does anyone have a decent load for this caliber in Barnes TSX 200gr, my rifle twist is 1 in 11"???

mine shoots 220 grainers all day long but the choice of bullets is rather limiting. 220gr gamekings work well on up to medium sized game but is a bit "soft"( especially at 2880 ft/sec), A frames worked OK as well but lack the accuracy compared to the gamekings! 200gr TSX would be perfect if i can only get it to group!

Forget the GameKing for the german Magnum - try the belgium Degol-bullets, there are some special bullets for the 8x68S! Or the new Woodleigh PP 220grs!
Mail-adress dor the degol-bullets: wim.degol@telenet.be

Coenrad,

I've ever only shot the 8x68S with factory ammo, so I can't give you a load, BUT if you have been shooting gilding metal jacketed bullets in the rifle, their fouling can affect the Barnes bullet. You have to really clean that gilding metal out of your bore........and then try the Barnes again.......also try seating them deeper than normal.

i have cleaned the barrel thoroughly prior to every shoot, one day in will have 1/2 inch grouping and the next, that same load combination will open up to 2-3 inches with no reason, i had the rifle's action re bedded, crown re cut, everything!!! eventualy i settled on sierra's 220 grainers, shoots all day sub minute of angle. i have started experimenting with swift A frame, am not there yet with the swifts. the factory ammo is all a bit soft to my liking, except maybe the CDP bullets from blaser, but is not loaded to the full potential of this caliber! i tried to get information on the Degol bullets, but not much available??

cheers

Norma is bringing out a load on her TXP-line with the 200grs Swift for the 8x68S!

thanks, I will keep an eye out for them

see my reply below, do you have any information on the Degol bullets???

quote:

Originally posted by Monastery-Forester:
Norma is bringing out a load on her TXP-line with the 200grs Swift for the 8x68S!

You might be in luck with those Coenrad! You have done everthing possible to get the Barnes to shoot.

quote:

Originally posted by Monastery-Forester:
Norma is bringing out a load on her TXP-line with the 200grs Swift for the 8x68S!

Yes and RWS offers factory ammo with the Evolution bullet which should be compareable to the degols.

The CDP works fine in 8x68S!!!

Coenrad What powders do you have availible to you? I have used IMR 4831 and RL 19 with 200 gr Speer and 200 gr Nosler bullets.

i unfortunately only have South African powders available to me and N560, i can maybe get my hands on Rel 19, what laods do you use and at what speed???? do you use the accubond bullte or the partition from nosler??? also what was the accuracy like?

quote:

Originally posted by snowman:
Coenrad What powders do you have availible to you? I have used IMR 4831 and RL 19 with 200 gr Speer and 200 gr Nosler bullets.

Congrats to a fine choice of caliber! I love my 8x68, it shoots pretty much any bullet accurately with the right load. When I hunted SA two years ago I used the 8x68 and I had one load for long range and another for bosveld work. The Sako Hammerhead 220gr grouped nicely as did the 187gr Brenneke H-mantel, the Rem 185gr Core Lokt also groups well and is affordable. I noticed that this caliber likes a bit of pressure, factory RWS 187 gr have a Vo of 970 m/s! I´ve never been able to duplicate that speed as I´m restricted to using Vihtavuori powders and I think RWS uses Normas MRP for their factory ammo.

Coenrad I was using RWS cases. CCI250 primers and 200 gr Nosler partions or 200 gr Speer Spitzers. My 8x68 rifle is a Brno 602 which has a very long magazine and quite a long throat and I was seating the bullets out as far as possible in that long magazine. Max load with IMR 4831 and RL19 was 72 grs with both powders. I suspect that may be too hot in some rifles with shorter throats. I would suggest you start at 66 or 67 grs and work up carefully.I don't have my chronograph records with me but I believe both powders gave velocities of 2900 fps from the 25 1/2 inch (650 mm) barrel on the Brno.I hope that helps.

Coenrad,
your 8 x 68s twist rate of 1:11" is right on spec!

A friend of mine uses GS Custom HV's 160gr monometal with great success and superb accuracy in his 8 x 68s.

His rifle gives excellent hunting results with this premium grade bullet.

Check your PM

Jagter: Do you know what velocities your friend gets with the 160´s?

200grn Swift A Frames from the 8x68S sounds great.

cewe, according to his chrono readings he loaded it up to 3075fps with which he was quite happy.

GSC quotes a max velocity of 3250fps on the 160gr GSCHV.

Jagter: That is quite a velocity. What kind of damage does the bullet do to meat? My experience with the RWS TUG and Sako Hammerhead has been quite a moderate meat damage -which is a bit suprising when you think about it.

cewe,

It sounds like a very high velocity when compared to the conventional lead/copper jacketed bullet velocities.

However, one must bear in mind that GSCHV's are pure copper bullets with a hollow point to allow controlled mushrooming. Once thick bone is encountered the bullet will throw off the mushroom petals and continue to penetrate in a straight line and then as a flat nose bullet utilizing shoulder stabilization.

Meat damage with the use of GSCHV's are absolute the minimum due to the fact that these bullets do not shatter to pieces at any stage of the penetration process or at impact.

I shoot 130gr GSCHV in my 7mm Rem Mag at 3400fps and I have shot Impala, Blesbuck, Kudu, Gemsbok and Bluewildebeest with absolutely the minimum meat damage.
At these velocities your trajectory is very flat and wind has a much smaller effect on your bullet.

Before I switched over to GSCHV my 7mm Rem Mag wasted kilograms of meat with ordinary lead/copper jacketed bullets - in fact I hated the rifle just for that.
Now it is my favorite rifle!

Make no mistake, it is not a magic bullet, shot placement is still of the utmost importance as it is with any other type of bullet.
But your chances to be successful are that much better due to the ability you gain to place your shots more accurately on the targeted animal.

Sounds like an interesting bullet. Do you happen to know anything about availability in Europe?

See the current dealer network. Gina is talking with dealers in Germany and Holland and they should follow soon. Norway / Sweden, anyone?

Norway and Sweden are provisionally taken.

Could the Scandinavian dealer please contact me when I can place an order.

Cheers!

quote:

Originally posted by Gerard:
Norway and Sweden are provisionally taken.

who?

cewe,
He is not on the Forum. PM or email me your email address and Gina will pass it on to him.

Steffen-9.3,
As soon as we have details finalised we will add them to the list of dealers. If you would like an email when it happens, send us you email address and we will do so.