Anyone use a 7MM08 Ackley here??

[Steve7mm08]

I am in the process of organising a custom build for my general purpose hunting rifle (The .338 Edge is almost finished)

Currently use standard 7mm08 but was looking at the Ackley version with the hope of pushing a 140 TTSX at around 3000fps

Any advice on loads or whether you think its worth changing to AI would be much appreciated

Rgds, Steve

 

[petenz]

Steve, for what it's worth (not much really) I ran into a guy at the range once who had one, he was getting 3040fps out of a 24" barrel with 140 grain bullets - he was chronying his loads at the time. It was a rechambered Remington 700 XCR.

 

[Savagebien]

just do a .284 win, no fireforming...

 

[Aubrey]

Kenny Jarrett sez this on his Pet Calibers page:

The 7mm-08 Ackley Improved has been very popular with us for many years. Most importantly, it provides high end .280 Remington performance in a short action receiver. Most of our 7mm-08 Imp. rifles have a fairly short barrel, usually no longer than 20", yet we get an honest 3050 f.p.s. with a 140 gr. bullet, and 3150 feet per second with a 120 gr. The original .308 case has been transformed into many kinds of nice cartridges. I believe that the 7mm-08 Ackley Improved is at the top of the heap. We have tuned several for 160 gr. Nosler Partitions for African hunts and hear nothing but praise for their performance. Bullets striking animals at 100 to 200 yards at 7mm-08 velocities will show perfect performance every time. Perfect for whitetail, it is one wildcat that deserved to be born! I like its performance, which is best with a 20" barrel.

 

[J E Custom]

I am in the process of organising a custom build for my general purpose hunting rifle (The .338 Edge is almost finished)

Currently use standard 7mm08 but was looking at the Ackley version with the hope of pushing a 140 TTSX at around 3000fps

Any advice on loads or whether you think its worth changing to AI would be much appreciated

Rgds, Steve

I am a big fan of the 7/08 and feel it is in a leage of it's on. So when I started thinking of more
I went to the 7/08x40 (AI) and was disappointed with the amount of performance increase.

With the 140s the AI would only best the 7/08 buy 75 ft/sec and the 120 loads were only
30 to 50 ft/sec morethan the 7/08 ( The varget load with the 120gr NBT of 45.o grs achieves
3150 ft/sec average velocity in the 7/08.

I'm not knocking the 7/08x40(AI) but it was a lot of trouble to get dies and then to fire form
brass.

So I re chambered the rifle In 7mm WSM and it did what I wanted 3300+ ft/sec with a 140 gr
Accubond in the 23" barrel.

If you are planning a new build in 7mm and a short action this is what I would recommend and
you could keep the 7/08 and even Elk Hunt with the 7mm WSM and 160+gr bullets @ 3000
ft/sec .

You would have to open a standard bolt face up if that's what you have for a don-er but that's
no biggie.

And if I haven't talked you out of a 7/08x40 I have 100rds of fire formed once fired brass and a
set of dies for sale for it.

J E CUSTOM

 

[Kevin]

Like Savagebien said, just do a .284 win, no bolt face mod or fire forming.

 

[BigHink66]

Or do a 7x57 with modern loads.

 

[Aubrey]

The alternatives mentioned may or may not fit in the magazine box of a short action Remmy without compromising the distance to lands.

 

[J E Custom]

The alternatives mentioned may or may not fit in the magazine box of a short action Remmy without compromising the distance to lands.

The 7/08 has a case length of 2.035.
The 7 WSM is 2.100 'Will work'
The 284 win is 2.170 'May not work unless single loaded'
the 7x57 is to long ( 2.244 )for the short action rem unless you single load ONLY.

I have built 7 WSMs on the model 7 action, model 673 and the short action and had no
problems with the mag.

But you may have to open the rails depending on what caliber it was it the beginning.

J E CUSTOM

 

[Aubrey]

J E Custom,
Thanks for the feedback. Perhaps a bit off-topic, but I'm curious if the WSM requires a Wyatt's mag box (?).

 

[Steve7mm08]

Interesting feedback there, thanks guys.

It sounds like not many have the 708AI, The existing cal is 7mm08 so it would be an easy changeover with a new barrell, would not have to change bolt face, mag length or feed rails.

Would love to hear from more people who do use the 708AI, cheers fellas

 

[out4trout]

Interesting feedback there, thanks guys.

It sounds like not many have the 708AI, The existing cal is 7mm08 so it would be an easy changeover with a new barrell, would not have to change bolt face, mag length or feed rails.

Would love to hear from more people who do use the 708AI, cheers fellas

I own two 7mm-08 Ackleys. One is a Rem 700 BDL 24 inch barrell that the gunsmith rechambered the original factory barrel. Turned it back two threads and rechambered it. I picked up about 75-100 fps over the standard 7mm-08 velocities.

The second rifle is a Remington 700 stainless mountain rifle That I bought used for a song. the guy homesmithed till it wouldn't headspace properly.
I had Pac-Nor rebarrel it in 7mm-08 Ackley 24 inch (Just matched the factory taper but had them continue with the same taper past past the 22 inch factory length), and then sent it out to have it cryo treated.

It shoots 130's and 140-145's best (1 in 10 twist). I get between 3200-3250 with the 130's and 3025-3115 with the 140-145's. Win 760, H414, Re19, Win brass, CCI lg rifle and CCI Lg rifle mag primers. Sorry won't give you exact charges, but start about midway in the Speer #14 manual and carefully work your way up.

 

[Steve7mm08]

I have ordered a True-flite 22" fluted barrel, .650 at muzzle.

True-Flite is a New Zealand company and the barrels are manufactured here. Thought it would be good to try a locally made barrel, a decision made easier by our weakened dollar.

At this stage I am leaning towards standard 7mm08 on recommendation from my gunsmith. Will post up when complete, cheers

 

[wardog5]

Interesting feedback there, thanks guys.

It sounds like not many have the 708AI, The existing cal is 7mm08 so it would be an easy changeover with a new barrell, would not have to change bolt face, mag length or feed rails.

Would love to hear from more people who do use the 708AI, cheers fellas

I'll let you know I'm having one built now (7-08AI)
I can make brass from anything 308 based and I like loading so it won't be a problem for me I'll just shoot more problem is finding bullets right now no one is making them if you don't shoot .224,.264 or 30 cal it's like finding hens teeth what happened to the good old .284 not cool anymore I think it just works plain and simple