I had the big 8mm Mag when it first came out and was amazed at the handloadng capability. I was using compressed loads of imr powder with 150 grain spitzers on Mule Deer in Wyoming and routinely made shots between half and 1 mile. Muzzle velocity was over 3800 fos and it made for 1 shot long distance kills. The single flattest trajectory rifle at long distance I have ever used.
I never would have thought a beast like the 8mm RM would be such a capable long range round. One thing is for sure: The Remington 700 rifles from the 1980s are of outstanding quality, which makes Remington's eventual decline a few years ago all the sadder.
I bought my 8mm BDL in 1978. Paid $209 new at a lgs. How times have changed! Shooting 185 grain factory's was eye-opening. And forehead bleeding from the scope! I learned to respect the Big 8.
@@thomasbullen5239 heh I've been told that the 8mm RM is no joke in the recoil department. So far, the most powerful rifle that I've gotten to fire was only a 7mm RM (also a 1980s-era model 700 BDL), meaning no big deal at all.
Take the iron sights off Mag Na Port, as you suggest, make it left hand which they did produce. Install a Timney trigger and safety. Then junk the whole thing a get a Weatherby 340 Magnum. A real rifle.
8mm Remington Magnum was a good idea but we did not have the heavier bullets to make proper use of it at the time. Colonel Charles Askins used it and liked liked it, and that speaks well of the round.
That is a wickedly powerful cartridge. Now just imagine if .325 bullets had evolved with ELD and VLD options as some of the other calibers. A Ruger No.1 with a 30" or 32" barrel would be fantastic.
I had a custom 7MM STW made when the 7MM STW was a wildcat. I reloaded it for almost 20 years mostly using 140 grain Hornady bullet. This gun was made for long range deer hunting. And it does that extremely well. I had to purchase 8MM Mag cases and neck down to 7MM to reload.
You know Mike you’ve inspired me to reach out to companies about possible products and such. I even got some responses. I asked Savage about if a traditional walnut sporter model of their straight pull is on the way. They said no but they will drop the idea with R&D. Also asked Mauser if they would ever release a modern version of their amazing .22 rifles. They said not right now. Which i thought was silly since cz, blaser, tikka/sako is having such great success with theirs.
For many years Norwegian Army had a gunsmith school/ OCS school, 4 year combined service there. Guya graduated as LT or Captain and Gunsmith. Thei exam piece was recreate from scratch a .22 LR rifle, copy of CZ 452 model , they handbuilt and machined them each, strange why not the original firm cant do the s,e. Which invented it.
@@MrPh30 that’s fantastic. I wish the us military would go back to .22lr trainers. We use stupid virtual simulators that are complicated, need a technician to run and prone to failure.
I used an 8x68S extensively in Namibia and it proved an excellent round using RWS ammunition which was plentiful in U.K. at the time . Prior to that I used a Blaser special order fluted match barrel in 7mm STW with fantastic results both on Namibian Safaris and here in U.K. on deer. I also had a custom built Rigby in 6.5x68 which was a marvellous rifle, again with plentiful supply of both their RWS 93g and 127g just fabulous on deer etc. As mentioned Craig Boddington used the 8mm Remington on several outings which he wrote about extolling praise on the cartridge. Unfortunately as others have noted, the round, sandwiched between the ubiquitous 300Win and its contemporaries and the 338 Win Mag and similar never caught on.
Thanks for the note Derek - words of experience - your Rigby must be magnificent. The 6.5x68 is another fantastic cartridge that not many know about. All the best and good shooting.
Hey Mike, I’ve enjoyed your last few weeks about the 8mmRM. I know Craig Boddington has been a fan of this round for a long time. Thanks for posting, take care!
A great review and demonstration of the nearly extinct 8mm Remington Magnum rifle. I absolutely respect this caliber and nearly purchased a rifle on a whim many years ago. But, the ammo was extremely difficult to find back then, because it seemed the rifle had a relatively brief lifespan. No, it's not your imagination - that magna-porting works as designed. Those are a couple of beautiful rifles in a very effective cartridge. Thank you for sharing.
Both, the 8mm Rem Mag and the .7mm STW are great long range HUNTING cartridges for larger animals. Sadly neglected as nowadays the trend is towards slower heavy-for-caliber bullets with high BCs. However if you compare ballistics up to 500 yards speed is king still.
My neighbor down the road builds a few custom guns. He’s got a few boxes of factory Remington 220 grain 8 mag and about 200 pieces of 8 mag brass, I just talked to him today about building me a gun. My dad had one when I was a kid and I was always fascinated by it.
My first hunting rifle was a RWS Krico in 8x68S, still one of my favorite rifles and calibers. The only disadvantage with 8mm is that nobody does super high Bc bullets, since 8mm isn't common in America and a high BC was never a thing that german/european companies and costomers were interested in. Still waiting for a change :D
@@MrPh30 It's BC isn't that great for such a heavy bullet. I mean, for hunting it doesn't matter, but i always wanted to build a long range rifle in 8x68S, and one in 7x64, in case of the 7mm there is no problem with good bullets :D
I had one of the first 8mm Remmag 700 BDLs. It had one of the best walnut stocks I have seen. It was like someone at Remington wanted to put a top grade stock on the new caliber rifle as a reward for the buyer. I sold it to a karate buddy in MA when it was legal to do so. I wish I had it now. A few custom ammo makers still load 8mm Remmag ammo.
My FFL dropped his 8MM Rem 700 off for me to do a couple light stock touchups in advance of him selling it. I was able to get it back to as-new appearance for him with a partial refinish. He was frustrated by lack of available ammo which is a shame as it was such a nice gun. He's a big guy and said it kicked like a mule. I am impressed with MagnaPorting on yours. it really reduced the barrel jump and the recoil to 30-06/308 territory judging by shoulder displacement. It didn't seem any louder than the unported rifle to my ears but being out of doors could be deceiving. I've been next to a ported 300WinMag at a 75 yd indoor range and had to move to a lane further away. It was so loud it cut right through my "muffs" and made my ears ring.
That's a good project - the partial refinish I mean. Usually far better than a full refinish. The 8mm seems to be fully tamed with porting and you're right - for some reason not so loud as others. Good shooting!
Mike, I applaud your shooting qualities. You take lots of recoil and don’t even show any pain or discomfort. I thought that monster would kick far more than it did. I guess I better start eating my Wheaties!!!
I seen my first 8mm Remington magnum in the late 1970's ..... It had just harvested a big buck.. The buck was shot in the A. Hole and the bullet went all the way and out it's front chest , the most damage I've ever seen , turned the whole deer to jellies...... A true power house...
Thanks for the great Canada 🇨🇦 Day video. I’ve seen Magna porting on rifles but never had the opportunity to fire them. Looks very effective, the rifle has no muzzle jump, absolutely beautiful.
I had no idea regarding the 8mm rem mag, VERY informative, thank you for your efforts in creating and posting this video. Side note, I had to rewind in the beginning, I missed what you said after you mentioned the 50 BMG being the ultimate problem solver. I was laughing too much ! Your dry humor is a nice touch,, keep up the good work !
I had a distant relative that used too come to hunt camp in the early 90's, he had a Remington CDL in 8mm Rem Mag, 26" barrel, used too put down anything it hit with authority ! Quite a shame his longest shot he ever made was about 85 yard's. Edit : the only load he ever used was Remington Core-Lokt 220gr.... In the conversation we had about it I said "why the 220gr load ? Were you trying to slow the round down too be less explosive upon impact up close? Or was it for the greater sectional density and penetration incase you ran across a bear or moose?... His response " no ... It's just what I found locally. But I like your thoughts better." Me again " why not a 308 or 30-06 if you knew you werent going too be shooting that long of a distance?" ( Longest possible shot was 150 yard's... And we cut trees down to get too that distance to site in our rifles, and do what we thought of as mid distance shooting.... It was a fairly heavily forested area, our family sugarwoods, i.e. Vermont maple syrup making area) Him " I wanted a flat shooting rifle" Me " do you know how much a 30-06... Nevermind" I was thinking... A 30-06 even with a 180gr bullet with the slowest of loads almost is laser beam flat anywhere from muzzle too 150 yard's... It's just point and shoot... A 308 is much the same.... Hell ! Even a 30-30 is practical at those distances. (probably havested ~120 in the last 30 years on the property.... 5 we're shot at 80+ yard's, the rest were under that... The majority, well under)
What about a .35whelen? Very popular in Pa and northeast backwoods. I have an awesome Remington 760 in .270 but i wish it was in .35whelen. Its like a 760 should be .35whelen
@@burnsboysaresoldiers love the Whelen ! It's what I use. I don't shoot very far. 99% of the time it's inside 90 yard's. I really like the whelens bigger frontal diameter and slower less explosive velocities. I've gotten a few deer, 2 bear and 1 moose all with my Ruger M77 in 35 Whelen AI (estentially the same cartridge) The 250gr Partition, Varget, Starline brass and CCI primers have been a winning combo for me personally
Craig Boddington have a 8mm RM,and that one have been some few special places with good results, Col Charles Askins also liked his 8mm Rem very much also.
Watched the entire video excellent.I had a .300 Weatherby Magnum Pre 64 Model 70 conversion that I had magna-ported and Mauser 300 .375 H&H cut to 22" I also had magna-ported and it does make a difference in felt recoil. Excellent review of an interesting but sadly neglected big game cartridge.
I understand the interest in these "long range" rifles, and I enjoy the information you present here. I have to say, though, that the country I hunted most of my life in central Montana, if a man couldn't get an elk down with the .30-06, then he needed to learn how to hunt. I always wanted a 300 Holland and Holland, in a model 70 Winchester, as my big rifle, but, alas I never found one when I had money in my pocket.
Hey Mike, you sir are exactly right in both regards to recoil and muzzle jump! It was as obvious as day and night imo! For sure a forgotten round! Thanks for sharing my friend!
I’m with you on the 8mm. I once wanted a .338 Ruger Compact Magnum, but I guess I was alone. Basically obsolete. There’s an interesting division calculation where muzzle energy is divided by the cross-sectional area of the caliber. Made a table of those results awhile ago. Now I understand why I had so many bullet failures on game with the Rem 760 chambered in .270. My brother bought the same rifle in .308 at the same time, 1975. When I think back, we shot equivalent numbers of deer, but his dressed out much cleaner, usually.
@@deutzallis6497 yeah, starting to think that impact velocities below 2600-2800 are just as lethal with much less bullet disintegration. And if .284 caliber and over then there’s not as much need for super strong bullet construction because the copper jacket is usually a little thicker anyway. Smaller calibers struggle to keep bullet density up and still have an overall cartridge length that works in the receiver, so more lead and less copper.
I almost bought one around 1980 based on reading about it in a magazine article but after years of reading I decided to get a 300 Weatherby Magnum in 1988.I still have a 300 Weatherby today !
My grandfather preached of this cartridge. He originally purchased a Remington 700 bdl chambered in it second hand and love it some much he had bought a 375h&h remington 700sps and had it rebarrled with a 26in Douglas barrel that's magnaported. I inherited that rife with his loading dies and load data.
I remember a rifle exactly like this one back in 1980 at our local shop. They couldn't sell it due to the caliber. My buddy bought it cheap I think $375 new and still has it. We called it the elephant gun.
Great video again, thanks! You are right about the aesthetics of the magnaport compare to the most common muzzle brake! The difference in muzzle lift is amazing and no real increase in noise either, not like a muzzle brake equipped rifle where the noise increase is quite noticeable!
My first rifle is a Remington 700 in 243, I mowed lawns for a year to save up money to buy the rifle when I turned 12 years old in the mid 80s. I paid got it new at the local drug store for $250. I have so many guns now and that 243 is still my favorite gun
That is exactly what is on the end of my custom 8mm Remington mag barrel which is on a Browning synthetic x-bolt stock. Beautiful gun, shoots great and and bang on accurate
I’ve heard of magna porting but never knew what it was. Clearly it’s extremely effective. I wonder does it deafen people standing next to it like a regular ported barrel? And happy Canada day! 🇨🇦🙂🇨🇦
It's not as loud as most muzzle brakes. If you watch the shots that Mike takes from the side and notice muzzle lift is greatly reduced with the Magna ported rifle. I have a 7mm Rem Mag that is magna ported and the porting helps in a significant way.
I had a magna-ported .338 win mag and the muzzle blast was so bad I got it rebarrelled to .358 Norma Magnum. I can handle the recoil much better than I could handle the magna-porting.
One of the most elegant cartridges in my opinion is the 300 Holland & Holland. Similar performance to the 300 WM, feeds like silk over glass, recoil is relatively gentle, and it just has panache.
The 8mm RMag was neglected because its ballistics provided very little advantage over existing cartridges. The 300 Magnums nearly match it in equivalent bullet weights, and the 338 WinMag uses significantly heavier bullets. The bullets available when it was introduced in 1978 severely constrained its capability. The need for a long action to accommodate it just about clinched it would be a non-starter.
It looks to me like the 8mm Remington Magnum fills the slot between the 300 Weatherby and 340 Weatherby. It came out in 1977, and its main commercial competition at the time would have been the .300 Win Mag and the .338 Win Mag. Those two calibers had already been well established since the late 50's and early 60's. During that era getting a new or exotic caliber ammo wasn't as easy as going to a Cabela's or buying online, and what caliber a person got in a hunting rifle could even come down to which side of the Continental Divide they lived on. So, if a hunter in 1977 was looking at a getting a new long range hunting rifle the ease and long term availability of ammunition was an even more pressing question to answer, and the 8mm Remington wasn't the answer they reached for in the end.
I have a custom 8mm RM with the barrel and action by Shilen and stock by McMillan. It shoots around .5 MOA. My favorite load is a 220 grain Swift Aframe that runs around 3,000. FPS. It is mean and will take down anything in North America. I absolutely flattened a Nilgai antelope bull with it, he was around 700 pounds. You can load it down to 180 grains. I handload but there is still factory ammo out there.
Yes I often tell people that out to about 350 yards the 8mm Mauser if hand loaded hotter than factory ammo in the USA and with a quality bullet is just as deadly as the 338 Win Mag. I like to use 196gr. soft points.
Mike, thanks for the video. I wanted to know more about that magnum porting process for a while now and also how well it works. Well done!! Can't wait to try my 300 WBY Rem 700 that is also magnum ported.
I was in the market about 20 years ago and had considered this caliber. I was purchasing a Browning A Bolt. The 300RUM was available and I went with that. Was able to get Walnut. Only a handful were made that way. It's not the easiest ammo to get ahold of anymore. I'm going to have to stock up on some more brass when I can find it.
Although 8mm cartridges fill a gap,the bullet selection for 30 cal and 338 make these cartridges way more efficient. The 8mm whilst a viable cartridge gave way to more efficient and projectile available cartridges.
Love the 8x68S, such a remarkable cartridge - almost a ballistic twin to the 8mm RM - but it is unbelted... which a lot of people do not care about, but matters to me. :)
Several of my favorite rifles are Remington 700's. They are all at least 35 years old. At the top of the list is my Safari grade 700 BDL in .375 H&H. Apparently made in the Remington Custom Shop (although it doesn't say so on the trigger guard) the fit and finish are exceptional. Excellent accuracy and with enough weight to mitigate recoil, it is a true 'big boomer'. That said, the perceived recoil feels like a solid 'push' and not an instant 'crack'. Eight or ten rounds at the range isn't a problem. They all have good triggers. I've never had an issue with them, perhaps because I leave them alone. I did want a lighter, crisper trigger pull on my heavy barreled 700 BDL in .22-250 so I took it to a proper gunsmith. A thorough cleaning, minimal stone work, the slightest adjustment and 'presto', an awesome trigger. In 35 years, I haven't had the need to adjust it. I don't have a rifle chambered in 8mm Rem Mag as I already have an excellent bolt action Krico rifle in .300 Win Mag. The ballistics are very similar. But I'd pick one up if I came across a good one at a decent price. One of my all time go to rifles for both target shooting, hunting and teaching the kids is my 700 ADL in .222 Rem. What an awesome cartridge. The rifle is a genuine tack driver. The previous owner was a talented amateur gunsmith who did a few things to enhance accuracy. After the kids had used various .22LR's, it was the first centrefire on the list.
Thanks for the post. Your .375 is hard to find and often overlooked : I guess many don't know how excellent the 700 in .375 is - or .458 for that matter. As for the .222 - the accuracy in the 700 is unbelievable. Remarkable rifle - the 700 : from ..222 to .458 and others - always excellent - at least in my experience. All the best.
8mm was my granddad's hunting rifle. He shot a Pronghorn Antelope here in Wyoming back in the 70's and hit it on 1st shot at close to 850 yards we had to step off the distance because there was no yardage gizmo's back then. Great rifle which I wish I had.
Hello BlackDog - That is one fantastic shot by a fantastic shooter with a cartridge and rifle to match! There are other long range cartridges but the 8MM RM is hard to beat IMHO - thanks for writing and have a great Christmas!
That is a very nice brake setup. My BDL in .338 would spend less time at the back of the safe if it didn't slap me around as much. Thanks for the great information.
Panzer! 🤣 I have one. Now orphaned CZ 557 Lux that I took the muzzle brake off (way too loud) and put a blast diverter on. Quieter, but yes, Panzer. I was calling it an ugly stick and threatening to use it for fishing. Now I’m just going to put tracks under it.
I have a soft spot in my heart for the 8mm cartriges. And the older classic cartriges. I have and rem700 Classic in 375 h&h that i load 235gr Speer simi spitzers 235gr barnes tsx And sierra boat tails in 250 and 300gr. The light bullets shoot just as flat as and 30/06 with 180gr bullets. And it wastes less meat than the small fast magnum rounds. I got my first double and doe and a nice 6pt after the busted me and tried to run. At around 250 yards i dropped them both with 2 rounds of the 235gr barnes ttsx bullets.
My dad shoots an 8MM Remington Magnum. An absolute hog of a round. Smoked a 6x6 bull elk at 475 yards with one. The bull didn’t take one step, just dropped dead.
Hi Dane - Your dad is a good shot - that's a long ways - even if elk are not small. For sure the 8MM is a power house - one of the best IMHO. Have a great hunting season and congrats on the elk.
The pulse width of the recoil is reduced by the porting arresting the rearward movement whereas the non ported can continue to vent gas forward and propell the gun rear so a longer pulse of recoil but initally the same jolt one just shorter in duration than the other. You described it well. And big holes work better than small ones unless your swatting flies at 600 yards. Magnums use a LOT of powder so even reloading gets costly.
For sure Monte Carlo stocks are stylish and most manufacturers find their guns don't sell well without them - with some exceptions. I've always found the BDL very comfortable - millions of 700 buyers agree : )
Blast from the past. I remember when the 8mm rem arrived and it never became successful. Mag na port has also been around for a minute. Interesting old stuff and the long cartridge does function better. There's never been an vibrant 8mm market and I think that's mainly because of the 338 cal.
I built an Americanized 8 x 68 Schuler out of the 375 Ruger. So far it’s only in an ancient BRNO 29” bbl. Rechamber job. It runs with the Rem Big Eight, and kicks less than my 338 RUM. This Big Eight is about ten grains over-bored.
My favourite 'long range' cartridge is the 300H&H. It's a beautiful round & strikes like lightning from afar! Also due to its shallow taper rifles chambered in it tend to feed super smooth!
Very interesting indeed. Made a few good points.. Magna porting looked like it worked very well. There does seem a craze to claim small cartridge do what big cartridge does...🤷
I enjoyed this video. I have a friend who has a 8mm mag and he has taken a lot of elk with it. It’s an excellent cartridge. I don’t understand why it is not more popular. It’s probably the recoil. But as you proved it can be mitigated by magna porting. Or muzzle brakes. Also Falconstrike recoil pads are a great great product.
I was not aware of the existence of the 8mm Rem Mag; if I did, I forgot. This was a very interesting video. The difference between the ported and unported rifles was stark. The ported barrel's muzzle barely rose, if at all. Thank you for this upload.
I love 8mms but the 8x57 mauser.my longest shot on a elk was taken with a Yugoslavian 98 mauser.200 gr Speer at a chronographed 2570 fps .I'm very proud of that shot 285 paces with an excess peep sight.that elk went down fast.no recovered bullet.shot through the lungs very little meat damage.probably not much expansion. So bullet frontal area was key.im an 06 guy but never discount the old mauser.she is top shelf
Hi Dino - That's a very fine shot; the kind one never forgets. I agree - the 8x57 is superb and balanced - actually as good as anything offered today. Good to note that little meat was lost - those somewhat larger bullets at reasonable velocity are like that - another benefit.
For the EDM machining the barrel would be grounded and there is an electrode (made of carbon I think) that is in the shape of the hole you want. A controller applies voltage to the electrode and it is moved in and out over and over again. When it is at its closest point you get a spark jumping across the gap that erodes a little bit on both sides. It is very time consuming.
The late Svein Solli wrote about it in the 80s when it came and early 90s in his great book. hemliked 220 bullet better , good compromise 200 Swift Aframe .,he used it on a Zeiss hunt in Spain on Monteria. 185 broke the neck of a huge stag, but bullet did not exit . Corelokt it was And the Boddington phantastic article about his custom Rem 700 that shot the tiny group with 220 Sierra GK . Built the rifle around the bullet.
8:51: "If you own one . . . you may as well own two." I respect that thought!!
Yes, I own two 300 WB ‘s.
I had the big 8mm Mag when it first came out and was amazed at the handloadng capability. I was using compressed loads of imr powder with 150 grain spitzers on Mule Deer in Wyoming and routinely made shots between half and 1 mile. Muzzle velocity was over 3800 fos and it made for 1 shot long distance kills. The single flattest trajectory rifle at long distance I have ever used.
My dad had one of the 700 BDL's in an 8mm Rem Mag . It was an excellent elk rifle
I never would have thought a beast like the 8mm RM would be such a capable long range round.
One thing is for sure: The Remington 700 rifles from the 1980s are of outstanding quality, which makes Remington's eventual decline a few years ago all the sadder.
I bought my 8mm BDL in 1978. Paid $209 new at a lgs. How times have changed! Shooting 185 grain factory's was eye-opening. And forehead bleeding from the scope! I learned to respect the Big 8.
@@thomasbullen5239 heh
I've been told that the 8mm RM is no joke in the recoil department.
So far, the most powerful rifle that I've gotten to fire was only a 7mm RM (also a 1980s-era model 700 BDL), meaning no big deal at all.
@@Gunners_Mate_Guns i have fired both 7mm and 8mm and i really cant tell any difference in recoil.
Safety and trigger problems that killed people led to the demise of Remington.
Take the iron sights off Mag Na Port, as you suggest, make it left hand which they did produce. Install a Timney trigger and safety. Then junk the whole thing a get a Weatherby 340 Magnum. A real rifle.
One of Craig Boddintons favorite calibers and a very capable caliber for any North American big game!
i also cuncor that that porting of the barrel over something that threads on just looks so much better
8mm Remington Magnum was a good idea but we did not have the heavier bullets to make proper use of it at the time. Colonel Charles Askins used it and liked liked it, and that speaks well of the round.
That is a wickedly powerful cartridge. Now just imagine if .325 bullets had evolved with ELD and VLD options as some of the other calibers. A Ruger No.1 with a 30" or 32" barrel would be fantastic.
I like the Ruger idea and you're right about the bullets.
The Big 8 is criminally underrated. JP muzzle breaks and GS Bullets have brought it back from the dead. My do anything caliber.
You and I are scarce people. I mentioned the big 8 just last evening to 2 collectors and they had no idea the cartridge even existed. 😂
I love mine
I had a custom 7MM STW made when the 7MM STW was a wildcat. I reloaded it for almost 20 years mostly using 140 grain Hornady bullet. This gun was made for long range deer hunting. And it does that extremely well. I had to purchase 8MM Mag cases and neck down to 7MM to reload.
Interesting thanks for sharing
@@TomL3grandsons You are welcome.
Wow, I was very impressed by the reduced muzzle lift and perceived recoil the porting achieves. Very nice rifles as well.
You soak up recoil incredibly well!
Thank you : )
I have a Rem 8mm mag BDL that I had Mag-na-Ported not long after I bought ir. Totally love it! Way more manageable to handle the recoil now.
You've got the wisdom Danny - way ahead of me.
You know Mike you’ve inspired me to reach out to companies about possible products and such. I even got some responses. I asked Savage about if a traditional walnut sporter model of their straight pull is on the way. They said no but they will drop the idea with R&D.
Also asked Mauser if they would ever release a modern version of their amazing .22 rifles. They said not right now. Which i thought was silly since cz, blaser, tikka/sako is having such great success with theirs.
For many years Norwegian Army had a gunsmith school/ OCS school, 4 year combined service there. Guya graduated as LT or Captain and Gunsmith. Thei exam piece was recreate from scratch a .22 LR rifle, copy of CZ 452 model , they handbuilt and machined them each, strange why not the original firm cant do the s,e. Which invented it.
@@MrPh30 that’s fantastic. I wish the us military would go back to .22lr trainers. We use stupid virtual simulators that are complicated, need a technician to run and prone to failure.
Gotta respect a company that at least responds to customer feedback.
This is good news. Most manufacturers listen and welcome... and need ideas and consumer contact. It matters more then one thinks. Good on you!
I used an 8x68S extensively in Namibia and it proved an excellent round using RWS ammunition which was plentiful in U.K. at the time . Prior to that I used a Blaser special order fluted match barrel in 7mm STW with fantastic results both on Namibian Safaris and here in U.K. on deer. I also had a custom built Rigby in 6.5x68 which was a marvellous rifle, again with plentiful supply of both their RWS 93g and 127g just fabulous on deer etc. As mentioned Craig Boddington used the 8mm Remington on several outings which he wrote about extolling praise on the cartridge. Unfortunately as others have noted, the round, sandwiched between the ubiquitous 300Win and its contemporaries and the 338 Win Mag and similar never caught on.
Thanks for the note Derek - words of experience - your Rigby must be magnificent. The 6.5x68 is another fantastic cartridge that not many know about. All the best and good shooting.
Hey Mike, I’ve enjoyed your last few weeks about the 8mmRM. I know Craig Boddington has been a fan of this round for a long time. Thanks for posting, take care!
Excellent video!!! Just bought one today from cabelas!! I love the 8mm!! Got lots and lots of bullets!! Reloading is a hoot!!
A great review and demonstration of the nearly extinct 8mm Remington Magnum rifle. I absolutely respect this caliber and nearly purchased a rifle on a whim many years ago. But, the ammo was extremely difficult to find back then, because it seemed the rifle had a relatively brief lifespan. No, it's not your imagination - that magna-porting works as designed. Those are a couple of beautiful rifles in a very effective cartridge. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you Invictus!
Both, the 8mm Rem Mag and the .7mm STW are great long range HUNTING cartridges for larger animals. Sadly neglected as nowadays the trend is towards slower heavy-for-caliber bullets with high BCs. However if you compare ballistics up to 500 yards speed is king still.
My neighbor down the road builds a few custom guns. He’s got a few boxes of factory Remington 220 grain 8 mag and about 200 pieces of 8 mag brass, I just talked to him today about building me a gun. My dad had one when I was a kid and I was always fascinated by it.
Back when Remington was producing great production firearms with a lot of hand fitting.
My first hunting rifle was a RWS Krico in 8x68S, still one of my favorite rifles and calibers. The only disadvantage with 8mm is that nobody does super high Bc bullets, since 8mm isn't common in America and a high BC was never a thing that german/european companies and costomers were interested in. Still waiting for a change :D
GS bullets makes high BC solid copper 8mm bullets.
Nosler AB is a very flat one in 8mm, Woodleigh also have some models that are good. Barnes TSX too.
Sierra Game King 220
@@luchacefox259 Ah, i see. their 200gr. bullet seems to have a similar BC like the WW2 s.S. bullet. Nowadays match bullets are a bit clumsier.
@@MrPh30 It's BC isn't that great for such a heavy bullet. I mean, for hunting it doesn't matter, but i always wanted to build a long range rifle in 8x68S, and one in 7x64, in case of the 7mm there is no problem with good bullets :D
I had one of the first 8mm Remmag 700 BDLs. It had one of the best walnut stocks I have seen. It was like someone at Remington wanted to put a top grade stock on the new caliber rifle as a reward for the buyer. I sold it to a karate buddy in MA when it was legal to do so. I wish I had it now. A few custom ammo makers still load 8mm Remmag ammo.
Hi James - Hope you get another - for me : one of the best.
My FFL dropped his 8MM Rem 700 off for me to do a couple light stock touchups in advance of him selling it. I was able to get it back to as-new appearance for him with a partial refinish. He was frustrated by lack of available ammo which is a shame as it was such a nice gun. He's a big guy and said it kicked like a mule. I am impressed with MagnaPorting on yours. it really reduced the barrel jump and the recoil to 30-06/308 territory judging by shoulder displacement. It didn't seem any louder than the unported rifle to my ears but being out of doors could be deceiving. I've been next to a ported 300WinMag at a 75 yd indoor range and had to move to a lane further away. It was so loud it cut right through my "muffs" and made my ears ring.
That's a good project - the partial refinish I mean. Usually far better than a full refinish. The 8mm seems to be fully tamed with porting and you're right - for some reason not so loud as others. Good shooting!
The scenery sure looks like my backyard in BC! I’m a big fan of the 8mm Rem Mag
It's a beautiful province
@@UnitedStatesOfGuns thank you! It is but it has horrible politics.
Mike, I applaud your shooting qualities. You take lots of recoil and don’t even show any pain or discomfort. I thought that monster would kick far more than it did. I guess I better start eating my Wheaties!!!
I seen my first 8mm Remington magnum in the late 1970's .....
It had just harvested a big buck..
The buck was shot in the A. Hole and the bullet went all the way and out it's front chest , the most damage I've ever seen , turned the whole deer to jellies......
A true power house...
Thanks for the great Canada 🇨🇦 Day video. I’ve seen Magna porting on rifles but never had the opportunity to fire them. Looks very effective, the rifle has no muzzle jump, absolutely beautiful.
Happy Canada Day Dale! FANTASTIC country!
Your videos are very thoughtful and truthful.
Thank you so much. 🙏
Another excellent video! Thanks Mike.
I had no idea regarding the 8mm rem mag, VERY informative, thank you for your efforts in creating and posting this video. Side note, I had to rewind in the beginning, I missed what you said after you mentioned the 50 BMG being the ultimate problem solver. I was laughing too much ! Your dry humor is a nice touch,, keep up the good work !
I had a distant relative that used too come to hunt camp in the early 90's, he had a Remington CDL in 8mm Rem Mag, 26" barrel, used too put down anything it hit with authority ! Quite a shame his longest shot he ever made was about 85 yard's.
Edit : the only load he ever used was Remington Core-Lokt 220gr....
In the conversation we had about it I said "why the 220gr load ? Were you trying to slow the round down too be less explosive upon impact up close? Or was it for the greater sectional density and penetration incase you ran across a bear or moose?...
His response " no ... It's just what I found locally. But I like your thoughts better."
Me again " why not a 308 or 30-06 if you knew you werent going too be shooting that long of a distance?" ( Longest possible shot was 150 yard's... And we cut trees down to get too that distance to site in our rifles, and do what we thought of as mid distance shooting.... It was a fairly heavily forested area, our family sugarwoods, i.e. Vermont maple syrup making area)
Him " I wanted a flat shooting rifle"
Me " do you know how much a 30-06... Nevermind"
I was thinking... A 30-06 even with a 180gr bullet with the slowest of loads almost is laser beam flat anywhere from muzzle too 150 yard's... It's just point and shoot... A 308 is much the same.... Hell ! Even a 30-30 is practical at those distances. (probably havested ~120 in the last 30 years on the property.... 5 we're shot at 80+ yard's, the rest were under that... The majority, well under)
What about a .35whelen? Very popular in Pa and northeast backwoods. I have an awesome Remington 760 in .270 but i wish it was in .35whelen. Its like a 760 should be .35whelen
@@burnsboysaresoldiers love the Whelen ! It's what I use. I don't shoot very far. 99% of the time it's inside 90 yard's. I really like the whelens bigger frontal diameter and slower less explosive velocities. I've gotten a few deer, 2 bear and 1 moose all with my Ruger M77 in 35 Whelen AI (estentially the same cartridge)
The 250gr Partition, Varget, Starline brass and CCI primers have been a winning combo for me personally
I shot one of those once. And once was enough. But I guess I’m glad I tried it. Very powerful rifle round.
Ive had one for many years and its one of my go too tack drivers for hunting. Great video Mike !!!!
Craig Boddington have a 8mm RM,and that one have been some few special places with good results, Col Charles Askins also liked his 8mm Rem very much also.
Watched the entire video excellent.I had a .300 Weatherby Magnum Pre 64 Model 70 conversion that I had magna-ported and Mauser 300 .375 H&H cut to 22" I also had magna-ported and it does make a difference in felt recoil. Excellent review of an interesting but sadly neglected big game cartridge.
I understand the interest in these "long range" rifles, and I enjoy the information you present here. I have to say, though, that the country I hunted most of my life in central Montana, if a man couldn't get an elk down with the .30-06, then he needed to learn how to hunt. I always wanted a 300 Holland and Holland, in a model 70 Winchester, as my big rifle, but, alas I never found one when I had money in my pocket.
Hey Mike, you sir are exactly right in both regards to recoil and muzzle jump! It was as obvious as day and night imo! For sure a forgotten round! Thanks for sharing my friend!
I’m with you on the 8mm. I once wanted a .338 Ruger Compact Magnum, but I guess I was alone. Basically obsolete. There’s an interesting division calculation where muzzle energy is divided by the cross-sectional area of the caliber. Made a table of those results awhile ago. Now I understand why I had so many bullet failures on game with the Rem 760 chambered in .270. My brother bought the same rifle in .308 at the same time, 1975. When I think back, we shot equivalent numbers of deer, but his dressed out much cleaner, usually.
Ammo very hard to find.
Very little damaged meat with 308 180 grain, buddy with 30 06 took out whole hind quarter.
@@geob0324 and I’ll bet brass for reloading is scarce too
@@deutzallis6497 yeah, starting to think that impact velocities below 2600-2800 are just as lethal with much less bullet disintegration. And if .284 caliber and over then there’s not as much need for super strong bullet construction because the copper jacket is usually a little thicker anyway. Smaller calibers struggle to keep bullet density up and still have an overall cartridge length that works in the receiver, so more lead and less copper.
@@flatlandriver2471 I heard Nosler Custom shop will custom make 8mm brass for reloaders, over $3 a piece ouch .
I almost bought one around 1980 based on reading about it in a magazine article but after years of reading I decided to get a 300 Weatherby Magnum in 1988.I still have a 300 Weatherby today !
My grandfather preached of this cartridge. He originally purchased a Remington 700 bdl chambered in it second hand and love it some much he had bought a 375h&h remington 700sps and had it rebarrled with a 26in Douglas barrel that's magnaported. I inherited that rife with his loading dies and load data.
I've never used 8mm RM but have always believed it was spectacular. Gun writers Layne Simpson and Craig Bodington really like the 8mm RM.
Awesome! Loved the shooting segment.
Good to see another one of your video's.
Best Wishes to you from Montana! M.H.
I remember a rifle exactly like this one back in 1980 at our local shop. They couldn't sell it due to the caliber. My buddy bought it cheap I think $375 new and still has it. We called it the elephant gun.
Great video again, thanks!
You are right about the aesthetics of the magnaport compare to the most common muzzle brake! The difference in muzzle lift is amazing and no real increase in noise either, not like a muzzle brake equipped rifle where the noise increase is quite noticeable!
Thanks David!
50 BMG "ultimate problem solver"!
I've always been a huge fan of wood furniture and iron sights.
Same for me
My first rifle is a Remington 700 in 243, I mowed lawns for a year to save up money to buy the rifle when I turned 12 years old in the mid 80s. I paid got it new at the local drug store for $250. I have so many guns now and that 243 is still my favorite gun
Craig Boddington has used the Big 8 for African plains game a goodly amount I think. It’s sort of a niche cartridge but one of my favorites.
I like how let the firing pin down i always do that. Great video.Hats off.
Same page my friend. Cheers.
That is exactly what is on the end of my custom 8mm Remington mag barrel which is on a Browning synthetic x-bolt stock. Beautiful gun, shoots great and and bang on accurate
I’ve heard of magna porting but never knew what it was. Clearly it’s extremely effective. I wonder does it deafen people standing next to it like a regular ported barrel? And happy Canada day! 🇨🇦🙂🇨🇦
It's not as loud as most muzzle brakes. If you watch the shots that Mike takes from the side and notice muzzle lift is greatly reduced with the Magna ported rifle. I have a 7mm Rem Mag that is magna ported and the porting helps in a significant way.
Happy Canada day fellow patriot 🇨🇦
I had a magna-ported .338 win mag and the muzzle blast was so bad I got it rebarrelled to
.358 Norma Magnum. I can handle the recoil much better than I could handle the magna-porting.
@@tonysambar Interesting. Thanks
My 378 Weatherby is Magna-Ported and well, it's way too hard to tell if it reduces recoil. It's recoil is still wicked!
The sound of the rifle firing is like a western film.
A client showed up in camp with a GORGEOUS custom Dakota action with a AAA Mesquite wood stock on it. Stunning to look at and accurate as h---l.
Well done! I've heard you say that when in doubt send mass. This cartridge certainly does that. I wish it would have been a success.
wow noticeable difference in the ported rifle surprised !!!
Pretty amazing!
In the video you can definitely see no muzzle rise vs. the none magna port
Virtually no rise on that magna-ported 700. Wow. And what a fast round!
One of the most elegant cartridges in my opinion is the 300 Holland & Holland.
Similar performance to the 300 WM, feeds like silk over glass, recoil is relatively gentle, and it just has panache.
I agree Adam - certainly the most elegant 30 cal. magnum and one of the best cartridges of all.
Amen to that and so sweet to shoot
USOG, those are superb indeed. Thanks to you I’ve a fondness for the 8 REM Mag
Such a great and distinctive cal.
The 8mm RMag was neglected because its ballistics provided very little advantage over existing cartridges. The 300 Magnums nearly match it in equivalent bullet weights, and the 338 WinMag uses significantly heavier bullets. The bullets available when it was introduced in 1978 severely constrained its capability. The need for a long action to accommodate it just about clinched it would be a non-starter.
It looks to me like the 8mm Remington Magnum fills the slot between the 300 Weatherby and 340 Weatherby.
It came out in 1977, and its main commercial competition at the time would have been the .300 Win Mag and the .338 Win Mag. Those two calibers had already been well established since the late 50's and early 60's. During that era getting a new or exotic caliber ammo wasn't as easy as going to a Cabela's or buying online, and what caliber a person got in a hunting rifle could even come down to which side of the Continental Divide they lived on. So, if a hunter in 1977 was looking at a getting a new long range hunting rifle the ease and long term availability of ammunition was an even more pressing question to answer, and the 8mm Remington wasn't the answer they reached for in the end.
I have a custom 8mm RM with the barrel and action by Shilen and stock by McMillan. It shoots around .5 MOA. My favorite load is a 220 grain Swift Aframe that runs around 3,000. FPS. It is mean and will take down anything in North America. I absolutely flattened a Nilgai antelope bull with it, he was around 700 pounds. You can load it down to 180 grains. I handload but there is still factory ammo out there.
I also hand load for mine. Bought it new in 1981 for 325.00
Thank you Mike I truly enjoy the videos. You make!!!
Again thank you !!!
Thank you for being here Jensen - all the best to you and yours.
That is a great example of how effective the magna porting is. There was almost no muzzle rise.
Truly excellent results. Thanks for the note.
Yes I often tell people that out to about 350 yards the 8mm Mauser if hand loaded hotter than factory ammo in the USA and with a quality bullet is just as deadly as the 338 Win Mag. I like to use 196gr. soft points.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
You know. Not many do. Thanks for the note and all the best to you and yours.
Beautiful rifle in a classic cartridge 👍
Mike, thanks for the video. I wanted to know more about that magnum porting process for a while now and also how well it works. Well done!! Can't wait to try my 300 WBY Rem 700 that is also magnum ported.
I got the same rifle. Bought it from a coworker.
@@elvaidrexhaj4652 It's an AS (Arylon Synthetic), that being said sweet bro, any Remmy that's Mag-na-ported is money!!
Incredible difference from the ported over the non those are great rifles
I was in the market about 20 years ago and had considered this caliber. I was purchasing a Browning A Bolt. The 300RUM was available and I went with that. Was able to get Walnut. Only a handful were made that way. It's not the easiest ammo to get ahold of anymore. I'm going to have to stock up on some more brass when I can find it.
Although 8mm cartridges fill a gap,the bullet selection for 30 cal and 338 make these cartridges way more efficient. The 8mm whilst a viable cartridge gave way to more efficient and projectile available cartridges.
Love the 8x68S, such a remarkable cartridge - almost a ballistic twin to the 8mm RM - but it is unbelted... which a lot of people do not care about, but matters to me. :)
Several of my favorite rifles are Remington 700's. They are all at least 35 years old. At the top of the list is my Safari grade 700 BDL in .375 H&H. Apparently made in the Remington Custom Shop (although it doesn't say so on the trigger guard) the fit and finish are exceptional. Excellent accuracy and with enough weight to mitigate recoil, it is a true 'big boomer'. That said, the perceived recoil feels like a solid 'push' and not an instant 'crack'. Eight or ten rounds at the range isn't a problem.
They all have good triggers. I've never had an issue with them, perhaps because I leave them alone. I did want a lighter, crisper trigger pull on my heavy barreled 700 BDL in .22-250 so I took it to a proper gunsmith. A thorough cleaning, minimal stone work, the slightest adjustment and 'presto', an awesome trigger. In 35 years, I haven't had the need to adjust it.
I don't have a rifle chambered in 8mm Rem Mag as I already have an excellent bolt action Krico rifle in .300 Win Mag. The ballistics are very similar. But I'd pick one up if I came across a good one at a decent price.
One of my all time go to rifles for both target shooting, hunting and teaching the kids is my 700 ADL in .222 Rem. What an awesome cartridge. The rifle is a genuine tack driver. The previous owner was a talented amateur gunsmith who did a few things to enhance accuracy. After the kids had used various .22LR's, it was the first centrefire on the list.
Thanks for the post. Your .375 is hard to find and often overlooked : I guess many don't know how excellent the 700 in .375 is - or .458 for that matter. As for the .222 - the accuracy in the 700 is unbelievable. Remarkable rifle - the 700 : from ..222 to .458 and others - always excellent - at least in my experience. All the best.
Love my 700 BDL in 7mm Rem Mag my go to rifle this past season
That combination is untouchable! Brilliant!
That MagnaPorted 700 sounds like a bolt of lightning . !
I personally love my 700 in 8mm rem. Mine is also magnum ported.
Big difference in recoil!
8mm was my granddad's hunting rifle. He shot a Pronghorn Antelope here in Wyoming back in the 70's and hit it on 1st shot at close to 850 yards we had to step off the distance because there was no yardage gizmo's back then. Great rifle which I wish I had.
Hello BlackDog - That is one fantastic shot by a fantastic shooter with a cartridge and rifle to match! There are other long range cartridges but the 8MM RM is hard to beat IMHO - thanks for writing and have a great Christmas!
@@UnitedStatesOfGuns thanks..I sure miss my Papa he was one of the kindest man I have known. He loved hunting that's for sure.
That is a very nice brake setup. My BDL in .338 would spend less time at the back of the safe if it didn't slap me around as much. Thanks for the great information.
Great video thank you Mike, i have a couple of BSA Royal Featherweights in 222 which came with factory Beza muzzle brake. Have you seen these at all.
Panzer! 🤣 I have one. Now orphaned CZ 557 Lux that I took the muzzle brake off (way too loud) and put a blast diverter on. Quieter, but yes, Panzer. I was calling it an ugly stick and threatening to use it for fishing. Now I’m just going to put tracks under it.
Love from Pakistan. I just wanted to let you know that I love your videos keep them coming
I have a soft spot in my heart for the 8mm cartriges. And the older classic cartriges. I have and rem700
Classic in 375 h&h that i load 235gr
Speer simi spitzers 235gr barnes tsx
And sierra boat tails in 250 and 300gr. The light bullets shoot just as flat as and 30/06 with 180gr bullets.
And it wastes less meat than the small fast magnum rounds.
I got my first double and doe and a nice 6pt after the busted me and tried to run. At around 250 yards i dropped them both with 2 rounds of the 235gr barnes ttsx bullets.
My dad shoots an 8MM Remington Magnum. An absolute hog of a round. Smoked a 6x6 bull elk at 475 yards with one. The bull didn’t take one step, just dropped dead.
Hi Dane - Your dad is a good shot - that's a long ways - even if elk are not small. For sure the 8MM is a power house - one of the best IMHO. Have a great hunting season and congrats on the elk.
The pulse width of the recoil is reduced by the porting arresting the rearward movement whereas the non ported can continue to vent gas forward and propell the gun rear so a longer pulse of recoil but initally the same jolt one just shorter in duration than the other. You described it well. And big holes work better than small ones unless your swatting flies at 600 yards. Magnums use a LOT of powder so even reloading gets costly.
Great video, thanks, i think there is nothing that looks better than a monte carlo stock on either shotgun or rifle.
For sure Monte Carlo stocks are stylish and most manufacturers find their guns don't sell well without them - with some exceptions. I've always found the BDL very comfortable - millions of 700 buyers agree : )
@@UnitedStatesOfGuns i must look out for one and have a go. Thanks for all your great work with these videos.
SAw no muzzle rise with the Magna porting. Amazing.
I am amazed - a superb idea and perfect results.
Blast from the past. I remember when the 8mm rem arrived and it never became successful. Mag na port has also been around for a minute. Interesting old stuff and the long cartridge does function better.
There's never been an vibrant 8mm market and I think that's mainly because of the 338 cal.
I built an Americanized 8 x 68 Schuler out of the 375 Ruger. So far it’s only in an ancient BRNO 29” bbl. Rechamber job. It runs with the Rem Big Eight, and kicks less than my 338 RUM. This Big Eight is about ten grains over-bored.
My favourite 'long range' cartridge is the 300H&H. It's a beautiful round & strikes like lightning from afar! Also due to its shallow taper rifles chambered in it tend to feed super smooth!
I agree
Very interesting indeed.
Made a few good points..
Magna porting looked like it worked very well.
There does seem a craze to claim small cartridge do what big cartridge does...🤷
I enjoyed this video.
I have a friend who has a 8mm mag and he has taken a lot of elk with it. It’s an excellent cartridge.
I don’t understand why it is not more popular.
It’s probably the recoil. But as you proved it can be mitigated by magna porting. Or muzzle brakes.
Also Falconstrike recoil pads are a great great product.
Thank you - I'll check the Falconstrike pads - much appreciated. Cheers.
I was not aware of the existence of the 8mm Rem Mag; if I did, I forgot. This was a very interesting video. The difference between the ported and unported rifles was stark. The ported barrel's muzzle barely rose, if at all. Thank you for this upload.
Thanks for watching. I was surprised how the porting changed things. A very, very fine solution.
I love 8mms but the 8x57 mauser.my longest shot on a elk was taken with a Yugoslavian 98 mauser.200 gr Speer at a chronographed 2570 fps .I'm very proud of that shot 285 paces with an excess peep sight.that elk went down fast.no recovered bullet.shot through the lungs very little meat damage.probably not much expansion. So bullet frontal area was key.im an 06 guy but never discount the old mauser.she is top shelf
Hi Dino - That's a very fine shot; the kind one never forgets. I agree - the 8x57 is superb and balanced - actually as good as anything offered today. Good to note that little meat was lost - those somewhat larger bullets at reasonable velocity are like that - another benefit.
For the EDM machining the barrel would be grounded and there is an electrode (made of carbon I think) that is in the shape of the hole you want. A controller applies voltage to the electrode and it is moved in and out over and over again. When it is at its closest point you get a spark jumping across the gap that erodes a little bit on both sides. It is very time consuming.
It is a tremendous elk cartridge with an edge over the .300 magnums. The 8x68S is a basic ballistic clone that's been around for some time.
Thank you for the note. I guess it is not unique enough - you're right.
I have the 7mm RUM 700 bdl and hundreds of rounds for it. It's my shoot down ICBMs rifle for WW3.
people from the east coast,woukd come to Colo ,and buy the 8,,and could not HANDLE the KICK, great Rifle
Magna Port aka Williams Gunsmithing is 20 minute drive from my door maybe 30 minutes depending on traffic.
One of the best kept secrets ever.
The late Svein Solli wrote about it in the 80s when it came and early 90s in his great book. hemliked 220 bullet better , good compromise 200 Swift Aframe .,he used it on a Zeiss hunt in Spain on Monteria. 185 broke the neck of a huge stag, but bullet did not exit . Corelokt it was
And the Boddington phantastic article about his custom Rem 700 that shot the tiny group with 220 Sierra GK . Built the rifle around the bullet.