I need a premium bullet. Does anybody have any real experiance shooting elk with a 8 mm . What bullet did you use and how well did you like it?

I am considering the Barnes 200 grain TSX BT , 200 grain Accubond and the 200 grain Nosler Partition. What do you suggest?

I have used the 180 grs Barnes XFB at Norwegian deer with utter satisfaction. Any of the bullets you listed should be great, although the Nosler P will damage a bit more meat.

I know you asked for replys from those who have had real experience with elk and the 8mm, but I can't resist. Sorry. My experience with elk was with a 30-06. Close, but not exact. I used Remington factory corloks, one shot, elk down.

However, I'm planning on having Mike McCabe make me a rifle in 8x60S on a CZ 550 action, just because it's interesting, and I can hardly wait to use it, so I'm interested in what others have to say as well.

My first impression is that any of the three you named will be fine, whichever is the most accurate in your rifle. I shot some of the accubonds in 9.3mm and wow - the accuracy was really evident. From the other info Ive read, they would probably be my first choice. I know a guy who made a one-shot kill on a brown bear using the 260 gr AB in .375.

I know lots of guys really like the partitions, and I like them too, as they have always been accurate for me, but my intuition says that the striking vel should be 2300 - 2400 max, or it will shed the front end. Since that's about all you can get out of the 8x60, they should retain at least part of the section in front of the partition. I lost the faith on partitions many years ago when I shot a moose with a 338 using 210 gr partitions. Sure it killed the moose, with three shots and much angst, watching the moose die slowly. All three shots were up close, and into vital spots, and all three disintegrated completley. Granted they penetrated enough, but the blood shot area was awful - actually cone shaped - with fragments throughout. Huge areas of meat had to be thrown away. I tried to find a bullet, but all I could find was small pieces. The next moose I shot was with a 458 WM using trophy bonded 400 gr bullets. One shot - moose down. Complete pass-through. Very little meat lost. That was back when I think the bullets were called bear claw, and made in Texas. I remember that they cost me $2 each bullet, and I bought two boxes. I was very impressed with them, and so was the moose.

I know there's a bunch of argument and opinion about the barnes, and I talked to a guy last night at the resturant who figured the barnes x he shot a sitka deer with didn't open, and that's why it ran so far before crashing. Little exit hole. I like speed when using the barnes.

That's why I would pick the accubond, so at least I have my reasons, and I've given you the short story. I figure the AB will open, and will not lose the front half, even with shots under 100 yards. The other two -- humm?

On the other hand, I would pick the Swift A-frame in 200gr, just to be sure. After all the trouble to go after elk, and not many opportunities really come along, and guy ought to use the sure thing regarding the bullet, and as Forest Gump said - that's one less thing to worry about.

KB

I have used 200 gr bullets in an old 8mm-06 with great sucess on moose and black bear. The 200gr Speer spitzer is very good.The 200 gr Partition is also very good but if you don't care for Partitions give the Speer try. I would also suggest the new 195 gr Hornady bullet would be worth trying. Hope that helps

Those 3 bullets are probably the highest suggested bullets for elk hunting in ANY suitable caliber. Use what your rifle shoots best and go hunting!

I would have to suggest the 180 grs TSX. That bullet shoots great in my rifle (8x64S), the slightly lower weight gives you a bit of a velocity boost, and TSX penetrate really well.

The Nosler 200 grs AccuBond or Partitions would be my second choice. I could never get the 200 grs Speers to shoot in my rifle.

- mike

I use in this days 227grs semi spitzers from the belgian custom bullet-maker Wim Degol in the 8x60S (and a good portion of N550 or R19).

I have shot an Eland and two mountain zebra, while my wife shot a Gemsbok and a Kudu with an 8x57 using the 200 gr. TSX going 2,650 fps. All of these animals are comparable to the Elk in size or toughness. The TSX is very impressive on this size game. Ranges were between 65 and 300 yards.

Originally posted by Kabluewy:

quote:

I know lots of guys really like the partitions, and I like them too, as they have always been accurate for me, but my intuition says that the striking vel should be 2300 - 2400 max, or it will shed the front end.

Shedding the front end is what its designed to do. Providing lead shrapnel and bleeding.

quote:

That's why I would pick the Accubond, so at least I have my reasons, and I've given you the short story. I figure the AB will open, and will not lose the front half, even with shots under 100 yards. The other two -- humm?

The Accubond will shed the front half like the Partition. It has a thin jacket in front which gets thick at back. At extreme velocity and close range, the Partition is better for ensuring weight retention.

quote:

On the other hand, I would pick the Swift A-frame in 200gr, just to be sure.

A-Frame has poor long range velocity retention. Rapidly lost velocity.

That was my problem with the partition, close range - high velocity = complete disintigration and excessive blood shot meat. I have trouble with a bullet designed to lose 40-50% of its mass.

A-frames don't lose the front end at close range. I can't say much about the bloodshot meat with A-frames, I dunno. Maybe high vel close range = bloodshot whatever you shoot. Frankly, I don't care what it does beyond 250 yards.

KB

Originally posted by Kabluewy:

quote:

That was my problem with the partition, close range - high velocity = complete disintigration and excessive blood shot meat. I have trouble with a bullet designed to lose 40-50% of its mass.

The Accubond would have been worse for you.

quote:

Frankly, I don't care what it does beyond 250 yards.

What if you see a moose or elk at 400 and can't get closer? 250 is not very far.

quote:

Originally posted by Kabluewy:
That was my problem with the partition, close range - high velocity = complete disintigration and excessive blood shot meat. I have trouble with a bullet designed to lose 40-50% of its mass.
KB

Hmmmm . . . could it be that the results you are observing with the Partition are examples of trauma to the tissue, trauma being what actually kills the organism? Could it be that the Partitions are performing exactly as designed, with the foreportion expanding rapidly to inflict maximum tissue damage and the rear portion assuring penetration? I'm always puzzled by those who complain about their bullet causing trauma. That's what it's supposed to do. If you want to reduced wild game to possession without trauma, then catch it in a trap and chloroform it. Or shoot it with an FMJ and track it for a half mile. Most people consider a fast-acting bullet like the Partition to be more humane and are unconcerned about either being queazy looking at bullet trauma or by the loss of a pound or two of meat to the action of the bullet.

Maxbear: In answer to your question, I've loaded the 200 gr Partition in an 8mm Rem Mag and gotten good accuracy. It's only been used on deer (for which it is certainly unnecessary), but I'm confident it would make an excellent bullet for elk in your 8x60S. So would the Accubond. The TSX, maybe sometimes yes, maybe sometimes no.

The bullet on the left was recovered from the Kudu shot at 65 yards. The bullet broke the shoulder and spine. The bullet on the right was recovered under the offside hide on the Eland. Distance was 180 yards and went thru the ribs. I did not recover any other bullets. I shot both mountain zebra at around 300 yards thru the ribs. The Eland only went about 75 yards before piling up.

Here's the full report if you care to wade thru it.

https://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/6321043/m/527102178

quote:

Hmmmm . . Could it be that the Partitions are performing exactly as designed, with the foreportion expanding rapidly to inflict maximum tissue damage and the rear portion assuring penetration? I'm always puzzled by those who complain about their bullet causing trauma. That's what it's supposed to do. Most people consider a fast-acting bullet like the Partition to be more humane and are unconcerned about either being queazy looking at bullet trauma or by the loss of a pound or two of meat to the action of the bullet.

If the bullet had performed as the true believers describe, then I wouldn't be "complaining", to use your word. My word is "reporting" what happened. If I had been able to find the magical rear half "penetrator" (SD about .150) on any one of the three bullets, I would have been pleased that the bullet performed as the "true believers" have described, and probably never have reached the conclusions I did. But all I could find in that mass of bloodshot shoulder meat, and neck meat was shrapnel.

Anyway, I've been in this argument before. Someday, perhaps today, I'll get it that there is no choice of words I can use that will close the gap.

That's why we have choices in the bullets we use.
Regards,
KB

Thinking about it, I remeber about three years ago I was rooting around in my boxes of reloading stuff, and found the remains of the box of 210 gr Nosler P. 338 bullets. As I remember 17 bullets. So, I loaded up some and went to the range - right on. Then I loaded the rest of them and went hunting - Sitka deer. I was planning on using them for head shots, since most of the shots aare close. I got one deer with those loads, and probably still have a few of them somewhere. Anyway, that deer was the longest shot I've ever made, I'm estimating 250 - maybe 300 yards. Plenty of time to recover from the recoil, and watch the hit through the scope - and hear the impact. Whop, deer down immediately. That was most satisfactory, and apparantly the bullet performed as it was "susposed to". Complete penetration, not much meat damage, and deer DRT. My buddy with me was impressed, and perhaps I got lucky. The shot was just too long to risk a head shot, so it was a broad side chest shot.

But again, that was some distance. Sure it started out probably pushing 2850 maybe 2900 fps, and I could only guess at its speed on impact, but certainly much slower.

I forgot about this experience when I was writing before, but still it seems to sustain the conclusions I reached, which is the Nosler PTs work real well at 2300-2400 or slower impact speeds.

KB

After using the 160 gr. GS Customs bullet in a 8x57 I tell you that bullet is a killer of game at any velocity...

The 200 gr. Nosler class of bullet is always a good route with any caliber from 30-06 up...It kills well on elk and deer in the 8x57 from what I have seen..

Thanks for all the replies fellas. Helps alot.
I have not killed any game with the Accubond, so I think I'll try it.

Of all the load books that I have , none of them have any load data on this cartridge.

Can anyone help ? What would be a good powder and charge weight for the 200 grain Nosler Accubond? I would like to keep the velocity as high as possible while still being safe. I made a phone call to Nosler for load data, and they couldn't help.

Thanks

Use 8x57 data, say Hodgdon, and work up from there. Powder selection will probably start with H4895, or IMR4895, or 4064, but I would try to find a good starting load for RL 15, and see the load density - compressed or not. I suspect that RL 15 is the powder to go to.

H4895 is probably the powder that will give you a satisfactory load, with little development time, and it's forgiving if you start low and work up. Hodgdon lists it for their reduced recoil - youth loads starting at 60% max.

I developed a load for a wildcat that is very close to the 358 Norma, only in 9.3mm, and I started with 358 Norma data, and worked up. It was easier than I expected it to be. The same should be the situation with you 8x60S, using 8x57 data as starting loads. I started with H4895 because I needed safety assurance, and becoming comfortable with what the rifle and cartridge would do, using a cronograph, I got braver and went to RL 15, using a starting load from Nosler for 358 Norma, which gave very satisfactory results. The key is the load density. In my experience the right powder will be right up to or into the base of the neck, slightly compressed when the bullet is seated, and produce the speed the cartridge is capable of without any signs of excessive pressure.

One more thing, I think someone compared the 8x60S to the 8mm Rem Mag. Well, I think one should not expect that kind of speed from the 8X60S, just to keep your expectations within reality. Your gonna get about all that can be attained out of H4895 plus or minus 100fps, anything else will be just tweeking for the best accuracy.

http://www.nosler.com/index.php?p=15&b=8mm&s=190 I see that Nosler data favors 4064 or Varget

http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp I see that Hodgdon favors H4895 or Varget

http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloaders/Index.htm The 8x57 load shown for RL 15 is (probably) very low pressure. Once your in the data base, scroll all the way to the bottom to see 8x57 data.

Keep us posted on your results.

KB