[3] Even though the 8mm Remington Magnum has never been very popular, it is a very suitable cartridge for the hunting of elk, moose, caribou, and larger African antelope.

However, the .338 Winchester Magnum had a 30-year head start on the market, and is short enough for medium length actions, which increases the models of rifles it could be produced in.

(Commission Internationale Permanente pour l'Epreuve des Armes à Feu Portatives) guidelines the 8mm Remington Magnum case can handle up to 440.00 MPa (63,817 psi) piezo pressure.

They can use this cartridge to create powerful loads by handloading, while staying within the 448 MPa (65000 psi) SAAMI piezo pressure limit.

Combined with bullets with jackets designed for magnum cartridge muzzle velocities, and barrels of 650 mm (25.6 in) or longer to promote high muzzle velocities, the 8mm Remington Magnum offers the flattest trajectory and best long-range performance of the commercially available 8 mm rifle cartridges.

[7] This means that, loaded with light, short and soft-nosed 8 mm bullets, the 8mm Remington Magnum can be used on remarkably small game.

With developed handloads, the 8mm Remington Magnum is capable of driving a 220-grain boat-tail bullet in excess of 3,000 ft/sec, and delivers as much energy at 500 yards (457 m) as the .308 Winchester has at the muzzle.

Lighter bullets of 150–180 grains can be driven to velocities of 3,300-3,500 ft/sec, putting it in the same class as the larger-cased .300 Remington Ultra Magnum; Such loads offer a very flat trajectory, making it an optimal choice for deer- and elk-sized game at very long range.

At equal chamber pressure and 650 mm (25.6 in) barrel length, the larger 8mm Remington Magnum produces 3 to 5% extra muzzle velocity.

With top handloads pushing a 150-grain bullet at nearly 3,400 feet per second, it is one of the fastest mid-bore rifle cartridges extant and is noted for its extremely flat trajectory.

Practically there can be some muzzle velocity gained by this method, but the measured results between parent cartridges and their 'improved' wildcat offspring is often marginal.

Because the 8mm Remington Magnum offers an exceptional sturdy, pressure resistant cartridge case that can relatively easily be reloaded with primers, powder and bullets and hence be reused several times it has become quite popular amongst wildcatters.