7MM-08 Ackley Improved Help!

[GooseTackler]

Hey! I have a Bergara B-14 that is currently in 308 Win and want to rebarrel to 7mm-08 AI. If I do go with 7-08 AI it will be a preferred barrel blanks 26" 1:9 twist with .060" freebore. My max Mag length is 2.860". What velocities do you think I should expect using a 140 Berger vld and a 150 eld x while still being in mag length? I heard around 3100 for 140 and 2850 ish for 150. Will a AI be inherently more accurate? Good idea or bad Idea? Thanks!

 

[ma smith]

Maybe also see if your action can feed the various 2.95" mags like Sako/tikka/AI/AICS without binder plates etc

 

[GooseTackler]

Amybe also see if your action can feed the various 2.95" mags like Sako/tikka/AI/AICS without binder plates etc

Yeah, the action will get to 2.9” and some change unless I trim the feed ramp, 2.860-2.870” is what magpul bottom metal will allow for now.

 

[FuhQ]

Hey! I have a Bergara B-14 that is currently in 308 Win and want to rebarrel to 7mm-08 AI. If I do go with 7-08 AI it will be a preferred barrel blanks 26" 1:9 twist with .060" freebore. My max Mag length is 2.860". What velocities do you think I should expect using a 140 Berger vld and a 150 eld x while still being in mag length? I heard around 3100 for 140 and 2850 ish for 150. Will a AI be inherently more accurate? Good idea or bad Idea? Thanks!

I would opt for a 1:8 twist if they have it, and shoot the Berger 175 Elites.

The B14 is a R700 style action. You can probably have the gunsmith inlet the stock and install a Wyatt's Outdoors extended length mag box to allow the longer COAL. He'll also have to cut some metal from the front of the action, and recut the feed ramps. Which won't be a big deal, since he'll already building the rifle from scratch. He can just do this step before blueprinting the action.

Also, there is NO such thing as a cartridge being "inherently accuracy" period. A gun is accurate, or it's not. Some cartridges are designed better than others making them easier to load for, and less fussy with trying to find a velocity node. But a lot of that has to do with the quality of the parts that went into the build, and how good your gunsmith is. Any cartridge can be accurate.

That being said, the 7mm-08 AI 40º is an awesome round. You will enjoy it.

 

[KineticPerformance]

The 7-08 Imp 40° is best with 120-140gn bullets. You can get 3000-3050fps with it without leaning too hard. If I need more I step up to a long throat 7mmRM pushing 162-195gn bullets. My 7-08 Imp was a 22" Lilja #2 on a 700Ti loaded to 2.80" in the blind mag. It was light, accurate, and mild mannered. I built it around 2000 or so and anymore I just shoot 6.5 Creed.

 

[GooseTackler]

The 7-08 Imp 40° is best with 120-140gn bullets. You can get 3000-3050fps with it without leaning too hard. If I need more I step up to a long throat 7mmRM pushing 162-195gn bullets. My 7-08 Imp was a 22" Lilja #2 on a 700Ti loaded to 2.80" in the blind mag. It was light, accurate, and mild mannered. I built it around 2000 or so and anymore I just shoot 6.5 Creed.

I assume that 3000-3050 fps was with 22”? So I assume 26” will get to 3100+? That sound right?

 

[KineticPerformance]

Yeah, you can push the 140gn up around 3050fps in a 22" barrel. My 280 Imp 40° (circa 1999) shot 140gn bullets around 3150fps from a 24" Lilja #4 barrel. I would assume you can get another 50-100fps in the 7-08 Imp by adding 4" of barrel but 100fps isn't really a meaningful gain. I think of meaningful gain in the same bullet weight being around 300fps which is a long throat 7mm Rem Mag or Wby Mag.

 

[KineticPerformance]

If I went to the trouble of a Wyatt's I'm going to shoot a 7mm SAUM.

 

[GooseTackler]

Yeah, you can push the 140gn up around 3050fps in a 22" barrel. My 280 Imp 40° (circa 1999) shot 140gn bullets around 3150fps from a 24" Lilja #4 barrel. I would assume you can get another 50-100fps in the 7-08 Imp by adding 4" of barrel but 100fps isn't really a meaningful gain. I think of meaningful gain in the same bullet weight being around 300fps which is a long throat 7mm Rem Mag or Wby Mag.

Yeah im stuck with 308 sized cartridges, 2.860 oal, if I had a magnum bolt id look into 300 wsm. I want a 7mm bullet or bigger and a flatter trajectory than 308 win. So far 7-08 AI fits the need. Already have straight 7-08 brass

 

[KineticPerformance]

It'll meet your need (which is really general) at 20-22" with a good 140gn bullet. I wouldn't let brass I already have drive my decision.

 

[Aftermath]

I shoot the 280 AI 40° with a 24" barrel. I like the Berger 140 VLD Hunting bullets and get 3250 fps, amazing accuracy and zero signs of pressure. I am thinking you will top out somewhere around 3000 fps with the 280AI Kurz.

 

[fdkay]

I shoot a standard 7-08, usually with the 162's.
In the standard case, 65 staball gives very good velocity, approaching 2800 fps.
I use starline SRP .308 necked down and neck reamed.
Research shows that the AI, with your typical extruded propellants getting just over 2800 fps. If you use SRP brass, you can push the pressures up a bit.
Rule of thumb is around 100 to 150 fps increase for the same bullet, the increase is brass, powder and barrel length dependant.

 

[Nortex]

I ran 162gr amax/eld and 120gr nosler in my 22" 08ai. The 162 ran consistently at 2750fps and 3150 with the 120's. Had a batch of varget from the pre Obama era that was good for around 50fps more on both but everything since has been what I mentioned above.

 

[GooseTackler]

I ran 162gr amax/eld and 120gr nosler in my 22" 08ai. The 162 ran consistently at 2750fps and 3150 with the 120's. Had a batch of varget from the pre Obama era that was good for around 50fps more on both but everything since has been what I mentioned above.

What oal was your 162’s @

 

[GooseTackler]

I shoot a standard 7-08, usually with the 162's.
In the standard case, 65 staball gives very good velocity, approaching 2800 fps.
I use starline SRP .308 necked down and neck reamed.
Research shows that the AI, with your typical extruded propellants getting just over 2800 fps. If you use SRP brass, you can push the pressures up a bit.
Rule of thumb is around 100 to 150 fps increase for the same bullet, the increase is brass, powder and barrel length dependant.

What overall length did you run 162’s

 

[Nortex]

What oal was your 162’s @

Around 2.9ish. I ran a 300wsm accurate mag which is basically a 308 aics with no binder plate.

 

[GooseTackler]

Around 2.9ish. I ran a 300wsm accurate mag which is basically a 308 aics with no binder plate.

Gotcha, may single feed 162’s 150’s seem longest to mag feed. Overall do you like your 7-08AI? Or would you have went a different route?

 

[Nortex]

Gotcha, may single feed 162’s 150’s seem longest to mag feed. Overall do you like your 7-08AI? Or would you have went a different route?

I'm on my second barrel so I guess you could say I'm satisfied. Imo it really depends upon what your end goal is. I primarily use mine for hunting these days and it does great. My loads while not really screaming are super consistent in all weather conditions. I've ran it some at prs matches and with a brake like a fat bastard it does well but still recoil more than the 6mm most run but there's no dispute on impacts or issues seeing splash in the dirt.

 

[GooseTackler]

I'm on my second barrel so I guess you could say I'm satisfied. Imo it really depends upon what your end goal is. I primarily use mine for hunting these days and it does great. My loads while not really screaming are super consistent in all weather conditions. I've ran it some at prs matches and with a brake like a fat bastard it does well but still recoil more than the 6mm most run but there's no dispute on impacts or issues seeing splash in the dirt.

Awesome, sounds like ill like it! Did u ever run 150’s or 140’s?

 

[Nortex]

Awesome, sounds like ill like it! Did u ever run 150’s or 140’s?

I briefly tried some 140gr acubonds and didn't initially find a load I was happy with. That and the 120 nosler was absolutely devastating on critters so I stuck with it.

 

[GooseTackler]

I briefly tried some 140gr acubonds and didn't initially find a load I was happy with. That and the 120 nosler was absolutely devastating on critters so I stuck with it.

I love 95 6mm ballistic tips and 165 30 cal ballistic tips on deer, brutal! Now I think ill try 140 Berger VLD hunters for deer a try, load them with varget or h4350

 

[Krob95]

Also, there is NO such thing as a cartridge being "inherently accuracy" period. A gun is accurate, or it's not. Some cartridges are designed better than others making them easier to load for, and less fussy with trying to find a velocity node. But a lot of that has to do with the quality of the parts that went into the build, and how good your gunsmith is. Any cartridge can be accurate.

I disagree on the basis of the 6BR/ BRA/ Dasher existing. I would say they are inherently accurate and easy to load for.

But I do agree any cartridge can be accurate.

 

[GooseTackler]

I disagree on the basis of the 6BR/ BRA/ Dasher existing. I would say they are inherently accurate and easy to load for.

But I do agree any cartridge can be accurate.

^this^

 

[D_TROS]

I would say the 6br and 6.5x47 are the 2 most inherently accurate cal ever designed. call it accurate, call it good deisgn, call it easy to load for...that all kinda means inherently accurate.


back on topic. Highly recommend the 168 bergers. In my std 7-08 loaded to 2.95 oal and a short 22" barrel they are going 2750. very effective on deer. one of the unsung cartridges.


GL!
DT

 

[fdkay]

What overall length did you run 162’s

2.81

 

[FuhQ]

I disagree on the basis of the 6BR/ BRA/ Dasher existing. I would say they are inherently accurate and easy to load for.

But I do agree any cartridge can be accurate.

No cartridge can be accurate without being shot through a gun… Therefore no cartridge is “inherently accurate”. Without a gun, it’s useless.

 

[Krob95]

You’re grasping at straws to prove a point...

 

[FuhQ]

You’re grasping at straws to prove a point...

No, I'm stating facts that Fudds refuse to admit. There is no such thing as "inherent accuracy" when it comes to cartridges. There are some that are designed better than others, but that doesn't make them "inherently accurate".

The .22LR and .30-30 Winchester can be extremely accurate in a well-built rifle, but compared to more efficient modern cartridge designs, they are antiquated and hot garbage.

 

[Krob95]

haha whatever you say man.

 

[gemihur]

'inherently accurate' simply refers to the series of occurring factors that have a higher than normal probability of resulting in an unexpected frequency of positive results.
There's no reason to play the game of semantics.
The 7-08 AI is one of 'em!