What recommendation for deer / black bear load in 8mm Mauser..

[jjrothWA]

thru a Check VZ-24 rifle??

I'm thinking a 175 gr Sierra Spizter over 4064 powder.

Barrel muzzle is counter-bore on original barrel.

Thanks.

[Sunray]

Pretty much any load will do. A 150 grain bullet will do as well. Bit less felt recoil with a wee bit more velocity(a whole 152 FPS at the IMR4064 max load.). Sierra makes a 150 grain Prohunter. Mind you, a 175 will give you a load that'll kill any game in North America.
Accuracy out of your rifle is what matters.

[togor]

Agree with Sunray. Shot placement is #1. You want a clean, humane kill.

[jacksimonton]

Pretty much any load will do. A 150 grain bullet will do as well. Bit less felt recoil with a wee bit more velocity(a whole 152 FPS at the IMR4064 max load.). Sierra makes a 150 grain Prohunter. Mind you, a 175 will give you a load that'll kill any game in North America.
Accuracy out of your rifle is what matters.

I also agree with you.

[Art]

If you're using the iron sights on the rifle you're almost surely going to be noticeably high with any hotter load out past 200 yards. I've found the commercial American loaded ammo which send 170-175 gr. bullets down range at 2,200 odd fps shoot to my sights at 100 yards. The bullets these companies use are often the same they use for the .32 Win. Special. For what you want loading to the approximately .30-30 velocities of the down loaded American loads should be fine.

The European hunting loads which equal the military loadings of the 8mm Mauser (2,500 fps with 196-200 gr. bullets) are capable of dealing with any game in the Americas but are probably unnecessary for your purposes, and as I said above, will almost surely print high out to 200 yards.

Handloading, of course gives you a lot of options but where it hits in relation to your iron sights at the lowest setting will probably matter. If you have a scope, well everything is on the table.

I find IMR 4064 powder to be an excellent all around choice. I use it a lot but trickle up my loads. As one friend I have said, loading 4064 is like loading Lincoln Logs. Showed my age on that one didn't I .

[barretcreek]

Where are you hunting? East of the Cascades shots may be longer. On the Olympic Peninsula American factory loads would do.

[jon_norstog]

JJ, the 8X57, like the 30-06, is more gun than you need for deer. That's why some of the other replies have said, "just go with US factory ammo." Unless you are going to take cross-canyon shots at large, western mule deer, you can load down. I like the 8x57 but wouldn't use my elk loads on a deer hunt.

jn

[fguffey]

I have 2 8MM/06s. If I was not happy with the 8MM57 there is the 8MM/06. I get rid of part of the generous neck and I increase the length of the chamber from the shoulder to the case head .127".

I built a 7MM57, I used a Model 98 action from one of those German abandoned rifles. I gave it to my son and grandsons without a scope because 'in my opinion' it was a most accurate rifle with open sights. In about two years they noticed they were the only shooters at the rang and deer leases that did not have a scope so that made me feel guilty.. I mounted a one piece mount with rings and took it back. All three of them can stack bullets with it but suggested they could do better if they had one of those Iimney triggers. They have not pressed me yet because I informed they Timney triggers start out at $95.00+.

My son left home for school with my Weatherby 300 Win Mag. I do not remember how long it took him to notice how loud it was or the amount of recoil. Now he has a 270 W I built and they have a Remington 270 W; their first choice is the 7mm57. They have no problem taking their sister and my son does not complain about the ammo he furnished when she brings the 'boys' with her.

And I ask my son "What does the rifle like? The answer is always "It likes ever thing" and then he expands the answer to include 'all of the rifles like all of the ammo I load for them'.

F. Guffey