CGPaul,
In an old issue of either
Handloader's Digest or
Gun Digest , (I'm not sure which...) There is a treatise written up on the 8mm Ack Imp. When I can put my hands on it, I'll post which edition it is in.
Personally, I've always been a fan of the Tuetonic between-the-wars, 8x60. I would bet that there is not a lot of difference between the two.
When I reread my post, I see I made a mistake. It was my one and only 8mm-06 A.I. that I didn't keep long. I bought it quite by mistake. As the tag on the rifle stated 8mm-06 , not Imp.
When I got a chance to sell those expensive dies, I took the opportunity, and never looked back.
I am not particuarly suceptible to recoil, but that one really rocked me. And since I have an 8mm Rem Mag, There is nothing I can't do with the 8mm-06. If I need more, there's always the Mag. (Also have a .325 WSM) Thus, FOR ME, the 8x57 is a fine hunting round, and the 8mm-06 is merely a novelty.
Just something to play with.
Since you already have the dies, and like the round, there's no real reason for you not to own one.
I also like to shoot cast bullets, and here is where the 8x57 really shines. A great "fun gun".
Idle thoughts from a mostly idle mind....
A word of caution: If one is considering an 8x60 one should note, that it will chamber in the venerable '06 or likely a .270 or .280. That in itself presents a very dangerous situation... Grasshopper
