Loads for the Mighty 8mm Remington Magnum

Rugerno1shooter · August 16, 2007, 09:32 PM

Ok guys and gals, I need some good loads for the mightily unsung 8mm “kill it at any distance” Remington magnum (not the 8mm Mauser) I just acquired a very nice Remington 700 Classic in it. Any info/do’s/don’ts with it would also be appreciated! Bullet weight and powder favs etc-

As always
Thanks for your time!

Pat

stinger · August 16, 2007, 09:43 PM

Good luck, I'm not sure I've ever seen it mentioned around here. It looks like a cartridge with a lot of potential for essentially anything you'd encountrer on the continent.

Rugerno1shooter · August 16, 2007, 10:19 PM

It's enough for just about anything I should think looking at the killing power it has as well as all the creatures people who have discovered this horse hunt with it. I believe it's considered overpowered for just about everything on the North American Cont except for large grizzlies/browns. Of course you can down load it as well. It's simply a .375 H&H necked down to 8mm (.323). Depending on your barrel length and action strength I've heard of it launching a 220 grain bullet at almost 3200 fps out of a 28 inch barrel I believe? Of course that is a bit extreme and the norm is about a max of 3000fps with the 220 grain bullets. Still....considering that the 300 win mag can launch a 180 grain bullet at about 3100 fps (strong action etc 26 inch barrel) and the 8mm rem mag can launch a 180 at about 3350 (depending on the action etc). You have a really hot .323 caliber cartridge with a the ballistics of a .308 caliber magnum.
Best thing that never happened (if you don't mind some recoil)

come on now people, don't tell me I don't have at least one 8mm rem mag friendly person out there!!

millerag · August 18, 2007, 05:54 PM

I just bought a Remington 8mm Mag not but six hours ago and I too am looking around for different loads. I am assuming that the 180 grain bullet would suffice for anything in the lower 48 but am still curious as to how the 200 grain and up perform. There does not seem to be a lot of information regarding the 8mm mag, so if you come across anything I would appreciate it.

TATER · August 18, 2007, 07:26 PM

Here is my load. 8mm Remington Mag.

200 grain Nosler Spitz
CCI-250-Mag primer
Remington Brass
79.0 grains H-4831sc (short cut)
COL. 3.600

This is a great load for me, You did not mention
But I will go ahead a tell you anyway...It's an
Ass Kicker! No matter the load!!

You might look into a muzzle devise (seriously)

Be extra careful resizeing make sure you don't push
the the belt back. (I have done it.)

HTH.Tater

TATER · August 18, 2007, 07:43 PM

RugerNo1..Sorry I didn't realize the Third post was you as well.
No stranger to recoil Hehehe...

Rugerno1shooter · September 3, 2007, 03:30 PM

Tater, Have you ever had any exp with the hotter .375 H&H loads or the .358 STA? (.375 H&H necked down to .35 cal). How do your hotter 8mm rem mag loads compare? I tend to go with what is accurate vs what is the max it can handle...
I've found that usually the best accuracy from the nasty nasties comes from about 100-200 fps slower than max-I'm getting pretty good groups from my .375 H&H (1.5-2.5in). I'm going to try a couple more loads with IMR 4350 and then switch to IMR 4831 I believe.
So far That seems to be pushing the 300 grain pill at about 2500-2525fps and it doesn't hurt much at all...just a biggggg strong PUSH.
Would you describe your exp with the 8mm rem mag as mainly big pushes or what? (I'm getting a second opinion here, my g/f all 103-105lbs of her is willing to shoot 40-50 rounds of 8mm Mauser off the bench or that .375 H&H load off hand and she doesn't believe me that the recoil of the 8mm rem mag is a big strong push instead of a bone cracking slam into you recoil).

Thanks
Pat

**Mike Irwin** · September 3, 2007, 04:48 PM

There's a great story about the 8mm...

When Remington introduced it at their writer's convention in 1977s, Elmer Keith got up and asked a simple question... "What the hell good is it?"

Apparently he brought down the house, and the Remington people were quite crestfallen.

It never really took off, even though it's a pretty decent cartridge. Its biggest problem is likely that it entered a market where the .338 was already well established, and it really doesn't do anything that the .338 won't, except take a longer action.

That said, it really is an excellent candidate for a "one gun for all purposes up to, but probably not including, dangerous African game."

A friend's uncle used the 8mm Mag. extensively on the east and west coasts. IIRC he favored IMR 4831. I don't know the particulars of the loads that we were shooting, but accuracy at 150 yards was around 1 to 1.5 inches. Recoil was pretty stout, but not intolerable. I know he took a moose with in in Canada in the late 1980s.

Oh, and it's not simply a renecked .375 H&H case. It's got considerably less body taper and therefore more powder capacity. Remington blew the case out but kept the shoulder and other dimensions.

Rugerno1shooter · September 3, 2007, 05:18 PM

More ramblings

Yea, as far as I know it doesn't have any body taper...I think it holds about 103.6gr water vs the .375 H&H’s 101.8grs water It also generates something over about 2 tons of energy at the muzzle with certain loads. All around it’s basically a hard hitting long range cartridge with what seems to be a bit better ballistic capabilities than a .338 diam cart. I do know it’s no where near as efficient as the .325 WSM but then again if you’re really pushing them both to their maxes the .325 can’t match it (also the 325 WSM has the WSM factor….I’m not sure why you’d go after things that can chew on you with a cartridge that has those nice jamming capabilities!) Meh Meh it’s all in what you want. I’m more interested in it due to the flat out power and long range abilities of it. I don’t think I’ll get a .358 STA anytime soon….that’s prob a bit much……

Rugerno1shooter · September 3, 2007, 05:54 PM

maybe a little bit of taper is left...?

Scorch · September 3, 2007, 06:29 PM

I owned a 8mm Rem Mag for 4 years. During that time, I worked up some great loads for it, and tested them on pigs in California every chance I got. It shot flat, hit like a runaway truck, and just laid the animals out. But shooting it was also like getting hit in the head by Ali. Between the concussion, the recoil, and the fireball out the front end, it was too much for what I was hunting, so I sold it. Recently, there was a Rem 700 in 8mm Rem Mag for sale here on TFL, and I was seriously tempted, but my wife reminded me it gets cold outside at night during the winter.

I had two loads for the 8mm Rem Mag that I used, one for IMR 4831, the other for H450 (which is no longer available).

200 gr SPFB 78.0 gr IMR 4831 at 3000 fps
220 gr SP 82.0 gr H450 at 3000 fps

Both are MAX loads!

Rugerno1shooter · September 3, 2007, 07:02 PM

Scorch, what was your 8mm rem mag chambered in? Recoil pad?

Scorch · September 3, 2007, 11:36 PM

Like all of the 8mm Rem Mags I've seen, it was a Custom Shop Remington 700. That's the only way to get a Remington 700 in 8mm Rem Mag, as far as I know. It had the factory Remington recoil pad, but I put a Decelerator on it. It really needed it!

**Mike Irwin** · September 4, 2007, 12:17 AM

"All around it’s basically a hard hitting long range cartridge with what seems to be a bit better ballistic capabilities than a .338 diam cart."

Certainly not as it originally came from Remington.

Of the two factory loads that were available, the 185 and the 220, neither one broke the 4,000 ft-lb. mark, and if I'm not mistaken, the 220 was the heaviest bullet that was factory loaded.

The .338 was at, or better, than the 4,000 ft.-lb. mark with the 200, the 250, and the 300 grain bullets.

I think that might be something of what put Elmer Keith off -- the cartridge as offered just didn't really match its potential, and the bullets that were offered certainly didn't help things, either.

Just another entry into the long list of Remington cartridges that were darned good ideas but which the company totally chumped for one reason or another.

Rugerno1shooter · September 4, 2007, 08:21 AM

I could definitely see an issue with a cartridge that didn't seem like it offered a whole lot esp considering the amount of powder this thing hogs!!! Thank heavens for reloading!!!

Thanks for the info Mike! It's always good to learn a bit more!
Pat

PS-I only know of Remington and Double Tap producing current 8mm rem mag ammo.

I know the Double Tap ammo is pretty stout
Caliber : 8mm Remington Magnum

[B][I]Bullet : 250gr. Woodleigh Weldcore JSP

Ballistics : 2850fps - 4510 ft./lbs. - 26.0" bbl. Remington 700
[U](Note the 26"barrel on all of these)

Bullet : 220gr Woodleigh Weldcore Protected Point

Ballistics : 3000fps - 4399 ft./lbs. - 26.0" bbl. Remington 700

Bullet : 200gr Nosler Accubond

Ballistics : 3200fps - 4547 ft./lbs. - 26.0" bbl. Remington 700

Bullet : 200gr Nosler Partition

Ballistics : 3200fps - 4547 ft./lbs. - 26.0" bbl. Remington 700[/B]

**Mike Irwin** · September 4, 2007, 12:27 PM

I think that that 250-gr. loading from Double Tap could have made all the difference in the world for the 8mm had Remington offered it.

People were really expecting to see that kind of performance from a case that size, and they just didn't get it.

I really think for the American rifleman you REALLY have to offer a couple of things, perhaps the most important of them being true versatility. The 8mm certainly had that versatility, but people just couldn't see it because of the lack of heavier bullets and rather sedate ballistic.

The true lack of versatility is what killed the .244 Remington. The company just couldn't fathom how shooters would want to use the .244 as a combination varmint/deer cartridge. Winchester could see that, though, and that's why the .243 smoked the .244, and it took Remington nearly 10 years to figure out what demographics were telling them. By then, it was far too late -- the .243 ruled the roost.

As I said, though, the 8mm also came out a bit too late, after the .338 was well established.

Scorch · September 4, 2007, 02:01 PM

Quote:

People were really expecting to see that kind of performance from a case that size, and they just didn't get it.

I have kind of mixed feelings about the 8mm Rem Mag. On the one hand, it shot flat and hit hard. On the other hand (like Elmer Keith said) it doesn't do anything the 338 won't do. And it takes a Remington Custom Shop long action rifle to do it. If it had been offered as a standars loading that would fit in a standard-length action it might have had a chance (maybe a 7mm Rem Mag or 300 WM necked up???), but the full-length case doesn't offer anything more due to the fact that you can't really fill it up. And most of the bullets offered for 8mm are for lower velocity cartridges, although the Nosler Partitions work well at any velocity.

I always wondered what this round would have done with some reall high-BC bullets and some really slow powder (Retumbo, H1000, H50BMG???). Maybe it would have been like the Double Tap rounds!

**Mike Irwin** · September 4, 2007, 02:53 PM

"I always wondered what this round would have done with some reall high-BC bullets and some really slow powder..."

I think you would have seen a cartridge not unlike the .338 Lapua Mag.

TATER · September 4, 2007, 03:49 PM

Rugerno1shooter,
To each is subjective I guess, (Big smile)

...
.375 H&H is one heck of a Push.
.458 Win is one heck of a Push.
8mm Rem. Mag. Even with a magna-port, Kick-Ass,
It just is not pleasant to shoot.

castnblast · September 4, 2007, 04:17 PM

Hang on tight, and keep your mouth shut when you pull the trigger...Make sure you got pleanty of eye relief...BTW, this is a great jack rabbit gun!!!

All kidding asside, Belted mags are notorius for getting stuck. Get a good stuck case remover, and don't skimp on the case lube. grease those bad boys up real good. I liked 4831 in my 300 win mag. You may also want to try RL 22 and retumbo. retumbo was made for this and like calibers. It's going to really favor slower powders. I haven't loaded an 8mm though...I'm basing this off my experience w/ 338 and 300 win mag.
Also, get some sand bags when you work up your load...You'll need them.

Rugerno1shooter · September 5, 2007, 07:31 PM

"]Bullet : 250gr. Woodleigh Weldcore JSP

Ballistics : 2850fps - 4510 ft./lbs"

Sorry....I just can't help but notice that much horsepower without the 100+FTLBS of recoil that a lot of the more potent cartridges would generate.
(yes I know you can get a lot more horsepower but I don't want to blast too much with anything much over 45ftlbs of recoil energy). I wonder if there exists a 150 grain 8mm (.323) bullet that could withstand a full load behind it. Most of the light ones are limited to a certain velocity due to that. I'm still wondering how fast it could push a 150 grain bullet if the bullet could actually hold up....the 300 win mag can push a 110 grain at around 3700-3800fps depending on the barrel length....I'm thinking somewhere in there due to the powder capacity of the 8mm rem mag?????

I think one of the reasons a fair number of people use the 8mm Rem Mag for nasty nasties over .338-->bigger calibers is probably where they are hunting...having that hard hitting power at a long range with reasonable recoil (vs like a 30-378 or something like that) is definitely a bonus....as we all know shot placement being very important.....you wouldn't want to lob a couple over the beast or under it or hit it in a bad spot (wounding it only). Then again you also would want to be careful of overconfidence (missing a long shot because you know the cartridge can reach that far...but you aren't good enough).
::shrug::

Just some musings-

Bruce A. Frank · September 6, 2007, 01:23 AM

I bought the Remington 700 BDL in 8mm Remington Mag less than a year after Remington introduced it. I the time I was living in Utah and hunting BIG mule deer. My first rifle was a lever action Marlin in 357 Magnum...and I took it hunting Mule deer. We loaded a 180 grain spritzer with a flat nose in a new 38 special case (so we could crimp it in the canular(sp?) and maintain correct overall length). We pushed that bullet to 2000 fps with the case splitting with every shot. My friend and I both took a couple of deer with that.

The next year we both vowed to obtain larger guns. I bought the 8mm and he bought a 338. We hunted side by side for several years. We pooled our resources in his basement and bought a Dillon progressive press for pistol work and single stage Rock Chucker for the magnums.

Both loaded near the point of ejector button imprinting on the case heads, we both found the 8mm Mag a better long range gun (300-400 yard). We concluded that the ballistic coefficient of the 8mm bullets was better that those available for the 338.

But, the 8mm did seem to kick a bit worse. I found out the hard way to never let anyone touch off a round (on a rest at the range) without giving extensive warning about not "crawling the stock" and maintaining a straight backbone (don't lean into the round). Two badly cut eyebrows and finally a broken collar bone forced me to say "NO" to those who just wanted to try that "monster." I still enjoy shooting it!

**Mike Irwin** · September 6, 2007, 09:40 AM

Not sure, but I don't think the 8mm Mag. even comes close to 100 ft lbs of recoil, even with those heavy bullets at that velocity.

I've fired more than my fair share of rounds that dump a lot more energy than that on target with bullets heavier than that that don't come close to 100 ft lbs of recoil.

Rugerno1shooter · September 6, 2007, 07:41 PM

I know the 8mm rem mag is no where near 100ftlbs of recoil----a light 8mm load is between 20-25ftlbs depending on the weight of the rifle/bullet weight/charge and a heavy one is between 35-45ftlbs (again depending on the rifle/bullet weight/charge)..hence the

"Sorry....I just can't help but notice that much horsepower without the 100+FTLBS of recoil that a lot of the more potent cartridges would generate."

nooo way you'd find me shooting any of those nitro cartridges.......

600 N.E. (900 at 1950) 12.0lb rifle 154.0ftlbs recoil energy....owch

thekyrifleman · December 29, 2007, 03:27 PM

Hello to all, just joined the forum. To add a few comments about the "mighty 8", I've had one for about 12 years. It is indeed a kicker. Will punish you as much as you are willing to take. Have fired a 340 weatherby, 210gr Noslers, with the brake removed and it paled in the comparison. I have found, that going to a synthetic stock, HS Precision with the Al block, really helped recoil, particularly with the 200 and 220 gr loads. Almost makes it "comfortable". It will reach out,, longest kill was a PA whitetail at a lasered 427 yards. It went down right now. Load was 150 gr Sierra, clocked at 3375fps. Anyhow, as I said just some comments. Glad to be here.

August 16, 2007, 09:32 PM	#1
Rugerno1shooter Senior Member Join Date: March 30, 2007 Location: VA Posts: 144	Loads for the Mighty 8mm Remington Magnum Ok guys and gals, I need some good loads for the mightily unsung 8mm “kill it at any distance” Remington magnum (not the 8mm Mauser) I just acquired a very nice Remington 700 Classic in it. Any info/do’s/don’ts with it would also be appreciated! Bullet weight and powder favs etc- As always Thanks for your time! Pat

August 18, 2007, 05:54 PM	#4
millerag Junior Member Join Date: August 18, 2007 Posts: 1	Proud New Father I just bought a Remington 8mm Mag not but six hours ago and I too am looking around for different loads. I am assuming that the 180 grain bullet would suffice for anything in the lower 48 but am still curious as to how the 200 grain and up perform. There does not seem to be a lot of information regarding the 8mm mag, so if you come across anything I would appreciate it.

September 3, 2007, 04:48 PM	#8
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,390	There's a great story about the 8mm... When Remington introduced it at their writer's convention in 1977s, Elmer Keith got up and asked a simple question... "What the hell good is it?" Apparently he brought down the house, and the Remington people were quite crestfallen. It never really took off, even though it's a pretty decent cartridge. Its biggest problem is likely that it entered a market where the .338 was already well established, and it really doesn't do anything that the .338 won't, except take a longer action. That said, it really is an excellent candidate for a "one gun for all purposes up to, but probably not including, dangerous African game." A friend's uncle used the 8mm Mag. extensively on the east and west coasts. IIRC he favored IMR 4831. I don't know the particulars of the loads that we were shooting, but accuracy at 150 yards was around 1 to 1.5 inches. Recoil was pretty stout, but not intolerable. I know he took a moose with in in Canada in the late 1980s. Oh, and it's not simply a renecked .375 H&H case. It's got considerably less body taper and therefore more powder capacity. Remington blew the case out but kept the shoulder and other dimensions. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

September 3, 2007, 05:18 PM	#9
Rugerno1shooter Senior Member Join Date: March 30, 2007 Location: VA Posts: 144	8mmremmag More ramblings Yea, as far as I know it doesn't have any body taper...I think it holds about 103.6gr water vs the .375 H&H’s 101.8grs water It also generates something over about 2 tons of energy at the muzzle with certain loads. All around it’s basically a hard hitting long range cartridge with what seems to be a bit better ballistic capabilities than a .338 diam cart. I do know it’s no where near as efficient as the .325 WSM but then again if you’re really pushing them both to their maxes the .325 can’t match it (also the 325 WSM has the WSM factor….I’m not sure why you’d go after things that can chew on you with a cartridge that has those nice jamming capabilities!) Meh Meh it’s all in what you want. I’m more interested in it due to the flat out power and long range abilities of it. I don’t think I’ll get a .358 STA anytime soon….that’s prob a bit much……

September 3, 2007, 05:54 PM	#10
Rugerno1shooter Senior Member Join Date: March 30, 2007 Location: VA Posts: 144	8mmremmag maybe a little bit of taper is left...?

August 16, 2007, 09:43 PM	#2
stinger Senior Member Join Date: November 6, 2001 Location: west texas Posts: 772	Good luck, I'm not sure I've ever seen it mentioned around here. It looks like a cartridge with a lot of potential for essentially anything you'd encountrer on the continent.

August 16, 2007, 10:19 PM	#3
Rugerno1shooter Senior Member Join Date: March 30, 2007 Location: VA Posts: 144	It's enough for just about anything I should think looking at the killing power it has as well as all the creatures people who have discovered this horse hunt with it. I believe it's considered overpowered for just about everything on the North American Cont except for large grizzlies/browns. Of course you can down load it as well. It's simply a .375 H&H necked down to 8mm (.323). Depending on your barrel length and action strength I've heard of it launching a 220 grain bullet at almost 3200 fps out of a 28 inch barrel I believe? Of course that is a bit extreme and the norm is about a max of 3000fps with the 220 grain bullets. Still....considering that the 300 win mag can launch a 180 grain bullet at about 3100 fps (strong action etc 26 inch barrel) and the 8mm rem mag can launch a 180 at about 3350 (depending on the action etc). You have a really hot .323 caliber cartridge with a the ballistics of a .308 caliber magnum. Best thing that never happened (if you don't mind some recoil) come on now people, don't tell me I don't have at least one 8mm rem mag friendly person out there!!

August 18, 2007, 07:26 PM	#5
TATER Senior Member Join Date: November 19, 2002 Location: Mississippi Posts: 963	Here is my load. 8mm Remington Mag. 200 grain Nosler Spitz CCI-250-Mag primer Remington Brass 79.0 grains H-4831sc (short cut) COL. 3.600 This is a great load for me, You did not mention But I will go ahead a tell you anyway...It's an Ass Kicker! No matter the load!! You might look into a muzzle devise (seriously) Be extra careful resizeing make sure you don't push the the belt back. (I have done it.) HTH.Tater

August 18, 2007, 07:43 PM	#6
TATER Senior Member Join Date: November 19, 2002 Location: Mississippi Posts: 963	RugerNo1..Sorry I didn't realize the Third post was you as well. No stranger to recoil Hehehe...

September 3, 2007, 03:30 PM	#7
Rugerno1shooter Senior Member Join Date: March 30, 2007 Location: VA Posts: 144	Tater, Have you ever had any exp with the hotter .375 H&H loads or the .358 STA? (.375 H&H necked down to .35 cal). How do your hotter 8mm rem mag loads compare? I tend to go with what is accurate vs what is the max it can handle... I've found that usually the best accuracy from the nasty nasties comes from about 100-200 fps slower than max-I'm getting pretty good groups from my .375 H&H (1.5-2.5in). I'm going to try a couple more loads with IMR 4350 and then switch to IMR 4831 I believe. So far That seems to be pushing the 300 grain pill at about 2500-2525fps and it doesn't hurt much at all...just a biggggg strong PUSH. Would you describe your exp with the 8mm rem mag as mainly big pushes or what? (I'm getting a second opinion here, my g/f all 103-105lbs of her is willing to shoot 40-50 rounds of 8mm Mauser off the bench or that .375 H&H load off hand and she doesn't believe me that the recoil of the 8mm rem mag is a big strong push instead of a bone cracking slam into you recoil). Thanks Pat

September 3, 2007, 06:29 PM	#11
Scorch Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2006 Location: Washington state Posts: 15,248	I owned a 8mm Rem Mag for 4 years. During that time, I worked up some great loads for it, and tested them on pigs in California every chance I got. It shot flat, hit like a runaway truck, and just laid the animals out. But shooting it was also like getting hit in the head by Ali. Between the concussion, the recoil, and the fireball out the front end, it was too much for what I was hunting, so I sold it. Recently, there was a Rem 700 in 8mm Rem Mag for sale here on TFL, and I was seriously tempted, but my wife reminded me it gets cold outside at night during the winter. I had two loads for the 8mm Rem Mag that I used, one for IMR 4831, the other for H450 (which is no longer available). 200 gr SPFB 78.0 gr IMR 4831 at 3000 fps 220 gr SP 82.0 gr H450 at 3000 fps Both are MAX loads! __________________ Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs. But what do I know? Summit Arms Services

September 3, 2007, 07:02 PM	#12
Rugerno1shooter Senior Member Join Date: March 30, 2007 Location: VA Posts: 144	Scorch Scorch, what was your 8mm rem mag chambered in? Recoil pad?

September 3, 2007, 11:36 PM	#13
Scorch Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2006 Location: Washington state Posts: 15,248	Like all of the 8mm Rem Mags I've seen, it was a Custom Shop Remington 700. That's the only way to get a Remington 700 in 8mm Rem Mag, as far as I know. It had the factory Remington recoil pad, but I put a Decelerator on it. It really needed it! __________________ Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs. But what do I know? Summit Arms Services

September 4, 2007, 12:17 AM	#14
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,390	"All around it’s basically a hard hitting long range cartridge with what seems to be a bit better ballistic capabilities than a .338 diam cart." Certainly not as it originally came from Remington. Of the two factory loads that were available, the 185 and the 220, neither one broke the 4,000 ft-lb. mark, and if I'm not mistaken, the 220 was the heaviest bullet that was factory loaded. The .338 was at, or better, than the 4,000 ft.-lb. mark with the 200, the 250, and the 300 grain bullets. I think that might be something of what put Elmer Keith off -- the cartridge as offered just didn't really match its potential, and the bullets that were offered certainly didn't help things, either. Just another entry into the long list of Remington cartridges that were darned good ideas but which the company totally chumped for one reason or another. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

September 4, 2007, 08:21 AM	#15
Rugerno1shooter Senior Member Join Date: March 30, 2007 Location: VA Posts: 144	8mmremm I could definitely see an issue with a cartridge that didn't seem like it offered a whole lot esp considering the amount of powder this thing hogs!!! Thank heavens for reloading!!! Thanks for the info Mike! It's always good to learn a bit more! Pat PS-I only know of Remington and Double Tap producing current 8mm rem mag ammo. I know the Double Tap ammo is pretty stout Caliber : 8mm Remington Magnum [B][I]Bullet : 250gr. Woodleigh Weldcore JSP Ballistics : 2850fps - 4510 ft./lbs. - 26.0" bbl. Remington 700 [U](Note the 26"barrel on all of these) Bullet : 220gr Woodleigh Weldcore Protected Point Ballistics : 3000fps - 4399 ft./lbs. - 26.0" bbl. Remington 700 Bullet : 200gr Nosler Accubond Ballistics : 3200fps - 4547 ft./lbs. - 26.0" bbl. Remington 700 Bullet : 200gr Nosler Partition Ballistics : 3200fps - 4547 ft./lbs. - 26.0" bbl. Remington 700[/B]

September 4, 2007, 12:27 PM	#16
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,390	I think that that 250-gr. loading from Double Tap could have made all the difference in the world for the 8mm had Remington offered it. People were really expecting to see that kind of performance from a case that size, and they just didn't get it. I really think for the American rifleman you REALLY have to offer a couple of things, perhaps the most important of them being true versatility. The 8mm certainly had that versatility, but people just couldn't see it because of the lack of heavier bullets and rather sedate ballistic. The true lack of versatility is what killed the .244 Remington. The company just couldn't fathom how shooters would want to use the .244 as a combination varmint/deer cartridge. Winchester could see that, though, and that's why the .243 smoked the .244, and it took Remington nearly 10 years to figure out what demographics were telling them. By then, it was far too late -- the .243 ruled the roost. As I said, though, the 8mm also came out a bit too late, after the .338 was well established. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

September 4, 2007, 02:53 PM	#18
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,390	"I always wondered what this round would have done with some reall high-BC bullets and some really slow powder..." I think you would have seen a cartridge not unlike the .338 Lapua Mag. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

September 4, 2007, 03:49 PM	#19
TATER Senior Member Join Date: November 19, 2002 Location: Mississippi Posts: 963	Rugerno1shooter, To each is subjective I guess, (Big smile)... .375 H&H is one heck of a Push. .458 Win is one heck of a Push. 8mm Rem. Mag. Even with a magna-port, Kick-Ass, It just is not pleasant to shoot.

September 4, 2007, 04:17 PM	#20
castnblast Senior Member Join Date: July 2, 2006 Location: Corpus Christi TX Posts: 1,148	Hang on tight, and keep your mouth shut when you pull the trigger...Make sure you got pleanty of eye relief...BTW, this is a great jack rabbit gun!!! All kidding asside, Belted mags are notorius for getting stuck. Get a good stuck case remover, and don't skimp on the case lube. grease those bad boys up real good. I liked 4831 in my 300 win mag. You may also want to try RL 22 and retumbo. retumbo was made for this and like calibers. It's going to really favor slower powders. I haven't loaded an 8mm though...I'm basing this off my experience w/ 338 and 300 win mag. Also, get some sand bags when you work up your load...You'll need them. __________________ VEGETARIAN...old indian word for bad hunter

September 5, 2007, 07:31 PM	#21
Rugerno1shooter Senior Member Join Date: March 30, 2007 Location: VA Posts: 144	Horsepower "]Bullet : 250gr. Woodleigh Weldcore JSP Ballistics : 2850fps - 4510 ft./lbs" Sorry....I just can't help but notice that much horsepower without the 100+FTLBS of recoil that a lot of the more potent cartridges would generate. (yes I know you can get a lot more horsepower but I don't want to blast too much with anything much over 45ftlbs of recoil energy). I wonder if there exists a 150 grain 8mm (.323) bullet that could withstand a full load behind it. Most of the light ones are limited to a certain velocity due to that. I'm still wondering how fast it could push a 150 grain bullet if the bullet could actually hold up....the 300 win mag can push a 110 grain at around 3700-3800fps depending on the barrel length....I'm thinking somewhere in there due to the powder capacity of the 8mm rem mag????? I think one of the reasons a fair number of people use the 8mm Rem Mag for nasty nasties over .338-->bigger calibers is probably where they are hunting...having that hard hitting power at a long range with reasonable recoil (vs like a 30-378 or something like that) is definitely a bonus....as we all know shot placement being very important.....you wouldn't want to lob a couple over the beast or under it or hit it in a bad spot (wounding it only). Then again you also would want to be careful of overconfidence (missing a long shot because you know the cartridge can reach that far...but you aren't good enough). ::shrug:: Just some musings-

September 6, 2007, 01:23 AM	#22
Bruce A. Frank Junior Member Join Date: September 6, 2007 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 7	I bought the Remington 700 BDL in 8mm Remington Mag less than a year after Remington introduced it. I the time I was living in Utah and hunting BIG mule deer. My first rifle was a lever action Marlin in 357 Magnum...and I took it hunting Mule deer. We loaded a 180 grain spritzer with a flat nose in a new 38 special case (so we could crimp it in the canular(sp?) and maintain correct overall length). We pushed that bullet to 2000 fps with the case splitting with every shot. My friend and I both took a couple of deer with that. The next year we both vowed to obtain larger guns. I bought the 8mm and he bought a 338. We hunted side by side for several years. We pooled our resources in his basement and bought a Dillon progressive press for pistol work and single stage Rock Chucker for the magnums. Both loaded near the point of ejector button imprinting on the case heads, we both found the 8mm Mag a better long range gun (300-400 yard). We concluded that the ballistic coefficient of the 8mm bullets was better that those available for the 338. But, the 8mm did seem to kick a bit worse. I found out the hard way to never let anyone touch off a round (on a rest at the range) without giving extensive warning about not "crawling the stock" and maintaining a straight backbone (don't lean into the round). Two badly cut eyebrows and finally a broken collar bone forced me to say "NO" to those who just wanted to try that "monster." I still enjoy shooting it!

September 6, 2007, 09:40 AM	#23
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,390	Not sure, but I don't think the 8mm Mag. even comes close to 100 ft lbs of recoil, even with those heavy bullets at that velocity. I've fired more than my fair share of rounds that dump a lot more energy than that on target with bullets heavier than that that don't come close to 100 ft lbs of recoil. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

September 6, 2007, 07:41 PM	#24
Rugerno1shooter Senior Member Join Date: March 30, 2007 Location: VA Posts: 144	yep I know the 8mm rem mag is no where near 100ftlbs of recoil----a light 8mm load is between 20-25ftlbs depending on the weight of the rifle/bullet weight/charge and a heavy one is between 35-45ftlbs (again depending on the rifle/bullet weight/charge)..hence the "Sorry....I just can't help but notice that much horsepower without the 100+FTLBS of recoil that a lot of the more potent cartridges would generate." nooo way you'd find me shooting any of those nitro cartridges....... 600 N.E. (900 at 1950) 12.0lb rifle 154.0ftlbs recoil energy....owch

December 29, 2007, 03:27 PM	#25
thekyrifleman Senior Member Join Date: December 29, 2007 Location: Northern Ky Posts: 254	8mm Rem Mag Hello to all, just joined the forum. To add a few comments about the "mighty 8", I've had one for about 12 years. It is indeed a kicker. Will punish you as much as you are willing to take. Have fired a 340 weatherby, 210gr Noslers, with the brake removed and it paled in the comparison. I have found, that going to a synthetic stock, HS Precision with the Al block, really helped recoil, particularly with the 200 and 220 gr loads. Almost makes it "comfortable". It will reach out,, longest kill was a PA whitetail at a lasered 427 yards. It went down right now. Load was 150 gr Sierra, clocked at 3375fps. Anyhow, as I said just some comments. Glad to be here.