7mm-08 AI

[fredjake]

Looking for imput on this caliber. I am thinking about it for my next build. Also wondering if anyone is using it in 22" barrel or shorter. Rifle will be for deer hunting and shooting.

 

[JabaliHunter]

No personal experience, but got this from the Jarrett website:

The 7mm-08 Ackley Improved has been very popular with us for many years. Most importantly, it provides high end .280 Remington performance in a short action receiver. Most of our 7mm-08 Imp. rifles have a fairly short barrel, usually no longer than 20”, yet we get an honest 3050 f.p.s. with a 140 gr. bullet, and 3150 feet per second with a 120 gr. The original .308 case has been transformed into many kinds of nice cartridges. I believe that the 7mm-08 Ackley Improved is at the top of the heap. We have tuned several for 160 gr. Nosler Partitions for African hunts and hear nothing but praise for their performance. Bullets striking animals at 100 to 200 yards at 7mm-08 velocities will show perfect performance every time. Perfect for whitetail, it is one wildcat that deserved to be born! I like its performance, which is best with a 20” barrel.

 

[LCazador]

The 7/08 AI will do what the 7mm Rem Mag does , with a lot less powder , and superior accurracy , that is with bullets 150 gr. or less . The only drawback is shooting heavy bullets ( 160gr. and above ) through a short mag length . Heavy bullets must be seated way past the shoulder/neck junture and this considerable infringement into the powder capacity produces a loss of velocity that otherwise might be available with lighter and shorter bullets . Bullets up to 150 gr. produce 3000 FPS plus . I have a Nesika repeater action , detachable mag , and use a 24 inch 9 twist barrel . A shorter barrel , such as a 22 inch , will limit the use of slower powders and heavy bullets . My experience has been that you need at least 24 inches if not 26 inches for slower burning powders like RL-25 , 4831 , or VV-N-160 . I did try a shorter 20 inch barrel , couldn't shoot anything heavier than the 140's to my liking .

 

[mattri]

How's barrel life?

 

[bheadboy]

I have a 24" 9 twist fluted Hart bbl on a 700bdl trued action by Bobby Hart of Nescopeck,Pa - weighs 7# with Luep 3.5x10 in a HiTech stock.

140gr sierra sbt or Nosler 140 bt shoot .350" at 100 with h414 at 3025fps, R/P brass and 9 1/2 primers.

What more do you need?

Bob