7mm-08 vs 284 Win vs 280 AI in a lightweight rifle?

[engineer40]

A few days ago I got a good deal on a little lightweight 7mm-08. It's 5.5lbs without the scope.

I don't know what it is about my brain, but even before I got home from picking it up I was already thinking of rechambering it to 284 Win... or 280 AI...

Shouldn't I just be happy with a 7mm-08? Not every rifle I own needs to have excessive recoil and muzzle blast right?

But for some reason I feel like I just got a new 883cc instead of the 1200cc you know?

I keep talking myself out of rechambering it to a more powerful cartridge by using all of the pragmatic reasons I can think of to keep it as is.... but then sometime later when I'm not expecting it, I'll realize I've spent the last 30 minutes thinking about modifying the chambering again!

I should just keep it a 7mm-08 right? Yes... Yes... I should... I mean, that is the practical thing to do here...

...but maybe not....?

 

[MudRunner2005]

Don't sell the 7mm-08 short... The 7mm-08 AI pushing 168 VLD's will be awesome for deer... And for LR work, the ballistics of a 7mm-08 AI pushing a 180 Hybrid or a 195 EOL will be as impressive as a .308 Win pushing a 215 Hybrid at 1000 yards.

Run the numbers...You'll be impressed. The velocity won't be high, but the ballistics will shock you if you run it out of a 1:8 twist 26" heavy barrel.

If the rifle is a long action, then it will be hard to go wrong with a .280 AI...

 

[Truk505]

I was in the same boat. Bought a 7mm-08, then a 260rem, wasn't happy until I bought the 280ai. I'm not sure if it's all just in my head, but I made the mistake of not buying the 280ai right off the bat. If I could do it all over again it would have saved me a few hundred bucks and just got the 280 in the first place. I have a sneaking suspicion you won't be happy unless you get the 280.

 

[engineer40]

It's actually a CVA single shot, compact model. I've hunted with a couple H&R/NEF single shots when I was younger and they were accurate. I never really felt disadvantaged having a single shot with a few more rounds ready to go in a butt stock ammo carrier.

With a coupon and some points saved, I walked out the door with it for free.

It has a 20 inch barrel with a 1:9. What do you think the heaviest bullet I'll be able to shoot with the barrel and twist?

 

[MudRunner2005]

It's actually a CVA single shot, compact model. I've hunted with a couple H&R/NEF single shots when I was younger and they were accurate. I never really felt disadvantaged having a single shot with a few more rounds ready to go in a butt stock ammo carrier.

With a coupon and some points saved, I walked out the door with it for free.

It has a 20 inch barrel with a 1:9. What do you think the heaviest bullet I'll be able to shoot with the barrel and twist?

You can shoot a 180 Hybrid out of the 1:9 twist. Which will be just fine for a regular 7mm-08, and will still have some excellent ballistics.

These guys make some great barrels for T/C rifles, they might can build you a custom barrel(s) for your CVA...

Bullberry Barrel Works, Ltd. - Custom Firearms - World Famous for Accuracy

 

[engineer40]

You can shoot a 180 Hybrid out of the 1:9 twist. Which will be just fine for a regular 7mm-08, and will still have some excellent ballistics.

These guys make some great barrels for T/C rifles, they might can build you a custom barrel(s) for your CVA...

Bullberry Barrel Works, Ltd. - Custom Firearms - World Famous for Accuracy

Thanks Mudrunner!

Ive never shot a single shot past 200 yards. I never had a reason to try before. I may be disillusioned with what a break open type single shot will do. But maybe not. Either way Ill be soon figuring it out! I know i dont have to worry about fitting the loaded rounds in a short length magazine!

This rifle really didnt fill any holes in my rifle collection. I didnt need it. But Ill admit that my next lightest scoped bolt action rifle is probably at least 2lbs heavier than this compact single shot. And its WAY longer OAL.

If it is a shooter, because of its size, I could see it becoming a rifle I take hunting often for certain things. If its not accurate... well at least I dont have any money wrapped up in it!

 

[MudRunner2005]

Try the 7mm-08 and see how you like it. If you don't I'd call that Bullberry Rifles and see if they can build you a custom 26" Rem Varmint contour barrel chambered in .280 AI.

Even with a 26" heavy barrel it will still be lighter than a comparable bolt-action by probably a solid 1 pound, from no action, no magazine, and no bolt.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

How about a nice 7RSAUM?

 

[MudRunner2005]

How about a nice 7RSAUM?

7mm SS stomps the SAUM...

I say go 7SS route if you want a true short-magnum.

 

[engineer40]

How about a nice 7RSAUM?

I would love a 7RSAUM. Do you have one?

Theoretically since it's a single shot and I don't need to worry about long action/short action; I could get it chambered in anything that shoots a 7mm/284 bullet. I wouldn't even need to go with the SAUM or the WSM and the rifle would still be compact.

The main reasons I wasn't thinking a magnum cartridge is because:
With a 20 inch barrel, seems like a lot of wasted powder?
The 7mm-08, 284 Win, and 280 Rem AI all share the same bolt head. While this rifle doesn't have a bolt, it does have an extractor that would need to be modified if I went to a magnum (I'm assuming).

A bit off topic (but not too far off topic), I keep thinking a 20 inch barrel is maybe even too short to chamber it in anything larger than what it already is, 7mm-08... But while I was waiting at Cabela's I was browsing their used racks and I saw a Browning BAR in 7mm Rem Mag with an 18 inch barrel. I thought that was odd and must be some sort of aftermarket barrel. But then 2 minutes later on a different rack, there was another Browning BAR in 7mm Rem Mag with an 18 inch barrel. Hmm, I never knew it was common for factory magnum rifles to have such short barrels!

 

[engineer40]

7mm SS stomps the SAUM...

I say go 7SS route if you want a true short-magnum.

SS = Sherman Shortman?

I do like his cartridge designs!

 

[MudRunner2005]

SS = Sherman Shortman?

I do like his cartridge designs!

Yes, Sherman Shortmag. He is pushing the 180 Hybrids almost 3,100 fps with a 26" barrel and RL26... That stomps the SAUM.

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f19/7-mm-sherman-shortmag-vs-7-saum-155921/

 

[MudRunner2005]

Theoretically since it's a single shot and I don't need to worry about long action/short action; I could get it chambered in anything that shoots a 7mm/284 bullet. I wouldn't even need to go with the SAUM or the WSM and the rifle would still be compact.

The main reasons I wasn't thinking a magnum cartridge is because:
With a 20 inch barrel, seems like a lot of wasted powder?
The 7mm-08, 284 Win, and 280 Rem AI all share the same bolt head. While this rifle doesn't have a bolt, it does have an extractor that would need to be modified if I went to a magnum (I'm assuming).

A bit off topic (but not too far off topic), I keep thinking a 20 inch barrel is maybe even too short to chamber it in anything larger than what it already is, 7mm-08... But while I was waiting at Cabela's I was browsing their used racks and I saw a Browning BAR in 7mm Rem Mag with an 18 inch barrel. I thought that was odd and must be some sort of aftermarket barrel. But then 2 minutes later on a different rack, there was another Browning BAR in 7mm Rem Mag with an 18 inch barrel. Hmm, I never knew it was common for factory magnum rifles to have such short barrels!

I would give the 7mm-08 a try. I hunted with one for years and it whacked & stacked 'em.

Try the 7mm-08 AI, and if it's not enough, I'd say punch it out to a .280 AI

And yes, factory rifles are notorious for having shorter-than-proper barrel lengths. But I've never seen a 7mmRM with a 18" barrel...

 

[Frank in the Laurels]

A plain Jane 7mm/08 will handle all your shooting needs without any problem, put a good bullet, partition or x-bullet and hunt away... It's not the fastest nor flattest shooting but a chest hit anything will hardly notice the difference.great little no issue cartridge..