I have decided I nedd an 8 x 68 Blaser barrel. Does anyone shoot on already? I have used the round in Africa with good results, think it is a real sleeper.

Thanks, Aleko

I like the 8mm Remington Magnum a lot. But mine is a custom Sako AV with a 27 inch Lilja barrel in a McMillan stock, and Burris 4-16 Black Diamond.

You will do well with this cartridge.

You might also notice that the idiots at Winchester are making a 8mm WSM now. They are calling it the 323 WSM. DUMB! Blaser might chamber that as well.

I am sure you will be able to find 8x68 ammo in Africa and Europe, good luck anywhere else. The 8mm Remington is probably the only worse cartridge for availability.

Great cartridge - if a bit lively for my personal taste. A lot of knowledgable European shooters' choice, and (unfortunately) a lot of wannabees, who can't handle the recoil. If you can handle the cartridge, there are few better options. As our learned friend pointed out above, the 8x68S does about what the 8mm Rem Mag does, and that is no mean feat. RWS brass is about as thick, heavy and mean as any brass I have run into. If sturdiness is any indication, this brass should last a LONG time. Since I know you can shoot heavy calibers well Aleko, my advice is: get one, you won't be disappointed.

- mike

P.S. forgot to say, I don't have an 8x68S myself, but I loaded for a friend's R93. Apart from dealing with the super sturdy brass, there were no problems, and a max book load of R905 (~RL22) with a 200 grs Nosler Partition shot really well. With the comparatively small case of the 8x68S, I think I'd try to stay with the 200 grs bullets (as opposed to the few 220s)

Hi! My first post ( after many, many hundred as aHunter ):

get the 8x68S!!

The future of the 8mmRem is uncertain at least, the Winnie .325 we will see...

The 8x68S is a real classic, dating back to ~ 1940, will do all xcept the Big 5, no belt, strong brass!

I want one!!!

Good shooting, H

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Originally posted by Heritage Arms:
I have decided I nedd an 8 x 68 Blaser barrel. Does anyone shoot on already?

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Very effective cartrige! My custom MAG, based on a Sabatti action, shot 1.5 cm groups at 200 m with 200 gr Nosler Partition, 180 gr Nosler ballistic tip and 175 gr Sierra Pro Hunter. I wasn't so lucky with 200 gr Barnes X.

Until now I used it on Alps for red deer, chamois, roe deer, ibex (female) and marmotte (sp?)

gj

My guess is it will take about 4 months to see the barrel on our side. I have already been stocking up on dies bullets and brass. Looks to me like the round is about ideal for the terrain and the animals I want to hunt in the up comming months. I think I'll shoot the partition to start with, and the Hornday too.

I have ordered a Zeiss VM/V 3x9 Divari with the rail for the R 93.

Aleko

Nice combo!

There is supposed to be a new Nosler 200 grs Accubond available in .323 cal these days (thanks to the .325 WSM). That could be an interesting option if you needed a bullet that opened just a bit more than the Partition, yet still stuck together.

Btw, 4 months wait for a new barrel - that is about par for the course over here as well. At least you are not alone in this respect...

- mike

What has always amazed me is that most of these calibres that are so overlooked, have survived on their merits in the field, not on flashy publications. I noticed that Barnes makes an X bullet and a solid in 220 grs, wouldn't that be an interesting combo.?

As for the rail mount it is 8 weeks out! Well worth the wait

Aleko

quote:

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Until now I used it on Alps for red deer, chamois, roe deer, ibex (female) and marmotte (sp?)

gj

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Hi! What in H... is a marmotte???

Do you mean "Murmel"???

In that case its gross overkill! Even for Chamois its overkill ( 6.6x68 recommended, ever considered change barrels? )

To Heritage: 200 Nosler Part is fine, if you want heavies: 250 grs RN and FMJ´s from Woodleigh?

H ( ex aHunter )

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Originally posted by Arminius:
Hi! What in H... is a marmotte???

Do you mean "Murmel"???
H ( ex aHunter )

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Yes. Marmot (English) = Murmeltier (German).
- mike

I used my 9,3x62mm on a couple of Marmots with solids with very little damage last summer. I was suprised too when I shot a Honey Badger with my 9,3 how little damage bigbores make with very heavily constructed bullets

Aleko

Heritage Arms,

I believed Roy Weatherby had scraped the 6*68 with his 300Wby . I have friends very happy with their 8*68. Nonetheless it seems weird an American pick the 6*68 rather than the 300Wby.
Arminius, Marmotte is the French name of Marmot. Speaking of mountain rifle, I am flabbergasted by the 6-62 Freres. I see it years after years piling moufflons and chamois without them making a single pace. This year an almost gold medal moufflon was shot by my brother in law at 319m right in its track. Extremely flat trajectory and satisfying terminal ballistic.

Geoff Miller at Rigbys says the Sierra 220 grain Game King in the 8mm Remington Magnum is the elk whacker supreme.

I haven't used it but he told me he loaded up some ammo for Craig Boddington for a Zambia safari with the 220 Sierra and he didn't have a single animal not die on the spot. Eland, Kudu, Sitatunga, Zebra, you name it.

Of course it's all in where you put them.

My own rifle likes the Sierra and the Partion. I have yet to kill anything with it, as it's new and 5000 miles and 7 time zones on the other side of the planet.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Arminius:
Do you mean "Murmel"???

In that case its gross overkill! Even for Chamois its overkill ( 6.6x68 recommended, ever considered change barrels? )
[QUOTE]

In Swiss (Wallis) the minimum bore allowed is .277; the hunting season (big game) is only 14 days long and in the same day you could hunt chamois and red deer plus marmot.
If the main goal are chamois I use a 270 win reloaded with the same ballistic track of my 8x68s.
During the rut it's no easy to stop a red stag on his track; a wounded stag could run for a long time and this is not "nice" (expecially on tought places) nor "ethical" .
Sometime it's better to be overgunned
For marmot the secret is: headshot

Are marmot big game in the Alps? The are really entertaining to watch. I would like to get a few for a trophy mount. But hitting the hair just right in the Rockies is tough.

I don't consider marmot as big game, but in Wallis it's possible to hunt them only during the big game season. In Italy is protected everywhere but in Sud Tirol (self-governing province). You could hunt them in Austria.

In Germany the minimum caliber for larger deer ( "Schalenwild" ) is 6.5 mm by law - so this eliminates the 6x62 Freres.

The 6.5x55 is a military caliber, so outlawed in Belgium ( ? ) and France.

If I look at the smaller ( for Chamois ) "flat shooters" the next are 6.5x65, 6.5-06, .270, 7 mm Rem ( which is where recoil starts in lightweight rifles ). Although I love to shoot the 9.3x62 with 286 grs bullets, for real long ranges I prefer less recoil.

A headshot Marmot is not easy to preparate, which was my main goal when I shot one. I used the guides 5.5x50, my .222 being at home ( I was invited for a Chamois hunt, the Marmot was shot after the Chamois, some 200 m higher ).

So for a lightweight mountain gun for world wide hunting I think 6.5x65 or 7 mm Rem.

But the 8x68S would be fine for Bear, Moose and plains game up to Eland.

Have fun! Hermann

Does anyone use lighter bullets such as a 180 gr in their 8x68S?


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BTW what is a marmot? A type of weasel?

A marmot is a very large ground squirrel. They are circumpolar. In North America we have them in all but NE Canada. In Europe and Asia they reach from the Pyranees to Kamchatka.

They are about 15KG for the larger ones and maybe even 20KG.

In North America there are 3 species. I beleive there is only one in Europe and about 3 more in Asia.

In North America they are varmint for sport alone. I know some folks in Mongolia eat them. What about here in Europe?

Yeah, some people in Europe eat Marmots, probably not a big ticket item... They are supposed to be quite good.

In Austria Marmot hunting is taken very seriously. Hunts for these are sold, and trophies mounted. In Switzerland, I think they are more a target of opportunity, although the numbers taken are regulated (so many on a yearly license - varies from canton to canton).

- mike

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Originally posted by NitroX:
Does anyone use lighter bullets such as a 180 gr in their 8x68S?

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I have used them, and still do, NitroX, both in the 8x68S and in my 8MM MAZON, which is virtually identical performance-wise.

I am an 8mm fan and have hunted with 8mm cartridges for many years. My 8x68S is a Weatherby Europa built by Sauer of Germany with which three generations of Mazons (my father, my brother and me, and my son) have shot game.

I have shot game with 150gr Speer Hot Cores (3,200FPS), Sologne GPA's in 156gr (3,200fps), MEN's SFs in 162gr (3,200fps), Hornady RN Interlocks in 170gr (3,100fps), Sierra 175gr Pro Hunters (3,100fps), Degol's Starkmantel in 180gr (3,150fps, Nosler's Balistic Tips in 180gr (3,150fps) and RWS KS in 181gr (3,150fps) and never had a wild boar throw the bullet back at me...

montero

Several hunters here find it vogue too. I really don't get it

Aleko

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Originally posted by mho:
Great cartridge ...RWS brass is about as thick, heavy and mean as any brass I have run into. If sturdiness is any indication, this brass should last a LONG time.

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mho, you are right about RWS being thick. I haven't found it to last longer than any others however as it seems to be brittle, even after annealing. Because it is thick, there is a tendency to hot load (unknowingly) if you go by powder company reloading manuals. I own a chronograph but I know a few who just follow blindly the reloading manuals and they don't have a tendencey to reduce starting charges by nearly enough. In the .375 H&H my Winchester cases have lasted longer than my RWS cases.

Aha, interesting. I'll make a note of that. I loaded the 8x68S for a friend, and he has yet to come back for reloads. I guess the 8x68S is not normally a high volume caliber...
- mike

HELLO

IF YOU THINK THE 8X68 IS A GOOD CARTRIDGE YOU SHOULD GIVE THE 6,5X68 A TRY. I CONVERTED A 98 MAUSER TO 6,5X68 IMPROVED AND AM JUST AMAZED AT THE PERFORMANCE.

AT PRESENT I AM STILL WORKING ON LOADS BUT I AM UP TO 73GRS OF RL-25 AND THINGS ARE LOOKING VERY GOOD. I WAS VERY SURPRISED AT THE FIREFORM LOADS. THE CARTRIDGE IS A GREAT PERFORMER EVEN IN THE STRAIGHT CASE, READ FACTORY. IT BLOWS THE DOORS OFF A 264 WIN MAG.

HAVE YOU HEARD ANY RUMORS TO THE EFFECT THAT EITHER HIRTENBERGER OR RWS WERE BOUGHT BY THE OTHER? OR WENT OUT OF BUSINESS? CASES HERE,USA, CAN BE PURCHASED FROM NATCHEZ SHOOTERS SUPPLY LOCATED IN TENNESSEE. AS HAS BEEN NOTED THE BRASS IS VERY STRONG.

I AM SERIOUSLY CONSIDERING BUILDING ANOTHER RIFLE IN JUST THE 6,5X68, I'M THAT IMPRESSED.

GOOD LUCK, AND SAFE SHOOTING.

The Austrians are crazy about the 6.5x68 - for a long time it had the honour of being considered the fastest round in Europe. Needless to say, there are other cartridges that are as fast or faster. But, who cares, in any event the 6.5x68 does the job - even if it is a tad tough on barrels, just like the other super fast cartridges.
- mike

RUAG which owned RWS already, bought HP, too.

IIRC they are now: RWS; Norma, Blaser ( incl. ammo ) HP, Sauer, ...

And then there are USRAC; Beretta, Uberti, Sako, Tikka, Browning also joined. Once the day of the bean counters will come, and we´ll wonder whats left ..

Sad, H

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Originally posted by Wink:

quote:

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Originally posted by mho:
Great cartridge ...RWS brass is about as thick, heavy and mean as any brass I have run into. If sturdiness is any indication, this brass should last a LONG time.

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mho, you are right about RWS being thick. I haven't found it to last longer than any others however as it seems to be brittle, even after annealing. Because it is thick, there is a tendency to hot load (unknowingly) if you go by powder company reloading manuals. I own a chronograph but I know a few who just follow blindly the reloading manuals and they don't have a tendencey to reduce starting charges by nearly enough. In the .375 H&H my Winchester cases have lasted longer than my RWS cases.

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*****

Hello WINK,
Tout à fait d'accord avec toi. Mon humble opinion est que la meilleure marque pour recharger est Norma : laiton très souple et longévité très supérieure à la concurrence, de plus remarquable constance du poids/volume des étuis
Slts PHIL
"J'aime l'odeur de la Tubal au petit matin

8 x 68S is a true European Magnum cartridge. Recoil is similar to 300 Weatherby and it is a real power bomb. I would recommend it for the big critters like elk, bear, moose, eland, kudu.
Two years ago a friend of mine has taken a moose in Sweden with 220gr. bullet and he said that after the muzzle flash he saw in the scope a moose fell down like an apple from a tree.

The barrel is here!

Aleko

The barrel is for your Blaser ?

Aha, that is a happily sore shoulder waiting to happen! Let us know how you get on, and do plan to take this babe hunting with you. For people who can handle the recoil, there are few better choices for mid to large size (plains-) game.
- mike

Yes it is the R 93 barrel. I have RWS brass and lots of bullets. I am planning on using it soon, there is a mouflon running around that I need to shoot before D99 gets his hands on it !

First load will be with 175 Sierras

Aleko

I have a Steyr 8x68 which i recently took to Africa ,and toasted a Impala and a baboon with it ,the PH said normally Baboons still move a bit after being shot, but this one dropped on the spot and cold.I settled on 220 grain woodleighs for everything ,and when i go back again for plains game thats what i will be using exclusively.My bushbuck was shot with the 470 because ummmmm its the one day we left the 8x68 back at the camp.

quote:

there is a mouflon running around that I need to shoot before D99 gets his hands on it !

Damn straight brother!

The Spanish are working on the barrel deal again. They don't want to get stuck with the barrels anymore than I do. It might be back door at the end, but I won't be living here anyway in November.

Right now 45 Blaser, 8x57, and 9.3x62 for $2200! We will see what happens.

The Euro is going to shit, I am looking forward to doing a lot of European hunting next year and paying in Euro! I see it at $1 = E1.10 by January.

My 8x57mm will be here in August too, that wil be an interesting barrel

Aleko

Aleko,

What do we know about the 45 Blaser ammo situation?

Wolfgang Romey importing ammo yet?

it is my understanding that Wolgang Romney will start to import ammo into the US shortly.

Aleko

Here are some photos of the first groups with the 8x68S. It is a wonerful round! I am ver pleased so far

Here are the next 6 shots out of the barrel

And the final sight in grroup at 100 yds


Not to bad for handloads and RWS brass

Aleko

Nice groups!

Did you get a Mouflon yet?