7mm SAW and 7mm 08 Ackley

[urbanrifleman]

https://westtexordnance.com/7mm-saw/

This looks interesting. You don't seem to hear much about 7-08 in Ackley for say, F Class.

 

[Laurie]

It looks a nice little cartridge - same principle as Robert Whitley's 243 Win to 6mm Super LR one pass in the die reforming for a longer neck and sharper shoulder. It's not a true Ackley Imp though - the AI offers a slightly larger case capacity and hence charge weights.

I shoot the 'straight 7-08' in long-throat form with 160-168s in short / mid-range F-class and it's a competent performer in this role. However, most people simply go up a step to the 'straight 284' for an extra 100 fps or so and its being better suited to 180gn weight class bullets. The 284's all-round good performance, manners, and reasonable barrel life (if you stick to sensible loads and cool burning powders) limit the appeal and use of the 7-08 or any offshoot of it in F-Class though.

 

[centerlineseal]

Laurie,

I don't compete, but I am huge fan of the 7mm-08 and enjoy reloading same for punching paper and hunting. Currently reloading 120, 140 and 168 grain pills using H4350 and CCi BR2s

Do you have a "target" velocity that performs best for the 160 - 168 grainers and is reasonable on the barrel?

Thanks

 

[Sniper338]

I think the 7mm08 or AI version is under rated. I think a 7mm08 is a fabulous round. I'd take one over a bunch of other things...

 

[Laurie]

Laurie,

I don't compete, but I am huge fan of the 7mm-08 and enjoy reloading same for punching paper and hunting. Currently reloading 120, 140 and 168 grain pills using H4350 and CCi BR2s

Do you have a "target" velocity that performs best for the 160 - 168 grainers and is reasonable on the barrel?

Thanks

I've ended up shooting Sierra's 160gn TMK at 2,830 fps (31-inch barrel) from reformed Lapua Palma small primer brass and a slightly compressed load of Viht N160. The round count is at ~1,600 and I'm hoping to see another 1,000 at least, but maybe as much as double that as N160 is a cool burner. That's my usual 500/600 load.

For 300 I shoot the fairly low BC Lapua 150gn Scenar L at the same MVs, but the groups are very small indeed and unless it's blowing a gale at 300 I've humbled 284, 7mm SAUM and WSM shooters at this distance with this load. The powder is a European (Czech) extruded number called Lovex SO65 and I use batched and prepped Winchester brass or reformed Norma 308 Win cases with a Russian primer. When the SO65 is used up, I'll try IMR-4007SSC which has a similar burning rate and which I have several cans of and no other obvious use for them right now.

It really is a nice cartridge, just overshadowed by all its big (barrel-burning) brothers.

 

[centerlineseal]

Thanks Laurie.

I'm running 2,775 fps out of a 24" barrel with 168 Berger VLD Hunting bullets, fresh 7mm-08 Lapua brass. The 120 Nosler ballistic tips are running at 2,940 fps, maybe a bit fast, but once I figured out the right seating depth, about 25 thousandths off the lands, its shooting in the mid 0.2s at 100 yds.

The 168 and 140 Bergers are still in the workup stage, I hope to get them to shoot as well as the 120 NBTs. (They dang well should!)

Best part, I'm having a great time with this cartridge and decent success in a factory Rem 700 VLS and a Tikka T3 Hunter.

 

[NortexDM]

I ran a 7mm-08AI in a prs rig for several years. Ran primarily varget and 4350 with 162 amax/eld or 168 sierra (very underrated bullet) in a 4gv krieger finished at 22". It shot solid for 6k rounds and I limped it along for another 1500rds. It is still shooting solid but when it got hot would start stringing off.

 

[XTR]

I think the whole idea of bumping the shoulder back to 30* or so with a single pass on new brass is a great one, whether it's a 243, a 260 or a 7-08. I surprised myself a few months ago when I compared the water capacity of my once fired 6SLR cases to my new 243 cases. The difference was so close as to be effectively the same. Ever since I spun up my 6SLR and looked a the cases I've said it's what the 243 should have been all along, the same is probably true for this idea.

I'm a fan of the 7-08 for a hunting round myself. This seems like a logical idea to make a great round maybe even a little better with the 30* shoulder, though you are not gaining any capacity like the AI versions do.

 

[AckleymanII]

7/08 AI is a very practical upgrade for a hunter wanting to get the most from a short action, have a wyatt's mag box installed, call it done. The Nosler long range 150g Accubonds like to jump around .120 which is a bonus.

 

[bbarber25]

@Mulligan check this out.

 

[Mulligan]

Ive been watching this tread. My 708AI sheep/Goat rifle will be completed this fall. Had not heard of the 7 SAW until now, although I’m not sure its much different than what @plumb7 and @Quickoz were shooting a couple of years ago for F-class? They, as I recall we bumping the shoulder forward 17-20 thou.
Good stuff
CW

 

[XTR]

@Mulligan this version pushes the shoulder back at the neck junction like an SLR as opposed to blowing it forward at the body junction in the AIs. The result (based on my 6SLR data, which is made the same way) is a case with effectively the same capacity as the parent but with a greater shoulder angle. The advantage here is no fire forming. AI's get slightly more capacity with the added fire forming step. This version you size new brass and load.

 

[AckleymanII]

Figure the AI is worth 100-150 fps. over std case.

Fire forming 15g of Bullseye and cream of wheat, use Lapua brass if the reamer is set up for CIP spec at the .200 line ahead of the head of the case. Otherwise, go with Rem or Hornady brass. I am not familiar with Peterson or some of the other new companies that are making quality brass at this time.

 

[NortexDM]

I run lapua palma in mine and have no reason to change it anytime soon. I've loaded slow rounds in the 2600 with varget and smk with a combo false shoulder jam method to ff with, also have put shotgun/pistol powder in with no bullet and fired straight up and got 98-99% form.

 

[RustyPin]

At 1st glance it appears the SAW simply converts the 7-08 to an improved 30 Degree shoulder. Where My 7-RPC increases shoulder Width to .465" using the 7-GPC Reamer.

 

[111513Cooper]

I think the 7mm08 or AI version is under rated. I think a 7mm08 is a fabulous round. I'd take one over a bunch of other things...

Totally agree. My dad bought a 7mm-08 right when it was first introduced and many thought he was crazy until they saw the results of it. In my opinion, I would say its one of the all time great wildcat cartridges ever produced. All I've ever used is Remington core lock and nosler partition in 140 grain commercial rounds. Now I'm learning about reloading

 

[Capt. Oblivious]

It looks a nice little cartridge - same principle as Robert Whitley's 243 Win to 6mm Super LR one pass in the die reforming for a longer neck and sharper shoulder. It's not a true Ackley Imp though - the AI offers a slightly larger case capacity and hence charge weights.

I shoot the 'straight 7-08' in long-throat form with 160-168s in short / mid-range F-class and it's a competent performer in this role. However, most people simply go up a step to the 'straight 284' for an extra 100 fps or so and its being better suited to 180gn weight class bullets. The 284's all-round good performance, manners, and reasonable barrel life (if you stick to sensible loads and cool burning powders) limit the appeal and use of the 7-08 or any offshoot of it in F-Class though.

Old Thread but for what its worth


6slr left, 7"slr" on the right

 

[std7mag]

You know it's winter when all the old threads get ressurected.

 

[RegionRat]

@Capt. Oblivious , is that 7 SLR case hydro or fire formed?
The shoulder looks far less sharp than the one on the left.

They both look very interesting. Those 7-08 and the variants always got a lot of attention from the silhouette crowd. It seems like the best blend of downrange energy to knock down the rams, but not so much as to wear you out with recoil.

 

[davethadog]

It’s summer but I guess I’m resurrecting old thread anyways.

Anyone shooting the 7mm SAW? I just finished building mine to prove it out for NRLH competitions. Barrels a shooter but definitely not getting the advertised velocities of some. 45-46 gr of h4350 is netting ~2700 with the 166 a tip. Might need to try a shorter bullet or a double based powder as there’s no pressure signs but also no room for more juice.