Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 8x57 for moose/bears??

Really, like the looks of that Ruger!

I love my 8x57. I have a sporterized k98 with a nikon on top. Killed a nice 6 point at 200 yards along with a few other deer. I have tried the 200 x bullet it shot alright in my rifle, but mine likes the 185 grain cor-lock. Shoots a solid inch at 100. I rotate the rifle I take just about every time I go in the woods so I have a chance to kill something with all of my rifles. It was my first real hunting rifle. It is hard to say if I was put in a pinch financially if I would part with that rifle. 8x57

bout time you showed up . This question was meant for you.

For awhile NIB 700s in 8x57mm were everywhere and nobody
seemed to want them.

Pre-Campfire looneism!

I'm using just under the max load of IMR4350 from the Nosler number 4 with these.


I can only speculate that it would be a good choice for elk and moose, but I can vouch that it smacks whitetail deer nicely.

Weagle

Josh, I have an old military 8X57 barrel on my sporterized Mexican mauser that is about 19" long. The muzzle blast is not appreciable as far as I'm concerned. Of course, I am partial to short rifles anyway. The little Mex is a pleasure to carry and shoot. Loaded with 170 gr spitzers, it seems to make AL whitetails fall down very well.

Weagle, you could shoot any bullet out of your Brno 21F and a deer would be happy to keel over just out of respect to the rifle.....

Very similar in size and power to a 30-06 so why wouldn't it work very similarly to a 30-06 on same sized game?

That's a fact bought mine on a closeout deal for $348 and it shoots nice after working the trigger pull down. Just put an old K4 Weaver on it and load 150 gr Hornady's with RL 15. Did pickup a couple hundred 185 Corelokts that will get a workout also.The performance on the one deer I shot with it looked real close to 06 results. Magnum Man

I once had a friend who owned a single shot 12ga shotgun and just 2 rifles that he customized years ago. They were the in the calibers 7 X 57 and the 8 X 57. He used the 7mm with 140 grn bullets for deer and the recoil was almost non-existant.
The 8 X 57 used a larger bullet (170 grn) but now days you have a much greater selection and powders too will give you a better send off for that bullet.

Noslers 200 grain Partition will do the job on any bear, moose or elk you might wish to bring down. The most accurate powder is Varget according to Nosler but the velocity is only 2530fps. I like the powder called IMR-4064 for a velocity of 2630fps and this is not a compressed load either. It fills the case to 98 percent.

My son in laws grandfather used the 8x57 to kill a small truck load of elk.

I would just about call my .30-06 and 8x57 interchangable.

I just got my 1951 Brno 21H 8x57 back from the gunsmith with a new NECG bolt shroud and M70 style safety installed. Can't wait to take it out and shoot it, I think it will get some exercise on elk or moose this fall. The traditional 198 gr. bullet at 2500 fps should do the trick. On second thought, spring bear season comes in a couple months...

There's only a few of these left. Some of you 8mm shooters might want to pick them up:

http://shootersproshop.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=71&product_id=1052

$21.80 for a box of partitions is a pretty good deal..

Already sold out

You might try the new CFE223 powder its supposed to work well with the 8X57. Check the new Hodgdon's annual reloading guide for loads.

There's one for sale in my local shop. It shows a little bit of hunting use on it-not much. They want $600 for it. Is it worth that?

I think it would be, if it is one you want. I am sure they will deal some. Throw them an offer and see if it sticks.

8X57 for moose? Why not? Scores of 'em get shot every year by a 7.62X51. Even 7-08s work. I even heard tell of the odd one falling to a 270, but I mostly doubt that.

One of my uncles now long passed on, killed MANY moose with an old thutty thutty.

Best load I've found for the 8 mm mouser is........

220 sierra gameking
54 grains of Ramshot Hunter
CCI mag primer

This load produces 2480 fps out of a 24" barrel in three different rifle.
Brass life is 15+ loadings neck sizing only and still going.

This load is astonishingly accurate producing 3" 500 yd groups out of one rifle and under 6" 500 yd groups out of the other 2 rifles I've loaded for. All the rifles have factory 1 in 9 1/2 twist military step barrels. The actions are bedded and barrels free floated.

I know the book recommends the 220 sierra for the 8 mm mag however I've had great results with it in the 8 mm mouser.
At 300 yds this load is deadly on any critter and at 200 yds or less it puts critters down with serious authority. I wouldn't be afraid to use this load on the big bears in Alaska. The 8 mm mouser is seriously underated and I personally dont see any difference between it and my 338/06. My 338/06 pushes a 225 accubond at 2530 with less brass life.

Shod