8mm Rem Mag Hunters

[FEENIX]

There's been mention of lack of bullets to choose from for the 8mm. The bullets I've tested so far in my 8mm REM MAG are:

Hornady 180 GMX", 170 SST, 170 RN Interlock (not yet tested, received yesterday), 195 SP Interlock (not yet tested but expected at any time).
Barnes 180 "X" (original), 200 "X" (original), 160 TTSX, 200 TSX.
Nosler 180 Ballistic Tip
Speer 170 Hotcore HCSS
Swift 220 A Frame
Sierra 220 Spitzer, 200 Match

There are still other brands yet to test so I'd say I've have plenty of choices.

Because this is LRH/S, I was referring to high BC bullets. I have a 8MM Rem based wildcat in .30 cal and Berger makes 230 OTM (G1=.710) and 245 EOL (G1=.807).

However, if you're happy with their performance for your intended purpose, that's all it matters.

 

[6.5x300 WBY]

Remington made a big mistake. Good cartridge with poor bullets. So it died. With good bullets the big 8 is a 340 wannabe. And the way they throated it didn,t help. I bought one of the first in the BDL. With a 220 and 86 of H4831 it would test your innards. That stock is brutal lol.

I dont think the 8mm is anyones wannabe. Its smack dab in The middle of 338 and 308's. The 8mm is perfectly happy being a 8mm. While I am no berger supporter i sometimes just fantasize if they (berger) got TOO drunk one night and all said lets make a 8mm vld. All laughed and said **** why not lets do it and came out with a 250-275gr vld. Probably would be pretty darn impressive.

 

[FEENIX]

I dont think the 8mm is anyones wannabe. Its smack dab in The middle of 338 and 308's. The 8mm is perfectly happy being a 8mm. While I am no berger supporter i sometimes just fantasize if they (berger) got TOO drunk one night and all said lets make a 8mm vld. All laughed and said **** why not lets do it and came out with a 250-275gr vld. Probably would be pretty darn impressive.

Agreed!

 

[Treeslug]

This is the second year in a row using the Hornady 8mm, 170-gr. SST and the second year with a "bang-flop" (one in Wyoming and last week in Nevada. Be advised if you haven't used the SST's, they explode and do not exit, you'll be lucky to find the smashed bullet base with any lead on it beneath the hide on the side opposite the entry wound. Both deer were instantly dead with massive body cavity destruction not quite as big as a volley-ball in size. Don't hit anything you want to eat so a mid-to-low shot just behind the "elbow" is Ideal. I haven't had to shoot past 200-yards yet so I don't know how far out you can shoot and expect this bullet performance.
Before you start calling my rifle a "Hamburger Gun," proper shot placement is required! I'm old and handicapped and can't pack very much for any distance so close shots are all I'll take and a I don't wound and track or loose crips in the brush.
I've tested many combinations of powders and projectiles over the last few years and keep coming back to the 8mm 170Gr. SST with 77-Gr.'s of IMR 4350 without any signs of high pressure. I use a Caldwell Lead Sled with two 25-pond bags of shot so I can spend a long time at the range. The barrel is a 26" Bartlein stainless that was fitted-up last spring.
At .015" over a .308 and .015" under a .338, the caliber would seem to be the perfect fit for big Mule Deer and Elk in one rifle. Im still working on new having just received A box of Hornady 170-Gr. round nose with a box of Hornady 185-Gr. spire point on the way. I'll keep you 8MM Rem Mag guys posted.

duckklr: I am unsure if you are against using up all of the roughly 3,500 lbs of energy within the body cavity of a deer-sized animal and dropping the animal dead in its tracks, or only warning other shooters about the huge amount of internal tissue damage the Hornady 8mm SST bullet causes. Being a meat hunter first and foremost, the term "overkill" has always bothered me. I do not believe you can not possibly kill an animal too quickly. That leaves the placement of the bullet up to the shooter. I never take shoulder shots. That is on me, but I have never lost an animal and I have shot and killed many. From your statement, I would have to believe that your choice of rifle and bullet are spot on. Just sayin'

 

[duckklr]

I am actually on my sixth hunting stock with this rifle and have settled on the Hogue with the full length piece of aluminum for rigidity. I've added two half-pound mechanical recoil reducers to the Hogue butt-end hollow space for an empty (no ammo) weight of 11.2 pounds. While I have typically used Limbsaver Air Tech recoil pads in the past, the Hogue's soft butt-pad serves well in reducing felt-recoil to an acceptable field use level. (I never feel the recoil or hear the shot when in the field.)
Again, typically I only take only one shot a year (to kill a deer) without the lead-sled so I don't have any flinch. I can't imagine anybody in the world shooting the 8MM Rem Mag more than I do over the course of a year (seriously).
However, I'll be installing a Witt clamp-on muzzle recoil reducer here within the next week and get back to the range and then supply the results on this site.

 

[duckklr]

Treeslug, I am simply warning others about the explosiveness (and effectiveness) of the projectile and you must be a good shot. I also believe that no one can ever have too much bullet (within reason) hence my owning a .375 H&H magnum that is the minimum for Africa with many Professional Hunters.
I had one-shot kills there on eight out of nine ungulates on my last trip using the old and now no longer made .375 cal, 300-grain, soft lead Hornady round nose that also exploded internally; most were bang-flops (gosh I like saying that). Assuming that we have an anti-covid vaccine and that the South Africans and Mozambiquies will allow me entry next Spring, I'll take my CZ .375 for a Cape Buffalo, Hippo, Leopard, Eland, and a bigger Kudu for starters. I'm still contemplating a .416 just for kicks (get it?).

 

[browndcm]

Treeslug, I am simply warning others about the explosiveness (and effectiveness) of the projectile and you must be a good shot. I also believe that no one can ever have too much bullet (within reason) hence my owning a .375 H&H magnum that is the minimum for Africa with many Professional Hunters.
I had one-shot kills there on eight out of nine ungulates on my last trip using the old and now no longer made .375 cal, 300-grain, soft lead Hornady round nose that also exploded internally; most were bang-flops (gosh I like saying that). Assuming that we have an anti-covid vaccine and that the South Africans and Mozambiquies will allow me entry next Spring, I'll take my CZ .375 for a Cape Buffalo, Hippo, Leopard, Eland, and a bigger Kudu for starters. I'm still contemplating a .416 just for kicks (get it?).

I have the cz550 in 375H&H with a custom brake, my gunsmith moved the front sight back a little, threaded the barrel made the brake
Beautiful rifle

 

[6.5x300 WBY]

Looking forward to more 8mm threads

 

[Treeslug]

Treeslug, I am simply warning others about the explosiveness (and effectiveness) of the projectile and you must be a good shot. I also believe that no one can ever have too much bullet (within reason) hence my owning a .375 H&H magnum that is the minimum for Africa with many Professional Hunters.
I had one-shot kills there on eight out of nine ungulates on my last trip using the old and now no longer made .375 cal, 300-grain, soft lead Hornady round nose that also exploded internally; most were bang-flops (gosh I like saying that). Assuming that we have an anti-covid vaccine and that the South Africans and Mozambiquies will allow me entry next Spring, I'll take my CZ .375 for a Cape Buffalo, Hippo, Leopard, Eland, and a bigger Kudu for starters. I'm still contemplating a .416 just for kicks (get it?).

duckklr: I get it, very definitely. I, too, have a .375 caliber rifle. I have a 378 Weatherby that my wife surprised me with back in '84. I thought it would be kind of cool to shoot a 300 gr. bullet with the same approximate trajectory as a 30-06 with a 150 gr. bullet. I have managed to shoot the throat out of that rifle and I am having trouble deciding on what caliber barrel to go back with. I have never even thought about shooting at the ranges some of the guys here shoot, but I can't decide between a 30x378 Weatherby and a 416 Weatherby. I may go back to the 378 because I have so much brass and everything else I need to keep reloading. I like the "bang-flops" term as well. I think you have found your medicine for your quarry. Good luck in Africa, and kiss a hippo for me--after you shoot it. Fantastic animals to hunt, I would imagine. Always wanted to try Africa.

 

[J E Custom]

If you compare the 8 mm rem mag to the 338 Win Mag the 8mm will outperform the 338 wm
In velocity @ less pressure and with a 200 grain bullet, the ballistic coefficient of the 8mm will be better because of it's diameter to length if the same brand and style of bullets are used.

Lack of different bullets has been the downfall of many great cartridges, but now that we have more bullets and many powder choices, the 8 mm Rem has more potential. Many of the old cartridges have a new lease on life with all of the improvements in components today.

If you feel like you need more and still have the 8 mm rem, all you have to do Is AI it and a 200 grain bullet at 3,000 becomes a 200 grain bullet at 3150. placing it with the big boys.
And if you are into designer names you can call it a "SUPER 8" or something catchy.

Just saying don't count the old guys out.

J E CUSTOM

 

[bigbull]

I owned a Remington 8mm RM M700 some years ago, only thing I took was a nice bull moose, my load consisted of the Sierra 220gr SBT bullet, I took him at about 450 yards through the lungs, excellent performance, pass through, DRT.
BB

 

[Deleted member 107796]

I've just started loading the 170gn SST for my Winchester 70 in 325wsm shown below and use IMR4350 also. It has proven to be a very accurate bullet in at least a few of my other rifles. The 200gn Accubond and 195gn Hornady Interlock also fly pretty well. Instead of lamenting the lack of offerings, I try to find accuracy in the capable bullets out there.

 

[iShoot17]

@CO_Guy I hope to eventually pick up a 325WSM ("Little 8"). After shooting the 8RM as much as I have over the past year, I have become a huge fan of the 8mm caliber.

 

[jls in az]

I bought a Remington 700 BDL in 8MM Remington Mag the first or second year they came out in 1978. I bought it in the Base Exchange at Eielson AFB, AK. In September 1979 I took a bull moose with it on Birch Creek, 50 air miles from the nearest road and 150 from the nearest town. We were 4 days into a 160 mile float trip and still had a long way to go. I climbed a ridge to do some spot and stalk and had a great horned owl use me as a bird dog. Every time I moved, the owl would swoop in and land over my head. After I moved for the third or fourth time, I flushed a vole and the owl swooped down and grabbed it. As soon as the owl flew off, I turned and saw a bull moose raking a willow about 500 yards away. (Since that incident, I've always considered seeing an owl hunting as a good omen!) I didn't have a scope on the rifle; so, I came down off the hillside and made a stalk across the tundra toward the moose. I had one little tamarack tree between me in the bull that I used for cover. If you've ever tried to stalk across tundra tussocks, you know what the stalk was like. I finally slipped off one of the tussocks and my foot stuck in the mud below. I couldn't get loose without a lot of movement and noise, so I unsnapped the hip boot from my belt and closed the last 20 yards to the tamarack tree with one boot on and the other off. The bull was about 200 yards away, facing me as I took a rest against the tree and centered the front sight midway up on the bull's chest. I touched the trigger and the bull dropped like a rock. I went back and got my boot out of the mud and started walking toward the bull.
He was right beside the creek we were floating, literally less than 10 feet from the water. I got to about 50 yards, and the bull managed to stand up. I put another 220 gr. bullet through his ribs and he went down. I walked a little further and he managed to wobble to his feet again. I put another round through his chest across the top of the heart. Down he went. I got to about 25 feet from him and he managed to hobble up again, except now he's less than 5 feet from the creek and the creek was about 20 feet deep right there. I put a final round through his neck and that ended his escape. When we were skinning him out, we found my first round had completely penetrated the moose lengthwise and was lodged under skin of his right hip. It was a 220 gr Corelokt that still weighed 165 grains and has expanded to about .65 caliber. He was dead on his feet after the first shot, but didn't know it. The load was a hot handload, the 220 grain Corelokt (that was all I could find in Fairbanks at the time) on top of copious amounts of IMR 4831. I had the rifle free-bored 1.5 diameters so I could make use of all that powder.

The previous posters are all correct about the recoil from the big 8- it's brutal and well deserving of a muzzlebrake. A couple years later, we were on a spring bear hunt in the same area north of Fairbanks and my good friend Larry, who weighed about 135 lbs soaking wet with rocks in his pocket, kept bugging me to shoot the "8". I told him many times that he was too light to shoot it. I think he took that as a challenge. After the 100th time he asked to shoot it, I finally relented. We were camped on a bluff above Birch Creek and it was about 250 yards down to the water. Breakup ice was floating down the creek so I told Larry to take a shot at one of the ice chunks. I stood beside him with my right hand about 8 inches above and behind his shoulder. Sure enough, when he touched it off, I caught my rifle as he went back on his ***. He got up, rubbing his shoulder, using all kinds of four letter words about the recoil.