Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Why not the 8mm Rem Mag

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I don't know. What couldn't you do in North America with an 8 Mag and the Barnes X offerings in 180, 200, and 220 grains? I like that weight spread. Provides a light and flat capability, a heavy game offering, and an intermediate. It could work for me. I think it would be a great round for a custom Ruger #1 with a 28 inch barrel.

Expat

As far as bullet selection, who needs more than 180 and 200 grain Barnes TSX?

Ed T

Coyote_Hunter,

I limited my remark to Remington because that is the one I knew to be long enough for the .375. Also I just remember the Savage is a .375 length also.

I have only talked to one hunter who used the 8mm RM,in a Remington M-700BDL.He didn't like it, lots of kick and it didn't seem to do the job as well as the 8x68 that replaced it.I had to agree with him on the kick,I have 30.06 BDL.It gives more pain than the even lighter 338WM Sako.

Also the post 64 win 70. It has been chambered in 300 Wea and 7STW from the factory.

I also consider the 8mm Rem mag the best elk cartridge that never made it. The only reason I do not own a rifle in this caliber is that I do not spend enough time chasing elk. For my uses, the 7STW will have to suffice.

I also believe that when it came out there simply were not many good bullets in 8mm. The 200 grain Nosler was about it if I recall correctly. I was at a seminar where Bob Nosler was asked if they had any plans for making more bullet weights in 8mm and he flatly replied "NO". When asked why, he simply stated that Remington wasn't pushing the 8mm Mag very hard so he saw no reason to make more. This thinking basically made it a "tweener" between the 300 Weatherby with the 200 grainer and the 340 Weatherby with the 210 grainer in a fairly limited maeket. For myself I never did see the big advantage it had over a 300 Weatherby, which Remington chambered rifles for at one time, and if more was needed just step up to the 340 Weatherby.

I too, remember shooting a friends 8mm Mag one time, and like was mentioned above, it did kick!! I also believe any cartridge is in serious trouble when Charels Askins is its biggest booster!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

You will notice that when a new cartridge is released these days there is much colaboration with a bullet makers to ensure that adequate bullets are loaded in the factory ammo which is the primary choice for most new cartridges during the honeymoon period.

When the 8mm Remy came out, this was not done, so the only bullets available were intended for the 8X57 and the velocities it generated with the sole exception of the 200 grain Nosler Partition which did not capitalize on the bore potential which was capable of another 20-40 grains in weight.

Couple that with the fact that it was a cartridge not needed in an area well catered to by the 300 Winchester and Weatherby magnums on the lighter ( and equal) side and the .338 and .340 magnums on the heavier side which offered more thump any way you looked at it.

Because the 8mm was designed primarlily for the elk market, hunters knew it was not offereing any advantage over existing cartridges and would recoil right up there with the heaviest of them and flush the ears off the side of your head with the 24 inch barrel that came standard.

To put the nail in the coffin during it's introduction, a quote was made from a writer attending the Remingtion seminar/announcement for it.

When the writers were asked if they had any questions, one writer stood up and asked " What's it good for". That question reverberated around the world and killed the 8mm right there.

The writer was Elmer Keith.

Not having Elmer's blessing on anything over 30 cal would have been a serious blow when the 8mm Mag was introduced. But I think an 8mm 220gr with that much horsepower behind it would be some fine elk medicine.

the 8 with the new 185tsx is dianamite on elk, my group of guys have 4 8mags, 3 7stw, 3 300 stw and 2 338 stw, i own one in each caliber on remington actions, might as well have a long magnum if i am carrying a long action, i think my favorite is the 300 version and the 8 a close second.......

Kicks hard, needs a long action, and poor selection of bullets. Most people hunting the lower 48 have no need for something that hot. And the bottom line is...most of the hunters out there are scared of big boomers and don't shoot them well. Most of us at the campfire are rifle nuts, but the rest of america shoots a box a year at the range right before their hunt. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />