I stumbled into the 8x68 in a roundabout way. It all started with me buying a 35 caliber 'mystery rifle' which turned out to be a '98 Mauser chambered in .35 Newton. Research on the Newton showed that brass could be made from .375 Ruger or 8x68. The Ruger brass was available at the time but I kept my eyes open for the 8x68. A bag of brass showed up one day on GB and I put in a bid. No one else bid against me and I became the owner of maybe 75 pieces of new brass. The funny thing is I was so focused on the Newton that I never looked into the 8x68!

That all changed when the brass was delivered and I held one in my hand. It was such a nice looking case I couldn't bear to cut it down for the Newton so on the shelf they went. Some time later, Midway sent me an e-mail advertising RCBS dies for the 8x68 at something like $35! So now I have dies, brass and bullets---only one other piece needed.

A few years pass while I scanned the auction sites occasionally with no real luck. At the time, a friend was looking for a Brno ZKK in .458WM. Another friend was selling off an estate and mentioned he had one in 8x68! Finally, the missing piece is found.

I have shot it a bit but haven't hunted with it yet. It will probably get out in the field this fall or in the spring when we go chase hogs.