German big game hunters often use 8×68mm S rifles in Africa for hunting plains game, where American hunters would choose one of the .30 or .338 magnum cartridges.
The 8×68mm S as a pure civil cartridge can be used in countries which ban civil use of former or current military ammunition.

Since there are not many factory loads available RWS currently (2007) offers 5 factory loads) and due to its good field reputation and efficiency, the 8×68mm S is often used by reloaders.

For a magnum chambering it also offers a tolerable amount of barrel wear, which is important to users that fire many rounds a year.
This was achieved by coupling a sensible case volume (5.58 ml) to bore area (51.78 mm²/0.5178 cm²) ratio (10.78 Oᵣₐₜᵢₒ).
They have used this cartridge extensively to create powerful loads by handloading.
Whilst staying within the 440 MPa C.I.P. limit an 8×68mm S rifle with a 650 mm (25.59 in) long barrel and appropriate modern gun propellants (Vihtavuori N560) can be handloaded to propel a 12.96 gram (200 gr) 8 mm bullet like the Sierra MatchKing to a muzzle velocity of 927 m/s (3042 ft/s).

The 8×68mm S has a good long range accuracy reputation i.e. it is not hard to develop or find loads that will shoot 1 MoA or better out of decent standard mass-produced rifles.
Factory 8×68mm S rifles often have a 650 mm or 26 in barrel with a 280 mm (1 in 11 in) twist rate, which works well in daily life.
This twist rate was chosen since the bullet jackets used in the 1930s were not strong enough to cope with the forces generated by the magnum muzzle velocities of the 8×68mm S. The 240 mm (1 in 9.45 in) twist rate normally found in the 8×57mm IS makes the 8×68mm S combined with modern bullets with jackets designed for magnum cartridges an excellent long range cartridge.

Reloaders use the 8×68mm S as a utility cartridge on all European game from fox, roe deer and chamois upwards to the big European game like red deer, moose and brown bear.
These people realized that bullets with different characteristics can be utilized to produce varying effects on game.
They also realized that from 8 mm caliber upwards the rise of sectional density and penetrating capability of practical spin stabilized rifle bullets (bullets up to 5 to 5.5 calibers in length) tends to flatten out.

This means that loaded with light, short and soft-nosed 8 mm bullets the 8×68mm S can be used on remarkably small game.
Loaded with heavy, long and hard (solid copper alloy) bullets the 8×68mm S offers enough speed derived power to penetrate heavy and dangerous game.

The 8×68mm S is suitable for hunting almost any game animal on the planet, though certain sub-Saharan Africa countries have a .375 in minimum caliber requirement for hunting dangerous Big Five game - i.e. leopard, lion, cape buffalo, rhinoceros and elephant.
In African countries, where there are no ammunition limits for hunting Big Five game, the 8×68mm S is used successfully for hunting elephant.
In Namibia the 8×68mm S is legal for hunting Big Five game if the loads have ≥ 5,400 J (3,983 ft⋅lbf) muzzle energy.
So it often is used for cape buffalo, with bullets like the 14.26 gram (220 gr) Swift A-Frame, for example.
German big game hunters often use 8×68mm S rifles in Africa for hunting plains game, where American hunters would choose one of the .30 or .338 magnum cartridges. The 8×68mm S as a pure civil cartridge can be used in countries which ban civil use of former or current military ammunition.
Since there are not many factory loads available RWS currently (2007) offers 5 factory loads) and due to its good field reputation and efficiency, the 8×68mm S is often used by reloaders. 
For a magnum chambering it also offers a tolerable amount of barrel wear, which is important to users that fire many rounds a year. This was achieved by coupling a sensible case volume (5.58 ml) to bore area (51.78 mm²/0.5178 cm²) ratio (10.78 Oᵣₐₜᵢₒ). They have used this cartridge extensively to create powerful loads by handloading. Whilst staying within the 440 MPa C.I.P. limit an 8×68mm S rifle with a 650 mm (25.59 in) long barrel and appropriate modern gun propellants (Vihtavuori N560) can be handloaded to propel a 12.96 gram (200 gr) 8 mm bullet like the Sierra MatchKing to a muzzle velocity of 927 m/s (3042 ft/s).
The 8×68mm S has a good long range accuracy reputation i.e. it is not hard to develop or find loads that will shoot 1 MoA or better out of decent standard mass-produced rifles. Factory 8×68mm S rifles often have a 650 mm or 26 in barrel with a 280 mm (1 in 11 in) twist rate, which works well in daily life. This twist rate was chosen since the bullet jackets used in the 1930s were not strong enough to cope with the forces generated by the magnum muzzle velocities of the 8×68mm S. The 240 mm (1 in 9.45 in) twist rate normally found in the 8×57mm IS makes the 8×68mm S combined with modern bullets with jackets designed for magnum cartridges an excellent long range cartridge.
Reloaders use the 8×68mm S as a utility cartridge on all European game from fox, roe deer and chamois upwards to the big European game like red deer, moose and brown bear. These people realized that bullets with different characteristics can be utilized to produce varying effects on game. They also realized that from 8 mm caliber upwards the rise of sectional density and penetrating capability of practical spin stabilized rifle bullets (bullets up to 5 to 5.5 calibers in length) tends to flatten out.
This means that loaded with light, short and soft-nosed 8 mm bullets the 8×68mm S can be used on remarkably small game. Loaded with heavy, long and hard (solid copper alloy) bullets the 8×68mm S offers enough speed derived power to penetrate heavy and dangerous game. 
The 8×68mm S is suitable for hunting almost any game animal on the planet, though certain sub-Saharan Africa countries have a .375 in minimum caliber requirement for hunting dangerous Big Five game - i.e. leopard, lion, cape buffalo, rhinoceros and elephant. In African countries, where there are no ammunition limits for hunting Big Five game, the 8×68mm S is used successfully for hunting elephant. In Namibia the 8×68mm S is legal for hunting Big Five game if the loads have ≥ 5,400 J (3,983 ft⋅lbf) muzzle energy. So it often is used for cape buffalo, with bullets like the 14.26 gram (220 gr) Swift A-Frame, for example.
8×68mm S