Hunting with Grandpa's 8mm Mauser this year

[DENWA]

In a couple weeks be heading to WV (1500-1800ft elevation) to go hunting with my son. I invited my uncle to come and he really wants me to bring his dad's 8mm Mauser to hunt with. Most shots will be 50yds to a food plot or 200-300yds with 350-400 an absolute max.

Here's where my heartburn starts. Last time I shot it or loaded for it was about 2007.

Last loading data I have in my log book says Cut-trimmed-fireformed Greek HXP-30-06 brass over 47.0gr IMR4064 with a speer 170gr Semi Spitzer SP. Book Says 4 shot cloverleafs at 100yds (1 pulled right 1") as this was best load vs. 150gr Speer and Nosler 180grs I tried. Wish I'd taken better notes on chrono data because it looks like 2570-2550 fps area but I really can't tell as the logbook got rained on.

Grandpa's Tasco Titan Scope bit the dust years ago and last weekend I put a Zeiss HD5 5-25 with z800 reticle and a set of badger rings I've had in the drawer with no home. Uncle's 70 yr old eyes aren't the best anymore but he's always been a great shot and respectful hunter so no worries there!

Questions:

1. What distance would you zero this scope? 200yds? I only have a 100yd range close to my home and don't like shooting the few days before hunting season opens at Camp if i can avoid it.
2. My uncle isn't going to turn the elevation knob he will want to use the reticle. I can't even find the reticle sustentions for this scope and Zeiss app is in metric! I guess when I zero it I'll use the reticle and measure the shot distance above zero. but this reticle is only accurate at full power...drama.

3. Gonna build out a drop chart vs. scope power setting chart and laminate it. Any other good ideas or thoughts?

 

[med358-boise]

That reticle is designed for a 200 yard zero. But you need to call Zeiss and find out what maginification setting the stadia marks are set for. Leupold sets theirs for the highest magnication but I don't know about Zeiss and couldn't find it in the manual. The stadia marks represent 300, 350, 400, 450 all the way out to 800 yards for magnum class cartridges such as 300 WM, 7mm RM etc. Obvisouly your 8MM Masuer is slower.


You can run a bunch of trajectories and calculate averages but I suspect you will find that you first stadia mark below the main cartrdidge is ~2.2 MOA followed by 3.5, 4.8, 6.3, 7.8 MOA equating to approxaimately 300, 350, 400, & 500 fo magnum class cartridges.

So if you zero you 8mm mauser at 100 and your load is the speer 170 @ 2560 with a 100 yard zero you stadia marks will be ~200, 242, 280, 322, & 360.

Also, I believe subtensions move in a linear fashion. Meaning if the standard magnification in 10x then at 8x the moas will be 25% greater.

Here is a link to the manual

Salesforce

kyuri.my.salesforce.com

 

[snox801]

What I do for my uncle who uses his late father in laws .358 norma. (Just loaded 50 more for him tonight).
I set his 2.5"-3" high at 100 which is juts a bit high at 200. Then too
Of back at 300. And second hash at 400.
He is shooting a Lego brick of a bullet so it does have drop but he does very well with it.
Either way you go good luck and it will be something special as it's a legacy rifle and a 8mm which both are Awsome.

 

[DENWA]

~2.2 MOA followed by 3.5, 4.8, 6.3, 7.8 MOA equating to approximately 300, 350, 400, & 500 fo magnum class cartridges.

So if you zero you 8mm mauser at 100 and your load is the speer 170 @ 2560 with a 100 yard zero you stadia marks will be ~200, 242, 280, 322, & 360.

Trying to verify those MOA marks will be tough. Local range is closed yesterday and this weekend for a cowboy action shoot.
I guess I'll be looking across my basement with a tape measure on the wall!

thanks

 

[DENWA]

What I do for my uncle who uses his late father in laws .358 norma. (Just loaded 50 more for him tonight).

what a cool caliber! I remember looking at that in my dad's reloading book as a kid wishing we had cool stuff like that.

 

[Bang4theBuck]

I dont believe much in using the subtensions (stadia) for exact yardage, nor has it ever happened to.me that an animal came right to.an exact distance at longer ranges. So, based on these factors and the fact that there is a decent t chance for a short shot, I would zero at 100 amd then use a ballistic calculator to determine what the subtensions are good for (yardage) at both full magnification and 1/2 magnification, amd make up yardage cards for both. If you don't have access to or knowledge of any ballistic calculators, reach out to me on a PM amd I will be glad to help you.

Also, for short to medium range shots we can probably get decent drops with a combination of back-checking the load data that you posted and good drop data at a couple of extended ranges. Meaning if you can zero at 100 and then take a couple shots at 300, we can back-calculate the velocity based on the real drop that you see on the target. Again I can help you with that, if you need.