Experiences with 8MM's

[JD338]

Looks like a nice easy load. Case life should be really good too.

JD338

 

[8MMX57JS]

Gotta love it when your first starting load during development starts off like this. Shot two groups to confirm. 1st group was 0.6" for 3 shots, 2nd group was 0.575" for 3 shots. Velocity on the lower end for a 160gr Fox Copper.

 

[8mm Enthusiast]

Gotta love it when your first starting load during development starts off like this. Shot two groups to confirm. 1st group was 0.6" for 3 shots, 2nd group was 0.575" for 3 shots. Velocity on the lower end for a 160gr Fox Copper.

Beautiful groups just getting started!

 

[8MMX57JS]

Went out looking for a bear but ended up connecting with a wolf at 130 yards on the move and a coyote at 185 yards. The 8x57 170gr sst did quick work putting them down. The coyote was a hard quartering shot, bullet entered the base of the neck and exited the skull.

This wolf came out of water hole where a pack did kill two cows.....a good wolf is a dead wolf.

 

[gerry]

Excellent work, always good to thin out the wolves and coyotes!

 

[NYDAN]

Good shooting. Congratulations.

 

[DrMike]

It is always a mark of excellence when dropping a wolf and/or a coyote. A double any day is well worth the effort.

 

[Vince]

Welcome to the frolicking fun!
I’m a fan of bigger bullets but went the .338 route due to availability here in the lower 48. You have some very nice samples of what the 8mm in it’s variant cartridges can accomplish.

Vince

 

[8MMX57JS]

Big boar down with my blue thunder load, great results with the 160gr TTSX at 3000 fps. Bear squared 6'9". 75 yard broad side shot.

This is the entry from the TTSX, very explosive considering an all copper bullet. It's also larger than the exit.

Exit hole

 

[DrMike]

The TTSX worked quite well or you. A fine specimen.

 

[8mm Enthusiast]

Big boar down with my blue thunder load, great results with the 160gr TTSX at 3000 fps. Bear squared 6'9". 75 yard broad side shot.

This is the entry from the TTSX, very explosive considering an all copper bullet. It's also larger than the exit.

Exit hole

The perfect load. One shot, one bear down. That's all you need right there for the vast majority if not all north American big game.

 

[RL338]

I’m a big fan of the TTSX for hunting and your results back that up.

 

[8MMX57JS]

Interesting to see federal release Euro Copper line. Bought some in 8x57. Rated velocity on the box is 2600 fps. I got around to shooting some over the weekend and it shot great and velocity was spot on!

What I find odd is that it seems like Federal and Hornady collaborated on this product and load. Same specs and same bullets. Just different branding.

 

[Hunter26]

That's interesting, I know Federal has/does load Hornady bullets but the load there is identical. Is the Federal brass marked FC?

 

[8mm Enthusiast]

Interesting to see federal release Euro Copper line. Bought some in 8x57. Rated velocity on the box is 2600 fps. I got around to shooting some over the weekend and it shot great and velocity was spot on!

What I find odd is that it seems like Federal and Hornady collaborated on this product and load. Same specs and same bullets. Just different branding.

Very interesting. We only have those 180gr ECX available here in the US as factory seconds. I should probably buy up some more before they are gone.

 

[8MMX57JS]

That's interesting, I know Federal has/does load Hornady bullets but the load there is identical. Is the Federal brass marked FC?

It's not marked the usual Federal way nor does it have the typical blue sealant on the primer. Marked "FC" 8x57. I also found the packaging to be the exact dimensions with the same bullet holder versus typical federal boxes with the 2 pcs clear plastic holders. A little unusual for Federal imo.

 

[8MMX57JS]

Worked up another load in the last week. 150gr Hornady interlocks, worked with IMR 4895.
On Saturday we had 30c+ (86F+) deg weather and the most accurate load of 50.5gr was shooting 2890 fps average for .85-1" groups. The next day I went out to confirm consistency of accuracy, but this time it was cooler with about 18degC (65F) with overcast, same load shot the same sized groups, but with the tempature change it averaged 2840 fps. So a 50 fps decrease with the temperature swing.
I also worked up to 51.5gr for an average of 2875 fps and group size was that of 1 inch for 5 shots.

 

[8mm Enthusiast]

Worked up another load in the last week. 150gr Hornady interlocks, worked with IMR 4895.
On Saturday we had 30c+ (86F+) deg weather and the most accurate load of 50.5gr was shooting 2890 fps average for .85-1" groups. The next day I went out to confirm consistency of accuracy, but this time it was cooler with about 18degC (65F) with overcast, same load shot the same sized groups, but with the tempature change it averaged 2840 fps. So a 50 fps decrease with the temperature swing.
I also worked up to 51.5gr for an average of 2875 fps and group size was that of 1 inch for 5 shots.

Are you getting any pressure signs with the 51.5gr load?

 

[8MMX57JS]

No pressure sign, my load data book says its around 56,000 psi which is nothing for a modern rifle. I've worked up loads up to an approx of 62k psi in my 8x57 and even then it was safe in my rifles with no sign of pressure signs.

I will say that my 8x57 S&B 196gr SPCE factory ammo with the lot number of #717 was shooting 2665 fps and those primers were showing some sign of flattened primer, no sticky bolt or heavy bolt lift though. Keep in mind this was also in 30+c (86F+) deg weather, heat of the day. That is a hot load. Shot 1 inch groups at 100 yards. That load generates 3100 FT/LBs at the muzzle! Pretty great performance for factory ammo.

 

[8mm Enthusiast]

No pressure sign, my load data book says its around 56,000 psi which is nothing for a modern rifle. I've worked up loads up to an approx of 62k psi in my 8x57 and even then it was safe in my rifles with no sign of pressure signs.

I will say that my 8x57 S&B 196gr SPCE factory ammo with the lot number of #717 was shooting 2665 fps and those primers were showing some sign of flattened primer, no sticky bolt or heavy bolt lift though. Keep in mind this was also in 30+c (86F+) deg weather, heat of the day. That is a hot load. Shot 1 inch groups at 100 yards. That load generates 3100 FT/LBs at the muzzle! Pretty great performance for factory ammo.

I have a few of those S&B 196gr SPCE's sitting around. Didn't realize they were loaded that hot! Surprising. I wonder what velocity they'll generate if I fire them from a 29 inch barrel.

It seems you might have a bit of room to go higher than 51.5gr if wanted but the 50.5gr is already giving more than acceptable accuracy with velocities that no factory ammo will match.