I've been an 8mm fan for quite a few years. I have and use 8mm's in 8mm Rem, 8x68, 8mm-338 and 8mm-06 Ackley. These calibres have not been used in isolation as I also use a couple 338's and a 340. The 8mm Rem is a great cartridge in a 26 in or longer barrel. Shorten the barrel and you loose a lot of velocity. The 8x68 and the 8mm 338 have the same case capacity and deliver identical performance. The 323 Hollis would be very similar in loads and performance. With these 3 the only bullets I've not had problems with are the 200 gr Nosler partition, the 200 gr Barnes TSX and the Swift A-frames. The 300 mags will shoot lighter bullets flatter and the 338's will shoot heavier bullets faster but for long range hunting of large game such as moose and elk the big 8mm's give up very little to any calibre. So they are a niche calibre. Anyone who does any objective testing will find that. While the 8mm-06 Imp will not deliver the velocity the big cases will it will the 8mm-06 Imp will shot the 180 gr E-tip within 150 fps of the bigger cases. If you have a good 300 mag or 338 mag don't run out and sell thinking a new 8mm is going to majically do something new but don't look down you nose at a well loaded 8mm mag.
Let's talk about big 8mm's
- Thread starter Hotwheels81
- Start date
Cleftwynd Why do you think you need a 230 or 240 gr bullet in your 8mm? With a good 200 gr you have a very flat shooting rifle. In my Rem the 200 Barnes TSX is the best bullet. It will hold together on close up shots yet still penetrate. The 220 gr Swift A-Frame will also penetrate but your already loosing some of that flat trajectory. Woodliegh makes an 8mm 250 gr bullet but I have never used it.
Just for long range shooting, of all my rifles (all hunting rifles) my 325 is the most accurate. Next to the 222 anyway. And I would like to take advantage of higher BC bullets. If launched at a decent velocity they should buck wind better, drop less, and carry more energy at extreme ranges.
I think you will find those heavier bullets will be semi spritzers and round nose bullets with lower ball. co-efficients than the200 and 220 gr bullets. Also on cartridges such as the 325 WSM using heavier bullets will take up valuable powder space in the case. The highest BC bullet you are likely to find in 8mm is the 220 Sierra .
I have this same rifle and chambering...mine has a so-called deluxe stock with the Monte Carlo. It is as you say but to be fair the big BRNO's are not exactly lightweight rifles so recoil is well absorbed. They are remarkably accurate in every chambering I have tried. Excellent and long barrels are a big part of the equation for these rifles.
