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[RT1shot]

Since I did not get to go on my three week deer hunting trip this year to east NC because Mathew flooded out my hunting land I spent my vacation time doing some work around the house and doing some load work up and shooting of some of my rifles.
I did a lot of work with the 8x57JS and a couple of my rifles that have not really shot all that well with some of the limited time and load development I had done with them in the past. The rifles are a FN made 1938 Mauser and a M48A Yugo Mauser. Upon close examination both needed work on the crown of the muzzle. I chucked a round head brass bolt in my drill and used some valve grinding compound and quickly fixed the bad crowns. Since I had a bunch of IMR 4895 powder I decided to work with it with Sierra 175 gr bullets because I learned previously these rifles seem to like heavy bullets best. I started with 46 grs and went up to 47.5 grs with .5 gr increase loading five rounds each in Remington cases with CCI200 primers. I had to settle with an COAL of 3.040. The FN has a short throat. With doing the split neck case with a bullet just started in the neck and running in the chamber and closing the bolt the COAL was 3.050 with the 175 Sierra so I seated the bullet ten thousands off the lands. The M48A has a much longer throat but I decided to just load one length for both to see what happens. Best load was 47.5 grs IMR 4895 and both rifles shot great. 100 yards open sights and my 59 year old eyes both shot between 1 1/2 to 1 3/4" five shot groups. Next day I went to the range again and confirmed the accuracy of this load.
I also did another load test and found that 47 grs WW748 Rem case CCI 200 and 195 gr Hornady COAL 2.970 shoots about 1/4" better groups than the 175 Sierra load did. I had added taller front sights to both rifles and now I have to go to the range and shoot and file on the sights to get my POA to where the POI is. Both rifles shoot low with the tall sight.
Next up was my cousins rifle. It is a Spanish 43 Mauser that his father gave him 45 years ago as his first deer rifle. It had been sported by really thinning down the original stock and cutting the forearm back. He decided that he wanted to start deer hunting after a number of years not hunting and had some so called "gunsmith" drill and tap for scope mounts and put on a Timney trigger and scope compatible safety leaver. Thank-goodness he used a Leupold base because he drilled a little off square but with the rear ring screws I could get things lined up OK. My cousin called and said that he could not get the rifle zeroed and asked for my help went and got the rifle brought it home and went to work. First off the bore looked pretty bad. I cleaned and cleaned and cleaned and let it sit with Kroil oil in it over night and ended up with pretty strong rifling but frosty grooves. I had doubts that I would be able to hit a barn door with it. I re-crowned the muzzle. Found that the scope base was loose and had not been lock-tighted. I put blue lock-tight on the screws and got it tight. Remounted the scope. It was a Bushnell Trophy his son bought for him. I free floated the barrel in the stock. I loaded up some of the above 175 Sierra load only changing the COAL to 3.100 because this rifle has a long throat. I went to the range and found that the scope would not move right to left. Came home took the scope off and put a old Tasco Euro Class 30mm tube 3-12x56 scope that I knew was good on it. Loaded up the cases that I had shot and went back to the range. Rifle sighted right in and blew me a way at the accuracy. It shot 5 shots into 1 1/4" at 100 yards. God enough for him to hunt with in the mountains of TN where a long shot will be 50 yards. I loaded up 40 rounds of ammo and took the rifle to my cousin and gave it to him saying "Happy Birthday" which is next week. He was blown away. That scope just looked at home on that rifle. Reminded me of the way the German sniper's rifle looked in Enemy at the Gates.

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[jmoore]

Welcome to the forums!

[André]

I shoot the same Sierra 175 PH bullet on top of N 140 / 46.0 in my K98K and it groups 10 shots under 3 MOA over issue sights.

[Ovidio]

Hi, I use N140 on the k98 and N150 with Gew. 98 and Persian Mauser.
Bullets FMJBT from S&B mostly, 196 grs. Sometimes I use Hornady 196 or Nosler 200, but that's almost jewelery, so I normally don't.
OAL 81,0 mm for both k98 and Gew, while the Persian does not like longer than 80,0.
Loads: N140 45,0 grs, N150 46,0. A guy who shoots with me uses 48,5 of N150 on the Persian Mauser, but the results are comparable with mine, so I don't see reason for a stouter round.
The accuracy is very good with both loads, and there are never signs of higher pressures or other issues.
Primers are Winchester LR.
These are really good reloads.

[MR 8x57js]

Ovidio your loads fall right in line with the Vihtavuori data except their OAL for the 198 Gr is 3.031, but then again every rifle is different.

[Ovidio]

I checked and it's right. Actually I got the reloading data by trial starting from an article on a gun magazine. Just the OAL has been the result of testing on my own.
I'll also try and see if I can get the Persian to digest 81,0 mm, so I can keep the settings on my dies. I might have had a slightly low neck tension when I first reloaded for that rifle, which caused a bullet to get too deep into the case while loading.
Somehow I sensed that there was something not going the right way and removed it before shooting.
I'll make a few tests sooner or later.

[Calif-Steve]

The Germans used fast powder and I would try 3031 with a 150gr. bullet. The load is about the GEW98 load, but needs to move around 2800fps. This is a stout load and will push your shoulder back.

[MR 8x57js]

The German 154 Gr load was rated in the high 2880+ FPS from the 98K's 23.5 inch barrel and some countries loaded it close to 2900 FPS. IMR-3031 is a good powder, but a bit fast for this application. According to the Hodgdon Data the Max charge of 46.5 Grs of IMR-3031 with a 150 Gr bullet will produce 2815 FPS, which even less what the 308 Winchester factory specs call for which is 2820 FPS from a 24 inch barrel. Again according to the Hodgdon data a Max charge of 49.9 Grs of IMR-4166 will produce 2869 FPS, a Max charge of 49.5 Grs of IMR-4895 will produce 2847 FPS, a Max charge of 48.0 Grs of IMR-8208 XBR will produce 2861 FPS. using a 24 inch barrel with WLR primers & Winchester Brass. All these velocity's sit right between the 308 Winchester and the 30-06 Springfield with a 150 gr bullet which is rated @ 2900+ FPS from a 24 inch barrel.

[Calif-Steve]

Good data. But I down load all my 8mm's. 2880 fps will really back off your shoulder. I had 2 cases of Turk 8mm and they are the clone load of the WWI round. They will shake the Gew98 and push your shoulder. Not much fun if you plan on a 58 round Match. Also note the Turk round is corrosive and I always clean with soap and water, dry and then clean with Ed's Red.

[MR 8x57js]

Calif-Steve I can see your point and it's a good one, but running 150 Gr @ in the high 2800's FPS would be like shooting a 30-06 Springfield with a 150 Gr bullet. But then again it also depends of the rifle that is being used, a M1 Garand probably weight more than a K98 or Yugo M48 which help with recoil. Keeping my bullet weight in the 180 Gr (Nosler Ballistic Tips) for the cost per 100 count, less than the 196 Gr Hornady HPBT,198 Gr FMJ & 200 Gr HPBT Match kings(Sierra's). Plus it is the average bullet weight of all the bullets in .323 caliber.