Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters .308 X 57

Is there such a thing as an 8 X 57 necked to .308 caliber? I ask because I have a fair supply of 8 X 57 brass and a spare unfired .308 caliber barrel.

The price of wildcat dies will gobble up any savings you have by using the 8x57 brass. Why not sell the 8x57 brass and buy 308 or 30-06 brass?

It'll beat a 308.

As Cub said, 06 brass is more available and cheaper.

Jerry

Go for it. No one else will have one.

In the same boat as you, with a spare bbl, I had one for a couple years...it was a big yawn. I reloaded without specific dies, using .308 die for neck sizing and a Lee Loader for bullet seating. It wasn't good, and it wasn't bad and it didn't do anything special and I just got bored with it. Not much excitement in the area betwixt the .308 and .30-06.

That was my experience with an 8x57. So close to the 308 and -06 that it was just another rifle in the safe. It's now a Bob.

At least I'm not the only one. The 8X57.... YAWN !

The only good thing about mine was 98 Mauser action period.


Jerry

I think you'd have to set the barrel back as the diameter of the 308 case is wider than the same place on a 8x57 case. You could go with a 7.62x57 AI...

I'm thinking if I run the brass through a full length 8 X 57 die and then neck sized in a .308 Winchester die, all I need then is a 8 X 57 finish chamber reamer with the neck reground to match the ammo.

The shoulder diameter of the 308 is .45+
The shoulder diameter of the 8x57 is .43+

If you try to chamber your 308 barrel to 7.62x57 you’ll have to set the barrel back, otherwise your chamber is going to look pretty bad.

I knew a guy in PENN who built a rifle like you are talking about and he called it a 308 Roberts

That's a great description......I like it a lot.

If I remember correctly he only messed with his rifle for a couple of years, carried it around to a couple of gun shows trying to sell it, and of course nobody was interested in it. It was a really nice Mauser 98 custom job, Im not sure if he rebarreled it or rechambered it later on.

I’d call it a .270 Paddler

Vapodog, Sorry for my lack of enthusiasm and general wet blanket response. OK, you're gonna do this anyway, so I'd like to help. It's all about image and perception...who, in this day and age gives a schidt about performance? Look at our president right? So, since there is a dearth of .29 caliber rounds on the market, there is a huge untapped market niche there. You sir, can fill that need. Using the British system of referring to bore diameter instead of the US system of referring to groove diameter...consider going with something like "The .2999 Vapodeer" or ".2999 Vaporizer"....catchy eh?

you guys finally talked me into it.....I just sold my 8 x 57 brass and will be looking to a .308 Winchester.....

Too bad. I have hundreds of new unfired Federal 8MM cases that had already been necked down to this .308 caliber wildcat that i was going to contact you and offer. A fella that had made one of these gave them to me many years ago. At least a hundred cases are primed. The shoulder is set back from the 8x57 position so I can't neck them back up to 8x57. But I reckon I can neck down to 7mm and make 7x57 cases. Oh well.
Rex

This fellow here in Canada had a 7.62x57 built.

Read on ....... https://www.canadiangunnutz.com/for...ange-Report-358-375-Ruger-and-7-62X57-HC

I like the name Vaporizer but that would be more appropriate for an 8mm Rem Mag necked to .223. Think of it, no bullet failures, if the animal isn't found you just assume it was" Vaporized."

Actually the 8X57 is way better then the 308 Win.Right up there with a 30-06.You have bullets from 150 to 220 grains with a larger frontal area than a 308.