what ammo for German Mauser K98

[longshot2000]

I got a K98 a few months back, and took it to get the barrel crowned and looked-over. Got the clean bill of health for a great gun and good barrel. What ammo should I look for? This is the 8mm Mauser. I am looking for best, most correct, clean, accurate, value, etc.

 

[Dan M]

If it is a German Kar 98k, it was chambered in 7.92x57 aka 8mm Mauser. Surplus is is distant memory...there might be some small amounts of Yugo surplus around. The '70s Yugo surplus was good. Portuguese 8mm non corrosive was fantastic.

Handload or perhaps purchase Prvi Partisan...Remington and Winchester 8mm Mauser is is crap.

 

[sandwarrior]

PRVI Partisan is as close to the real stuff as it gets. All the American made ammo for it is pretty weak...but still shoots. For good accuracy try the Yugo M75.

Most all of the surplus still available is Yugo, Romanian, or Turk. Turk is extremely hot 154-ish gr. stuff moving at 3k fps.

 

[Citius7]

Prvi. And it's reloadable. Otherwise go for the yugo white box with the purple sealant on the primer. That stuff was made special for the snipers.

 

[sandwarrior]

Prvi. And it's reloadable. Otherwise go for the yugo white box with the purple sealant on the primer. That stuff was made special for the snipers.

That is the M75

 

[Veer_G]

M75 is turning into a white rhino hunt, and some reports on its accuracy were less than overwhelmingly enthusiastic. PP marked 7.92x57 has some oomph to it. The stuff marked 8mm Mauser is lawyer-loaded, but the 200gr. Match therein is a good start for GP and reloading, although it's looking pretty skimpy at the usual vendors for it.

Natchez has it but it's kind of salty: https://www.natchezss.com/ppu-match-rifle-ammunition-8mm-mauser-match-200-gr-fmj-20-box.html

 

[longshot2000]

Great advise. Thanks. It is a new gun to me, so just looking for something close to what Fritz shot back in 1937 when it was made, while leaving the least fouling. I have heard of the Yugo and Privi being good. I don't reload.

 

[NukeMMC]

There were 2 different 7.92x57 rounds produced.

7.92x57j or M/88 or Patrone88 is for the early Gew88 rifles and will normally have a .319" diameter, round nose bullet. It's scarce but still pops up at the wrong time.

7.92x57js is the correct round for your rifle and will have a .323" diameter pointed bullet

 

[Veer_G]

There were 2 different 7.92x57 rounds produced.

7.92x57j or M/88 or Patrone88 is for the early Gew88 rifles and will normally have a .319" diameter, round nose bullet. It's scarce but still pops up at the wrong time.

7.92x57js is the correct round for your rifle and will have a .323" diameter pointed bullet

The point here, that I didn't bother to belabor, is that "8mm Mauser" loads are manufactured expecting early rifles incapable of sustaining higher pressures, just in case. Thus, my lawyer comment.

 

[sandwarrior]

There were 2 different 7.92x57 rounds produced.

7.92x57j or M/88 or Patrone88 is for the early Gew88 rifles and will normally have a .319" diameter, round nose bullet. It's scarce but still pops up at the wrong time.

7.92x57js is the correct round for your rifle and will have a .323" diameter pointed bullet

The early MILITARY diameter bullets were .318", not .319". That diameter was carried on a long time after the military switched to .323".

FWIW, 8mm is a misnomer in another set of cartridges, the 8x50R and the 8x56R. The bullets are sold as 8mm, but are in fact .329-.330 (a lot of slop, but accuracy sucks anyways). Make sure you have the right bullets with your bore. Many an "8mm" drilling with 8x57R, is .318". Most civilian rifles retained, and we're continued to be made, in .318" diameter. And to add/help with confusion, a lot of post-war chambering we're 8x57R in .323".

Ya really gotta know your bore in an 8mm before you just go and pop one off.

 

[Gary/CO]

When the Duke of Ratibor called for hunters to contribute scoped rifles for the fatherland, many of those rifles were incapable of handling the S patrone. The rifles were marked to indicate the cartridge they were suitable for. By 1916, most of them were withdrawn from service.