I'm looking for information on reloading the 8 x 60mm Mauser Magnum.

I've looked thru all my resources, including RCBS load. Of all the manuals, they have only one that has info for the 8 x 60, and it's with powder I think is no longer made.

Anyone give any hints to where I can find obscure reloading daatat for this round? I shot the rifle Saturday, it it performed excellently.

When you can't find data for a cartridge by name, search for cartridges of the same bore diameter and about the same case capacity - or the same case and about the same bore diameter.

I'd think that data for the 8mm Gibbs or 35 Whelen or similar rounds would be a place to start. Lacking even that, you can run case capacity and other cartridge dimensions through programs like Load From a Disk or QuickLoad to get approximations of safe data.

I found some data for the 8 x 60, so if I wan't to magumize it, I suppose I'll go up a little at a time. I found one source for the Magnum but only a few loads, and most of them start at 200 gr.

Thanks.

PM me your email if you'd like these in .pdf format.

Thanks a lot!

a little history - not sure if it appeared before or after ww1, but it'spopulairyt was certainly boosted when the Versailles treaty forbade germany from owning "military caliber" weapons like 8x57. With little more than a rechamber, it becase a popular round overnight!

a little history - not sure if it appeared before or after ww1, but it'spopulairyt was certainly boosted when the Versailles treaty forbade germany from owning "military caliber" weapons like 8x57. With little more than a rechamber, it becase a popular round overnight!

My info was after WW I.

The round can be quite hot. My rifle is proofed for 13 GRAINS of N powder. That's 200 grains. I don't know if "N" powder has a modern equivalent, but I know for sure the case won't take 200 grains of any powder I'd care to shoot from it.

You must check for the correct bullet diameter. When the 8x60 appears on the scene, there were as many .318" converted as .323"=S-caliber.
So, be sure what your diameter is. Both cartridges, 8x60 and 8x60S, are limited for same MAP by CIP as the 30-06: 60000 psi or 4050 bars. So it is no real Magnum, but compared to the 8x57S it is 4 percent more allowed pressure. It takes normally 2-3 grains more powder then the 8x57S.

Fixed it for you.

Duh---I think it means a 200 gr. bullet, not powder.

bromel, it's a .323 caliber, and marked as 8 x 90 S. It's also makred "Magnum." According to an old article I read, there was a "Magnum" that was proofed for higher-pressure loads and used (and still is) as a plains rifle in S. Africa.

It's a mild magnum, and I googled finaly some info on it. Compared to the data for the 8 x 60 the performance is gives couple of hundred fps more than the data for the 8 x 60. The 175 gr. bullet I'm using is not at the max and is going supposedly 2850, which isn't a blue streak, but it ain't bad, either.

The info in COTW (I think is where I read it) says it can be loaded to the equivelant of a 300 H%H.

RWS, I think it was, loaded a round once called the 9 x 60 Magnum Bombe, which was very hot indeed.

Hello Gene_l,
it's ok to Google around and to reference COTW and other sources, but they often state estimations.

It's fact that that there was a 8x60 named Magnum Bombe, it was No. 115 of the 1934 DWM catalog, but it was not a different cartridge. And for all it was not loaded above standardized pressure level. The maximum pressure level at this time was 3500 bar/CUP, for both diameters and it's today the same level.
The magnum bombe was loaded using a Torpedo-Starkmantel bullet of 12 grams weigth, DWM bullet number 463A - this is a .323 bullet and a charge of 3,7 grams special powder at a pressure of 3400 CUP-bars, claiming 2923 fps from a 65 cm barrel. There is a remark that the stated pressure refers to a bullet seated 4 to 5mm off the lands. For comparison, the normal 8x60, Lab No. 114 with same bullet was loaded to achieve 2680 fps in same configuration, using 3,5 grams powder by reaching 3300 CUP-bars. Both cartridges could be fired from the same rifle - there was no difference in material and proof standards.
It is the same today with the washing powders, some are washing whiter and cleaner than others. You need a short magnum to reach the performance of a long one. "Magnum Bombe" was an advertising aid in that times - the cartridge has had slightly more power than an average 8x60, but the published data have never been reached in reality.
You may see a picture of cartridge and box here:
http://www.oldammo.com/september03.htm

Gene-
In the Nov-Dec 1985 Handloader, Ken Waters wrote a "Pet Loads" article for the 8x60S Mauser cartridge. He listed more than 40 loads for bullets from 150 to 220 grains, most of them using powders still available.

He noted that "For a time, there was even a special super-powered DWM load with a 185-grain bullet at 2,922 fps, which must have generated some pretty fantastic chamber pressures."

--Bob

I don't intend to load the rifle hot. I don't like hot, hard-kicking rifles anyway, and have no need for one.

I think (have to check my notes)I'm using 54 gr. of 4895 with the 175 gr. bullet, which is not unpleasant and shows no pressure signs.

Bulshooter, I've got a copy of that 1985 article, I think, except (unless it's a different article from the same time period) it's for the J-round. It said the same data could be used with the S round, at least the article I read did. I don't remember 40 loads, so maybe it's a different article.

Thanks for the link, brommel. I knew it was the same cartridge dimensions, I have that "conversion" book. In theory, I suppose, the bigger bore would mean less pressure with the same amount of powder, right?

Gene-
The Waters article in the Nov-Dec 1985 Handloader is clearly for the S-bore. The article is titled "8x60S Mauser", the LeGate drawing of the cartridge is labelled "8x60S", and the bullet diameter is given as 0.3236. The bullets used in working up the loads are all of the usual 0.323" diameter from Sierra, Speer, Hornady, and Nosler. He specifically notes an 8x60 with the .318 bore as being different from his rifle.

Regarding your 54.0 load of 4895 with a 175 grain bullet: Waters lists a 150-grain Speer as maximum with 52 grains of H4895. With a 170-grain Hornady, 51 grains of H4895 is max. With a 175 grain Sierra, no load is listed with 4895, but IMR4320 is max at 53 grains.

Your rifle may differ from Waters', of course.

--Bob

I'll have to look at the article when I get home today. It's definitely about the J bore. It was written near the same time.

Also, data from ANOTHER article on the 8 x 60 Magnum gave the 54 gr. load as producing about 2850 or maybe a bit more. As I said, no pressure signs were noted on the brass. The bolt opened easily, etc.

The 54 gr. just about fills the case up to the neck.

Correction...52 gr. of 4895.

I can't find the other article right now, it was from a handloading magazine, possible before 1985, and it was just titled "The 8 x 60 Mauser." Although it did say the same data was applicable for the S.