Tell me about your 7-08.
- Thread starter Terry
- Start date
Tikka 595, pure factory. Groups into .6 for three shots @ 100Y. Longest shot 300Y on 6" steel.
I put together some savage parts I had and made a nice light sporter just for hunting. It is all savage but with a couple tricks in it. I used a 1 in 11 barrel and can only shoot up to 130 grains or so. I put it into a boyds thumbhole in royal jacaranda which is a nice blend of colors for fall. It shoots under an inch with 3/4 inch groups fairly common. It will not shoot 140's worth a hoot. It is bedded with pillars and nice and light.
My favorite rifle. Remington used to have a Model 7 stainless with black tubberware stock. Dad gave me one when I turned 16. When I was 25 I didn't want to change the rifle but wanted more accuracy so I updated everything without really changing the ergonomics or cosmetics on the rifle.
Now has black HS sporter stock
Hart barrel #4 contour at 20 inches. Bead blast matte finish stainless
PTG hinged floor plate
Adjusted factory trigger
Got rid of the J lock
Shoots 1/3 moa.
Handy for Southeastern whitetails.
Now has black HS sporter stock
Hart barrel #4 contour at 20 inches. Bead blast matte finish stainless
PTG hinged floor plate
Adjusted factory trigger
Got rid of the J lock
Shoots 1/3 moa.
Handy for Southeastern whitetails.
Blueprinted Rem 78,chambered 7-08AI, Lilja 24" barrel, H.S stock with handloads 140gr noslers easily shoots under 1/2"
Great Deer Cartridge!
Great Deer Cartridge!
Just got into the 7MM-08 tribe last year. Settling up with a dealer after a few swaps I ended up with a T/C Venture. I bought a few boxes of Nosler Overrun ammo with the 120 gr Ballistic Tip and a few boxes of Federal 120 grain Fusion. My intent was a low recoiling rifle for my kids when they outgrew their .243 youth rifles.
Too my surprise it keeps the Ballistic Tips in little clusters just under 1/2" at a hundred and the Fusion is under an inch. I set it up with a Leupold 4-12 AR, the Trajectory of the Fusion mimics a 55 gr .223 and the Ballistic Tip seems to be a touch flatter. The Fusion load has been tested on deer out 250 yards, every times it has exited the heart lung area. The Ballistic Tip load was used to put down a doe that somebody else had wounded, took a head shot and it was graphic.
The trajectory compensation in the scope works great with the 120 gr. loads. Last winter I got home from my plow route on a Saturday morning and saw a coyote sitting two fields over, in our far pasture. I ran a dry patch through the bore, set the scope at 500, dry fired once and then chambered a round and squeezed. The coyote slid down a small gulley and it was over. It was a no wind situation and the coyote was halfway up a hill so the bullet had a backstop. It appeared that the bullet lost stability after impact, it was a mess.
My kids should have many years of success with their Venture, if they ever pry it out of my hands....
Too my surprise it keeps the Ballistic Tips in little clusters just under 1/2" at a hundred and the Fusion is under an inch. I set it up with a Leupold 4-12 AR, the Trajectory of the Fusion mimics a 55 gr .223 and the Ballistic Tip seems to be a touch flatter. The Fusion load has been tested on deer out 250 yards, every times it has exited the heart lung area. The Ballistic Tip load was used to put down a doe that somebody else had wounded, took a head shot and it was graphic.
The trajectory compensation in the scope works great with the 120 gr. loads. Last winter I got home from my plow route on a Saturday morning and saw a coyote sitting two fields over, in our far pasture. I ran a dry patch through the bore, set the scope at 500, dry fired once and then chambered a round and squeezed. The coyote slid down a small gulley and it was over. It was a no wind situation and the coyote was halfway up a hill so the bullet had a backstop. It appeared that the bullet lost stability after impact, it was a mess.
My kids should have many years of success with their Venture, if they ever pry it out of my hands....
Terry , I have 3 of them . I've hunted whitetails with a 595 tikka for probably 10 + years . so when my girlfriend wanted to hunt with me , I bought a browning X-bolt for her . I also have a rem 700 that has a trued action with a 24" broughton bbl McMillan bedded stock . I find the 7-08 pretty easy to get decent accuracy with .
my Tikka is all stock except for me adding a cheek piece . I use IMR4064 powder , cci200 primer , hornady 139 BTSP , and any brass I have available . it's a hunting rifle and it shoots well enough for that .
the big center group is 200 yards .the taped over holes were old from a different day or maybe a different rifle .
100 yards . sometimes it will shoot like this , but not consistently by any means . the three wild ones are me shooting off hand .
checking drop at 300 yards .
same 300 yard target
Denises X-bolt , all stock . I use a slightly reduced load of H4895 , cci 200 primer , rem brass . 120 nosler ballistic tip bullets . according to quickload this has about the same recoil as a 243 with a 100 gr bullet .
100yards . I did load work and then I took her to the range . she hasn't shot for years , so she was having some troubles . I shot the three shot group , to be sure nothing happened .
rem 700 . I'm using RL17 powder , cci200 primer , berger 140 hunting VLD , norma brass. some of these targets would be shot prone with a bipod . others from a bench with sand bags .
200 yards . the top three spots are from this rifle .3 different powder charges . left 48.0 , center 48.5 , right 49.0 . I always got a wild one from the 48.5 load .
I played with berger 168 gr hunting bullets for awhile . I just don't think the 7-08 has the case capacity for this heavy of a bullet .
400 yards . I think this was the day I couldn't see my hits . after I walked out and saw the first 3 , I fell apart . I couldn't put the other 2 in the group .
same target with a ladder test .
same target with a measure.
100 yards 140 bergers .
I'm not a competitive shooter , so please don't beat me up to bad . ha ha these targets are all different sizes is why I posted the targets with calipers and tape measures , so you can see for yourself the group sizes . Jim
my Tikka is all stock except for me adding a cheek piece . I use IMR4064 powder , cci200 primer , hornady 139 BTSP , and any brass I have available . it's a hunting rifle and it shoots well enough for that .
the big center group is 200 yards .the taped over holes were old from a different day or maybe a different rifle .
100 yards . sometimes it will shoot like this , but not consistently by any means . the three wild ones are me shooting off hand .
checking drop at 300 yards .
same 300 yard target
Denises X-bolt , all stock . I use a slightly reduced load of H4895 , cci 200 primer , rem brass . 120 nosler ballistic tip bullets . according to quickload this has about the same recoil as a 243 with a 100 gr bullet .
100yards . I did load work and then I took her to the range . she hasn't shot for years , so she was having some troubles . I shot the three shot group , to be sure nothing happened .
rem 700 . I'm using RL17 powder , cci200 primer , berger 140 hunting VLD , norma brass. some of these targets would be shot prone with a bipod . others from a bench with sand bags .
200 yards . the top three spots are from this rifle .3 different powder charges . left 48.0 , center 48.5 , right 49.0 . I always got a wild one from the 48.5 load .
I played with berger 168 gr hunting bullets for awhile . I just don't think the 7-08 has the case capacity for this heavy of a bullet .
400 yards . I think this was the day I couldn't see my hits . after I walked out and saw the first 3 , I fell apart . I couldn't put the other 2 in the group .
same target with a ladder test .
same target with a measure.
100 yards 140 bergers .
I'm not a competitive shooter , so please don't beat me up to bad . ha ha these targets are all different sizes is why I posted the targets with calipers and tape measures , so you can see for yourself the group sizes . Jim
nastynatesfish
A day which we will live in infamy
I built mine off a ruger m77 tang safety that was a 243.
24" ershaw #3.5 fluted
First rounds pyro f it with a 140 nosler
Where I ended I run varget
I've ran it to 905 yards. 600 and 710 is a pretty good shot with it. When I can get more I'll try some 162 amax. I use 140 berger hunting bullets too haven't worked that load yet
24" ershaw #3.5 fluted
First rounds pyro f it with a 140 nosler
Where I ended I run varget
I've ran it to 905 yards. 600 and 710 is a pretty good shot with it. When I can get more I'll try some 162 amax. I use 140 berger hunting bullets too haven't worked that load yet
Toolbreaker
Gold $$ Contributor
Mine's a R700. Like the posters above, I initially tried to run 162 gn. Amax's, but finally settled on 140 gn. Bergers & 130 gn. SMK's, and haven't looked back. The couple of pics below are cherry picked, but the Bergers average just over 1/2" at 100 yards, while the SMK's are a little bit tighter at high .3's to low .4's. I've run the Bergers out to 700 yds before. If the winds are decent, they'll hold just fine. If it gets switchy & gusty, all bets are off for it and me, both (mainly me 
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)Attachments
This one is built on a long action and throated for 168 bergers. 5 shots.
I also like the 7mm-08 (as well 260 rem) I have a Sako AII laminate in 7mm-08 that is a fine easy to shoot, easy to carry deer rifle. I purchased some Fusion 140gr shot around 1" at 100 yards, I ordered some loading supplies Barnes 120 gr TTSX around 3/4"-1" varget only tested at magazine length and worked up load checking for pressure. I plan to work on the load some more after deer season trying a few different powders, however I'm pretty sure groups will shrink after I remove the hump in barrel channel (free float barrel) which I have done to another Sako. 7mm-08 is a fine cartridge it's in that just right category for me along with 260.
I have read that RL17 is well worth trying in 7mm-08 when/if I can purchase a pound I will do some more load work.
I have read that RL17 is well worth trying in 7mm-08 when/if I can purchase a pound I will do some more load work.
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