8mm rem mag data

[NONYA]

Looking for those experienced with the 8mag and 180 gr bullets.Ill be shooting 180 gr Barnes TSX loaded to the Nosler books max load with IMR 4350.Does anyone have experience with this load or a similar one so i can aquire some drop table knowledge from you before I start working on this next project?Thanx Guys

[NONYA]

Looks like I can get 3090 out of a 200 grainer,anyone ever shot that load?

[Hicks]

Originally Posted by NONYA

Looking for those experienced with the 8mag and 180 gr bullets.Ill be shooting 180 gr Barnes TSX loaded to the Nosler books max load with IMR 4350.Does anyone have experience with this load or a similar one so i can aquire some drop table knowledge from you before I start working on this next project?Thanx Guys

Nonya,

It's good to hear that there are others out there who like this cartridge. I tried a while ago to start a thread on this cartirdge but didn't have any takers. Obviously there are bigger and better cartridges, ones that will push heavier, slicker bullets faster. But there's just something magical about the 8mm Remington Magnum. I have some experience with the Big 8, I currently own two. The first one was a present from my folks in 1990 and I bought another one just this spring. The one I got in 1990 is currently undergoing a "long range" treatment, including a pillar bedding job and a 30" Lilja bbl. Over the years I tried the 200gr Partition, the 180gr Ballistic Tip and the 220gr Sierra Game King. BY FAR the best performance I had was with the Sierra. I can't remember the load exactly but it was right at max with H4831 (or H4831 SC). I was getting right at 2950 with a 24" factory bbl, .5" groups at 100 yards and I could regularly smack a 2' gong at 500 yards. I had horrible accuracy with the Ballistic Tip which I tried with RL25 and another powder I can't recall. The Partition was just a bit less accurate than the Sierra, and one sailed completely through, front to back, the first antelope I killed. Originally this was to be an Elk gun, but of course it shot so good that I used it on everything. I killed a huge bodied Muley buck at just under 300 yards with the Sierra and that bullet struck him with a great deal of authority. In my opinion I would stay away from the lighter bullets as they are desigend for the slower 8mm cartridges, and they have poor BCs. You might look up some articles by Craig Boddington as he is a big fan of the 8, infact one of the articles he wrote back in the 80's for G&A about it swayed me toward this cartridge as opposed to the .340 Wby.

The one I bought this spring will be my "African Plains Rifle", if I ever get there. It's got a break, synthetic stock and a solid Leupold 3-9. I'm planning on loading some Woodley 250gr Round Noses for it, and until I get to Africa this will be my go to "carry around in the woods" gun. Yeah, I've got lots of pistols but there's just something about 4100 pounds of energy that makes me smile. If you're interested I'll keep you up to speed as I work up a load this winter with the 30"bbl and the 220 Sierra.

Hicks.

[NONYA]

My father took the 8 mag to Alaska several times for moose and griz,Russia for griz and Africa for several species,it never failed to perform as advertised,he shot the 180gr Nosler Part at everything.The round is proven just isnt popular among the light shoulder crowds,I love it.Do you have a link on the barrel?

[sambo3006]

According to UPS, I have an MGM 8mm Rem Mag barrel waiting for me when I get home today! I was just cutting my teeth on centerfire rifles not long after the 8 mag came out and fell in love with it. I am a lefty, so never had owned one yet. Maybe Craig Boddington could send one my way!
I live in southwest Missouri where there is absolutely no need for one but nevertheless I have two friends who have one and they just love theirs. I do trek west for elk each year, where I'm sure mine will speak with authority. I plan to handload for mine but I am getting 2 boxes of 185 gr factory loads cheap from a friend, so have to make those go bang first. A 200 gr Partition or Accubond at over 3000 fps should fit the bill nicely. I plan to try IMR 7828 which has worked well in all the other large capacity magnums I have tried it in, providing excellent velocity and accuracy.

Good luck to you guys with yours!
Sam

[dogdinger]

hicks, i must have missed the thread you started because i would certainly have replied. i had an 8 mag for yrs and took all sorts of game with it.....moose, sheep, elk, mulies, pronghorn, .....carried it to alaska, canada and all over the west. i was shooting a 7 mag when my brother got this gun on a trade and sent it to me....he said "hell, why would you want to shoot a 160 gr bullet @ 3000fps when you can shoot a 200 gr pill the same speed?" i couldnt argue with that so i took it out and tried it.....first elk i shot with it was a big old cow @ about 400 yds....boom...tits up! i couldnt believe the results! i was hooked! this gun was never a tack driver, but when you put the crosshairs on meat it never missed. my favorite load was the 200 gr NP's and imr 4350....they cronoed right at 3050 out of my factory bbl. i made a fantastic shot once with this gun on an elk across a canyon....this was back before the days of rangefinders and pda's.....yrs later after getting a rangefinder i went back to the spot i shot from and ranged it........853yds....my longest shot to this day. AJ

[NONYA]

Does anyone have a med/heavy 8 mag barrel avaliable for the 700 rem action?