8x68s or 300 win mag ???

[soundwaves]

8x68s or 300 win mag for long range hunting.

lm looking in to tradeing in my 7mm rem mag for a 8x68s. lm wondering if this is caliber is more powerfull on game than the 300 win mag. lm asking this because l dont see any point in getting a 300 win insted of the 7mm. if l go higher l want a 8mm and the 8x68s is the most common over here as l have alot of bullet choices.

 

[Varberger757]

8x68s or 300 win mag for long range hunting.

lm looking in to tradeing in my 7mm rem mag for a 8x68s. lm wondering if this is caliber is more powerfull on game than the 300 win mag. lm asking this because l dont see any point in getting a 300 win insted of the 7mm. if l go higher l want a 8mm and the 8x68s is the most common over here as l have alot of bullet choices.

Fantastic, now you've come to my absolute favorite, the fantastic 8x68S. Here in Europe and may be also somewhere else you will hardly find a cartridge which is that good all around due to hunting. Flat trajectory like the 300WM, phenomal terminal ballistics out to 1k (with the bullets you find today!), shoots 220gr. bullets with a MV up to 950m/s. Nothing from deer over moose to dangerous game has to be feared, its allowed for the BIG FIVE in Central Africa like its American cousin the great 8mm RemMag. There is one thing you have to be aware of, stout recoil. Outstanding perfomance has always a price to be paid. Use a decent muzzle break and it shoots like a tamed 308W. My advice: Just go for it! gun)BTW; I'm also using a 300WM in my favorite gun , the Varberger 757. As soon as the barrel will be worn out it's going to be rebarreld in ... ja the (8x68S) I just love this calibre!

 

[MontanaRifleman]

I like the 8x68S case, however, there are no LR bullets available in 8mm that I am aware of. Not one. By LR bullet, I mean one with a high BC. The best available is is the 220 Sierra Game King with a listed BC of .521 which is probably exaggerated. Probably very capable out to 600 yds or so. It would be an excellent short to mid range cartridge. You will notice that the 8mm's are not mentioned here in the Long Range forums. that is because there are no LR bullets available in the cal.

Also, if you are concerned about the recoil of a 7mm RM, i assure you, the 8x68S will have greater recoil, especially if you shoot 220 gr bullets out of it.

If you can have it necked down to 30 cal and get custom dies for it, you are very close to a 300 WM with a much better selection of LR bullets. But the 300 WM would be much less costly, not requiring any special effort or dies.

 

[soundwaves]

I like the 8x68S case, however, there are no LR bullets available in 8mm that I am aware of. Not one. By LR bullet, I mean one with a high BC. The best available is is the 220 Sierra Game King with a listed BC of .521 which is probably exaggerated. Probably very capable out to 600 yds or so. It would be an excellent short to mid range cartridge. You will notice that the 8mm's are not mentioned here in the Long Range forums. that is because there are no LR bullets available in the cal.

Also, if you are concerned about the recoil of a 7mm RM, i assure you, the 8x68S will have greater recoil, especially if you shoot 220 gr bullets out of it.

If you can have it necked down to 30 cal and get custom dies for it, you are very close to a 300 WM with a much better selection of LR bullets. But the 300 WM would be much less costly, not requiring any special effort or dies.

no the 7mm rem mag dont bother me at all recol wise as l use 3.5 inch magnums for ducks all day l was asking for a cartride with less recoil than the 7mm in a diferent topic because l just wanted a good long range round with no recoil. as recoil dont bother me nor does bullet drop. l considering a 8x68s for good energy at long distances like 700 meters and so on. if it wont do this then l will just keep hunting with my 7mm rem mag. but if you put aside the sicience that there is about shooting and think the old fashioned way.. wont a 8mm put a bigger hole in the target ? and this round has a good case to make long shots in. l meen if you can kill game at 500-600 meter with the 8x57 wou could defenetly kill em at 600-700 with the 8x68s am l not right ?

 

[soundwaves]

btw l do know how to spell but l type so fast that l make mistakes and cant be bothered fixing them. sorry about the spelling in my posts guys. TANKE YUO

 

[MontanaRifleman]

If you use the 220 Game Kings at higher elevations you could maybe stretch them to 700 m, but that would probably be the farthest. Good luck!

 

[Varberger757]

You find a whole bunch of excellent 323' bullets over here. Since we are normally not used (law, ethics, etc) to shoot further out than I say max. 400m while hunting the 8x68S is very hard to beat. Try some of the premium bonded or monos (Barnes 160/180gr or even better the light MJGs by Lutz Moeller) and you'll be happy! The typical longrange hunting as you find it the USA (1000yards++) doesn't exist. No need for VLDs, hybrids, etc.

 

[soundwaves]

You find a whole bunch of excellent 323' bullets over here. Since we are normally not used (law, ethics, etc) to shoot further out than I say max. 400m while hunting the 8x68S is very hard to beat. Try some of the premium bonded or monos (Barnes 160/180gr or even better the light MJGs by Lutz Moeller) and you'll be happy! The typical longrange hunting as you find it the USA (1000yards++) doesn't exist. No need for VLDs, hybrids, etc.

yeah l will be mostly shooting at ibex from 200 to 400 meters. but acasionaly might need to take a shot at 600 or 700. but usualy l would move in closer if l can. as l will go the to colect the animal so why take a risk and shoot from long way away its not like the animal is shooting back at me

 

[Varberger757]

yeah l will be mostly shooting at ibex from 200 to 400 meters. but acasionaly might need to take a shot at 600 or 700. but usualy l would move in closer if l can. as l will go the to colect the animal so why take a risk and shoot from long way away its not like the animal is shooting back at me

+! Exactly

 

[WildRose]

yeah l will be mostly shooting at ibex from 200 to 400 meters. but acasionaly might need to take a shot at 600 or 700. but usualy l would move in closer if l can. as l will go the to colect the animal so why take a risk and shoot from long way away its not like the animal is shooting back at me

Just the higher, much higher, number of quality high BC bullets available for the 300wm and the trajectory difference make the 300wm a no brainer in my book.

Of course you also have the limitation of basically only buying Federal factory loaded ammo there which would seal the deal for me completely.

 

[Varberger757]

Just the higher, much higher, number of quality high BC bullets available for the 300wm and the trajectory difference make the 300wm a no brainer in my book.

Of course you also have the limitation of basically only buying Federal factory loaded ammo there which would seal the deal for me completely.

There is no limitation on just Federal due to 300WM here in old Europe, we can get almost any type of factory loaded ammo both from the US and Europe. BTW, have you ever had the opportunity to use/test 8x68S while hunting/targetshooting? If not you missed something unique. Personally, I do think it's a great pity that the magnificent 8mms are so little spread and used in the USA. Yes, you find better high BC bullets for the 30' caibres, but that's mainly ruled by company interests. And as mentioned before we don't hunt game at distances 400m+.

 

[WildRose]

There is no limitation on just Federal due to 300WM here in old Europe, we can get almost any type of factory loaded ammo both from the US and Europe. BTW, have you ever had the opportunity to use/test 8x68S while hunting/targetshooting? If not you missed something unique. Personally, I do think it's a great pity that the magnificent 8mms are so little spread and used in the USA. Yes, you find better high BC bullets for the 30' caibres, but that's mainly ruled by company interests. And as mentioned before we don't hunt game at distances 400m+.

I'm basing that on what he's told me is readily available in Turkey.

Yes I've shot the 8x68s. I spent a good bit of time in Europe in my younger days.

Ballistically the the 8x68s simply cannot compete with the 300wm and he shoots in some big open country from ridge to ridge and at elevations where wind can be a big factor. Flatter shooting and higher BC bullet offerings simply make the 300wm the better and more logical choice.

It's not a popularity contest, just trying to help a friend make the best possible decision because there's a lot of money involved.

Over here if I pick up a rifle/caliber and decide it just doesn't suit me it's easy to get rid of it and not lose much in the process and buying the next one is easy and only as expensive as I make it. I can also buy basically an unlimited amount of Ammo any time I choose to and do it at prices that are a fraction of what he has to spend and he's very limited on the number of rounds he's allowed to buy by law.

I'm just being respectful and thoughtful of his needs and limitations.

 

[Varberger757]

WR: "Ballistically the the 8x68s simply cannot compete with the 300wm"

That statement you made is simply not true and the same with "flatter shooting/trajectory". The difference that makes the 300WM a more competitive cartridge for LRH nowadays is the access to high BC - bullets like the Bergers and not more. Cartridges from other parts of the world than the US are not simply poor by their place of origin.

 

[WildRose]

WR: "Ballistically the the 8x68s simply cannot compete with the 300wm"

That statement you made is simply not true and the same with "flatter shooting/trajectory". The difference that makes the 300WM a more competitive cartridge for LRH nowadays is the access to high BC - bullets like the Bergers and not more. Cartridges from other parts of the world than the US are not simply poor by their place of origin.

Unless there are some much higher BC bullets available in Europe than there are here I am correct.

For grins I looked up available factory ammo. The first one I come up with was loaded with the 200gr 8mm TSX with a BC of .400. They show 2940fps for MV.

8x68s

Even in the 180gr TSX which has a BC of .484 the 300wm running at similar MV beats the 8x68s considerably and that equals a flatter shooting rifle better suited for bucking the wind.

Where am I in error?