Joe,
The #8 is limited to 40 amps unless the terminations at both ends of the wire and the wire itself is listed for 75°C. Four #6 THWN will fit in a 3/4" conduit. Also Table 250-122 only requires a #10 ground wire for a 40 or 50 amp circuit. You could install three #6 and one #10 to make the pull a little easier. The voltage drop on a 120 volt circuit of #8 50' long with 40 amps of load would be 3 volts of 2.5%.
Don(resqcapt19)
