Patrone 88

Patrone 88
Five-round clip with 1888 pattern M/88 ammunition
Type	Rifle
Place of origin	German Empire
Service history
In service	1888–1918
Used by	German Empire
Wars	Boxer Rebellion World War I
Production history
Designer	German Rifle Testing Commission
Designed	1888
Produced	1888–present as 8×57mm I
Variants	8×57mm I and 8×57mm IR (rimmed)
Specifications
Case type	Rimless, bottleneck
Bullet diameter	8.09 mm (0.319 in)
Neck diameter	8.99 mm (0.354 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	4.03 cm3 (62.2 gr H2O)
Rifling twist	240 mm (1 in 9.45 in)
Primer type	Large rifle
Maximum pressure (C.I.P.)	380.00 MPa (55,114 psi)
Filling weight	2.75 g (42.4 gr)
Ballistic performance
Bullet mass/type Velocity Energy 14.6 g (225 gr) FMJ 620 m/s (2,000 ft/s) 2,806 J (2,070 ft⋅lbf)
Test barrel length: 740 mm (29.1 in)

The Patrone 88 (cartridge 88) or M/88 is a rimless bottlenecked rifle cartridge. It was a first-generation smokeless propellant cartridge designed by the German Gewehr-Prüfungskommission (G.P.K.) (Rifle Testing Commission) as the then new smokeless propellant introduced as Poudre B in the 1886 pattern 8×50mmR Lebel started a military rifle ammunition revolution.

The Patrone 88 cartridge was loaded with 2.75 g (42.4 gr) of single-base (based on nitrocellulose) smokeless powder. The cartridge was based on a Swiss design and was loaded with a 8.08 mm (0.318 in) diameter 14.6 g (225 gr) round-nose full metal jacket bullet that was cupronickel plated and reached a muzzle velocity of 620 m/s (2,034 ft/s). The bullet core consisted of 95% lead and 5% antimony. It served as parent cartridge of several 8×57mm rimless and rimmed rifle cartridges.