All,
Hello again. Was curious about the 8 mm Rem Mag. Just bought a barrel for one via auction and was curious if I should even consider anyhting other than an 8mm Rem Mag? Was wondering what other options there are out there as well as if there was an Ackley version that gives something more. I am open to most anything and have a goos bit of reloading expierence in the 25 and 30 catergories. This would be my fist over 30 with something with a bit of bite. Would love some help in deciding what to do with this barrel.

Cheers,
Jason

I've always been intrigued by the 8mm. Exactly midway between .308 and .338. The Remington 8mm Magnum never did achieve much popularity. The 300 WinMag can fire bullets of equal sectional density faster, and the .338 WinMag can handle heavier bullets and still not give up that much. It's a shame they didn't wait until the advent of the RUM before chambering for 8mm in a magnum.

What can you do with this barrel? It depends on just how much you want to spend on this toy? You can have a reamer made for an 8mm RUM. If your action is a standard length (30-06 length) action rather than the magnum length action, you can cut RUM brass back .3" and have a reamer cut for those specs. It would have more case capacity than a 338 WinMag or a 330 Dakota, but could fire bullets with the same sectional density at a faster clip.

I've been thinking about this very thing lately. If I already had an 8mm barrel in hand, I'm afraid I would have already made the plunge.

Why did�nt you take the fantastic 8x68S without belt and allready "improved"?
http://home.snafu.de/l.moeller/8x68S.html

The 8mm Rem. Mag can't be improved much. It is already at the point where very little additional powder capacity can be obtained by regular "improvement" methods, AND, it is also just about max case capacity for a .323" bore.

The 8mm Rem was handicapped with some rather anemic factory loads. The comparisons that are often made between 8mm factory loads and handloaded 300 mag loads are NOT a very fair comparison. To be realistic you have to look at some of the good hanloads in the big 8. A 26 in barrel is a good idea in the 8mm Rem. Take a look in the Favorite Loads and you will find several posts by 8mm owners who are getting 3050 to 3100 fps with 220 gr bullets with some of the new powders. RL 25 seems to be one of the better powders. You won't find many 300 Winny's getting ballistics like that.The 8mm Rem fits in a small niche between the 300's & 338's.At its best with 200 or 220 gr bullets it is more rifle than is required for deer.For truely dangerous game bullets of at least 250 grs are desireable and many prefer 270 to 300 grs. What does that leave? As a long range elk & moose rifle the 8mm Rem with good handloads is one of the best.It gives up very little to the 340 Wby and that is no slight. There are larger cartridges (Rum cases. 338 Lapua.338-378 Wby,Lazzaroni calibres)That have more impressive ballistics but they also come with a lot more recoil. Very few shooters can handle that extra recoil to actually extend the effective range in most hunting situations.I suspect many who speak negatively of the 8mm Rem have never shot one let alone done any serious loading and shooting with one.

I have one 8 REM ( rem barrel on SAko action ) I agrre that factory Rem load is poor in performance with strong bullet as Nosler 8 REM is a very nice powerfull cartridge ( no nee to improved any thing on ) that equal easy the 8x68 S with a betteraccuracy at long range because 8 REM have not the very DEEEEEEEEEEEP CIP throat of the 8x68 S .

only little problem is the cases availbility and case quality REM Is not the best of the best

enjoy 8 REM MAG but only handload

good shooting

DAN TEC

My 8mm RM is a Rem 700 with a 26" barrel. I can get 3050-3100 fps with 220 gr Hornadies with no problems. It has more case capacity then the 8 X 68S, and at equal pressures will outpace it. It is probably one of the best elk calibers ever invented. - Dan

If I had an 8mm Rem. Mag. barrel, I'd use it as-is. It's a great cartridge without any modification. Generally, "improved" cartridges are one step forward and two back, so don't waste your time with that sort of thing........

AD

Safarischorsch,

"Why did�nt you take the fantastic 8x68S without belt and already improved?"

The 8x68 looks good on paper, but like the teacher said, "Now all together, class: Berdan primers!"

8X68S=bastard size case,Berdan primer,case capacity 86.54grs. water,snob appeal

8MM Rem. Mag.=standard case size,Boxer primer,
case capacity 98.53grs. waier,affordable

The 8MM rem.Mag.has less bolt thurst and less
brass flow due to its straighter case and steeper shoulder angle.The 8MM Rem.Mag.can be loaded to higher velocities due to its greater capacity.

AMERICAN MADE

Never known anyone to have had feeding problems due to the belt

yukon delta,
Yes, I was talking about bore size.

8 X 68S cases are available with boxer primer pockets, but like almost all European stuff, It's a little difficult to get over here. It is a good cartridge (I'm putting one together right now), but it won't do anything that the 8mm RM won't do better, except feed. - Dan

I have the 8mm Rem in a 700BDL and a 8x68 in one of the few Brno 602's they made. I,ve tested both with 175 Sierra's 185 Rem,200 gr Speers,Noslers &Barnes X's and 220 gr Hornadys and Sierra's.The 8mm rem will add an honest 100 fps to anything the 8x68 can produce. Not that anyone has to be ashamed of carrying an 8x68. 200 gr bullets at 3000 fps is still a pretty good choice for any large game. As for brass and Berdan primers?? RWS is the only 8x68 brass I use and it has been boxer primed for at least the last 20 yrs. You can also form cases from 300H&H or 300 Win. And Dan is correct they feed so smooth.

Not to turn this thread in a slightly different direction, but can anyone share a good load for the "standard" 8mm Rem Mag? I recently picked one up, and have not fired the thing yet. Got dies, brass, etc, still deciding on a good bullet, then a load for it. Thanks!

Cold Bore, there are several sources that give 2000 fps for a 200 gr (think Partitions). I have seen data that shows 2000 fps for 220's more than once. I don't quote data specifics but they are easily found. The Speer manual has the 200 gr. load in it.

didn't know there were that many 8mm RM shooters out there. At one time, I thought it would be the "end all" elk rifle. Too brutal for me -I refuse to shoot a rifle with a brake on it. Kinda like braggin' about your bad assed .357 (that's loaded with 38s) I don't think the cartridge could be improved very much. But, good luck. If you can shoot it enough to get good with it, its a sudden killer.

I think that the 8MM Remington Magnum is a great nitche gun for Elk. Never hyped by Remington like some of their other guns. I came out with very few bullets. Noteably the 185 Gr Corelokt was about all that worked well in it. The other 8MM bullets available would not hold up to the velocity and Remington did nothing to deal with that. The gun went out of regular product in 1987 and is still available from thier Customshop. Now many more good bullets are availabe.
Nosler 200 Gr Partition BC .426
Hornady 195 Gr
Speer 200 Gr. BC .411
Swift A-Fram 200 GR BC .357
Swift A-Fram 220 Gr BC .393
Woodleigh 196 Gr. Soft Nose BC .370
Woodleigh 220 Gr. Soft Nose BC .370
Woodleigh 250 Gr. Soft Nose BC .389
Lastly the Sierra the bullet I use 220 Gr. GameKing BC .521
I use this bullet with 84.0 Gr. of RL-25 the velociy is 3056 fps out of the standard 24" barrel. This load will loose out to the Weatherby 300 with 200 Gr GameKing out of my Remington Classic which clocks 3016 fps at 500 yards by a half an inch but still retains about 200 more foot pounds of energy at that distance. I think it's pretty creditable for a "has been".

[ 02-13-2003, 19:22: Message edited by: Oleman ]

Cold Bore try 81 gr of H4831SC with 220 gr Hornadies. this gives me 3010 fps in my 8 Mag. Work up, etc, etc. - Dan

just enjoyed everyones post. ive got one sitting in the safe that i bought because it was a good deal. i think ill get it out and mess with a load. i just wish trophy bonded bear claws were available, im really sold on them. jeff

improved 8rem mag?

yupyup...

open it to .416....

jeffe

I actually considered turning my custom shop lightweight 8mm mag into a switch barrel 416. Then I realized how stupid the idea was...an 8 lb 416??? The 8 lb 8mm with no ports is plenty of medicine for my shoulder. It's not a big recoil but it's very fast with 220's...kind of like a karate chop to the shoulder.

You are right snowman, the 8x68S alwas! has been boxer primed!
My Nosler Part.200gr with Norma MRP go out with 3110fps. Ruag CDP 196gr 3140fps.
Woodleigh SP 220gr 2980fps. Brass floating? Not realy.

Both are great rounds and outperform the 300 magnums.

snowman., I have ALWAYS been convinced that the 220 grain should be able to reach 3100 out of the 8mm Rem. Mag.!!

Thanks for the loads guys!

I love the smell of the 8mm rem in the morning. No matter what, mine is a factory gun, nothing else. I can find loads that get under .5 at 100 yards with handloads. So what, remington may not make the best brass, may not make the best rifles, but this one does shoot. And honestly, half inch groups are more than expected. It takes some zen concentration to acheive this. I can hit a 2 foot steel plate at 300 yards every time I feel the need to ring it. Talking fps? How about the lighter end bullets, how about the ballistic tips 180's average speed 3250? Move aside 300 rum.. the old boys have ya beat. There is a marked difference between shooting the 180's and 220's in the 8mm rem mag.
Oh yeah, did someone mention the woodleighs in 250 grains?
It would be neat to see how fast you could get these woodleighs to launch out of the 8mm rem mag.