Loads for the Mighty 8mm Remington Magnum

[Bruce A. Frank]

Picking up a very old thread, but I have come into some new info that some might appreciate. My 8mm Mag has never shot as well as I expected. Two shots in a row sometimes hit as far apart as 5 inches at 100 yds. If I let the barrel cool for 30 minutes between shots, the second bullet went through the same hole as the first.

I have done two things, first I installed a Choate Tatical stock. That soaked up some of the recoil but did nothing for the accuracy. The next move was a replacement barrel. I like this cartridge and I have almost 1000 new cases so if this gun could be made to shoot in this caliber I had incentive to keep it. Its power and long range accuracy should be right up there with cartridges like the 338 Lapua Mag.

About two months ago I sent it off to the Douglas Barrel company to have them make and install a 26" stainless medium target barrel. I did not appreciate how much weight this would add to the gun, but since I usually am loaded with a pack and a 44 mag pistol when hunting, it is not that much impact at 13 lbs. When shooting this gun off the bench as it came from the Remington factory it beat me up. Left my shoulder sore for days if I fired as few as 10 shots. At the range this week, the first time shooting it, I fired 40 rounds off the bench with NO discomfort.

I had two loads, the 220 gr Sierra Gameking and the 200 gr, Barnes TSX. After a little noodling around with the scope I found the game king bullets to shoot about 7/8" group at 100 yds. The surprise was the Barnes. I was using my 3-9 power Leupold, because I trust it, but I will later try a 8-32 power scope. The first two Barnes bullets fired shot into one ragged hole about 1/2" across. I adjusted the scope to bring them to the center of the bulls eye and fired two more shots. Another less than 1/2" group! I find that amazing with a bullet almost 3/8" in diameter!

I was so impressed that I proceeded to shoot up most of my very expensive Barnes bullets loads. But, I convinced myself that I now have a top notch shooter with several 5 shot groups in 1/2". . .and NO waiting for the barrel to cool between shots. Cold barrel shot and last shot of 5 were in that 1/2" group.

I expect that with some development of the load and the higher power scope to see sub-half minute groups. Besides hunting I hope to get involved in some long range competition.

My 8mm gun has been a roller coaster ride since I bought it. With a lot of time at the range I could get it such that the first cold barrel shot was dead on. Because of that I took some mule deer over the years, but there was no reason to even try again if the first shot missed. This new Douglas barrel has brought the accuracy to the level, as it should, of a bench rest rifle. The light target barrel of maybe even the Remington Varmiter contour that Douglas offers might have done the job. But, what I have proven now is that the cartridge itself if capable of the standard I wanted.

[SixShooterBP]

Here is what my factory original M700 BDL does at 100yds.

220gr Sierra Gameking
87grs RL25

[Bruce A. Frank]

Your factory barrel shot MUCH better than mine. The original factory stock had an upward pressure point about 2" from the end of the stock. I tied shimming to increase pressure and eventually removed the bump completely and free-floated the barrel. I later glass bedded the action then later the barrel. There were some changes, but my second and third shots still were 3 to 5 inches away from the first. As I said, I am getting 1/2-" groups now with this Douglas barrel.

Bullets: One of the cool things about the solid copper Barnes 8mm 200 gr bullets is that they do not blow up at close range high velocity impacts yet still expand when traveling as slowly as 1800 fps. Just wish the Barnes bullets were less expensive. Here in CA I am restricted to non-lead bullets in the areas in which I hunt.

I should also add that the ballistic efficient is absolutely the best with the 8mm diameter bullet.

[nitro-express]

I bought one when they first came out. Accuracy was phenomenal, with just about anything. The rifle was not without problems. The bolt had a stepped face, like it was first machined for a .473 and later re-machined for a mag. Remington warranty sucked back then, they did not help. I decided to fix it myself, bought a used 7mm and swapped bolts. Then I sold the 7mm cheap at a gun show. The 7mm had the barrel screwed on off center, took me 3 tries to get it bedded so the stock wouldn't touch. All the 700's I've owned shot better when free floated. The Remington 700 is a good design, I must be jinxed because just about everyone I've owned has had a major assembly flaw. I eventually tired of the rifle (20 years is long enough) and sold it also, for cheap, at another gun show. Gun shows seem to be the best place to sell turkey guns, people expect to buy project guns there. I mostly used H4831 and Fed215 primers. I'm not a very good hunter, never saw game when I hunted with it. Perhaps the game knew what was coming and ran away. Back then the only gun that came in 300 Weatherby was a Weatherby. The 8mm Mag and the 300 Weatherby aren't much different. They are both fine shooting calibers and neither is for the recoil sensitive. If you need a big gun for big (North American) game a 338 Win Mag is just about perfect, and if you need more range go for the 340 Weatherby. In the end I just bought an '06 and loaded it with 165 Sierra HPBT bullets with 57 gr of 4350 and a F210M and went hunting. Last season my son and I wanted to do a nostalgia hunt, he used a 300 Savage 99 and I used a Husky FN98 in 8x57, both without optics. Lots of fun, game was scarce, good father son experience. I'm beginning to really love the 8x57, kind of a neat caliber. I ramble, TTFN

[skywag]

I just bought a 300 Super.

That is a 8mm Rem Mag necked down to .308.

I have no idea WHAT I'm going to do with it, but the dies are in the mail as we speak.

[8mmMagHunter]

I know this is an old thread, but wanted to post for all you 8mmMagnum fans.

Barnes now makes the 160 TTSX in 8mm. Using Reloader 17, I achieved 3370 FPS and 75" groups. Recoil wasn't tooooo bad, but still not alot of fun to shoot.

According to loading data, Reloader 17 should also achieve over 3000 fps with 200 gr bullets as well.

[Mike Irwin]

What's the BC on those 160s? I could see that being a passable long-range option but still have to wonder if there are not better choices.

[mrawesome22]

75" groups. Is that at 2500yrds?
:thumbup:

Sent from HenseMod6.

[Rapidrob]

with the new powders from St.Marks on the market, and three new bullets from Sierra, Nosler,and Hornandy ( all 200 grain match bullets) cartridge really comes alive!
I built a custom 29" barreled and have had very good luck with this cartridge out to 500 meters for grouping. It is my intention to shoot the rifle at our Mile club.
for the first time the combination of the new powders and bullets allow this cartridge to give you the shooter, the results we have been waiting for for 35 years. Very high velocities,low pressures,long case life and remarkable accuracy.
I know this is an old post, hopefully many of you still have the rifle.
Here is the 200 meter five shot target after the sighter at 3 o'clock.


Here is a photo of the 500 yard target-ten shots in a row


If you have a chance try the new 200 grain match bullets and the powders Hodgdon 100V ,Winchester Superformance. The new Hybrid powders are setting records.