

ArtyMan

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Hey guys,

I have never reloaded but am seriously considering getting into it for my 8mm Mauser. What will I need for a very basic set up, where/with what can I lean how too? I looked into the lee anniversary kit, will I need anything not included in the kit? where can I buy things like bulk 8mm brass? is there a guide to this certain caliber I should find?

ANY help or responses would be appreciated!
THanks
 
lee anniversary kit contains almost everything you need.
what you have to get extra:

trimmer pin for your drill to resize brass.you get the base in the kit but not the cutter(if i remember correctly).

cheap crappy tire digital caliper to measure length or brass,diameter of bullets...(they go on sale for 15.00 often)

brass,bullets,primers,powder.

a reloading manual.

dies.

hornady has an online manual as well as a few other places.
know what powder goes with what bullet (example "varget" powder and 150 grain copper jacket bullets--only for an example)
 
I was also looking at the hand press kit, anyone have any experience with that? I am not at all concerned with the terdiousness of doing one round at a time
 
Buy the anniversary kit for around $130, get a set a (3) Lee dies in 8x57 $35, you will need a Lee case length gage in 8x57 $6.
Large Rifle Primers
Bullets of your choice
Brass

For a little over $200 you could get this set up shipped to your door. Cabela's Canada along with many of our site sponsers here should have it in stock
 
Get a few manuals, I recommend the Lyman..it includes useful reloading data along with the reloading steps.

I picked up Lee RGB dies for 15$ last year and they do the job. Not a difficult cal. to reload for as a host of medium burning powders do the job just fine for this one.
 
Lee makes a great little gas-checked cast bullet if you are into casting.

You can pull FMJ bullets out of 8mm Swede ammo if you can find some. But they are steel jacketed, not copper, so you can't shoot them indoors or the RO's will yell at you for destroying the back-stop.

For cost effectiveness, Lee presses are great. Not the greatest out there but for the $ they can't be beat.

For brass, get a trimmer, drill, vice (to hold shell holder) and some white lithium grease and you can reform and cut down 30-06 brass for your 8mm Mauser. Just keep it separate if you shoot a 30-06 as well.
 
So I picked up Lymans 49th edition reloading guide. I was hoping to go somewhere in the 200/180gr ish area, and was wondering what is out there? the guide only lists similar weights in cast bullets. Do I just follow that weight with there suggested powder load?
 
I hope you didn't pay a lot of money for a reloading book if you're doing one caliber.

You could buy the LEE Loader 8x57 for $32.00, all you need then is a $2.00 primer pocket cleaner and a $3.00 de-burring tool. Buy 100 primers and a pound of powder and you're good to go for like $75.00 all in.

This setup will pay for itself in probably 90 minutes, and your ammo will (should) be more accurate.
 
Im doing two calibres to start, 8mm and .303 brit. Depending on how things go, I may progress to my 7.62x25 and 7.6xx54R. I knew/know absolutly nothing about reloding, I feel the book for 30 bucks was a good purchase.
 
- 10% the minimum for a HOT cast load. Adjust from there to your liking. It all depends on your powder and distances involved. I take it you are shooting a Mauser for your 8mm, so you can go really light if you want with a bolt action for indoor use to mild for outdoors.
 
ArtyMan said:
Im doing two calibres to start, 8mm and .303 brit. Depending on how things go, I may progress to my 7.62x25 and 7.6xx54R. I knew/know absolutly nothing about reloding, I feel the book for 30 bucks was a good purchase.
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You hit that nail on the head. A good reloading manual is the most valuable piece of reloading gear you'll ever own.
 
Yea I have a german K98. Im going to start off with the minimum load just to get a feel for reloading. Im aiming to shoot distances of over 500m, so my goal is a 'match' load. Im assuming a heavier load, such as 180 or 200 would be a decent weight to start with. Anyone have any opinions or experiences?
 
So ive picked up the Lee anniversary kit and a good amount of 8mm/303 bullets, brass, primers etc...

And I just have one question, I have 220gr (all they had) 8mm hornady rounds, and only Reloader 15 powder. My book dosnt list this powder in the 220gr range, I was just wondering if it is possible to still use this powder? if so, how do you find the min and max powder loads for this grain?
 
Alliant's web page states 44gr for a 200gr bullet. Thankfully it's a bolt action so you can go lighter without the troubles a semi-auto would have.

I would guess somewhere around 40gr to start and work your way up checking for pressure signs. But this is ONLY a guess and not the best way to go. 220gr bullet with H4895 is listed at 45.6gr. I use H4895 with 41.5gr and a 213gr steel cased surplus bullet.

I checked other manuals and software and no luck for that powder and bullet combo. Some of the other users here might chime in soon.

Check some of the US forums, too, like THR, The Firing Line and others. 8mm Mauser is a popular cartridge down there, too.
 
medicstimpy said:
For brass, get a trimmer, drill, vice (to hold shell holder) and some white lithium grease and you can reform and cut down 30-06 brass for your 8mm Mauser. Just keep it separate if you shoot a 30-06 as well.
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My friend is going to buy a Yugo Mauser and he's worried about brass availability. Where should I go for more information on this, is there a book that explains making brass from other brass?
 
Thanks medic, I'll look into it

and Rico in regads to 8mm brass trade ex has a fair amount of bullets and brass for the 8mm mauser. Give them a look over
 
ArtyMan said:
Thanks medic, I'll look into it
Click to expand...

No problem.

Uncle Rico said:
My friend is going to buy a Yugo Mauser and he's worried about brass availability. Where should I go for more information on this, is there a book that explains making brass from other brass?
Click to expand...

Yugo's shoot nice. Your friend will enjoy it. As for books on reforming brass, there are none that I know of. I think there are a few pages on the net with pictures if you do a Google on "reforming brass".

Just open up the neck with an 8mm resizing die. Put a Lee cutter and cut down the brass to almost the right length. Lube the brass well and reform it with your sizing die. Final cut to length and final reforming. Re-check length. Tumble, reload and shoot. Then you have nice new fire-formed 8mm brass from a 30-06. Again, if you shoot 30-06, be sure to keep this brass separate since the headstamp is still 30-06.
 
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