7mm-08 capabilities

[Skunk]

All,

Anyone shooting a 7-08 with bullets of 168grs or heavier? If so, what velocities are you achieving and with what length bbl?

 

[bohem]

I did a decade ago, then I set it back into a 7mm Creed... since then I've mostly abandoned 7mm altogether but it was a very solid round.

I shot 162 Amax at 2800fps with 42ish grains of 2000MR I think.
I used it for testing 151 Flatlines too; those little bastards would go 3000fps from a 25" barrel.

 

[Sierra770]

Why did you abandon it? Seemed like you were getting solid performance out of it.

 

[JMcBurn]

https://westtexordnance.com/7mm-saw/

seems to be a bit better.

 

[Skunk]

Anyone shooting the heavier bullets with a barrel shorter than 20"?

 

[bohem]

Why did you abandon it? Seemed like you were getting solid performance out of it.

6.5 mm bullets caught up in BC's
Then I moved to 6mm for the flatter trajectory with lower recoil on match calibers.
I keep moving towards lighter, more efficient, lower recoiling calibers for match use as bullets progress.

The 7 was good, a very nice hunting round for sure, but I've seen exceptional performance from 6.5 and 6mm cases that I have no need for the extra recoil the 7 brings.

 

[Sierra770]

That is what I was guessing, but wasn't sure. I suspect that a stout 7-08 with 168gr will feel much like a .308 with 168.

 

[WeiserBucks]

Excellent hunting round, but there's better options for other disciplines. I'll always have a 7-08 in the safe.

 

[shoot4fun]

I had a GAP built 7MM08 on a Badger 2008 action. The 26" barrel was an absolute hammer! I got it in the order of 4th owner but I won and placed high in a bunch of matches with it before it was just too worn out. My load was a pile of H4350 and 168SMK bullets. I ordered another barrel from GAP for my AIAW but, stupidly, I ordered a 24". It just has never had the juice that first one did. That barrel is sitting idle these days in favor of 6 Creedmoor and/or 6.5 Creedmoor. They do everything better and with a little less recoil.

 

[Sierra770]

I had a GAP built 7MM08 on a Badger 2008 action. The 26" barrel was an absolute hammer! I got it in the order of 4th owner but I won and placed high in a bunch of matches with it before it was just too worn out. My load was a pile of H4350 and 168SMK bullets. I ordered another barrel from GAP for my AIAW but, stupidly, I ordered a 24". It just has never had the juice that first one did. That barrel is sitting idle these days in favor of 6 Creedmoor and/or 6.5 Creedmoor. They do everything better and with a little less recoil.

What kind of velocities were you getting?

 

[shoot4fun]

What kind of velocities were you getting?

Been a while but seems like I remember seeing 2850 from that first barrel. The funny thing was I had a great shooting load and actually got the data from Hodgdon's website. When I went back a couple years later that load was reduced by over 2 grains! I do remember it was quite a compressed load. EDIT: That was using H4350

 

[mdonnr]

I’ve been running the Sierra 160 TMK through my 7-08. Haven’t had a chance to play with the 180’s. The TMKs are running around 2810 fps with Varget. There’s more room for speed but that’s just where I settled at. I have some old Hornady 162 Amax with the aluminum tips I want to play with. The BC is around .710, should be fun but they are super long.

Chanlynn barrel @ 26”

L-162 ELDM, R-162 Amax

 

[patriot07]

One of the most under-rated calibers out there IMHO

 

[D_TROS]

My wifes deer rifle is a 22" 7-08 with light palma barrel. With a stiffer load of 4350 and Berger 168's it pushes em 2720. 2 deer DRT first round shots. Heck of a round.


Regrads,
DT

 

[shoot4fun]

My wifes deer rifle is a 22" 7-08 with light palma barrel. With a stiffer load of 4350 and Berger 168's it pushes em 2720. 2 deer DRT first round shots. Heck of a round.


Regrads,
DT

I switched from 308 to 7MM08 for deer 25 years ago. My "go-to" is a slick little SS Model 7. The old-school 130 BTSP from Speer makes 2750 or so in that short little barrel. It's taken a bunch of whitetails, coyotes and antelope with one shot. Best thing is I can only remember having to track three at the most. They usually drop in their tracks.

 

[jwhjwh54]

139 sst or federal 140 out of my a bolt with cut 20” barrel

154 gr subsonic for giggles

Pigs, deer, coyotes, bob cats, it does it all easy.

 

[mcfred]

I built a 7-08 for a friend 4 years ago and did a load work up with 180s to ~2800fps through a 27" Brux using Superformance. I think he settled on a load with the 162s and Reloder 17 at about 2900fps, suppressed. His rifle might as well be an anchor it's so heavy. Recoil is nil and he uses it to pound steel to 1600 yards. It probably wouldn't work as well as the 6/6.5mm stuff for free-recoil shooting off barricades though. I'm sure it would be a great LR Antelope gun.