7mm-08 ai

[Hogcrusher1965]

Any thoughts on building a rifle in this caliber on a 700 long action. I have two 280 AI's and I want to build something off the factory reamed 280AI barreled action. I wanna shoot the longer berger style bullets and need the extra mag room that a short action doesn't have. Many people said use a Wyatt box conversion but I dont have a short action. Its a long action. I already have a seater die in the 7mm-08 and plenty of brass. Kenny Jarrett really promotes a 7mm-08 AI. I love my 7mm-08 custom I have but my 15 year old son has taken a big liking to it and as soon as he graduates college I guess that nice custom thumbhole rig will be his. I wanna keep a 7mm-08 in my selection of rifles and I love AI calibers. Got a full 280AI custom on a remington action and a 25-06AI too. I wanna use a benchmark barrel at 23" #4 contour with a Jewel trigger.
Any thoughts or suggestions about my ideas. Dont mind the critics as long as its practical ideas from experience and not just preference opinions. Thank you guys in advance.

 

[AZShooter]

I don't understand your reasoning. All of this effort so you can shoot the longer berger bullets? Why not seat them to fit the existing magazine and SEE if they shoot. If you choose the hybrid lineup I am certain you can get them to shoot even if seated deeply in the case with a long jump to the rifling.

I have buried hybrids in the 300 WSM and 300 RUM with no ill effects. Both shot as accurately as other rifles. Can't even tell if there was a velocity loss.

Before you spend hundreds why not give a few of those long high BC berger hybrids a try, you might be pleasantly surprised.

Here is a pic of the 230 berger in the 300 WSM velocity of 2720 fps

 

[shortgrass]

The 7mm/08 is nice round. Heck, I built a custom for myself in that caliber. But, if I was using a LA I wouldn't be looking at it. Too many other ligit choices for that LA. Besides, "because I have brass and dies" is not good reasoning. Dies,, well, OK. But brass? Any time you start out with a new custom barrel it pays to use new brass, especially if you're going to "blow 'um out" to improved.

 

[Hogcrusher1965]

AZ shooter I have a 7mm-08 in short action and Ive tried seating the bullets for accuracy where they are needed and I was too long for the magazine. Others have said use the Wyatt box but I don't wanna mess with the current rifle SA in 7mm-08.
I like the rifle as is. I tried the 140 AB's and the 120 BT's and where they need to be seated is too long for the current mag in the SA 7mm-08. I have dime groups on both all day long at 100 yards but when I seat out closer to the lands the groups drop to half that but they are too long for the mag because of the tips. I want the best accuracy I can get. Yes the groups are sufficient for hunting but not as good as the rifle can be. If I go to an AI and use some the longer VLD hunting bullets which I like alot then I have the length issue. I seat the Bergers almost dead on the lands.
Yes there are alot of LA action choices out there but nothing grabs me like the 7mm-08AI.
Id be open to suggestions on other choices and why. I already have 25-06AI and 280AI.

 

[Hogcrusher1965]

AZ the 300 RUM and 300 WSM are different animals all together than a 7mm-08 and yes Ive already tried the seating depth thing with every bullet with polymer tips from Hornady to Nosler and I have better accuracy with seating closer to the lands on my current 7mm-08. Yet they don't fit the mag. Not concerned with the velocity at all. Its about the best accuracy I can get. The rifle will do one hole groups as long as I do my part but Im shooting a single shot bolt action rifle because of seating depth.

 

[AZShooter]

Okay Hogcrusher1965 I can understand your need to seat bullets closer to the rifling. I was just pointing out that hybrids don't need to be close to the rifling to shoot under 1/4 MOA. My 6mm-284 shoots the 105 hybrid with a .065" jump and makes ragged holes at 200 yds.

Have you considered the 284 win? It has slightly more power than the 7-08 AI but doesn't need fireforming or custom dies. Lapua brass is available as 6.5-284 which is easy to neck up. Just a thought.

 

[barnesuser28]

Have you considered the 284 win? It has slightly more power than the 7-08 AI but doesn't need fireforming or custom dies. Lapua brass is available as 6.5-284 which is easy to neck up. Just a thought.

+1 to the 284 win, i am building one right now on a savage LA and based on my measurements even when the new 195 berger EOL is seated so the shank/boattail junction is above the neck shoulder junction i should still have IIRC about 1/10" or more room in the magazine. In a 24" barrel you should be able to get the 195 grainers to 2500-2550 fps and the 162 grain A-Maxs to about 2850 fps at max with H4350. RL17 will net you another 50-100 fps. I have done a TON of research on this caliber and think it will be the ultimate choice for elk out to 600 yards and deer and antelope out to 1K and anything smaller as far as i can dial with minimal recoil. I have already necked up 100 pieces of Lapua 6.5x284 brass and it was very easy and simple.

P.S. My gun will weigh around 9 lbs and will have a csr mini magnum muscle brake installed.