8mm Mauser vs 7.62x54r?

[TN Outlaw]

what are the pros and Cons of each round? i have been Wanting a Mauser and i already have a Mosin Nagant i was just wondering which is an overall better Round?

[gregintenn]

The 8mm is the better rifle platform, but the 7.62x54R is the more obtainable, affordable ammunition. I'd think performance is close between the two.

[TN Outlaw]

i hear a lot of praise about how good the action is in the Mausers as well, .. how much more is the ammo than 7.62x54?

[gregintenn]

8mm is $20-$40 and up per box...WHEN you can find it, whiler 7.62x54R is more like $10-$20 per box, with milsurp being cheaper, and pretty much everyone has it in stock. The 8mm milsurp has pretty much dried up.

Don't discount a 7x57 if you are looking for a Mauser. It is a fine round as well. Also, there are 6.55 Swedes, 7.65s, 308, and several other chamberings you can find with a mauser action.

Edited September 28, 2011 by gregintenn

[dou44]

southern ohio guns has the surplus for $3.99 box.cheaper if you buy alot. that is all i ever shoot in mine,i have the mosin nagants and mausers, mauser is alot better gun . bolt is easier to operate and smoother, eaiser to take apart also.

[Caster]

I'd think performance is close between the two.

That's true if you're buying it. Loading it by hand???? The 7,92x57 wins hands down. That ole Mauser cartridge is under rated, under appreciated, and underestimated.

[Jonnin]

The mauser is a better made gun, IMHO. The ammo is about the same, for any practical purpose (short of extreme long range comparisons). I prefer the 7.65 version to the 8mm but if in doubt, get a mauser. I made 7.65 ammo for mine at about $40 per 100, using high quality bullets though.

Edited September 28, 2011 by Jonnin

[ttocswob]

7.62 x 54r is usually 150 grain light ball or 180 grain heavy ball. Most 8mm Mauser is about 200 grain.

Aim has Priv Partisan in both 54r and 8mm, about the same price. I have some of both.

Aim had Romanian surplus for a long time, but not now. SOG has surplus Yugo, as does Sportsman's Guide.

[TMF]

You asking for a purpose other than plinking?

[TLRMADE]

I have a nagant and a buddy has a 8mm Mauser. My ammo is cheap his ammo is expensive. I couldn't find any 8mm for him so I had to go to bass pro and they only had one box of the core lokt and it was like $34! I shoot my good ole corrosive ammo for like $8 per 25 rds! Just clean your gun after you shoot!

[TN Outlaw]

which would be a better Hunting Caliber?

[TLRMADE]

which would be a better Hunting Caliber?

I would say either one?

[Jonnin]

They are going to be equally good for hunting any normal game. The mauser and mosin are going to be HEAVY and BIG to haul around. I think you can get a lightweight 7.62 platform, not 100% sure. Mauser, mosin, 7.62Xlong, its all "close" to a 308 and plenty of power and range. A thought: surplus ammo is great while it lasts, but people shoot it up at alarming rates. The *reason* 8mm mauser is pricy is the surplus ammo is long gone... at one time, it was cheap. Eventually the mosin will only have 3 or 4 ammo brands and it will also be $30 a box of 20. Not this year, or next, but in time... this is the nature of the milsurp rifle. Eventually, if you are into these old guns (and they are quite good!), you will want to just reload for them. They will all shoot common slugs, so all you need is some brass, and often you can remake modern brass fit with a little work. For my 765, I can use a tube cutter on 30-06 brass, then force that thru the sizing die, poke in any common .311 diameter slug, and proceed from there. A little annoying with all the cutting and trimming but you reuse the brass many, many times. I could have bought it, but the 30-06 brass was cheap and easy to find.

Edited September 28, 2011 by Jonnin

[gregintenn]

which would be a better Hunting Caliber?

Either caliber would be fine for any large game in Tennessee. There are, however, far better hunting rifles available for either one. The Mauser is a great action from which to build a hunting rifle.

Before:

After:

I've seen a few sporterized Mosins, but none I thought were that great.

[Jonnin]

Please, if you decide to ruin (sporterize) an antique, figure out if the gun has any history or value first. Its ok to to do that to a gun made from random spare parts or one that the barrel is rusted to death or the like, but dining room table gunsmiths have ruined a number of guns that today would be worth thousands... one of my friends for example has a hunting rifle that was made from a sniper rifle, would be worth about $5000 if he had not butchered it, now it is worth maybe $200.

[TMF]

8mm is a heavier bullet but it don't know if that really will make much of a difference for taking down whitetail. As far as accuracy I don't know. I think it would be hard for an expert to say either way since so many were mass produced in different locations. I have a russian Mosin and I love it. Cheap and fun to shoot. If I would you I'd pick up a Mosin, if anything because they are cheaper to buy and cheaper to shoot. You can pick one up just about anywhere for around 120 bucks.

Edited September 28, 2011 by TMF 18B

[Jonnin]

8mm is a heavier bullet but it don't know if that really will make much of a difference for taking down whitetail. As far as accuracy I don't know. I think it would be hard for an expert to say either way since so many were mass produced in different locations. I have a russian Mosin and I love it. Cheap and fun to shoot. If I would you I'd pick up a Mosin, if anything because they are cheaper to buy and cheaper to shoot. You can pick one up just about anywhere for around 120 bucks.

Dead is dead, so the bullet will not make much difference. It is the package anyway; my 44 mag pistol fires a heavier bullet than any rifle short of an elephant gun, coming in at 300 grains, yet these rifles clearly have more power. Accuracy is more of how the gun was treated than production, even the rough mosins are fairly accurate and many were good enough for sniper use, mausers were usually better made and also had a share of snipers, not sure about the other one but honestly, if the barrel isnt worn smooth or flopping around, even a pretty sorry rifle is going to be accurate to hunting ranges in TN (200 yards or so, tops?). The sights on my mauser START at 300 yards, under that the shooter is too close and has to adapt his aim -- so they thought a typical soldier could hit a man at 300 yards with them using iron sights and military ammo. The sights adjust out for much, much longer ranges though the last couple of clicks are for "harrassing fire" where you just shoot in amongst the enemy. He already has a mosin, but they are indeed great guns at a great price. I would get one if I didnt have the my mauser, it is a joy to shoot so the mosin would just sit in my safe.

[TMF]

It is the package anyway; my 44 mag pistol fires a heavier bullet than any rifle short of an elephant gun, coming in at 300 grains, yet these rifles clearly have more power.

I was assuming muzzle velocity was a given. 8mm and 7.62 x 54r have comparable muzzle velocities yet one is a little heavier, so in terms of stopping power: weight + velocity= stopping power. Of course, for a whitetail I don't think it makes a difference since you can't make something more dead than dead... unless it's a zombie whitetail, in which case only headshots count.

[dou44]

m48 starts out at 200 yards it's an odd ball . k98's start out at 100 yards and and most orthers do to. been collecting them for 20 years or more.that is where my member name comes from a german k98 dou44 that was my first mauser.still have it and shoot it.

[Garufa]

m48 starts out at 200 yards it's an odd ball . k98's start out at 100 yards and and most orthers do to.

If you are referring to the sights those are in Meters.

[dou44]

yes i know but most just say yards,some people do not know that their is a difference.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

My 98 is the fun gun in my inventory, except that

it is hard on the shoulder. The one I got must have

seen little combat. It's like new, other than a new

finish on the stock by my brother years ago. I've

seen surplus ammo lately priced about like 7.62

x 54r. It still shows up occasionally.

---

- Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Jonnin]

Mine goes 3-20, each is a 100 meter increment, I double checked it. I guess some things changed across the models, they must have decided that was too far. As a bonus, my gentle on the shoulder wuss loads happen to drop it to zero at 100 while not beating me black & blue.

Edited September 29, 2011 by Jonnin

[gregintenn]

Please, if you decide to ruin (sporterize) an antique, figure out if the gun has any history or value first. Its ok to to do that to a gun made from random spare parts or one that the barrel is rusted to death or the like, but dining room table gunsmiths have ruined a number of guns that today would be worth thousands... one of my friends for example has a hunting rifle that was made from a sniper rifle, would be worth about $5000 if he had not butchered it, now it is worth maybe $200.

There were 80 Kazillion Mauser rifles produced. They arent exactly rare artifacts. If some of them hadn't been used, sporterized, dropped in a lake, etc., the remaining unaltered versions would be worth next to nothing. For some people, a military rifle is next to useless, while a sporterized version is a useable hunting tool. As the value of the rifles go up, using the action to construct a custom gun becomes less attractive.

Edited September 29, 2011 by gregintenn

[knoxrocks222]

8mm is $20-$40 and up per box...WHEN you can find it, whiler 7.62x54R is more like $10-$20 per box, with milsurp being cheaper, and pretty much everyone has it in stock. The 8mm milsurp has pretty much dried up.

Don't discount a 7x57 if you are looking for a Mauser. It is a fine round as well. Also, there are 6.55 Swedes, 7.65s, 308, and several other chamberings you can find with a mauser action.

not sure where your buying your ammo but i buy sealed boxes of 8mm for 4.95 for a box a 15

also i have a pretty mint G.E.W. 98 ill let go for $130 with 3 boxes of ammo

its been "sporterized" and re blued....the action is smooth as silk

Edited October 3, 2011 by knoxrocks222
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