"Mountain" 8x57 load

[conor_90]

I have an 8x57 JRS. I shoot 196 grain ppu soft points from it. They are "semi spitzer" nut basically round nose. Effective, I also have woodleighs but never used them. They drop like stones but seem effective from my small sample.

I want to make a lighter load that has a longer mpbr sighted in at 200 yards. Hoping to shoot out to 300 with holdover for mountain goats locally later in the summer.

I have tried 150 grain speer hot cores but the gun doesn't like them with the 2 powder options I have lots of.

Do I just use 200 grain accubonds instead of round noses? Lighter 8mm bullets aren't exactly ballistic rockstars. I'm open to suggestions, especially midway between 150-200 grains

Gun is a haenel jager 9 with an S&B 6x Klassik

 

[fuzzy39]

Lovely rifle!!! I have a Merkel K3 Stutzen in 308 Win.
I would load the Barnes 160grain TTSX. The light bullet won’t bite as bad in the light rifle and speedy copper is always a good option. Plus, I find Barnes will shoot pretty well in almost everything.

 

[fuzzy39]

What is your powder options? What brass? I’d plug the information into Gordon’s Reloading Tool and really dig deep into what might be optimal.

 

[dgradinaru]

The 180gr nosler ballistic tip and 170gr sst would be good options.

 

[cosmic]

A flat based bullet in the 170 grain range may be the ticket for 300 y max distance. Also, reloading manuals tend to go light on their load recipes for 8 x 57. If you do some digging you can find some load data with 30-06 ish power.

 

[tony d]

I am a big fan of the 180 ballistic tip it is a lot tougher than the SST and shoots very nice no flies on it in the great 8

 

[jethunter]

I am a big fan of the 180 ballistic tip it is a lot tougher than the SST and shoots very nice no flies on it in the great 8

I like the 180gr bt as well. If I was developing a load for 8x57, this would be one of the first bullets I'd try.

OP- I expect 300yd mpbr with a 170-180gr bullet is achievable. What powders do you have on hand?

 

[conor_90]

3031, IMR 4350 a small amount of varget.

Gun has a ~24 inch barrel

I will have to check out the ballistic tip. Anyone want to trade for 150 grain Speers
Lol

 

[dan belisle]

I have a lot of the Rem 185 gr pspcl bullets. Designed for the 8 Rem Mag but they have worked well in a half dozen or so smaller 8mm's. - dan

 

[dgradinaru]

The SST will hold up well on deer and goats. Has a nice BC of .445 and im sure 2700-2750 fps is safely doable in the rimmed version and a modern single like the one mentioned above.

Decently priced:

https://www.londerosports.com/en/hornady-8-mm-323-170-gr-sst-bullets

The ballistic tip does have the heavier jacket and could be used as an all around. Cost these days is pretty steep though.

 

[jethunter]

Nosler load data for the 180gr BT
https://www.nosler.com/media/load_data_assets/pdfs/8x57-180gr-version-9-0.pdf

 

[tony d]

I have been using CFE 223 because I have a lot of it and it has proven itself exceptionally in the great 8

 

[bearhunter]

Your rifle is very strong and can handle some very stiff loads.

You don't mention the velocities you were getting with the loads used for the 196ppu bullets.

I load for my 98, with double set triggers, with 196 grain Norma Oryx bullets to 2600fps, from a 23 inch bbl.

This is a very accurate load, under 1 moa, in my rifle

55.0 grains W760/H414, over CCI250 primer, under 196 grain Oryx bullets = 2600+ average velocity.

Bullet drop at 300yds, with a 200yd zero is 9 inches (19cm)

My 8mm JS bore rifles all shoot best with 170grain or heavier bullets. Of the three I shoot, only one of them will shoot boat tail bullets well enough to hunt with.

 

[mmattockx]

In case OP needs yet another option, these have shot well for me in an M48 Yugo Mauser:

https://intersurplus.com/collection...r-330-fmjbt-208-gr-bullets-by-ppu-50-pcs-b384


Mark

 

[bearhunter]

I'm not a fan of PPU bullets, but they do shoot well enough in most rifles.