8mm vs .303

[therifleman]

can someone tell me whats better?

[sbowers5]

Well, what do you mean by better the .303 is 30 caliber and the 8mm is 32 caliber and i guess we would have to know what you intended to use them for to be able to give any good information.
steve

[therifleman]

for hunting

[Big Dog]

I'd think the 8mm Mauser load may have slightly greater 'knock down power', but in realistic terms, there is little to choose between them.

[nathangdad]

I doubt you would experience that much difference in combat although
if you really get into ballistics and sectional density and so on people will find some reason to pick one over the other.

In a new, well made firearm each cartridge would be accurate and well suited for deer hunting at the more normal ranges of 100 yards or less.

When I was young a great many German WW2 rifles were on the market.
At that time the 8mm Mauser was a popular deer cartridge. There were also .303 SMLE's on the market. However, as the National Rifle Association publication pointed out rushed wartime production in England
allowed for acceptances of bore diameters up to .311 so these guns did not have the popularity of the German guns as accuracy was expected to be less.

[jimkim]

Both will get the job done. They just do it in a different way. The 8mm is a magnum compared to the 303. The difference is dramatic when you have something to compare to. These are max pressure loads from Hodgdon.
All have 180gr bullets
303---------2341fps
8x57mm-----2691fps
30-06------2798fps
300WM-----3042fps

[therifleman]

Originally Posted by jimkim

Both will get the job done. They just do it in a different way. The 8mm is a magnum compared to the 303. The difference is dramatic when you have something to compare to. These are max pressure loads from Hodgdon.
All have 180gr bullets
303---------2341fps
8x57mm-----2691fps
30-06------2798fps
300WM-----3042fps

thanks for info jimkim

[jimkim]

your welcome I would still get both down the road though. lol

[toolman]

For hunting out to around 250 yds, I prefer the 8x57 as it has a lot more punch and properly-sized bullets are more readily available. This assumes that you reload though since most U.S. commercial ammo is loaded extremely light in the 8mm. The only real decent hunting loads in the U.S. are the 196 gr. S&B or the Hornady 195 gr. There a couple of others that are decent, but they're hard to find. The Big 3 (Rem, Win, Fed) are fine for plinking and short-range deer, but they don't even come close to the potential that this cartridge was designed for.

[therifleman]

Originally Posted by toolman

For hunting out to around 250 yds, I prefer the 8x57 as it has a lot more punch and properly-sized bullets are more readily available. This assumes that you reload though since most U.S. commercial ammo is loaded extremely light in the 8mm. The only real decent hunting loads in the U.S. are the 196 gr. S&B or the Hornady 195 gr. There a couple of others that are decent, but they're hard to find. The Big 3 (Rem, Win, Fed) are fine for plinking and short-range deer, but they don't even come close to the potential that this cartridge was designed for.

i know and thats sad

[jimkim]

I would definitely load my own. The factory stuff is pathetic. I feel sick to my stomach now. What they did to the 7x57 is sad too.

[Sarge]

It is called "Product Liability." None of the US commercial ammo in either 8mm (7.92x57) or 9mm Luger (9x19) has been loaded to military specks since the 1920s. This is because of the wide variety of foriegn rifles & pistols in those calibers, not all of which were then or are now, of the best quality and condition.
The only way you'll get the full potential out of nearly all military calibers for hunting is to hand load.
I've hunted with 150 gr handloads in my K 43 since about 1960. For elk I start with a 180 gr factory in the chamber and the 150s for follow up if needed. I've killed a lot of antelope, deer & cyotes with that load.
Sarge

[jimkim]

Chuck Hawkes sited this ammo.
8x57JSmm 180 gr TSX BT vel 2808fps
8x57ISmm 200 gr TSX BT vel 2573fps
8x57mm Hornady 150gr PSP vel 2880fps
Stars & Stripes Ammunition

[therifleman]

been 5 days since someones commented lol

[jimkim]

I know the feeling.

[sean46953]

I would go 8mm too. it has a little more knock down to it. On the other hand though, the higher speed of the 8mm may cause a slightly larger wound cavity...Good for killing, not so good for hunting. lol I would still go 8mm though.

[therifleman]

8 mil for me

[SwedeSteve]

The only 8mm I have ever owned was a Rem 700BDL in 8mm Rem Mag. That was a heck of a rifle. Hard times forced me to part with it. In looking at 8mm ballistics after reading this post, I am now excited about picking one up and reloading for it.

[shikari]

I agree with most of the posts so far. I have bot 303 and 8mm rifles in my collection and have hunted deer with them. Both kill efficiently out to 200 metres beyond which I am reluctant to shoot. Guess my eyes are getting old as I approach 70, but within my experience the 8mm makes a better hunting cartridge because it's more powerful and puts deer down emphatically. However, the milsurp 303 comes in the Lee Enfield in its various marks (no4 is the best for hunting and reloading) and in the front locking P14. The P14 can be loaded to a higher pressure than the factory or military round and in its improved form comes close to the 308. On the other hand the 8x57 is standard for the great Mauser 98 - a combination hard to beat. Guess it comes down to personal choice, but I'd take the 8mm Mauser.

[jimkim]

with full power 8mm handloads you should be very happy.
Speer Manual No. 9,
8x57mm mauser,
98 Mauser,
24" barrel,
Speer case,
CCI-200 primer,
170gr semispitzer,
IMR-4064 49.0gr,MAX<<<<
2723fps,
This is from Hornady 7th edition
moder 98, 24" barrel
Remington case
rem 91/2 primer
max COL 3.228"
Maximum load<<<<
150gr Hornady SP
Winchester W-748 56.2gr
2,900 fps

These loads came from Handloader Issue #254 Aug. 2008
Remarks: rifle: VZ24; barrel length (inches): 24
195gr Hornady Spire Point
Hodgdon Varget 48.0gr
2491fps
200gr hollowpoint boat-tail
Hodgdon Varget 48.0gr
2476fps