There is little discussion about this cartridge but it seems to trump the 300 Win Mag especially with the heavier bullets and can pretty much do most of what the 338s will do and much of the 375.

Comments?? thinking of building one ... any advice appreciated.

A good cartridge that just isn't very popular. If I was making the choice I'd go with the .338 Win. Mag. If you don't reload, consider another caliber. If you do reload, get yourself a set of dies and a lifetime supply of brass and go have some fun.

I believe the 8mm RM is Craig Boddington's favorite in a bolt action and he has written fairly extensively about it as I recall. He has taken game all over the world with his "pet" custom 8mm RM. His stuff is worth the read.

Mike

It's another one of those cartridges, like the 260 Rem, that didn't catch on when introduced. But look what the 8mm Rem Mag has spawned...most of the Jarrett calibers, the 338 and 375 RUM, etc. The introduction of the 325 WSM increased interest in, and availability of, 8mm bullets, although there are a number available from European makers, where the 8mm is much more popular. Good caliber as it is...like my pet 8x68S.

I had one with a 26 inch Hart barrel on it and loved it. It is a fantastic caliber that just never succeeded. I just won't carry the weight of the 8mm Mag or .338 Win Mag any more and switched over to a nice little .338 Ruger Compact Magnum. Really neat little gun.

Remington downloaded the factory ammo; probably for recoil management in the 700. It's a handloader's dream for long range power and accuracy. Very close in performance to some 340 Weatherby factory loads.

Personally, it is a great design with proved performance. Unfortunately we have quite a few cartridges that compete and as of now have a bigger following.
In the hands of a proficient hunter and shooter and with the right bullet it is adequate to handle any game in North America and most of the plains game elsewhere. roger

quote:

it seems to trump the 300 Win Mag

and something always trumps what you have and then ....and then...

Sooner or later we ask.....just how much is enough.....how much recoil can I manage.....what distance can I shoot reliably.......

And for me the answer has always been that if you really need something bigger than a .30-06, you need a .375 H&H.....

Yes I have quite a few between these old work horses.....but the truth be known.....none of them are actually better.....

This sets out a lot of powerful and fine cartridges as just plain not needed.....

I owned one for a short period of time. A 700 that I bought used. I figured it would be the ultimate elk rifle. After I bought it, the gun shop guy said, "oh, it comes with a partial box of ammo". When he handed me a box with 4 rounds missing, I should have known I was in trouble.
I fooled with it for one summer and decided that I didn't dislike elk bad enough to be shooting that thing at them. It was accurate and it would certainly carry the mail but still......

I had one in the early 90's. I don't know if the wood to metal fit was off but it was absolutely the most miserable rifle I have ever shot. 20 rounds off the bench would literally leave a scab on my shoulder. The .338 I traded it for kicked a whole lot less than the 8mm. I couldn't wait to get rid of it.

I can remember when the 8mm Rem Mag debuted and the article about it in that year's Guns & Ammo annual.

Apparently at the Remington Seminar when the invited audience were asked if they had any questions, Elmer Keith stuck up a hand.

"Yes Elmer?"

"Just what the hell good is it?"

It seems that from a European viewpoint that there are better, in all practical results, 8mm cartridges such as 8x60S or 8x64S or even 8x68. All with the most excellent 196 grain bullet.

And in the US 8mm-06 is probably, in effectiveness in that calibre as useful. For, as others say 338 Win Mag trumps it.

I can't see the point of it. For bullets at the 200 grain weight then .300" calibre is better.For bullets at 250 grains weight then .338" calibre is better.

So what does that leave? A niche cartridge that shoots 227 grain 8mm bullets excellently?

Too narrow a role.

I have a custom Rem 700 with a 26" barrel weighing in at 8.5 pounds scoped & ready to hunt and I love it's versatility. I can get 180gn NBT's, 180gn TSX's, and 175gn Sierra Prohunters out at 3300fps with no pressure and the TSX and Sierra's shoot to exactly the same POI. I am also able to shoot 220gn Sierra gamekings at over 3000fps if needed, and also drop in 250gn Woodleighs for really tough critters.

For me the thing I like about the 8mm is I can shoot 150's as fast as most 300 mags for long shots on small deer, yet still shoot hard tough 220-250gn bullets as fast as the .338 Win mag if 4000 ft'lbs of energy is needed.

It can do pretty much anything any .300 or .338 can, just by changing bullets. A truely flexible calibre. I wonder if the big 8 never took off because it's an 8mm and not a .338?

quote:

I can't see the point of it. For bullets at the 200 grain weight then .300" calibre is better.For bullets at 250 grains weight then .338" calibre is better.

So what does that leave? A niche cartridge that shoots 227 grain 8mm bullets excellently?

A retired gunsmith and friend built one on an Enfield action (he has an awesome collection of Enfield actions) and he shoots 150 gn at 3450, 200 gn at 3150 and 250 gn at 2800.

I would guess popularity would be more the issue.