8x57 IS or JS

[Sandgroper]

Froggy,
From http://www.riflesintheuk.com/cartridges.htm

15) 8mm Mauser Also known as the 7.92x57mm or 8x57mm, both of which are suffixed with I or IS in Europe and J or JS in America. The 8mm Mauser was designed by the German Rifle Commission in 1888 for use in Model 1888 Commission Rifle, or Gewehr 98 (G98). The original 8mm Mauser round was a relatively low pressure cartridge and fired a round-nosed .318 projectile, this was the 7.92x57 I (I standing for infantry). This I was misinterpreted and became the 7.92x57J in America. The cartridge was soon improved to fire a .323" pointed bullet at far greater pressure and was known as the 7.92x57IS, the IS standing for 'Infanterie, Spitz' or 'Infantry, Pointed'. The improved cartridge was famously used in the Gewehr 98 and Karabiner 98k, the standard German infantry rifles of World War 2 as well as the fearsome MG34 and MG42 machine guns. Typically loaded with bullets weighing around 190 grains fired at velocities of 2,700 FPS giving 3,000 foot pounds energy.

HTH

[bnz41]

Yes both the same round just depends on who you talk to IS in Europe JS in the US, UK, the S stands for spitzer bullet dia of .323. Early Mausers ie Gew88 used the smaller bullet dia of .318.

[froggy]

Re-
Many thanks to all of you for the help & info

[R.G.C]

[quote="Sandgroper"]Froggy,
From http://www.riflesintheuk.com/cartridges.htm

[quote]15) 8mm Mauser Also known as the 7.92x57mm or 8x57mm, both of which are suffixed with I or IS in Europe and J or JS in America.

Sandroper,

I think there is something wrong in this statement

In ancient german, it was ''Jnfanterie Spitz Patrone'' therefore the "J' is the genuine one.

On the original pre-1944 label boxes it is "J'.

Now, 'I' or 'J' makes no dfference in pronunciation...

R.G.C

[Sandgroper]

R.G.C,
Your guess is better than mine! I was just passing on information I had found. I don't speak German so I don't know why there is a difference, but I'll take your word on it.

Looking back at the Wiki article and that one, I think the one you highlighted was just poorly worded.

Just grabbed COTW and this is what it says,

The original German 8mm military cartridge was designated by a "J" for "Infanterie." (The story is that the US miliary Intelligence officers who were tasked to discover the secret of the superior performance of the German cartridge captured classified German documents towards the end of World War I and then mistook the ornate German script "I" for a "J"; if true it is indeed ironic that worldwide, including Germany, the designation has been b****** to J.) The later, for the .323-inch diameter groove is indicated by an "S" for spitzer-type. Sporting ammunition in 8mm is labeled by the same system. The 8x57mmJ or 1888 cartridge can be fired safely in the 1905 or S-bore rifles, although accuracy is poor. However, it is not safe to fire the larger "S" (0.323-inch) bullet in the smaller "J" (0.318-inch) bore.

Copied verbatim from COTW 11th Ed

From the above it seems the "J" and the "I" still causes confusion! :lol: