New lightweight hunter project started

[granite wagon]

All the pieces are in-rout . All in my hands by first of week next week . I likely wont be able to thread & chamber it till January but that aint that far away.
Im tickled like a youngin on December 25

Gonna be a 7-08Ackley

Nanook action
Proof sendero light 8 twist 20"
Mcmillan Remington Hunter edge fill
Alloy floor plate w/ wyatts extended box
TT special single curved

 

[mi223]

I will be interested to hear how the 708 AI works out. I thought about that for a while. I like the idea of the 7 saw but an ai should have more case capacity and should be able to shoot factory 708 for fire forming or in a pinch while on a hunting trip.

Information on that round is out there but very few and far between.

 

[granite wagon]

I was thinking the same thing about being able to shoot off the shelf 7-08 in a pinch.

I will update as the project rolls forward. Its gonna be a lil brother to a 280ackley that is a stellar critter getter.

 

[Tbaxl]

Let me know what you think of the Nanook. I wanted to get a defiance ruckus with CRF, but that is a little bit more difficult to get than I thought.

 

[granite wagon]

Sure will !

I ended up with the nanook by accident. Bought an AnTi from online retailer showing in stock . Got email next day saying they had sold the last 2 local and didnt update there system. They offered the nanook at a deal w/ some add ons so I took it.

 

[moosemeat]

What bullet you planning to shoot?
This sounds about like a perfect walk around hunting rifle. What scope you goingbto run?

 

[granite wagon]

I have 139sst, 145lrx & 150eldx. Not sure yet / prolly let the barrel tell me. Gonna run peterson small pocket 260 brass necked up & fireformed so I can lean on it a lil bit.

NF 4-16x42 atacr

 

[Chickentoast]

Very nice build - you'll spend Xmas in the reloading room!

 

[mi223]

I have 139sst, 145lrx & 150eldx. Not sure yet / prolly let the barrel tell me. Gonna run peterson small pocket 260 brass necked up & fireformed so I can lean on it a lil bit.

NF 4-16x42 atacr

The 150 eldx looks like a real winner in this cartridge. Better bc than most in that class and light enough to get some speed up

 

[granite wagon]

I actually plan to test right on up to 175 elite hunter but I suspect I'll end up running 139, 145 or 150 option.

 

[Bevo]

I am in the same process, but 7 PRC on a Tikka action. Shooting for a 9-ish lb total weight with scope and suppressor.

 

[granite wagon]

The planning & anticipation are half the fun of it !!

 

[RogueTanker]

I love my 7/08 AI. I have a lot of data with 180s and 162s.

39-41gr XBR will get you 2800 or so with a 162. I was getting stupid velocity with 6.5 staball with both of those bullet classes. Something like 2900+ with a 162. DM me for info if you want it or check the 7mm load data thread for some of my posts.

 

[jlorensen]

I really like the 139gr SST....run that one in my daughter's 7mm-08....it's hard on whitetails.

 

[mi223]

I love my 7/08 AI. I have a lot of data with 180s and 162s.

39-41gr XBR will get you 2800 or so with a 162. I was getting stupid velocity with 6.5 staball with both of those bullet classes. Something like 2900+ with a 162. DM me for info if you want it or check the 7mm load data thread for some of my posts.

How long of a barrel? Are you running them at Short action magazine length?

 

[RogueTanker]

How long of a barrel? Are you running them at Short action magazine length?

Short action, loaded to 2.96 with a 25" barrel.

 

[granite wagon]

Getting closer.

My new building won't be done till probably late January. The lathe is in storage until then.... Soooooo I think I'm gonna send this barrel & action to Chad @ LRI and get it did.

 

[RHutch]

What’s the target weight of the bare rifle when complete?

 

[granite wagon]

Looking like it'll be low 6#

 

[mi223]

Looking like it'll be low 6#

That will be nice. Put you sub 10lbs ready to hunt. Hurry up and get this going. I think I may be just as excited as you are. It was a year or 2 ago I was looking at the 708ai. Kind of lost interest until now

 

[Digetydog]

Looking like it'll be low 6#

If you can get a gun with a 25" barrel into that weight class, good job.

 

[abn31c]

Just had this put together....
Bat Vampire LA
Helix6 barrel @ 25 inches
Mesa stock
Bix tac sport
Leupy vx5
I wanted it to weigh 8.5 but it's a bit lighter

 

[srt-4_uk]

If you can get a gun with a 25" barrel into that weight class, good job.

OP is using a 20" barrel.

 

[Matt_3479]

Sounds like a sweet build. I’m sure you will love that nanook action. I’m realizing (slowly mind you) that after all these years and multiple builds later off different actions that my kelbly atlas tactical is still the smoothest and easiest to run. It would make for a phenomenal hunting action as well and now you get the same feel but lighter, and integrated rails and lug! It should be perfect. Actually looking at either a build on one or replacing my atlas for one.

 

[granite wagon]

I decided to send action and barrel to LRI for marriage/chambering/muzzle thread.
Did the order on the LRI website and mailed barrel first of week.
I guess maybe they are closed this week or extremely busy as My local FFL nor I have been able to make contact with them via email or phone.
Maybe by next week we can get their info so My local FFL can send receiver out to them ( and Yes I know I could just take ownership of the action and ship it myself without a receiving FFL number but our local UPS or USPS wont handle it for me and I refuse to use our local fedex ).
Brass is prepped and ready though

 

[mi223]

What is your plan for fire forming? What are you using to expand the neck for the first go around?

 

[granite wagon]

I took peterson 260small pocket brass & ran it acrost a K&M .284 expander that I polished down to give .282 neck ID .
Checked trim length then chamfered & debured.
gonna load a nominal load of 4350 w/139sst in the lands ( to keep the case pushed against the bolt face )
and send em.

 

[Bevo]

I decided to send action and barrel to LRI for marriage/chambering/muzzle thread.
Did the order on the LRI website and mailed barrel first of week.
I guess maybe they are closed this week or extremely busy as My local FFL nor I have been able to make contact with them via email or phone.
Maybe by next week we can get their info so My local FFL can send receiver out to them ( and Yes I know I could just take ownership of the action and ship it myself without a receiving FFL number but our local UPS or USPS wont handle it for me and I refuse to use our local fedex ).
Brass is prepped and ready though

You should get an email with an order status update once it’s received into their system. Try to get Kalli on the phone if you want more info (option 7 on their phone system). In my experience they do not respond to email.

 

[Gacory]

Watching this b/c I'm building a 7/08 off a Nanook also. I've got all the parts just waiting on the stock. Mine will have a 22" proof.
I'm trying to decide who too send it into for chambering LRI or Kelbly, so I'll be watching for an update when you get it back from LRI

 

[JVH86]

I'll be following along as well, you will have a great rifle soon

I have a lightweight (5.9, wanted to be closet to 5...) 22" 7-08AI on a Model 7, trued and barreled by LRI. Have not shot it yet :/

My reasoning for the 7-08AI was that to my eye, it would provide the highest performance in a standard bolt face short action I could get. Also, fireformimg from regular 7-08 is a plus
Alpha has 7-08 brass

 

[granite wagon]

Said Nanook departed today / heading to Sturgis !

 

[granite wagon]

Oh yeah .. getting close now

 

[granite wagon]

Just got update from LRI ... Engraving done & off to shipping !

All I gotta do when it gets back is bed it , install trigger & scope .. then its bang

 

[TxLite]

Just got update from LRI ... Engraving done & off to shipping !

All I gotta do when it gets back is bed it , install trigger & scope .. then its bang

Well? Where is it??

 

[granite wagon]

At my local FFL.

I have been recovering from illness.

Meeting tomo to do transfer.

 

[granite wagon]

Finally got well enough to go get barreled action transfered to me at local FFL.
Got barrel channel fitted & got it in bedding. Pop it out , trim it up , assembly & bang bang tomo morning..
Gonna shoot it a lil just to ring out any bugs ( feeding , trigger tune etc etc ) then pull it apart for paint .

After fitting I mocked it together to get actual weight.

6 pounds & 5 ounces without glass

 

[XTREM HTR16]

Don’t sleep on the Lapua 150 Scenar for killing things…

 

[granite wagon]

Started frieforming . Averages .6 grouping with fireforming load
139sst , varget , #41 at bout 2760fps

Try and remember to get pic of rifle when sun is out

100 & 700 during fireforming

 

[granite wagon]

 

[jlorensen]

I really like the 139gr SST......I've found it to be a deer smasher over the last couple seasons. Probably not exactly what you're looking for in a developed load, but that fire-forming load sure looks like it would work in a pinch!

Anxious to see this rig in a daylight pic.

 

[granite wagon]

I suck at taking pictures.

I like everything so far except the bolt handle on the Nanook sits proud/high and I have to run the NF higher than I like..
I think a scope with a smaller ocular housing or a modification to the bolt handle are gonna be in short order..

Gonna paint the stock woodland green, woodland brown & OD.
Gonna paint the shiny bits charcoal.

 

[granite wagon]

Ran it up to 2900 today on formed & sized brass w/ 139sst & 4350.

 

[granite wagon]

Ran it up to 3000 yesterday on 139sst & reloder 15 .
there looks to be a node around 2920 . When it stops blowing a gale Ill verify that node

 

[64E]

Excited to see what combo and performance you end up with.

 

[granite wagon]

Put a lil evergreen sauce on it

 

[granite wagon]

While my fat ass cant hold it still enough to get a ragged hole ...... the rifle is easily a sub .5 ( 3shot group ) on the three bullets ( 139sst, 150partition & 150eldx ) I've played with. It does sub .75 ( 3shot group ) on a fireform load w/ 139sst & varget !
RL15 & Varget are working nicely! 4350 runs out of room in the case before optimum velocity ( it is a 20inch barrel after all )
Going to run a few different brands of Factory stuff through it to see what it likes off the shelf.

 

[granite wagon]

Fits right in with it's siblings

 

[Hoyt7mm]

Sweet build! And looks like a hammer too!

What did you go with for dies? Any idea what your freebore is? Looking at probably having my 7-08AI done with an extended freebore to make use of the COAL in non binder plate mags

 

[granite wagon]

Thanks It shoots well within my expectation so far / gonna test 145lrx next.

Dies are Redding series D full length sizer & standard seater. #80430

Freebore is .060" according to LRI & I believe it. If this was anything other than a walking rifle Id throat it out to probably .130 to .150 and run 160somethings on yeeha mode.

I went ahead and put a wyatts xtended box in this one but not needed with bullets Im running w/ this freebore.

 

[granite wagon]

Ran it up to 2875 today with 150eldx & varget .. looks like might be magic about 2845ish..