8 x 57 Classic

[cfmpilot]

I have been developing loads for my classic 8 x 57 and am very impressed. It is the first 8 x 57 I have owned that is very accurate. My other 8 x 57s have all been K98s in military configuration. This is a great cartridge. I have been shooting 125, 150, and 185 gn bullets.

[Mikey]

cfmpilot:  try some of Sellier and Bellot's 196 gn cutted edge bullets.  I shoot those in my 8s and they are very accurate.  They are loaded to original factory specs for the 8 and clock out at around 2600'/sec - that's an ooomph when it hits.  

Regarding your Remington Classic - I be jealous.  I've enjoyed the 8s for some time now but have been limited to mil-surps.  I like the looks of the Remington but wonder if I really need to spend the approximate $600 for another 8mm.  However, if I go and sporterize my M48 or my VZ-24, I will probably have about the same amount into the finished product.  

Oh!  What to do, what to do.   :? .  Mikey.

ps:  if you don't have it already, get yourself a VihtaVourhy Oy relaoding manual - they treat european calibers right and don't hold back on loads for the 8mm.

[cfmpilot]

You are so right. I shoot Viht 140 in several calibers and I love it but could not find data for the 8. I'll look for a Viht manual. Thanks.

[huntsman]

Mikey,

How do you figure $600 for the sporterizing of your VZ? All you really need to make her hum is a new trigger (and safety if you desire) for about $33- $50, drill and tap for scope mount $50 - $60, new stock $90-$100, and you are good to go. If you want to trim down the barrel then that is a little more, but still not close to $600. Even a new barrel wouldn't run into that kind of money. Anything else you would have to do to your new Remington as well.

[Mikey]

Huntsman - you're right!  I over-estimated a bunch.  For my Swede sporter project I paid way too much for the stock (it's very nice and all and fits me perfectly, but so do lots of my home-finished jobs) and that's what drove the cost up.  Your costs are much more in line with actual gunsmithing work and parts costs and thank you for pointing that out.

However, that doesn't stop me one wit from being envious as all get out of cfmpilot's Remington Classic, no sir, not one bit............

Now, cfmpilot - if I can get my stuff together long enough to remember to get the address of VV-Oy off the loading manuals I will get you their address so you can get one of their manuals.  

Huntsman:  FYI - I know that I am gonna take my M48A and go through some minor sporterizing.  I feel it shoots well enough as it is now, which is stock, and I will (1) bed the action and free float the barrrel within the current military configuration (2) add a Bold Trigger with safety and (3) cut the old bolt handle off and weld a new one on at a much lower angle to allow for scope clearance.  Then it will be a real good shootin' knock around field piece.  

Problem is, then what do I do with my VZ-24/52??????????????  Decisions, decisions, decisions.              Mikey.

[Robert]

The Speer manual has load  data for JS 150- 170 gr bullets with N-140
 150 gr bullet  46.0 - 50.0max for 2696 fps
 170 gr bullet  44.0 - 48.0max for 2574 fps

[Mikey]

Robert:  I have to thell you two things - (1) Thank you for that Speer data but (2) those loads are way under powered for that caliber.  I believe the V V Oy loadings for the 8x57 take that 170 gn bullet to almost 3k'/sec.

For the two main reasons that I can think of, the American ammo makers and powder manufacturers took the low road when it came to european cartridges, and really sold them short.  First reason was to hype and sell the American calibers, which when you look at standard pressure loadings really don't do anything the european loads had been doing for a while and (2), the 'questionable' liability factor.  And I say questionable because I've never seen a blown Mauser, but I've seen a few blown 03s and bent bolt P-17s.  

But, this is just my two cents worth, and I thankee sai............ Mikey.

[Brasso]

I picked up an 8mm 700 classic about two weeks ago.    I haven't shot it yet and am still trying to decide what kind of scope to put on it.      From what I've been able to research it has about a 200yd mas point blank range.     I'd like a low power variable, but might just end up with one of the Bushnell 4200 elites in 2.5-10x40mm even though it probably has more magnification than needed.

[Zeak]

I did not know that Rem. made the 8mm in thier Classic. Has this been recent or aways back.  I bought a Turkish mauser had the barrel cut and crowned to 25", put a birdseye maple stock from another 98,bedded the action and put a Timney trigger on it. Went out and shot with some ammo that I bought at a auction, don't know what the loades are?  It shot right at a 1" group. So will leave it a 8mm and foget about the rebarrel job.  Zeak

[Mikey]

I have the 1st, 2nd and 3rd editions of the VihtaVuori Oy loading manuals - the 800 number on the last page is 1-800-683-0464 - you should be able to call and get a loading manual from them.

There is also another contact listed in the manual - it is Kaltron Pettibone, 1241 Ellis Street, Bensenville, Il.  60106 at (708) 350-1116.

BTW, the VV 140 loads for the 8mm with the 175 and 200 gn bullets are 49.7 and 46.3 gns respectively, for 2670 and 2530'/sec with both at 49.3k pressures.  

HTH.  Mikey.

[MGMorden]

I did not know that Rem. made the 8mm in thier Classic. Has this been recent or aways back.  I bought a Turkish mauser had the barrel cut and crowned to 25", put a birdseye maple stock from another 98,bedded the action and put a Timney trigger on it. Went out and shot with some ammo that I bought at a auction, don't know what the loades are?  It shot right at a 1" group. So will leave it a 8mm and foget about the rebarrel job.  Zeak

Remington makes the 700 Classic in a new classic chambering every year.  The 2004 model is for 8mm Mauser.  Last year (2003) was .300 Savage IIRC.  Unfortuneatly, my new favorite round, the 6.5x55, was already done in 1994 .  They're definately getting a little low on classic calibers though.  The obvious exclusions that I see are the .30-30 Winchester, the .30-40 Krag, and the .303 British.  I don't know if the design could be made to feed rimmed cases though, so that might be a problem with that.  Other than those we start getting a bit more obscure, like the 7.5 Swiss and the Arisaka cartridges.  Those would be nice I guess, but I seriously wonder if Remington would be out rifles chambered for such cartridges, given that aside from some mil-surp shooters nobody really shoots those anymore.