8MM Remington Mag Questions

[Bruce A.]

I have just rebarreled my Remington 700 and decided to stay with the 8mm RM. I have been trying to develop an accurate long range load with Barnes or other copper bullets. I found a very accurate load with the Hornady GMX 150 grain, but the pressure turned out to be way too high. (loosened primer pocket). And, I didn't build a new 8mm RM to throw 150 gr. bullets.

The barrel is a Douglas medium weight match 24 inches long, stainless. The GMX 150 gr. bullet produced 1/4 minute groups. Testing with any of the copper bullets is EXTEMELY expensive. I am looking for a load with 180/200 gr copper that will produce half minute or better.

This barrel will do that with jacketed lead bullets with little fussing. But, copper bullets will not tighten up. I am open to all recommendations!

 

[sp6x6]

Why not a 200 Nab,that is what I shoot in my 325 wsm.

 

[Bruce A.]

Why not a 200 Nab,that is what I shoot in my 325 wsm.

I live in CA and my hunting areas happen to be no-lead areas.

 

[J E Custom]

I live in CA and my hunting areas happen to be no-lead areas.

Try the coated ones (Moly or like) that may solve your problems.

I had poor results with the copper bullets and the gmx's and coated bullets worked well.

J E CUSTOM

 

[etisll40]

I don't read much on 8mm Rem Mag, was it popular at one time? What's the benefit? Is there a lot of brass out there, bullet selection?

 

[sp6x6]

They only made them for a few years.They are basically a 340 wby,but 325 bullet instead of 338.Which the later has a great selection to choose from. I have about 4 friends that use them on elk

 

[Bruce A.]

I don't read much on 8mm Rem Mag, was it popular at one time? What's the benefit? Is there a lot of brass out there, bullet selection?

Never did have much popularity. Factory load choices were abysmal, which is said to be the primary reason for its demise. Some called it too much gun for North American game.

But, the BC is one of the best. Certainly equal to the assorted 338 mags in long range potential.

Remington tried to sell it as, or attempted to, a "sporter" with an excessively tapered and lightened barrel. It still weighed over 9 lbs. Shooting it off hand was no big deal, but sighting in off the bench beat you to death if you didn't take care to sit upright. If you hunched forward your body couldn't roll with the recoil and it hurt. Eyebrow scope cuts off the bench were common.

Mounted in a tactical/sniper style stock helped the recoil. Installing a "varminter" barrel added weight and improved shot to shot accuracy.

In actuality it kicks no more that 338 Lapua and other heavy mags.

With the new barrel on mine, I have no longer any dissatisfaction. I is very accurate with jacketed lead bullets, and with the Douglas barrel I can shoot all day with no shift in impact or change in group size.

 

[etisll40]

The Douglas barrel you mention, can you give me some of the stats, weight, contour, twist, length etc., maybe model #, I hear so much about other Barrels but my gunsmith swears by Douglas too. I have a Broughton #5 sporter contour and I like it. Doesn't seem to foul much and it's very accurate, but that's not just the barrel, it was reamed pretty straight I'd think too. I have a 7stw, built off the same case.

Thanks,
Ed

 

[J E Custom]

I don't read much on 8mm Rem Mag, was it popular at one time? What's the benefit? Is there a lot of brass out there, bullet selection?

At one time they were considered one of the best Elk cartriges available because of there
energy and trajectory.

There were not as many bullet selections in .323 dia as there are today but there were not
many for the .338 at the time ether.

It was also used for the big bear and considered all anyone would need for North American
game.

The 340 Weatherby was sold in much more expensive rifles and the 8mm rem was very
affordable. Both calibers were notorious for recoil because muzzle breaks were also not
very common.

The 8mm Rem case is the parent case for the 7 STW and other wildcats.

8mm Ammo and brass is still available and when the STW brass was/is in short supply the
8mm brass is easy to re size to the STW.

The 8mm Rem Mag is still used to day and reloaders can get the most out of this cartrige
with good bullets, and considering the recoil most have been fitted with a break for those
that are recoil sensitive.

It is a good alternative to the cost of buying a 340 Weatherby.

J E CUSTOM

 

[Outlaw6.0]

OP, Barnes bullets in particular do NOT like to be seated like conventional bullets. Where are you seating them in relation to the land? Jammed? Jump?

 

[7stw]

I don't read much on 8mm Rem Mag, was it popular at one time? What's the benefit? Is there a lot of brass out there, bullet selection?

Ed, Craig Boddington, from Rifle shooter magazine is a staunch 8 mm man. He has done things with it, and Swears by it's ballistics. That round never caught on like it should have. That case has been necked up and necked down, but the parent case, never really set the woods on fire. It is a true long range HAMMER, in the right hands, if you can handle the recoil. I think that is one thing that may have hurt it popularity. Recoil was stout, and in your face.

 

[Edd]

I bought a new 8mm mag 700 BDL about 35 years ago. I also owned a pair of Weatherby Mark V 300 mags at the same time. I didn't keep the 8 mag very long because I liked the 300's better. A friend of mine has used an 8 mag as his primary hunting rifle for at least 20 years. He uses Barnes 200 bullets.

 

[etisll40]

A lot of people seem to like the 300 Weatherby. It has great ballistics. I am within days of receiving a Ruger #1 300 wm, and the seller has 2 300 Weatherby's that he loves. It may be the next big caliber I buy. I'll see how much I like the 300 wm first. It may be all I can handle without a break. It doesn't have a break so I'd guess if I had a Weatherby I'd opt for a break, but then again there may be ways around that?? What is the deal with 300 Weatherby brass? Are they the only brass maker? Is it a good case design? Does it require large amounts of freebore or is that just the way Weatherby makes their rifles? The ballistics look awesome.

 

[lloydsmale]

the 220 sierra is THE bullet for long range in the 8mag.