Does anyone own one and what are your impressions and pet loads?

I just recently bought a M700 BDL and ready to do some load development.

Sorry no 8mm mag, but have owned and have right now a 8x68S. Really good with H4831, and Ramshot magnum. I have used 200 grain TSX, and 220 grain serria gamekings. I'm setting in the airport right now but will post some 8x68S loads soon.

I own one, same rifle in fact, and like it a lot. It's very accurate. I haven't shot it for a while and don't remember the load, but it used 200 gr. Game king's. The biggest problem I have with it, is finding a use for it. Eland, Elk, Brown bear, would be about right. It's not legal for dangerous game and over kill for everything smaller. It's would be a devastating round if it had a broader bullet selection. It would be a great long range Elk rifle......Tom

quote:

Originally posted by IanD:
Does anyone own one and what are your impressions and pet loads?

I just recently bought a M700 BDL and ready to do some load development.

I sold mine as I didn't need a long range hammer. Factory loads are anemic. Grab some Rel-22 and Rel-25 and with 24" barrel you'll be on the cusp of 3000fps with 220gr loads. A 26" barrel will clear it.

This is a real sleeper cartridge ...
Cheers...
Con

I had two Classic M70s in 7mm STW, one with an ugly muzzle brake. The one with the muzzle break now sports a new barrel (no brake) chambered in 8mm Rem Mag. I am just now working up loads for it and so far it looks like H4831sc with 200gr partitions or 200 gr TSXs are going to work out as my favorite loads. I still need more time at the range to refine the loads.

I had one...a Rem Custom Shop KS. It shot 1/2" groups with factory 185gr Coreloks. Don't know why i sold it...must have had the bug for something else, as usual.

Hi!

I'm totally in love with 8mm's
Got a 8mm-06, a 8x68S(which duplicates the 8mm rem) and at the moment I'm considering a Merkel 961L drilling with the 2 top barrels in 8x57IRS.

Wonderful effective on game like moose here in Norway.
My pet load for the -68 is driwing the 220gr Woodleigh at 2830 f/s. Knocks the biggest moose over real fast!

M

IanD I have had an 8mm rem since the early 1980's. The factory loads all suck. The 200 gr TSX or 200 gr Partion are both very good on elk & moose sized animals. Imr 4831 is quite good with the 200 gr bullets. start at 74 or 75 grs an work up to max. My rifle will handle a max load of 80 grs.In the field it gives up very little to the 340 wby. If you want more bullet weight consider the Swift A-frames. I would suggest you try RL22 with the 220 gr bullets. Hope that helps.

Thanks for the replies. I have RL22 and RL25, and some 200gr Accubonds and Swift A-frames. I also have a .340Wby, but have always had a interest in the big 8. BTW, would a Burris FF II hold up to the recoil? I have one that I've been thinking of mounting on the 8mm. It is a 3-9x40.

The guy I sold mine to is a friend. He also shoots a 340Wby and the two are virtually the same. Recoil is not harsh by any stretch of the imagination to anyone that shoots a 300magnum of any persuasion. I don't know why the 8mmRemMag got the reputation of being like a 300WinMag when case capacity clearly places it in the league of the 300Wby and 340Wby. Likewise the 325WSM and 8x68S ... many claim they're the equal of the bigger Remington ... but I've yet to see either clear 3000fps with 220gr. There are enough projectiles for it to not be a concern anymore ... and many at 200gr weight and over are very good pills built strong enough to be usable in the 8mm magnum. Its very much a sleeper cartridge and those that have them tend to keep hold of them.
Cheers...
Con

Picked up some 220gr A-Frames. Will try some RL25 and see how it goes. Stay tuned for range report

I have a Sauer 90 in 8x68S and I have setled on the Barnes 200gr triple shocks for this gun. I don't have my load data at hand however I do recall that the powder I settled on was 4831SC.

I have used one for elk for years. I use 220 grain Hornadys pushed with RL-25 and am able to get 3004 fps. The problem is Hornady discontinued the 220 bullet. You could try the 220 Sierra or Swift.

8mmwapiti

I have one. A Remington 700 action with a 26 inch Hart barrel. It loves 220 grain Swifts. I think the 8 mag is one of those perfect cartridges. Shoot as flat as a .300 but hits like a .338.

quote:

Originally posted by Dave Bush:
I have one. A Remington 700 action with a 26 inch Hart barrel. It loves 220 grain Swifts. I think the 8 mag is one of those perfect cartridges. Shoot as flat as a .300 but hits like a .338.

Dave : What powder and charge weight are you using with the 220gr Swifts?

Ian:

I used both Reloder 22 and 25. Here are some of my notes from back when I was loading this cartridge. My gun is a custom gun and it had a tight chamber. What I found was that max book loads in my gun were indeed max:


"The load that I finally settled on was a Remington case, Remington 91/2 mag. primer, 78 grs. of Reloder 22 and 220 gr. Hornady or 220 gr. Swift.

10/22/05: 50 degrees. I reduced the charge of Reloder 25 with a 220 gr. Hornady spire point in a Remington case with a Federal 215 magnum primer to 83 grains and was running right around 2977 fps. I tried 83.5 grains and 84 grains too. At 84 grains, on the third shot, I was starting to show a bright spot on the head of the case. For a hunting load, 83 grains should be the max!!!"

My Hodgdon Manual (N0. 26) shows a max charge of 77 grain of Reloder 22 with a 220 grain bullet for 2888 fps at 51,000 CUP. Standard caveat. Start low and work up.

I've worked with a friend's factory Rem 700 BDL. The loads I put together for it use 200 grain Partitions propelled by H4831 to 3030 fps from the 24" barrel. Unfortunately, he hasn't had occassion to take anything other than a scrawny whitetail with it. Should make a Cracker Jack elk and African Plains game load.

Dave,

Thanks for the info. I will start low and work up. Will post my results.

Ian

I have an 8mm Rem Mag I built on a Ruger No.1 with a Shilen blank.

I love the cartridge, but dislike the lack of variety in projectiles and load data.

I have used N560 with 220gr Hornadys and Barnes Xs, when they were available.

Currently I am loading 180gr NBTs over IMR 4350.

I am looking planning on trying the 200gr SMKs soon.

Bump to add pictures.

My 8 Rem Mag is a 26" bbl'ed 700. Tops 3000 fps with 220 gr Hornady's and RL 25. I like it better then my 340 Wby, great elk hammer. - dan

Dan,

Do you find the 220 Hornady holds together on game at that speed?

Here's mine btw...

So far it's worked on moose, elk and deer at long range, I haven't shot anything close, where I would expect more bullet failure. The 220 gr Sierra is more fragile, but there again, no close up shots so far. Barnes used to make a thick jacket 220, not sure if they still do. I have also loaded some 250 gr Woodleighs for it, but not as accurate as I would like. Still a work in progress I guess. I have some Accubonds and X bullets to try when I find the time, we'll see how they do. - dan

My Remington 700 is a custom made gun, hevay barrel 21 mm. Ken Farell picatinny rail, Leupold qrw rings, and a Leupold VX-L 4,5-14*56. Illum. German #4 dot.
Recoil pad is from Limbsaver. The stok is made at Kolvkam.se in Sweden
Barnes tsx 200 grains, 76 grains rl 22 powder shot 1 inch. 77 grains not well, and 78 grains it was starting to show a bright spot on the buttom of the case.
Want to use som norma mrp-2 powder, for my next test loads.
But the gun and caliber, is one of the greates in the world.
Best regards from Denmark

a hunting buddy of mine had one, same make/model as the op mentioned.

he bought it just for whitetails as he wanted a "hooves in the air" rifle that would (in his mind) drop every deer he shot immediately.

he sold it after one season due to recoil.

for elk, i'd say it would be fantistic.

Have you tried Swift A-Frames?

I've been loading 200 gn Nosler Accubonds in a friends 325 WSM. I think they would be dandy in an 8mm Rem Mag.