8x68S owner's opinions

[ZG47]

Hmmm, a LGS here has a sporterized M98 with a 24" barrel, nice looking walnut stock, picatinny rail with scope rings in 8mm-06 for $392us.

If the action and barrel are good to go, that would be a nice rifle.

 

[sestoppelman]

Cant beat the price.

 

[Gert Odendaal]

dchamp, thank you kindly for this great information, it really is much appreciated. I have been side tracked on the building of the 8x68S Mauser . Things in South Africa is going down hill, in Witbank , Mpumalanga where I live we have a total failure of municipality services , I had to re-direct my finances to invest in JO-JO tanks, water pressure pumps and I had to sink a bore hole since we are some times for a week or longer without water..when we do get water it is extremely poor quality , unsuitable to drink or use in my household.

I fitted a gas geyser, two 4500lt JO-JO water storage tanks, new gutters and gutter systems to harvest rain water.
Sinking the bore hole to 85 meters was an expensive exercise , but all this I had to do , I now need to invest in a solar geyser to switch off the municipality electrical geyser..the last step will be fitting a 10kva Hi-brid inverter with 3x 10kva Solar batteries and 14x 540 Watt solar panels..when this is completed I will probably have funds in the future to continue my build.

 

[mauser98]

Yes, aZastava 98 Mauser rechambered from 8x57. Your load is not exactly a snoozer either.
I never tried much work with that Accubond, the Partitions shoot pretty well IIRC, but really the SGK shoots better than anything in my rifle.

Just like you my 8mm-06 is a Zastava that started off as a 8x57 and was reamed out. I recently bought a new Walther barrel in 8x64 26" heavy magnum contour that i plan on using for a project. Trying to figure out what i want to built it on. A FN98 Mauser or a CZ 550?? Still on the fence.

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Just like you my 8mm-06 is a Zastava that started off as a 8x57 and was reamed out. I recently bought a new Walther barrel in 8x64 26" heavy magnum contour that i plan on using for a project. Trying to figure out what i want to built it on. A FN98 Mauser or a CZ 550?? Still on the fence.

The 8x57JS is a great caliber , it was my first Mauser, there are few calibers that can stand next to it. A bush caliber par excellence, I have two 8x57 JS Mausers, I love them to bits..I am sure my 8x68S will be as great caliber as the 8x57JS rifles. I am currently reloading a 200gn bullet specifically made for long range hunting out to 600 meters for the 8x57JS Mauser with it`s twist rate 1: 9.45, will give some feedback in this regards

 

[dchamp]

dchamp, thank you kindly for this great information, it really is much appreciated. I have been side tracked on the building of the 8x68S Mauser . Things in South Africa is going down hill, in Witbank , Mpumalanga where I live we have a total failure of municipality services , I had to re-direct my finances to invest in JO-JO tanks, water pressure pumps and I had to sink a bore hole since we are some times for a week or longer without water..when we do get water it is extremely poor quality , unsuitable to drink or use in my household.

I fitted a gas geyser, two 4500lt JO-JO water storage tanks, new gutters and gutter systems to harvest rain water.
Sinking the bore hole to 85 meters was an expensive exercise , but all this I had to do , I now need to invest in a solar geyser to switch off the municipality electrical geyser..the last step will be fitting a 10kva Hi-brid inverter with 3x 10kva Solar batteries and 14x 540 Watt solar panels..when this is completed I will probably have funds in the future to continue my build.

Gert, I am sorry to hear about the circumstances you’ve been put in. Sounds like a lot of work and expense. Hopefully it will give a good supply of water for a long time. Independence from the the municipality will be a good thing, I hope.

 

[dchamp]

The 8x57JS is a great caliber , it was my first Mauser, there are few calibers that can stand next to it. A bush caliber par excellence, I have two 8x57 JS Mausers, I love them to bits..I am sure my 8x68S will be as great caliber as the 8x57JS rifles. I am currently reloading a 200gn bullet specifically made for long range hunting out to 600 meters for the 8x57JS Mauser with it`s twist rate 1: 9.45, will give some feedback in this regards

I look forward to see the results with your 200gr bullet. The 8x57IS my all time favorite caliber, I recently ordered a 8x57IRS for a Blaser K95 I have.

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Gert, I am sorry to hear about the circumstances you’ve been put in. Sounds like a lot of work and expense. Hopefully it will give a good supply of water for a long time. Independence from the the municipality will be a good thing, I hope.

dchamp, yes it is really tragic that South Africa slided into a broken country with a failed state . I am fortunate to be able to have finances to spend on getting myself independent of the state and municipality..but there are many people who do not have the finances to achieve this.
I am still busy working on the 8x68 and 6,5 x 55 Swedish Mauser...
I am just busy completing these projects and will give all my attention to my rifle builds ..

 

[Gert Odendaal]

I look forward to see the results with your 200gr bullet. The 8x57IS my all time favorite caliber, I recently ordered a 8x57IRS for a Blaser K95 I have.

Yes, I am currently reloading different loads for shooting in my 8x57 JS, the 200gn Balastix bullet might be an interesting option..