Having hunted whitetail and elk only with cast bullets, it's time to try jacketed bulleted ammunition. Cast truncated flat nose solids in .45-caliber require no special weight retention or expansion nuances. Within range they work uneventfully.
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Affordable 8x57 mm jacketed bullets available are limited to two specific bullet [types??], same weight, same point shape.

- Speer Hot-Cor Spitzer soft point 200 grain

- Hornady Interlock Spire Point 195 grain

In your experience is either demonstrably superior in terms of retained bullet weight? While I anticipate this makes zero difference for whitetail, elk may be a different bag of cats.

Naphtali,

I've used both bullets some. I think at 8x57 velocities they should work well on deer and elk.

Mark

Both well work just fine.

I agree:
Both will work well at that velocity.

Zeke

WOW I have not seen a post on the old 8X57 in a long time. My son has used a 8x57 for years with great success. The load I built for him years ago was with a 175 Sierra bullet and it has killed deer, antelope and elk and worked beautifully every time. So good that in 25 years I have never had a reason to try anything else. It just one of those gun/load combination that just works every time so why try anything else.

I have a beautiful JP Sauer 8x57JS and have had great luck with the old Rem corelokts, Nosler partition and 160 gr TSX. Ive used the 175 gr Sierra on deer a few times and as you say its a good bullet..I also have the exact same rifle in 30-06 amd its a favorite of mine also.

8x57's in sporterized Mausers was very popular in Montana in the 70s for elk.

quote:

e had great luck with the old Rem corelokts

The 185gr corelokts is all I shoot in mine.

With the 8mm Rem Mag being the same diameter, I was surprised that there were only 2 bullets available.

But I checked Midway & you are spot on.

I've had good results with Spire Points, but not in 8mm & not on elk (sorry!). Were I in your spot, I'd buy a box of each in case my rifle really shot better with one.

I've also had good customer service by calling up both Hornady and Speer. There is likely a guy at one or the other that has shot some elk with the bullet in question... Probably a really good use of 30 min.

Good luck!!

quote:

Originally posted by Naphtali:

Affordable 8x57 mm jacketed bullets available are limited to two specific bullet [types??], same weight, same point shape.

- Speer Hot-Cor Spitzer soft point 200 grain

- Hornady Interlock Spire Point 195 grain

You might also consider the ppu 196 grain sp . But any of them should get the job done. Its not so much about the construction with these as the SD, velocity and placement.

While these will definatly do for deer I would want something tougher for elk. In my 8x68S I use either 200 gr Swift A frame it a Barnes TSX. Both are out of stock at Mudway right now but likely available on Gunbroker I’d you look around.

I want that elk down and no tracking so hence my preference for premium bullets.

Ive most always used premium bullets on elk since about the 1960s, its good insurance...I am satisfied with Noslers partition and Accubonds on both deer and elk, and in like weights, based on actual use for a number of years in the USA and also on African plainsgame and dangerous game.Lots of good bullets out there, no need for cup and core other than most work on deer size animals well enough..but most any of the bullets work on deer.

I would normally agree with you 100% on premium bullets for elk, however, with that said my son has killed numerous deer, antelope and elk with Sierra 175 grain bullets and they have performed perfectly every time. Literally the classic mushroom of about 2X diameter and never lost a core. We have not had a single issue of any kind with the Sierra bullets, they have always expanded and held together perfectly even on elk so that is why I have not switched to a premium bullet in that gun. I think it is because the old 8X57 is running a pretty reasonable velocity and we are not pushing the construction of the bullet to hard.

My son got his first elk with a 130g CoreLokt out of a 270 Win. Running shot at 150 yards, one shot kill. That being said, I've always favored 150g Partitions out of the same gun for elk. Was having heart surgery at the time so couldn't handload for him. All fixed now

I Have hunted Elk many years and killed my share along with my son, and grandsons. I load all our bullets and we have killed all our Elk with either the Nosler Partitions, Barnes X and TSX, and Northfork. The same goes for Africa and it has been exclusively the Northfork Bullet. Anything larger than Deer will get one of these bullets no exceptions. Good shooting.

I might add I always considered the Rem Correlokt and the Win power points the equal of premium bullets..I base that on using them on most game.