To be used in a Rem 700. I have one I'm trying to trade for .405win in a #1, but that just isn't going to happen. No problem. That 8mm is a hell of a gun itself. For some reason I haven't purchased any dies for it yet. Probably because I've never reloaded for a bottleneck rifle before and I don't really know the best way to go about it. Full length resize, neck size, headspacing, yada, yada, yada. It really doesn't mean anything to me. Straightwall I can do. Anyhow, I have some 180gr Ballistic Tips which I know will suffice for deer, but if you wanted one round that could do it all (deer, hogs, etc) without spending a lot what would it be? 195gr Hornady. 200gr Speer. 200gr Partition. The 185gr Cor-Lokts are cheap, but I'm not enthusiastic about the sectional density of a 185gr bullet on pork. I'm leaning toward the 195gr Hornady, as I think the Speer is too tough for deer, designed for the 8mm mag. The partition is great, but a little pricy for a lot of target / plinking work.
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Favorite 8x57js hunting round???
- Thread starter Brasso
- Start date
quack fiend
New member
so you're NOT gonna load your own i assume? simple answer--stay away from every u.s. factory load in this caliber, they all are extremely anemic at 22-2300 fps--look for sellier & bellot, igman(hotshot), norma? or other european makers, they're loaded at "normal" velocities for bullet weight--there's also a company called conley custom ammo or something similar that will load practically any bullet brand and weight at substantial velocity (2900 fps for 150 gr.!!) for about $25-30 a box
OkieCruffler
New member
I've had great luck with Remington 185gr core-loct and IMR4831. I've pushed that load to it's limits, but my favorite load runs at just over 2100 fps.
The 185 grain Remingtons are OK, but better if driven to 2400 fps or more. Otherwise, they will not always expand reliably on medium game, like whitetail deer. As for section density, unless you are hunting large, tough animals, like Elk, don't get caught up on this - the 185's are fine. I really like the 170 gr. Hornady round-nose bullets, as well. These will expand...and are devastating on whitetails...at moderate velocities (mine are about 2250 fps, or so). They are a relatively short-range bullet, though, due to the ballistic coeff. being inferior to spitzer bullets. The Hornady 150 gr. spire points are good, too...and reliable at moderate velocities (for medium deer - not Elk). The Hornady 195's....and most of the other 195-200 + grain bullets on the market (the softpoints, anyway) are NOT reliable on whitetail-sized game at much below 2500 fps, in general. For bigger animals, such as Elk, the 195 Hornadys are great (about 2500 fps or so). This I have directly from Hornady, Speer and Sierra - because I asked (in anticipation of using their bullets). The 195-200 grain bullets are best used at relatively high velocities...such as in the 8mm magnum cartridge. They can certainly work well in the 8 x 57JS....just be sure to load up to 2400 fps minimum (2500 is better).
To answer your original question (favorite loads for this cartridge).... mine is 42.0 grains of IMR-4064, under a 170 gr. Hornady round-nose bullet, with Remington cases and Win. LR primers. This load is very accurate in my iron-sighted rifle, has plenty of energy from 0 - 150 yards (as far out as I will shoot, anyway)...and saves powder and wear and tear. About 2250 fps.
To answer your original question (favorite loads for this cartridge).... mine is 42.0 grains of IMR-4064, under a 170 gr. Hornady round-nose bullet, with Remington cases and Win. LR primers. This load is very accurate in my iron-sighted rifle, has plenty of energy from 0 - 150 yards (as far out as I will shoot, anyway)...and saves powder and wear and tear. About 2250 fps.
I like the 170's performance as loaded by the factories at around 2350fps, but I wanted a load that I could settle on to do it all. I'm considering the 185 cor-lokts, but I read somewhere else that they will lose their jacket easily, which is why I was considering the 200's. That along with the fact that I want to try and keep the trajectory to a 200yd point blank range which pretty much negates the round nose unless I launch it beyond it's performance threshold. I wish there was a really cheap source for partitions.
According to my study of the Rem. 185 gr. bullets, they can tend to have jacket/core separation, IF driven to too high a velocity. If trying to push the Rems to, say 2800 fps, then this will become a problem. At 2400 - 2600 fps (at the muzzle), this is not a problem. 2500 fps with these bullets is suitable for Elk....so there is no real need to push them too much faster. Every bullet has a maximum velocity for effectiveness and structural integrity...just as it has a minimum.