8x68S owner's opinions

[Gert Odendaal]

Hi Gert, ek hoop jij het goed gekuier bij Wollie?
My 8x68S is a plain Jane R93. Use it nowadays exclusively for PG, used to be my mountain rifle and caliber.

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Jan wanneer kom jy weer SA toe? Jan, as jy kan, sal jy asb kyk vir die Victron DC to DC charger , Nederland vervaardig die items..

 

[JanP]

Gert, ons het a nuut puppy en die jagseizoen gaan begin hier. Daarom sal ek eerst volgende jaar SA toe kom. Maar ek sal sien !

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Reg so Jan

 

[Gert Odendaal]

I commenced working down the 8x68S rifle stock to size today..I started at the butt stock and is moving forward towards the front end of the rifle stock. Today I focused on the butt stock re-coil pad part and the cheek piece with the double shadow line...I am only using a rasp, wood file , back -saw , ruler and a pencil to build this rifle stock. Here are photos of today`s work:

 

[Namibia Hunter]

Gert, thank you very much for your interesting posts, I have been following your work for a while now. I bought a 2nd hand Krico 8x68S at the end of last year and have since been trying to read anything I can find on this caliber. Have not hunted with it yet, currently doing load development with RWS Evo 200gr bullets (bonded), should be very effective for gemsbokke here in Namibia. How is your project progressing?

 

[Aaron N]

Has anyone tried 175gr raptors in this chambering? I’m considering ordering some to see how they shoot. The problem is up here you can’t hunt enough to get any meaningful data

 

[dchamp]

I haven't tried the Raptors in my 8X68s. I shoot 170 SST and 180 TSX. I like RL-16, VVN-550 & IMR4350.

 

[Aaron N]

I haven't tried the Raptors in my 8X68s. I shoot 170 SST and 180 TSX. I like RL-16, VVN-550 & IMR4350.

I’m also thinking 180’s in a TTSX, or 200’s in an a frame.

 

[Rule 303]

Gert, thank you very much for your interesting posts, I have been following your work for a while now. I bought a 2nd hand Krico 8x68S at the end of last year and have since been trying to read anything I can find on this caliber. Have not hunted with it yet, currently doing load development with RWS Evo 200gr bullets (bonded), should be very effective for gemsbokke here in Namibia. How is your project progressing?
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The scope seems to indicate it has seen a bit of use. Did it come with the rifle or is it one you already had? Nice looking rifle.

 

[Namibia Hunter]

I haven't tried the Raptors in my 8X68s. I shoot 170 SST and 180 TSX. I like RL-16, VVN-550 & IMR4350.

I would love to hear about your experience with the 170 SST when it comes to meat damage? What do you hunt with it? I've got some Norma 204 that I am trying to pair with a 200gr RWS, let's hope it works.

 

[Namibia Hunter]

The scope seems to indicate it has seen a bit of use. Did it come with the rifle or is it one you already had? Nice looking rifle.

The scope came with the rifle, it's an old Zeiss West Germany Diavari-ZA 2.5-10x52 T*. Unfortunately, one of the dials is missing and the reticle is a bit impractical (gets thicker as you zoom in). I have in the meantime put a Nikko Sterling 4-24 on it that I had lying around. I also removed the ammo pouch over the stock and the muzzle break and put on a MAG Gen 2 silencer.

While the scope wasn't in good condition, the rest of the rifle is still great, hardly a scratch on the wood. Looking forward to testing her in the field, have an oryx hunt coming up soon!

 

[dchamp]

I would love to hear about your experience with the 170 SST when it comes to meat damage? What do you hunt with it? I've got some Norma 204 that I am trying to pair with a 200gr RWS, let's hope it works.

I have only shot paper with the 170SST so far, it shot well though.

I also have loads for it in 220gr Sierra Game King and 250gr Woodleigh. The only game I have taken with it is an elk and that was with the 220gr SGK. It worked quite well, bang-flop, at a little over 350yds. For these heavier loads I use Alliants 4000MR. I haven't shot any 200gr bullets with it.

 

[Rule 303]

The scope came with the rifle, it's an old Zeiss West Germany Diavari-ZA 2.5-10x52 T*. Unfortunately, one of the dials is missing and the reticle is a bit impractical (gets thicker as you zoom in). I have in the meantime put a Nikko Sterling 4-24 on it that I had lying around. I also removed the ammo pouch over the stock and the muzzle break and put on a MAG Gen 2 silencer.

While the scope wasn't in good condition, the rest of the rifle is still great, hardly a scratch on the wood. Looking forward to testing her in the field, have an oryx hunt coming up soon!

The appearance of the reticle thickening is easily learnt to live with. I have very grave doubts about the Nikko Stirling scope surviving on that rifle. I had two on my early days of hunting and neither lasted long on a 270Win and mates had similar experiences on 308 and 243. Have not touched one since and would not put one on a 22 rimfire. You may have better luck, I hope so.

 

[WAB]

The appearance of the reticle thickening is easily learnt to live with. I have very grave doubts about the Nikko Stirling scope surviving on that rifle. I had two on my early days of hunting and neither lasted long on a 270Win and mates had similar experiences on 308 and 243. Have not touched one since and would not put one on a 22 rimfire. You may have better luck, I hope so.

Personally I’d send that Zeiss scope in for repair. You would have a fine scope once it was refurbished and I suspect the fee would be minimal.

 

[oldfart009]

It is ze German answer to the US .300-syndrome and like all things German it is simply better.

 

[Kraut]

The thickening of the reticle is due to hunting from high seats at night time. The reticle is better seen/to be seen? in low light conditions.
German hunters rent (most of them) their hunting grounds from those who own the ground. Depending on which game there is it can be quite pricey. The damage hogs do to the crops has to be paid by the hunter. Several thousand Euros can easily be reached.
Therefore we have to use the moonlight in order to keep our wallets safe...
Using nightvision isn' t allowed in all parts of Germany, but the times are changing.

 

[Rule 303]

As explained to me. As the magnification is increased the size of the animal/target appears to increase in size. The cross hairs although looking bigger still only cover the same amount of the target.

From what I can make out this is true. Just takes a little getting use to. I have had a Kahles 2.5-10X50 scope like this for about 20 years. I have picked up a few more scopes like this Zeiss Victory's etc and am quite use to it.

 

[WAB]

It is ze German answer to the US .300-syndrome and like all things German it is simply better.

I’d argue with you, but then my favorite calibers are 7x57 and 9.3x62, and my favorite rifle is the ‘98, so I guess I’d just end up proving your point!

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Gert, thank you very much for your interesting posts, I have been following your work for a while now. I bought a 2nd hand Krico 8x68S at the end of last year and have since been trying to read anything I can find on this caliber. Have not hunted with it yet, currently doing load development with RWS Evo 200gr bullets (bonded), should be very effective for gemsbokke here in Namibia. How is your project progressing?
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Namibian Hunter, great to hear from a fellow forum member who has a 8x68 as well..I am making progress..in the meantime I have bought a Land Cruiser VX Series 100 and am spending more time converting it to an overlanding vehicle ...I want to visit /wild camping Namibia, Botswana and Zambia in the near future.

I did visit Namibia last year and was impressed in regards to the roads, infrastructure ..every thing works well in Namibia, coming from a broken-down country like South Africa it is indeed a pleasure to be in Namibia. I shot a huge Springbuck ram and my son Ruan shot a Gemsbuck...

When visiting Namibia again it will be with my 8x68 hunting rifle ..
I commenced working on the reloading for my Martini Henry and the Mauser 1871 for the upcoming 1885 Black Powder hunt from the 29 April to 8 May..

 

[Aaron N]

I ordered some of the 175gr raptors yesterday. These will be my first time trying these out, so I’m curious as to how they will perform.