7mm SAW and 7mm 08 Ackley

[AckleymanII]

couple of years ago, I shot a boy's AR10 with a heavy bbl 7/08, loaded with 160g TMK.

I was impressed with the performance of the Krieger bbl at 1000.

7/08 AI, almost a 284 Win, but more mag room.

 

[MAGNUM44270]

Just built a 708ai hunting rifle for my son. Things is shooting amazing and the added fps is nice. And no more trimming!

 

[Ripa]

I’m running a straight 7-08 for competitions 100-900y, free bore for 160-168 bullets in a Tikka T3 with 27” barrel. In my opinion, the speed I get from the little bottle is surprising when I compare with the 308 in same bullet weigh.

For training and matches 100-600y is the preferred bullet Lapua 150 Scenar-L with satisfying precision, 2950 fps with Reload Swiss RS 62 powder, a cool burning single staged powder.

For 600-900y the preferred bullet is 162 ELD-M, little less precision but the speed 2800 fps and the BC7 .323 makes it less wind sensitive, same powder.

My 7-Saum is the alternative for +600y

 

[std7mag]

Just built a 708ai hunting rifle for my son. Things is shooting amazing and the added fps is nice. And no more trimming!

Sorry, old thread, but the "no trimming" is entirely not true.

The AI case form doesn't grow as much as the standard parent case, but they still need trimmed.

 

[HandgunHTR]

Sorry, old thread, but the "no trimming" is entirely not true.

The AI case form doesn't grow as much as the standard parent case, but they still need trimmed.

Agreed. I had a 7-08 for 20 years. I was trimming after every 3 fires (Rem brass). On my 7-08AI it is every 10 firings (Lapua brass)

 

[6mmxc]

Trimming doesn’t bother me, just part of it. I do want to hear more on the 7 SAW though.

 

[tthomp302]

So I have had a 7 SAW built for the purposes of PRS and hunting. So far I love it. I’ve been breaking it in and firing 200 pieces of virgin alpha brass. I chose a light load of 44 grains of h4350 under the 162 ELD-M. It averages right at 2700. Here are some pictures of velocities and groups. I plan on switching over to the 180 berger hybrid for a match here in a few weeks. So far I think it is great and if this is what Virgin brass is giving me, I’m sure it can only get better from here. Just a small sampling of 5 shot groups I have many more of the same consistency. So far I really like this cartridge and will keep on using it.

 

[Idaho-Lefty]

IF, you 7-08 guys, ever desire MORE Velocity with, the 162 / 168's class of bullet, try some StaBall 65 in it.
StaBall will, "Move", a regular 7-08 rem. into, the Ackley Improved, Velocity Range.
Be very careful when approaching Max charges tho, as it can show pressure, Quickly,.. IF not, careful.
Most Loads with, StaBall shoot BEST at, Max to, near Max.
I use it, in my 6 XC and 6.5 Creed with, THROWN Charges, as it,.. Meters,.. "Perfectly" !
My son got, 2,765 FPS with, the 168 Berger, H-VLD out of, a 22.4" Tikka 7-08

 

[MDT6BRA]

Keep the info coming on this 7saw super interested!

 

[Fuj]

Keep the info coming on this 7saw super interested!

Go to the West Texas Ordnance Inc. website.

My SA284 is a bit more work but the 7/08 Ai and 7 SAW
don't come close. Shortening the 284 Winchester case to
.308 / 7/08 lengths, gives you 3 more grains of powder, and
a bigger smile on you face for a short action cartridge and
still staying with a .473 bolt face.

 

[tthomp302]

Go to the West Texas Ordnance Inc. website.

My SA284 is a bit more work but the 7/08 Ai and 7 SAW
don't come close. Shortening the 284 Winchester case to
.308 / 7/08 lengths, gives you 3 more grains of powder, and
a bigger smile on you face for a short action cartridge and
still staying with a .473 bolt face.

How many can you load in a 10 round AICS mag with the larger case? That was one of the reasons I changed barrels from 284 to 7 SAW. More practical in PRS.

 

[std7mag]

How many can you load in a 10 round AICS mag with the larger case? That was one of the reasons I changed barrels from 284 to 7 SAW. More practical in PRS.

@Fuj & i shoot short range benchrest. Single feed load ramps.

But with about 0.030" larger diameter, you'd probably lose 1 round in a 10 round mag.
Would depend on the mag.
If it still has some space at the bottom after loading your 10 rounds of 7mm-08, you might, might be able to get the full 10 rounds of 284 sized cases in it.

 

[MDT6BRA]

So your shooting a 6.5x284 or a 7mm ?

Go to the West Texas Ordnance Inc. website.

My SA284 is a bit more work but the 7/08 Ai and 7 SAW
don't come close. Shortening the 284 Winchester case to
.308 / 7/08 lengths, gives you 3 more grains of powder, and
a bigger smile on you face for a short action cartridge and
still staying with a .473 bolt face.

 

[std7mag]

I was just looking at the 7mm SAW testing.
Interesting that their .045" freebore gave them a COAL with the 162gr ELDM of 2.840".

My PT&G 7mm-08 improved 40° with 0.060" freebore gave me a COAL of 2.898" with 0.005" off the lands for the 140gr Berger VLD. 2.895" for 140gr Nosler Ballistic Tips at 0.020" off the lands.

But with their 26" barrel, they were getting about the same velocity as my 22" barrel using 20+ gr heavier bullets.

Head scratcher for sure!

Need to get this stock figured out for my BR build!
Then get a barrel for the 7mm -08AI. Would be interested in seeing what an apples to apples comparisonwould be!

 

[std7mag]

So your shooting a 6.5x284 or a 7mm ?

No.
Fuj is shooting a shortened 284Win case.
Think 7mm-08, but with a larger case diameter.
.500" vs .470" .
Still the 7mm (284) bullet diameter.

 

[Fuj]

Then get a barrel for the 7mm -08AI. Would be interested in seeing what an apples to apples comparisonwould be!

Kenny.....What twist rate are you looking for ??

Just for sh_ts and giggles, I threw a 166 A-tip out of the SA284 and
hit 3007 fps and still no hard bolt lift.....LOL May test these for real
in my next barrel. Ethan has a Illja blank waiting on me.

 

[std7mag]

Kenny.....What twist rate are you looking for ??

Just for sh_ts and giggles, I threw a 166 A-tip out of the SA284 and
hit 3007 fps and still no hard bolt lift.....LOL May test these for real
in my next barrel. Ethan has a Illja blank waiting on me.

Gary,

Since the heaviest i'd shoot would be a 168gr, a 1:9 would work for me.
Note, ALL my actions are small shank.

Need to get a throater. My old barrel got taken off with 6,000 +/- rounds down it.

Being able to seat the 162gr & 168gr bullets out, i may have to try that N555 i got off of you.

Finding burn rate is somewhere between RL17 & RL19.
And as one of my best groups with the old barrel was the 160gr HPBT GameKing over RL19, it would be worth the try!

But man those 160s were jammed into the case! Lol

 

[usmc45]

Kenny.....What twist rate are you looking for ??

Just for sh_ts and giggles, I threw a 166 A-tip out of the SA284 and
hit 3007 fps and still no hard bolt lift.....LOL May test these for real
in my next barrel. Ethan has a Illja blank waiting on me.

Fuj, What powder are you running for those 166's. I was thinking of picking some up and trying them in my wildcat that's much like yours (just a bit shorter). Also, what barrel length you running for that speed. Thanks.

 

[Fuj]

Fuj, What powder are you running for those 166's. I was thinking of picking some up and trying them in my wildcat that's much like yours (just a bit shorter). Also, what barrel length you running for that speed. Thanks.

Barrel is a 30". 8.5 twist, 4 groove Brux. Ramshot Hunter was the
powder used for the test. Of all the ball powders I've ever played
with, Hunter shoots pretty decent and with a standard primer.....

How short did you go on your case ?? Here's a pic of the standard
284, then my SA284 in the center, and my 284-ELF even shorter.

 

[usmc45]

Thanks for the info, I'll give the Hunter a try. I didn't know what I was doing when I started and picked a bullet and COL and worked backwards so I ended up at 1.975" case length.