Back Online With My Big 8

[DrMike]

Bullet, whatever you do, don't read the derogatory BS that's written about this cartridge, in shooting magazines etc!
Just go out and shoot some animals, they don't read magazines!!!

Good advice, that.

 

[bullet]

G'Day Fella's,

Bullet, that's a great looking rifle, chambered for an awesome cartridge!
I occasionally wonder, why the 8mm RM wasn't far more popular?
It has a lot going for it!!!
A good mate of mine (Dudley Nicol, recently deceased), had two 8mm Rem Mags, both Rem 700 BDL's.

Bullet, whatever you do, don't read the derogatory BS that's written about this cartridge, in shooting magazines etc!
Just go out and shoot some animals, they don't read magazines!!!

Doh!
Homer

Homer, don't worry about me, I don't like baby formula. I like meat!!! I test every cartridge and rifle I have ever owned and some that I have not owned but were giving to me for testing and I come up with my own conclusions, I don't borrow an other man's word on a subject to base my actions on, especially how accurate it is or how it preforms terminally. Everyone on this forum who knows me, knows that I do not leave any rock un-turned. I am given to the detail, expense, trouble and shear effort to find out what a rifle and cartridge are really about. Now I have had a lot of trouble with this rifle not due to its manufacture, design or cartridge but because of some neglect in keeping it from rusting in the end of the bore, but have now conquer this.

I am no fool, I know just how powerful, and accurate an 8mm Remington Magnum can be an mine will be, "I AIN'T THROUGH WITH THIS BABY YET"!! I also know from my experience with the 340Wby that this 8mm Rem Mag will kill game on that level of terminal results. To put it plainly, even after having all the trouble I have gone through getting my 700 BDL back on line, I actually can say I love the 8mm Rem Mag cartridge and I have not even shot game with it yet. When I can take a 24" barrel and actually have in essence a 300Wby, 300RUM, 340Wby and 338Rum, all in one gun and cartridge, that says a lot. It will shoot flat like a 300Wby or 300RUM, and hit hard like a 340Wby and 338Rum and I have even driven a 250gr Barnes Original at 2810fps. There is nothing that you can do with the calibers I just mention that you can't do with an 8mm Rem mag for all intents and purposes.

Well, I hope you see that I am not someone who drinks the cool aid. :mrgreen:

 

[bullet]

Well, lets put the Big 8 in perspective when it comes to recoil. But first, this 8mm Rem Mag of mine feels better and is easier on me due to the recoil pad than my 340Wby Mark V. Now that said, here is the data.

Cartridge:.8mm Remington magnum
Firearm: Remington 700 BDL
Load and Firearm Info:
Bullet Dia (in): 0.323
Case Length (in): 2.850
Case Volume (gr H2O): 93.5
Muzzle velocity (ft/sec): 3009
Bullet Wt (gr): 220
Charge Weight (gr): 83
Barrel Length (in): 24
Firearm Weight (lb): 8.20
Free recoil energy is 42.7 ft-lb. (57.9 Joule)

FACTOIDS:
Free recoil velocity is estimated to be 18 ft/sec. (5.6 m/sec)
(This is equivalent to dropping the 8.20 lb gun from a height of 5 feet.)
The free recoil volocity is gained in only 0.15 in (3.8 mm) of travel
Recoil impulse is 4.7 lbf-sec (20.8 Newton-sec)
Powder gases generate about 37 percent of the total recoil impulse & velocity



Cartridge:.340 Weatherby
Firearm: Weatherby Mark V
Load and Firearm Info:
Bullet Dia (in): 0.338
Case Length (in): 2.825
Case Volume (gr H2O): 93.5
Muzzle velocity (ft/sec): 3035
Bullet Wt (gr): 225
Charge Weight (gr): 83.7
Barrel Length (in): 26
Firearm Weight (lb): 8.50
Free recoil energy is 42.1 ft-lb. (57.1 Joule)

FACTOIDS:
Free recoil velocity is estimated to be 18 ft/sec. (5.4 m/sec)
(This is equivalent to dropping the 8.50 lb gun from a height of 5 feet.)
The free recoil volocity is gained in only 0.15 in (3.8 mm) of travel
Recoil impulse is 4.7 lbf-sec (21 Newton-sec)
Powder gases generate about 36 percent of the total recoil impulse & velocity

For long range shooting with the 220gr Seirra SBT my max load at 3009fps with a .520 BC and a SD of .301(remember I only have a 24" barrel), is not bad at all.

Muzzle energy is 4423ft pounds
Remain energy of 2,000ft pounds out to 614yds

Zero is 255yds
-6" 333yds

Yes, I am addicted to hunting rifles, reloading and hunting.

 

[LD375]

Nice rifle!..Looks like your ready pal!..now go fill some tags :twisted: :grin: :wink: ...Lou

 

[bullet]

Nice rifle!..Looks like your ready pal!..now go fill some tags :twisted: :grin: :wink: ...Lou

Man, sure hope so, would be cool to end the year like that. :grin:

 

[bullet]

Just a few thoughts in passing. Everybody needs to do their own stuff with their rifles. Try things others mention, but draw you own conclusion about your specific rifle and cartridge. Everyone needs to find what he likes with his rifle and cartridge and then go with it, shoot it and hunt with it.

Also, write down what you find and share it. It does not matter if men ignore it. Hey, there will be a few who like what you have shared and it might just get them going in a certain direction. It might help them out and if it doesn't you are still happy with what you found works for your rifle and cartridge.

I don't take it personal if someone does not like what I have come up with or if they think that it is dumb. Shoot, it might be dumb or not worth the effort, but everyone needs to do what they can with what they have and at the same time we all need to be happy with having the privilege to buy guns, reload, shoot and hunt. :grin:

 

[LD375]

Good point for sure!..I've never owned more than 2 rifles at the same time :shock: ..Why, I don't believe in doing so, again that's my choice...I've takin deer/bear and moose with everything from a compound bow/30:06 7mag, 338mag and last but not least a .270WSM :grin: ..Out off all the moose I have taken, by far the .270WSM has performed the best...There's something just magical about the .270WSM with proper bullets and shot placement...EG...I have a sako 85 in .375 H&H Mag on order, I love this caliber as well, I don't think any moose/elk would have noticed the difference...Now for large dangeorous game that can bite you back, I'll be totting my .375 H&H in a hurry, scope or no scope :twisted: ...Lou

 

[bullet]

Good point for sure!..I've never owned more than 2 rifles at the same time :shock: ..Why, I don't believe in doing so, again that's my choice...I've takin deer/bear and moose with everything from a compound bow/30:06 7mag, 338mag and last but not least a .270WSM :grin: ..Out off all the moose I have taken, by far the .270WSM has performed the best...There's something just magical about the .270WSM with proper bullets and shot placement...EG...I have a sako 85 in .375 H&H Mag on order, I love this caliber as well, I don't think any moose/elk would have noticed the difference...Now for large dangeorous game that can bite you back, I'll be totting my .375 H&H in a hurry, scope or no scope :twisted: ...Lou

Man, that Sako 375H&H is awesome looking rifle and no one needs to tell you how effective the 375H&H is on game. WOW!!! can't wait to see your results from load work. You are so right about shot placement and that animals don't know the difference, but as you said we know the difference of going home from a hunt or being eaten and I am with you on the fire power for those animals that can stomp you in the ground, that take pleasure is goring you and tossing you around and of course those that will bit you till you die or bit you and be eating you while you are still alive.

 

[bullet]

Reduced Max load by one grain, 220gr SBT, 13ft extreme spread, 5 Deviation, group size 1.197" average Velocity 3002fps

 

[bullet]

Well instead of backing off one grain and using Rem 9 1/2M primers instead of CCI250 like I was using, I am going back to the CCI250 primer and will backed off two grains from my Max load of IMR7828. This should put me between 2950 - 2980fps and should actually improve accuracy and also the 220gr SBT will function better in the 2900fps than at 3000fps. After hunting season ends for me I am going to try the 200gr bullets again.

 

[FOTIS]

That dog will hunt......

 

[bullet]

That dog will hunt......

Little load adjustment and OAL adjustment and the dog will indeed hunt. Will let you know if I get a chance to take something before season closes. :mrgreen:

 

[FOTIS]

Great....pretend I am there. Never took a whitetail.

 

[bullet]

Great....pretend I am there. Never took a whitetail.

Will do my friend, will do. :grin:

 

[SJB358]

That dog will hunt......

Without a doubt. A 220 at 2800-2900 is some deadly medicine buddy!

 

[bullet]

That dog will hunt......

Without a doubt. A 220 at 2800-2900 is some deadly medicine buddy!

I now have it at 2960fps and will stay with that for now.

 

[TBASTIAN]

Great caliber, and good looking rifle Bullet. I've always wanted an 8mm RM. One of my hunting partners has two of them and loves them.

 

[bullet]

Well finally got to where I need to be. Reduced my load to get around 2920fps so the Sierra SBT would function better terminally. Average velocity was 2917fps, 12 extreme spread and 5 deviation.

Fired three fouling rounds that were the rounds I fired yesterday that were 3002fps then fired three of my reduced charges and I can settle for this for hunting the rest of my season. Been a long haul with this rifle but finally here.

Fouling rounds

Reduced rounds averaging 2917fps

Will let everyone know if I get something with the 8mm Rem Mag.

 

[SJB358]

Yeah, I am thinking either of those groups would surely take any animal walking in the US or Canada.. That is a powerful load and very accurate Mike. Great shooting.

 

[bullet]

Yeah, I am thinking either of those groups would surely take any animal walking in the US or Canada.. That is a powerful load and very accurate Mike. Great shooting.

Thanks Scotty, it has taken a while for me to get this thing back on line, but I think it is ready to run