7/08 Ai . The little round that could !

[plumbs7]

Hi All , first up , thanks for letting this little Aussie onto ur forum!
For about 12 months I've been developing this cartridge . I wasn't the first one to use this cal in Au there are some other people before me most notable was current f open teams ( Raton 2013) member Mark F or also known as Wilddog . Our beloved adopted South African who is now as Aussie as they come!

Above is the difference between a .308 parent case and a fireformed 7/08ai case . It will easily push a 180 hybred at 2720 fps in a 30" no worries mate!
Have had 180's at 2800 fps but its stretching the friendship and I know would not recommend it . It's a great midrange cal out to 800-900 yds max . Burns about 46.3 of 2209 in my rifle to get 2720 fps with Cci br2 .
I've change over to 284 for more serious comps ! But still love the lil 7/08 Ai.
I invite you to our OzFclass forum page and check out the 7/08 Ai info blog !
http://ozfclass.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=7100

Good luck , hope to be in Canada next year ( if I'm very Lucky!)!
Regards Graham Dalby Rc

 

[SDDasher]

Cool round! Thanks for the report Graham. That is a very interesting set of numbers. Any idea on how many rounds you will get in a match barrel?

 

[Quickoz]

Ive just started my 2nd barrel in the 7mm08AI. Love it, dont need a 284 myself but others dont think it can do the job at 1000yds, I personally think it can for sure. You only give up 2in approx of drift to a 284 doing 2820 to 2850.

Both barrels have used the exact same load so far. I use Lapua Palma brass and 47.3gr H4350 with 180gr VLD and get 2780fps with my new Krieger 9T 5R barrel and got 2765 from my first Benchmark 9T 5-groove. I have 1800rds across 2 chambers on first barrel and still going well, only 5-6thou of throat where each chamber. About 1 thou every 100 odd rounds. My benchmark won my our state championships by 6pts clear of 2nd place. 2nd barrel has 250 odd on it so far.

 

[Auto-X Fil]

What OAL are you running, and what freebore?

Thanks,
-Phil

 

[Quickoz]

Freebore is 220 to suit 180 VLD and not sure on COAL, its 2.365 CBTO when using the Hornady OAL gauges. Its not mag feedable unless you run a LA mag system.

I spec'd the reamer as I wanted to try 180gr from it, if I was going to do it for 162 to 168gr class bullets, I would get around 170 to 190 FB.

 

[plumbs7]

Cool round! Thanks for the report Graham. That is a very interesting set of numbers. Any idea on how many rounds you will get in a match barrel?

Hi Mate at 2720 2000 plus with good cleaning habits should able too. My Bart is on about 1400 rounds .
Pushing it at 2790 was too much of an ask in my opinion . Keep it around 2720-2760 and maybe an 8.5 twist to stabilise 180 hybreds at 1000 . My Bartlein is 1:9 and is fine at those speeds up to 900 yds.

 

[plumbs7]

Ive just started my 2nd barrel in the 7mm08AI. Love it, dont need a 284 myself but others dont think it can do the job at 1000yds, I personally think it can for sure. You only give up 2in approx of drift to a 284 doing 2820 to 2850.

Both barrels have used the exact same load so far. I use Lapua Palma brass and 47.3gr H4350 with 180gr VLD and get 2780fps with my new Krieger 9T 5R barrel and got 2765 from my first Benchmark 9T 5-groove. I have 1800rds across 2 chambers on first barrel and still going well, only 5-6thou of throat where each chamber. About 1 thou every 100 odd rounds. My benchmark won my our state championships by 6pts clear of 2nd place. 2nd barrel has 250 odd on it so far.

Sounds very familiar figures and loads to what I had.
I'm on the development squad for the worlds and did get some form with it at 1000 but had to change for teams sake .
Had no chance making it with the lil round unfortunately . Coaches stick to what the are confident with !
Still love the round and I guess that's why I posted it on here after seeing the 7 mm x47 lap story!

 

[plumbs7]

Freebore is 220 to suit 180 VLD and not sure on COAL, its 2.365 CBTO when using the Hornady OAL gauges. Its not mag feedable unless you run a LA mag system.

I spec'd the reamer as I wanted to try 180gr from it, if I was going to do it for 162 to 168gr class bullets, I would get around 170 to 190 FB.

180 and 168 vld's lost cause for mag fed.
Great just to use 162 Amax as a full LR hunting rig . But I have only mucked around with it in an open class rifle. So not sure totally!

 

[plumbs7]

What OAL are you running, and what freebore?

Thanks,
-Phil

I'm sorry mate . Pseco in Brisbane set up freebore and unable to remember . This gun kicks but with 168 vld's up to 600 yds . I got a 60.8 (100.8) at 300 yds at recent nats with 168's . So don't go to far with the 180's .

 

[plumbs7]

I would like to add also that Quick also won WA Queens with his ( he's a lot better shot than me lol!) and is also on developement Squad for next year too , in WA . It would be fair to say we both are fans of this cal!
Good luck mate for making the team too!
Regards Graham.

 

[tmx199]

Great cartridge I have a 7mm08ai 20in barrel rem mod 7 I'm still working up a load 140 nosler Bt. Your set up sounds great good luck!

 

[Mulligan]

@Quickoz any updates?
CW

 

[Terry_M]

Interested as well. Any update would be appreciated.

 

[Quickoz]

Hey guys,

Havent shot it at all this year. Last testing I did was with varget and 162gr amax doing 2840fps with SD of 3 and ES of 7 IIRC. Found a load at 43gr varget and shot around 3/4 MOA at 800m. Havent shot it again to try tightern it up. Been focusing on my practical competition rifles the last few months more then F-Class.

 

[ShootDots]

Hey guys,

Havent shot it at all this year. Last testing I did was with varget and 162gr amax doing 2840fps with SD of 3 and ES of 7 IIRC. Found a load at 43gr varget and shot around 3/4 MOA at 800m. Havent shot it again to try tightern it up. Been focusing on my practical competition rifles the last few months more then F-Class.

I am embarking on yet another one of my "projects". LOL!!! I am waiting on components, specifically, my reamer, to build a 7mm-08A.I. However, it is strictly designed to shoot 180gr. Hybrids or VLD's. The reamer, after consulting with Dave Kiff, is going to be a .313 neck and a .270 freebore. I will be using a Krieger 9 twist, 4 groove conventional rifling barrel that will end up at 30".. The plan is to use RL-16 which SHOULD be able to easily sail past 2750f.p.s. with the 180's! The goal is to shoot between 2750-2800. With "Palma Brass" I won't have the same "easily loosened primer pockets" as you do with .284 brass. I also suspect that it will be very easy to tune and exhibit excellent accuracy! As soon as the reamer gets here, we shall see...

 

[Ackley Kid]

I was thinking the same as Ben ! Hope Re 16 provides a bit more velocity over 4350 . Heard good things about Re 16 in 6.5x47 hope same proves true in 7-08AI . Quick Oz had said they can run 180 VLD at 2780 with ADI / H 4350 . Fireform loads in 7 Shehane run right in that node which is quite accurate as many can attest to ! Reamer I had speced is very close to Quicks . Keep us posted how your project pans out Ben .

 

[Mulligan]

I am embarking on yet another one of my "projects". LOL!!! I am waiting on components, specifically, my reamer, to build a 7mm-08A.I. However, it is strictly designed to shoot 180gr. Hybrids or VLD's. The reamer, after consulting with Dave Kiff, is going to be a .313 neck and a .270 freebore. I will be using a Krieger 9 twist, 4 groove conventional rifling barrel that will end up at 30".. The plan is to use RL-16 which SHOULD be able to easily sail past 2750f.p.s. with the 180's! The goal is to shoot between 2750-2800. With "Palma Brass" I won't have the same "easily loosened primer pockets" as you do with .284 brass. I also suspect that it will be very easy to tune and exhibit excellent accuracy! As soon as the reamer gets here, we shall see...

Exactly what I am looking to do.
CW

 

[NortexDM]

I have ran rl16 out of my 7mm-08ai. I was running a somewhat mild load going 2720fps with a 162 out of a 22" krieger 4gv. Loads are ran from aics mags so oal is somewhat limited. The load gave great sd\es and groups so I just ran it after water testing.

 

[Shep1]

Ben I have always wondered why I haven't seen more 280,s in f class we been shooting for about three years running /284 shehane or straight 284's one guy told me out at Berger last year he had a hard time getting the vertical out of 280,s wondering if you had done any testing with this cartdrige

 

[ShootDots]

Ben I have always wondered why I haven't seen more 280,s in f class we been shooting for about three years running /284 shehane or straight 284's one guy told me out at Berger last year he had a hard time getting the vertical out of 280,s wondering if you had done any testing with this cartdrige

No Sir Shep I have not. However, it has been my personal experience that long cartridges of the 30-06 family, are GREAT for hunting, however, I do not think that for precision shooting, under the stress of long shot strings, that they perform as well as a short action cartridge can. I had a 30-06A.I. it would shoot phenomenal at 100 yards. However, it would not, I believe COULD NOT, maintain that level of precision out at 500+.. Now mind you, that was my first and now my last excursion into that realm. I had HORRIBLE doughnut issues, inconsistent accuracy etc..etc.. A .280 A.I. is just a 30-06A.I. necked down with all the same inherent "problems".. Like I said, GREAT as hunting rounds, just not up to par as a competitive performance round. Now I am sure there are others who will vehemently disagree. They may be correct, like I said I only had 1 of those round and that was quite sufficient for me!