7.92×57mm Mauser: Difference between revisions

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7.92x57mm Mauser and 8x57mm IS
From left to right 9.3×62mm, .30-06 Springfield, 8×57mm IS, 6.5×55mm and 7.62×51mm NATO cartridges
Type	Rifle
Place of origin	Germany
Service history
In service	I-variant 1888–1905 IS-variant 1905–present
Used by	Germany, United Kingdom, Spain, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Dominican Republic, Yugoslavia, The Ottoman Empire, Turkey, Iran, China, and other middle eastern countries
Wars	World War I, World War II and others
Production history
Designer	German Rifle Testing Commission
Designed	1888 7.92x57mm Mauser
Variants	8×57mm IR and 8×57mm IRS (rimmed)
Specifications
Case type	Rimless, bottleneck
Bullet diameter	8.08mm / .318 (I) and 8.20 / .323" (IS)
Neck diameter	9.08 mm (0.357 in)
Shoulder diameter	10.95 mm (0.431 in)
Base diameter	11.94 mm (0.470 in)
Rim diameter	11.95 mm (0.470 in)
Rim thickness	1.30 mm (0.051 in)
Case length	57.00 mm (2.244 in)
Overall length	82.00 mm (3.228 in)
Case capacity	4.09 cm3 (63.1 gr H2O)
Rifling twist	240 mm (1 in 9.45 in)
Primer type	Large rifle
Maximum pressure	390 MPa (57,000 psi)
Ballistic performance
Bullet mass/type Velocity Energy 11.7 g (181 gr) RWS DK 820 m/s (2,700 ft/s) 3,934 J (2,902 ft⋅lbf) 12.1 g (187 gr) RWS HMK 820 m/s (2,700 ft/s) 4,068 J (3,000 ft⋅lbf) 12.7 g (196 gr) RWS TMR 800 m/s (2,600 ft/s) 4,064 J (2,997 ft⋅lbf) 12.8 g (198 gr) RWS ID Classic 800 m/s (2,600 ft/s) 4,096 J (3,021 ft⋅lbf)
Test barrel length: 600 mm (23.62 in) Source(s): RWS / RUAG Ammotech [1]

The 8x57mm IS cartridge is a version of the M/88 cartridge adopted by Germany in 1905, and was the German service cartridge in both World Wars. IS stands for Infanterie, Spitz(geschoß) or "Infantry, Pointed (projectile)".

The cartridge on which it was based was adopted by Germany in 1888 as the M/88 8x57 I (I stands for Infanterie or "Infantry") in the Gewehr 1888 service rifle. It was designed by the German Gewehr-Prüfungskommission (G.P.K.) ("Rifle Testing Commission") for the Gewehr 1888 and later used in Mauser bolt-action rifles, machine guns, and other ordnance weapons.

The 1888 pattern of the M/88 cartridge is now known in Europe as the 8x57 I (C.I.P. designation). The 1905 pattern cartridge is now known in Europe as the 8x57 IS (C.I.P. designation) and in the USA as the 7.92×57mm IS or 8 mm Mauser (the widespread use in German military Gewehr 98 and Karabiner 98k service rifles designed and manufactured by Mauser caused the "Mauser" tag, though Mauser had nothing to do with the development of this cartridge). Some sources list it also as "8x57 JS", as capital letters I and J were interchangeable in abbreviations at this time.

The government-developed 7.92x57mm Mauser cartridge was a further development of the M/88 8x57mm I. The older cartridge used a round-nosed (ogive) bullet and was developed to be top-loaded into the magazine of the Gewehr 1888 rifle via a charger clip. The new 8x57mm IS bullet was lighter, pointed, and 8.2 mm (0.323 in) in diameter instead of 8.08 mm (0.318 in). With the improved ballistic coefficient, the new IS cartridge had a flatter trajectory,^[2] and was therefore less critical of range estimation. It was used in rifles—like the Gewehr 98, Karabiner 98k, Gewehr 41, FG 42, or Gewehr 43—and in machine guns—like the MG 08, MG 34, or MG 42.

The rimless cartridge cases have been used as parent cases for several other necked down and necked up cartridges.

The rimmed variants, the 8x57mm IR and the 8x57mm IRS, were developed later for break-barrel rifles and combination guns.^[3]

Due to the cartridge's high performance and terminal performance it was adopted by the armed forces of various governments, including Spain, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Iran, Israel, Turkey, China, Egypt, former German African colonies, and the early Bundeswehr of West Germany. Its military use continues today in the former Yugoslavia in weapons like the Zastava M76 sniper rifle and the license-built MG 42, the SARAC M53 machine gun.^[4]

During World War II it was one of the few cartridges used by both the Axis and Allied powers, a distinction it shared with the 9x19mm Parabellum pistol round. Apart from being the standard rifle cartridge of the German armed forces, it was also used by the armed forces of Great Britain in the Besa machine gun, which was mounted in some of their tanks and other armoured vehicles—it was known as "Cartridge, SA, 7.92".^[5]

The 8x57mm IS and 8x57mm IRS are common chambering offerings in rifles marketed for European sportsmen, alongside broadly similar cartridges such as the 5.6x57mm, 6.5x55mm, 6.5x57mm, 7.92x57mm Mauser and the 6.5x68mm and 8x68mm S magnum hunting cartridges. Major European manufacturers like Blaser, Česká Zbrojovka firearms, Heym, Mauser Jagdwaffen GmbH and Steyr Mannlicher produce factory new 8x57mm IS hunting rifles and European ammunition manufacturers like Blaser, RUAG Ammotec/RWS, Sako and Sellier & Bellot produce factory new ammunition.^[6] In 2004 Remington Arms offered a limited-edition Model 700 Classic bolt action hunting rifle chambered for the 8x57mm IS.^[7] The 8x57mm IS cartridge's performance is comparable with the American .30-06 Springfield cartridge and makes it suited for the hunting all large European game such as deer, chamois, mouflon, wild Boar and bears.^[8]

However, it cannot be used in countries which ban civil use of former or current military rifle cartridges, like France.

Beside the 7.92x57mm Mauser and 8x57mm IS rimless rifle cartridges rimmed versions for break-action rifles also exist. The rimmed 8x57mm IR and 8x57mm IRS variants are offered as a chambering option in European break-action rifles.^[3][9]

The mainly European arms standards body Commission Internationale Permanente pour l'Epreuve des Armes à Feu Portatives ("Permanent International Commission for portable firearms testing")—an organisation for standards in ammunition for civilian use—currently designates two 8 mm cartridges of 57 mm case length. Following the original military nomenclature C.I.P. assigned the 8x57 I and 8x57 IS civil nomenclature to these cartridges.^[10]

The United States standardizing body for sporting cartridges Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute (SAAMI) designates the 8x57mm IS cartridge as the 8mm Mauser, also known as 8x57mm.^[11]

The SAAMI (voluntary) pressure limitation for the 8x57mm IS cartridge is Piezo SAAMI Pmax = 241.317 MPa (35,000 psi) or 37,500 CUP.^[12] This is considerably lower than the C.I.P. pressure limit and is done for liability reasons, in case the 8x57mm IS cartridge is fired in an 'I' bore rifle that has a narrower throat and barrel diameter, to avoid catastrophic firearm failures that could endanger users or bystanders. European ammunition manufacturers generally only load to the lower pressure limit for "I" bore cartridges; and the US based manufacturer Hornady followed their lead in their (now discontinued) EuroSpec brand 8x57 JS load.^{[citation needed]}

Sometimes, the cartridge is called 7.92x57mm IS, however, this seems to be a misnomer. It was not used in Germany and is not used by either the C.I.P. or the SAAMI.^[11] The British Besa machine gun used in armored vehicles during World War II was chambered for the 8x57mm IS and the British referred to this ammunition as 7.92 mm.

The letter "J" often mentioned by English speaking sources is actually an "I" for Infanterie (German for "infantry"). A stamped "I" at the cartridge bottom in writing styles used in the past in Germany could be easily mistaken for a "J". Even in the 21st century the "I" is often substituted by a "J" in English speaking communities and German ammunition manufacturers often write "JS" instead of "IS" to avoid confusing customers. The letter "S" stands for Spitzgeschoß ("pointed bullet"), and the English word "spitzer" for that style of bullet is derived from this German term.

The 8x57mm I cartridge has 4.03 ml (62 grains) H₂O cartridge case capacity. The exterior shape of the case was designed to promote reliable case feeding and extraction in bolt action rifles and machine guns alike, under extreme conditions.

8x57mm I maximum C.I.P. cartridge dimensions. All sizes in millimeters.

Americans would define the shoulder angle at alpha/2 ≈ 19.1 degrees. The common rifling twist rate for this cartridge is 240 mm (1 in 9.45 in), 4 grooves, Ø lands = 7.80 mm, Ø grooves = 8.07 mm, land width = 4.40 mm and the primer type is large rifle.

According to the official C.I.P. guidelines the 8x57mm I case can handle up to 380 MPa (55114 psi) piezo pressure. In C.I.P. regulated countries every rifle and cartridge combination has to be proofed at 125% of this maximum C.I.P. pressure to certify for sale to consumers.

The 8x57mm IS cartridge has a cartridge case capacity of 4.09 ml (63 grains) H₂O. The exterior shape of the case was designed to promote reliable case feeding and extraction in bolt action rifles and machine guns alike, under extreme conditions.

8x57mm IS maximum C.I.P. cartridge dimensions. All sizes in millimeters.

Americans would define the shoulder angle at alpha/2 ≈ 19.1 degrees. The common rifling twist rate for this cartridge is 240 mm (1 in 9.45 in), 4 grooves, Ø of the lands = 7.89 mm, Ø grooves = 8.20 mm, land width = 4.40 mm and the primer type is large rifle.

According to the official C.I.P. guidelines the 8x57mm IS case can handle up to 390 MPa (56,564 psi) piezo pressure. In C.I.P. regulated countries every rifle cartridge combination has to be proofed at 125% of this maximum C.I.P. pressure to certify for sale to consumers.

In 7.92x57mm caliber, "there were many German military versions of the cartridge, and Germany never stopped its development of different variations until the end" of World War II. "The bullet lengths varied a great deal through the different types, but all were loaded to an overall length" of 80.5 mm (3.17 in). The Germans had started using steel cases in World War I, "and by the end of 1943, most German ammunition had that type of case."^[13]

• The data for the 8x57mm I and the 8x57mm IS of 1905 is for Gewehr 98 rifles with 740 mm (29 in) barrel length.^[14]
• The data for the 8x57mm IS of 1934 is for Karabiner 98k rifles with 600 mm (24 in) barrel length.^[14]

The German standard sS (schweres Spitzgeschoß—"heavy pointed bullet") ball bullet was 35.3 mm (1.39 in) long, boat-tailed, and very well made.^[13] It was lead filled, had a gilding-metal-plated jacket, and weighed 12.8 grams (198 grains). It offered the best aerodynamic efficiency and external ballistic performance of any standard rifle bullet used during World War II, with a G1 ballistic coefficient between 0.593 and 0.557 (ballistic coefficients are somewhat debatable). When fired at the typical muzzle velocity of 760 m/s (2,493 ft/s) out of a 600 mm (23.6 in) barrel the sS bullet retained supersonic velocity up to and past 1,000 m (1,094 yd) (V₁₀₀₀ ≈ Mach 1.07) under International Standard Atmosphere conditions at sea level (air density ρ = 1.225 kg/m³). Even by contemporary (2010) standards 1000⁺ m (1,094⁺ yards) effective range is quite remarkable for a standard military rifle round.^{[nb 1]} For recognition the circular groove between cap and brass was green, and it had a yellow colored bullet.

During World War II German snipers were issued with purpose manufactured sniping ammunition, known as the 'effect-firing' sS round.^[15] The 'effect-firing' sS round featured an extra carefully measured propellant charge and seated a sS full metal jacketed boat tail projectile of match grade build quality, lacking usual features such as a seating ring or cannelure to further improve the already high ballistic coefficient.^[16]

Special ammunition included:^[17][18][19]

• [SmK L'spur - Leuchtspur] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help) (SmK tracer)—red circular groove, black bullet point

German tracer bullets "were the best put out by any country — streamlined and with excellent ballistics".^[13]

• [SmK-Geschoß - Spitzgeschoß mit Kern] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help) ("Spitzer with Core")—steel cored projectile for use against targets behind thick covers, tanks, or airplanes. Red circular cap groove, yellow bullet. There was also a version with a black projectile which had a tungsten carbide instead of a steel core.

German Spitzgeschoss mit Kern armor-piercing bullets were also very good, being very stable and accurate at long ranges.^[13] The most common type of armor-piercing round had a hardened-steel core with plated-steel jacket and weighed 11.5 grams (177 gr). Other types appeared which used tungsten carbide and combinations for cores. Sintered iron and mild steel cores also came into use in ball ammunition.

• [PmK-Geschoß - (Phosphor mit Stahlkern)] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help) ("phosphorus with steel core") German Luftwaffe (Air force) 7.9 mm high velocity machine gun ammunition loaded with the 10.15 grams (156.6 gr) PmK (Phosphor mit Stahlkern—"phosphorus with steel core") ball bullets, featuring a higher muzzle velocity than standard ammunition due to a more powerful smokeless powder charge. These rounds were designated as V-patronen, with 'V' being short for improved (German: verbessert). This cartridge can be recognised by the black circular cap groove, yellow bullet.
• [B-Geschoß - (Beobachtung)] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help) ("observation") — The German Luftwaffe 10.85 grams (167.4 gr) B (Beobachtung—"observation") HE incendiary ball bullets contained phosphorus and "had a pellet in it which exploded on contact with any target, however frail".^[13] The B ball bullet was like any other high-explosive or incendiary bullet, illegal for anti-personnel use according to the Hague Conventions. It featured a higher muzzle velocity than standard ammunition due to a more powerful smokeless powder charge. These rounds were designated as V-patronen, with 'V' being short for improved (German: verbessert). "The Germans maintained that it was used mainly for observation and range-finding, but observers report having seen them in rifle clips and machine gun belts".^[13] The regular German infantry units were not allowed to use this round; however German snipers sometimes used this high velocity round to gain an extra 100 m (110 yards) effective range and cause horrendous wounds. The standard issue Karabiner 98k rifles handled these higher pressure cartridges without issues.^[20] This cartridge can be recognised by the black circular cap groove, yellow bullet.
• [SPr-Geschoß - S-Phosphor] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help) (S incendiary)—black circular groove, clear or black bullet
• [Platzpatrone] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help) (blank cartridge)—two cannelures in the brass, red wood- or cardboard-bullet, cardboard plug (Fließpappe-Pfropfen) between bullet and propellant powder. Safe distance given at 25m.
• [Exerzierpatrone] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help) ("drill cartridge")—two variants:
  • S-Punkt ("S-dot") with vertical grooves in the brass for aiming exercises.
  • Werkzeug ("tool") with the same weight as a sS ball cartridge for examining the functioning of firearms action. A horizontal ring of small holes above the extractor grooves differentiated the Werkzeug round from the sS ball cartridge.

British cartridges included "Ball", "Armour-Piercing", "Tracer", and "Incendiary". Blanks and a Drill round were also available for instruction purposes. The Drill round was an aluminium bullet fixed in a chromium-plated case which had three deep lengthwise recesses painted red to identify it. Ammunition was supplied in belted form 225 rounds per belt.^[5]

The Ball case was filled with a charge of around 45 grains of nitro-cellulose.^[5]

The British cartridge was used in only one weapon—the "7.92 mm BESA machine gun". This was a Czech design adopted shortly before the war as a move towards rimless ammunition. The BESA was only fitted to tanks and armoured cars of British design (the original Czech design was also produced for German use following the occupation of Czechoslovakia) and captured German ammunition was used when available.

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Maximum muzzle velocity comparison in % of the probably most proliferated European and American 8 mm rifle cartridges out of 650 mm (25.59 in) long barrels loaded with relatively light to heavy 8 mm bullets to their C.I.P. or SAAMI (Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute) sanctioned maximum pressures.^{[citation needed]}

This comparison is not totally objective since the 8 mm Remington Magnum and .325 WSM operate at 448.16 MPa (65000 psi), the 8x68mm S at 440 MPa (63817 psi), the 8x64mm S at 405 MPa (58740 psi) and the 7.92x57mm Mauser at 390 MPa (56564 psi) maximum chamber pressure. Higher chamber pressure results in higher muzzle velocities.

This was the parent case for many other later cartridges, such as:

• 5.6x57mm
• 6x57mm Triebel (wildcat)
• 6.5x57mm
• 9x57mm Mauser
• 9.3x57mm see 9x57mm Mauser article
• 10x57mm
• 10.5x57mm

• List of rifle cartridges
• 8 mm caliber
• 7.92x33mm Kurz

Contemporary military rifle cartridges

• 7.62x54mmR
• 8mm Lebel
• .303 British
• .30-06 Springfield

• WOUND BALLISTICS, Medical Department United States Army in World War II
• C.I.P. CD-ROM edition 2003
• C.I.P. decisions, texts and tables (free current C.I.P. CD-ROM version download (ZIP and RAR format))^{[dead link]}

Wikimedia Commons has media related to 7.92 x 57 mm.

• The german Mauser K98k Info site
• The Mauser Shooting Association
• Munition 7,9x57 IS / 7,9x57
• Various images of 7,92 x 57 mm Mauser cartridges
• Technical drawings of German 8 x57 IS bullet types
• 7,92 Mauser WWII (Italian)
• 7,92x57 on GunsTribune
• RIFLE AND MACHINE-GUN AMMUNITION (7.92-MM) US Military Intelligence Service, Special Series No. 14, May 25, 1943
• The 8mm (7,92X57) Mauser Cartridge
• British produced 7.92mm BESA ammunition