Which 7 would you choose?

[Lonewolf74]

My main reason for wanting to go 7.08 is I could get one of them new Coup actions from ARC and run it in AIAW (double stack double feed) mags. I think that make it a pretty dang cool PRS type of rifle with better ballistics than 308 and just less man bun than 6.5 Creed. It could cross as a great dear rifle out to 500 too.

For the 7.08 guy's, do you think pushing the 162 ELDM to 2900-2950 is attainable or is that pushing it for this cartridge?

 

[308win]

My main reason for wanting to go 7.08 is I could get one of them new Coup actions from ARC and run it in AIAW (double stack double feed) mags. I think that make it a pretty dang cool PRS type of rifle with better ballistics than 308 and just less man bun than 6.5 Creed. It could cross as a great dear rifle out to 500 too.

For the 7.08 guy's, do you think pushing the 162 ELDM to 2900-2950 is attainable or is that pushing it for this cartridge?

I may be wrong about this, but I think that's asking a lot of a 7-08 unless you have a really long barrel?

 

[txaggie1]

280ai is accurate and mild recoil, if your a velocity guy (not that the AI is slow) I would go bigger.

Personally a STW fan, but the new PRC makes a good argument and certainly others I'm just not familiar with.

I have a semi custom accumark 30" bartlien barrel with 1-8 twist I shoot 195 berger EOL very well. Fun to play with but they are expensive!

 

[birddog 68]

I may be wrong about this, but I think that's asking a lot of a 7-08 unless you have a really long barrel?

Agreed even with a 26" barrel

 

[Plinker147]

For all the 280AI shooters what are you seeing for velocity with what charge weight? I.E. a 175 at 2900 with 59 grains such n such powder?

58 gr of r23 with 175 EH gets me 2875fps out of 24 inch barrel. Others are getting 2900-50 out of same load. 2900 fps is very realistic with 175

 

[Mark37082]

Maybe…..with a powder like Sta Ball 6.5. You can stuff a lot of that ball powder in a cartridge.

 

[crazymonkey]

Strelok table has the 140 gr ttsx my 26 inch brux shoots at 1976 f/s and 1040 energy . I think barns requires 1800 f/s for expansion but I could be incorrect. This is at a 500 yd dial.

 

[PapaSmurff]

I'd choose 7SS for short action, 7 Mega for medium action, or the new 7mm PRC for long action. I own two 7 PRC's now and it just feels like the perfect balance of long range ballistics (less wind drift, more downrange energy, etc.), low recoil, and good barrel life (for a magnum hunting rifle). I used to be a 28 Nosler guy for a 7mm choice until the 7 PRC came out. Now I use 28 Nosler brass for my 30/28, 33/28, and soon to have 375/28.

 

[Justice1327]

284 win on a LA or tikka
168/180 Bergers or eldms will get her done.
Relatively cheap lapua brass, very efficient case, light recoil, and well know for accuracy.

Agree with the cartridge, but Lapua brass wont be available for years and Peterson is still not committed to making any this CY.

 

[blackburbot]

7wsm... Or the 7-300wsm. Which ever way you want to get the brass. It's what the short actions strive to get. And if you are shooting that much you are most likely reloading so no worries about brass.

 

[DJ Morrison]

I know, Iknow, the OP does not want a 28 nosler, but its hard to beat a 195 EOL moving over 3100 fps...

 

[bluedog69]

This is a reason to love the 7s. Doesn't really matter what "gun" they come out of. A given 7 at a given speed has good qualities. Every inch counts in this game.

 

[Justice1327]

7wsm... Or the 7-300wsm. Which ever way you want to get the brass. It's what the short actions strive to get. And if you are shooting that much you are most likely reloading so no worries about brass.

7 Mega…brass available

 

[JakeC]

I have a 7 Saum and it checks all your boxes really hard. I like to think of it as a 7-08 magnum. Mellow shooting, accurate, unfussy, hyper efficient. Even though some guys get it next to the RM. I couldn't. Brass is what it is, but it will last the life of the barrel at least. No disrespect to the 280ai but the guy I knew who tried to make a high volume multipurpose gun had a hard time getting it dialed in to the fun and then he ran into bad donuts.

I shoot 180eldm mild at 2660, accubond 168 hot at 2850 I think, and absolute hammer 140s at 3230. Respectable, and shootable. People with long actions and stronger actions regularly get the 180 to 2800, and it's already a bomb at the speeds I get.

There's other fun ones out there. I really wanted a 708 AI when I started the build but then the panic hit and only the heaviest pills were available so I did the saum. I would absolutely go back to that someday. My buddy has a fast twist 7rm and loves it, that's been his killing machine since the 90s. Really not many bad choices in your window. Id steer away from the wsm only because it's so much less efficient than the saum, same performance with way more powder. Edit: also wsm brass is real basic otc stuff and the saum brass you'll find, when you find it, is the best in the game.