So at the last gun show to pass through my area I managed to score big and get one of my "White Whale" rifles a early war 1915 Imperial German Gewher 98. Obviously I want to shoot it but I was wondering if there are recommended commercial loads I should stick with?

A quick wiki search says a appropriate bullet weight would be about 150 grains for the era but looking around on a few of the ammo bot type sites I'm not seeing anything less than a 176 grains. I really don't want to needlessly abuse the gun by trying to shove ultra hot n' heavy hunting loads so anyone that can point me in the right direction would be great.

Most U.S. made hunting ammo is actually loaded very light since there is a possibility of it being used in a M1888 Commission rifle with a .318 bore instead of a .323 bore of a 98. That said, any decent 7.92x57 ammo should be just fine in your rifle, provided it isn't unsafe to begin with.

I have a K98 that I load for and it likes the heavier bullets. I load 200 grain Nosler boat tail over my favorite powder AA2520. Your GEW 98 should be able to handle any safe load as long as it is in good condition. Any commercial ammo will be fine.

What is difficult is finding modern FMJ loaded to original specs. There are some, supplies seem to be hit and miss. S&B and Hornady do manufacture the FMJ to original specs. Good ammo.

Look for turkish 8mm surplus ammo.  It is loaded close to WWI specs with a 154 gr bullet.  They used a slower burning powder but that won't matter in a bolt action and just give it some more velocity.  As a bonus Turk ammo comes on brass stripper clips that are similar to german WWI era items

The surplus 70's Romanian ammo is a lighter weight bullet as in less than the 198 gr WWII loading, I'm not sure of the exact grain though but I think it's 154 gr.

I had a few bandoliers of that stuff. I had to use a mallet to open the bolt after each shot, no thanks. I pulled the bullets for components (Very heavily crimped), dumped the powder on my lawn and kept the stripper clips and bandoliers. The brass was brittle and I found so many cracks in the necks of the pulled unfired brass, I tossed that too.

Tried my 1915 dated DWM Gew.98 with 1950's Czech ammo.
Not a huge success, accuracy was mediocre and a few failed to fire

Better luck with modern PPU made ammunition.
Not a fan of the brand, but my Gew.98 loved it and very accurate.

During lockdown I've been making some reloads to try out;
PPU brass, 200gr FMJ bullets, Nobel Rifle 1 powder.
Just need to have a lockdown free range date to try them out

RWS makes a good reduced charge load called the CINESHOT for use in cinema ranges
H&N make a copper coated RN bullet for gallery range use (in Europe, up to 300 metre)
I've also been investing in a mold so I can cast my own bullets, which I will powder coat.

This is EXACTLY the ammo you want for these rifles. It is made to the old S pattern with a 154gr flat base FMJ bullet.

While some of the ammo is considered "HOT" by today's shooters it is exactly on spec for what the S cartridge should produce. It does use a slow burning powder not compatible with semi-auto gas systems though.

I get 2950 out of a 29" barrel and 2880 out of a Kar 98.

Look for batches of ammo made from the early 1930's to 1942.

Early lots have beautiful 2 piece stripper clips that make loading effortless. Later production does too.  1940's lots have the horrible 1 piece stamped strippers that bind and make loading difficult.

I have 700 rounds of 1941 left out of a 1,400 round crate that provides almost match grade accuracy.

1947 was the worst year for neck cracks but I have single loaded them in the chamber and they still went bang and hit steel at 100 yards.

1951 was the year they switched to copper jackets and back to the better 2 piece stripper clips. This ammo is loaded to the ragged edge of safety and often does result in stiff bolts when fired.

Are the primers corrosive? I clean my guns after every range trip anyway but my own personal paranoia with milsurp ammo has always been especially high when it comes to these sorts of things.

My turk ammo all cracked on firing.   very embrittled.

Ok, I am getting to be an old man but I have never heard the term cinema ranges.

@Saddler



eta. I bought PPU for my K98s.  I can reuse the brass.  I have a 322200 mold but have yet to warm it up.

The Turk is corrosive.

I haven't fired any of mine in YEARS, but I never had a problem. But maybe I got a good lot... there was a lot of it. I've fired very little other 8mm (and the only 8mm I have is Mausers...)

As stated; they aren't real good in Semiautos, but the Mauser action is stout.

Turk ammo isn't loaded with slower powders...not sure why that myth keeps getting passed around.


The biggest issue is as already stated...the brass is brittle.

Put the powder and projectiles in new brass and it's fine for semiautos as well plus it'll be non-corrosive as well.

@SteelonSteel

Maybe a European name for them.
It is what it sounds like though....an indoor range with a projection screen, so they can overlay whatever hunting type scenario that's in the system.
Makes for indoor practice in bad weather or the off season.

Supposedly there is a very good one not too far from the ferry port in Calais...may have to look into trying it one day, as long as I don't need to raffle a kidney to pay for hire.
The Germans seem to be a fan of the concept, hence the dedicated ammunition line by RWS

NEVER seen any Turk surprlus ammo here.
Would be great to find some, if only for the stripper clips and bandoliers....plus for the amusement value as I am looking at buying a mates ex-Turkish Mosin M91 rifle, so some genuine Turk 8mm ammo for that would be a hoot.

Thanks for the explanation.  

I have heard of an indoor archery range that had that kind of system.  

Closest thing to that for firearms I have seen is with permanently modified firearms that shoot just a beam of light, no cartridges.

I have managed to grab 3 boxes of 200gr PPU Match so I will have enough to offer up to the gun smith and have some to have on hand. With the ammo shortages I don't expect to do more than basic function testing for a few years at this point.

Listen up:

Try this handload:

44 grains of IMR-4064 with the 200 grain Speer bullet. This is a very accurate, yet soft shooting load for the 8mm Mauser.

After shooting this load, you won't waste time with old corrosive surplus.