8mm loads

[courtgreene]

I posted this in the rifle section and at lovesbeer99's suggestion I'm posting it here as well.
I tried barnes' suggested loads for the 160gr ttsx (48.5grn varget) and did not get great results. I want to use hunting loads but I did not like the accuracy I was getting. I have since gone and purchased some imr4895. I can always buy something else.
what accurate loads have y'all used for 8mm hunting bullets?

thanks.

 

[courtgreene]

never mind it was moved for me. could the moderators please delete this?

 

[Kentuckiana rifleman]

I'd read up on German guide if you can find them translated

 

[DM~]

I use 200 NP's (nosler partitions) for all of my hunting in 8mm, as they are VERY accurate!



They expand some, even in small animals and at longer ranges, yet drive very deep in even the biggest big game, like moose,



I've taken 26 big game animals (from moose and bear on down) with this gun/load to date, and it's what i'll be loading in it until i take my eternal dirt nap.

DM

 

[280shooter]

I use IMR 4320,, But I only shoot 150 gr, Hornady bullets. And only hunt Deer.. I never had a Deer run off..Very clean kills..

 

[Smokey Joe]

Barnes bullets...

Courtgreen--IMX, individual rifles either like or don't like the Barnes copper bullets. If the rifle likes 'em, well & good. If the rifle doesn't shoot well with 'em, there's nothing much to do except switch to a different line of bullets entirely.

Fortunately, today we have a wide variety of bullets from which to choose, even in an "unpopular" diameter like 8mm.

As to powders, according to my reading, IMR 4895 is just a shade too fast for any but rather light bullets in 8x57 JS. It'll work, but a powder a little slower will likely give better results. Your Varget is in the right ballpark, along with H380, IMR 4320, and IMR 4350.

However, as you are probably well aware, individual rifles have individual preferences. You have to experiment to find the right amount of the right powder, for a particular bullet in a particular rifle. It's called load development, and it takes time and considerable putzing, usually, to get it right.