Need Maximum Over All Loaded Length for 8mm Mauser ASAP

Drachenblut

Drachenblut

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Hello,

I am loading some 8mm Mauser for tomorrow's shoot and I cannot find a definitive maximum over all length for the 8mm Mauser round! The bullets being used are soft point spire point 170 grain.

Please respond ASAP!

Yours,
D
 
I assume you are looking for the OAL of the loaded cartridge.

Start with an unprimed case. Seat a bullet out longer then your best guess at Max OAL. do not crimp. load it into the rifle. Do not use the magazine but place the rim under the extractor and feed it into the chamber.
Hopefully when you extract it the bullet will be in the case still and will have marrs on it from contact with the lands. Measure it. That is your Maximum OAL. Depending on your preference you may wish to seat it a bit deeper (just off the lands). You can use a candle to blacken the bullet to help you see when you touch the lands. Realistically you are going to want a few unprimed cases to perfrom the above procedure a few times until you are confident you know the relationship between your OAL and the chamber. I find removing the bolt. Afixing the cartridge under the extractor, holding out the bolt stop and sliding the works in is the easiest way to get the cartridge in the chamber. You can experiment with neck tension by removing the expanding ball from your die and giving the mouth a touch to frim things up.

Once you think you have the optimum length crimp it and test it for feed from the magazine. Now keep that unprimed cartridge in your die box you'll want it next time you need to set up your die.

OAL is a function of your chamber, your preference for start pressure and the location of crimp groove on your bullet of choice. I like to have each bullet just touching the lands and often this makes for some longish cartridges but if they feed then no harm done. Just avoid cramming them into the lands so that when you extract an unfired cartridge you get a bullet stuck in the bore and a magazine full of powder.

P.S I know not much so use advice at your own risk.
 
Make a dummy round and chamber it, or compare it to a factory loaded/surplus round. The Lyman 49th edition lists the max OAL for 8mm MAUSER as 3.250
 
You appear to be in dire need of a reloading manual. Within the past several days I notice that you have polled this forum for basic data on reloading 3 different rounds. Everything you ever wanted to know about these things, and more, can be found in one of a number of reloading manuals.

The best advice that anybody can give an aspiring reloader is to get and use a manual. A good manual can be bought for about the price of a can of powder nowadays. You can also find an older version, which is still useful, for cheap at most gunshows. Unlike a computer, a manual can be kept and used on your reloading bench. The data in a manual is more reliable than anecdodal tales and opinions from the internet, some of which are good, and some of which are wrong. A manual will not tell you to load 40 grains of the wrong powder in your .303 or 8x57, but some internet troll just might. When you are dealing with a 40-50,000 PSI pressure bloom a few inches from your face a manual is very cheap insurance indeed. The next mandatory item is a reliable scale.

I've been reloading since J. H. Christ was a Lance-Corporal in the Jewish underground and own a shelf full of manuals which I consult on a regular basis. For safety's sake get a manual.
 
I load mine to 3.170" OAL. An arbitrary measurement that I arrived at by trial & error. That length functions perfectly through my M700 Classic and I also ran it through a M98 Mauser.
 
Drachen blut, how'd it shoot? Definetly grab up what ever manuals you can find. they make endless hours of enjoyment. IMHO For your first manual get an old speer with the ballistics tables in the back. Also many of the powder companies list data on the net or will provide you with load data in the form of free booklets. Prudence and caution are always the watch words but as long as you are choosing powders appropriate for the case volume you'd have to try very, very hard to hurt yourself (especially using a 98 action).
 
Hello All! Good news! A loading of 42 grains of IMR 4350 behind a 170 Hornady Round Nose, in the 8mm Remington case with a Winchester Large Rifle Primer, functions flawlessly in over 6 different 8mm Mauser rifles from 1916 to 1945. Both a safe and light load, nice and fun. Definitely reccomended to be tried!

Yours,
Drachenblut
 
Drachenblut said:
Hello All! Good news! A loading of 42 grains of IMR 4350 behind a 170 Hornady Round Nose, in the 8mm Remington case with a Winchester Large Rifle Primer, functions flawlessly in over 6 different 8mm Mauser rifles from 1916 to 1945. Both a safe and light load, nice and fun. Definitely reccomended to be tried!

Yours,
Drachenblut
Click to expand...


But what was the LOA...?
 
purple said:
You appear to be in dire need of a reloading manual. Within the past several days I notice that you have polled this forum for basic data on reloading 3 different rounds. Everything you ever wanted to know about these things, and more, can be found in one of a number of reloading manuals.

The best advice that anybody can give an aspiring reloader is to get and use a manual. A good manual can be bought for about the price of a can of powder nowadays. You can also find an older version, which is still useful, for cheap at most gunshows. Unlike a computer, a manual can be kept and used on your reloading bench. The data in a manual is more reliable than anecdodal tales and opinions from the internet, some of which are good, and some of which are wrong. A manual will not tell you to load 40 grains of the wrong powder in your .303 or 8x57, but some internet troll just might. When you are dealing with a 40-50,000 PSI pressure bloom a few inches from your face a manual is very cheap insurance indeed. The next mandatory item is a reliable scale.
Click to expand...

:agree:

very, very, VERY important you get a good manual. I highly reccomend the Lyman 49th :D
 
Drachenblut said:
Hello All! Good news! A loading of 42 grains of IMR 4350 behind a 170 Hornady Round Nose, in the 8mm Remington case with a Winchester Large Rifle Primer, functions flawlessly in over 6 different 8mm Mauser rifles from 1916 to 1945. Both a safe and light load, nice and fun. Definitely reccomended to be tried!

Yours,
Drachenblut
Click to expand...

Congratulations!
I see where someone is still asking you what the over all length is. It looks like you have taken the advice that at least two of us have given, in that all that matters regarding OACL is that the cartridges work through your rifle.
Who gives a rats fanny what some book says the length should be, if it is working, flawlessly, as you say.
 
Drachenblut said:
Hello All! Good news! A loading of 42 grains of IMR 4350 behind a 170 Hornady Round Nose, in the 8mm Remington case with a Winchester Large Rifle Primer, functions flawlessly in over 6 different 8mm Mauser rifles from 1916 to 1945. Both a safe and light load, nice and fun. Definitely reccomended to be tried!

Yours,
Drachenblut
Click to expand...

not surprised that it runs well in all your rifles, Im guessing that's a starting load ? I bet if you run that over a chrony it would nearly match a Factory load for velocity. The book OAL is just a standard measurement that allows you to make ammunition that will fit any gun....I just use it as a starting point.

sounds like fun.
 
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