GEW 98 Ammo

[radarmonkey]

Ok, just bought an old Mauser from a buddy. It's a 1915 GEW 98 by C.G. Haenel in Suhl, Germany. I assume it fires 8x57 mauser ammo. My buddy never shot it, he got it from his bro-in-law years ago. Is all the ammo for this old rifle corrosive? Am I correct on the caliber? Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Big_Red_Truck]

Not all 8x57 is corrosive. With that said,some is 8x57J .318 and some is
8x57JS .323.
The possibility of having a bad day is there when an ol'boy fires European .323 down a .318 bore.
Have your favorite gunsmith check the head space and slug the bore.

 

[z06man]

It probably is a x 57. I don't know of them being chambered for anything else. BRT is right about not all 8mm is corrosive, but I don't know of any of the cheap milsurp stuff that isn't, though the corrosiveness varies from country to country. Anything of modern manufacture should be non-corrosive.

 

[angsniper]

Not all 8x57 is corrosive. With that said,some is 8x57J .318 and some is
8x57JS .323.
The possibility of having a bad day is there when an ol'boy fires European .323 down a .318 bore.
Have your favorite gunsmith check the head space and slug the bore.

What he said! Know your bore diameter.

 

[radarmonkey]

thanks guys

 

[Huckelberry75]

If you find it to be .323, Remington and Winchester both make hunting loads for the 8mm, but I find that my home-grown loads are much easier on the shoulder and accurate. Drop me a line if you want the recipe for a 150 grn that knocks whitetails down for the count.

 

[Deer Slayer]

I have 2 8 X 57 mausers. I took one of them sporterized it and now it will pole axe a whitetail. It easily shoots 1 MOA. I have even harvested an elk with it. The other 8mm is from WW1. I have shot it and it holds a tight group as well. I am impressed.

 

[Nraman]

Ok, just bought an old Mauser from a buddy. It's a 1915 GEW 98 by C.G. Haenel in Suhl, Germany. I assume it fires 8x57 mauser ammo. My buddy never shot it, he got it from his bro-in-law years ago. Is all the ammo for this old rifle corrosive? Am I correct on the caliber? Any help would be appreciated.

I am pretty sure that by the time they made your gun (1915), all the Mousers were made for the 8x57JS which is the larger diameter and the standard. You can find modern 8x57 because it is still used widely or you can roll your own. The 8mm diameter makes it a fine round, it can reach high velocities and take down most game.