Short barrel 7mm-08 for out to 900m?

M

MrFlinch

Private
Minuteman
Jan 3, 2018
3
1
#1
G'day everyone,

I have an Ultimatum U300 action that I got for a ripping good price. I'm wanting to build a bit of an odd ball rifle as I don't really need it for any particular application.

My thoughts are go as short a barrel as I possibly can, (min length in Aus is about 16-18") and chamber it in something that's good out to 800m+ and Sambar deer legal, so 7mm and bigger.

Application to be shooting steel out as far as I can go, some spotlighting in paddocks for roos, and possibly the odd deer at distances under 500m.

I want to keep it fairly simple, and as I have a 308 boltface I'm thinking 7mm-08 might be the go. 162gr pills should fit an ai mag in that setup surely?

Will it have enough capacity to push 162's at a reasonable speed?

One thing is I'd like to keep recoil down for extended shooting sessions.

Will be dropping it into either a Roedale RCS2 or a cadex chassis.

The short barrel is for super easy handling and portability. All my other rifles are 24" barrels and longer. Want to try the other end of the spectrum.

Cheers.
 
#2
I would think it would be doable. I just ran a ballistic app on the 139 SST going 2700 fps (just a swag) and it has it at 1300 ft/lbs of energy at 500 yards and 3.5 Mils(12.1 MOA) drop. At 1000 yards drop is 11.1 Mils (38 MOA).
I know that's not the bullet you picked to run but I already had the app open for my Tikka 7mm-08 with the 139 SST Superformance load so I just changed the velocity. Hornady claims 2950 fps from a 24" barrel.
I would run as long of a barrel as I could so I didn't neuter the cartridge.
 
#5
How could he not get to 900 with a 7mm-08? I’m no expert but if a .308 can do it, a 7mm-08 should (theoretically) do it better.

I actually cannot think of a modern caliber in the .308 case family that could not reach 1k.

308,7mm-08, 6.5 CM, 6.5x47, 260, 6 CM, 6BR (X,A, etc), 243, 22 CM, etc. can all reach 1k.
 
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#6
Might be a lot harder to get a reamer/barrel
Screenshot_20181211-213807_BallisticsARC.jpg
down there. But 7SAW can push a 162 around 2900+ and a 180 around 2700+. 1k energy at 1k yards. Starts life as 308 small primer brass and just run through a die.

A 7-08AI gets close too, but with fireforming

7.5mpg wind for reference(100y intervals matching .1mil)
 
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#8
If you re-load go 7mm saw from WTO and if you do not 6.5x47 , 6.5CM or the like but either way 20"s probably won't get it done @900M , you might get it done with a can on a 22"r but you would end up longer than your 26"rs . For a good brush gun to hunt with a 22" 7-08 , 7-08AI or 7mm SAW should fill the bill and Cadex would be my choice !
 
#9
The data from WTO for the 7SAW is based on a 26" barrel @ standard mag length and mag w/o plate or single shot loading / long free bore !
I'm planning on a 7SAW build with a 26" PROOF Carbon with a coal of 2.880 max for my SPR magazines .
 
#10
wapiti16b said:
The data from WTO for the 7SAW is based on a 26" barrel @ standard mag length and mag w/o plate or single shot loading / long free bore !
I'm planning on a 7SAW build with a 26" PROOF Carbon with a coal of 2.880 max for my SPR magazines .
Click to expand...
The speeds I posted are the .045 freebore to run the 162 at 2.85 mag length(binder plate AI) with H4350

Should stretch a little further if you're running the .150. I'm sure there will be more data on it in the Spring. Quite a few on here getting barrels spun
 
#11
I run a 165 game changer at 2800 with my 7-08 and a 26” Rock barrel. My coal is 3.025 and it’s on a long action and I still can’t get 1k foot lbs at 900 yards. Ain’t gonna happen in a 18” barrel.
 
#13
jsthntn247 said:
I run a 165 game changer at 2800 with my 7-08 and a 26” Rock barrel. My coal is 3.025 and it’s on a long action and I still can’t get 1k foot lbs at 900 yards. Ain’t gonna happen in a 18” barrel.
Click to expand...
Not with a 7-08. But he doesnt need 1k ftlb to play around at 900 yards of his furthest hunting shot is 500. How much energy do the 6.5 and 6s have at 900?

Also...the 165GC has a crap BC by comparison so that doesnt help it maintain speed or energy
 
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#14
b6graham said:
Not with a 7-08. But he doesnt need 1k ftlb to play around at 900 yards of his furthest hunting shot is 500. How much energy do the 6.5 and 6s have at 900?

Also...the 165GC has a crap BC by comparison so that doesnt help it maintain speed or energy
Click to expand...

311 g7 same as a 162Amax. Wtf you talking about. Get your hand off your mouse and go shoot some before you talk to folks with experience son. He mentioned killing shit at 900 and therefore would need 1k ftlbs of energy.
 
#15
I had a 16" 7mm-08 AR308 for a while. Factory velocities for typical 140gr loads were in the 2500 range. Hornady Superformance 139gr and Fed Fusion 140gr were about 2600 fps. I didn't try 120gr Fusion but it would probably be about 2700 fps.

I suspect with handloads you could push things faster. Heavier bullets will retain velocity better if you can manage the trajectory.

ETA: It was a Black Hole Weaponry barrel and was very accurate. 7mm-08 is one of my favorite calibers but I don't shoot beyond 200 yards for hunting.

-Stooxie
 
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#16
jsthntn247 said:
311 g7 same as a 162Amax. Wtf you talking about. Get your hand off your mouse and go shoot some before you talk to folks with experience son. He mentioned killing shit at 900 and therefore would need 1k ftlbs of energy.
Click to expand...
Literally says in the OP. Odd deer at under 500 yards

But you win. Congrats. Cause the amax is relevant still
 
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#17
I am with b6graham on this one. He states killing power to 500 and playing around to 800 meters. He also states that he needs a 7mm or larger caliber with low recoil. 7mm-08 fits this perfectly. People who post their opinions on here need to start reading the entire thread first.
 
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#18
MrFlinch said:
G'day everyone,


My thoughts are go as short a barrel as I possibly can, (min length in Aus is about 16-18") and chamber it in something that's good out to 800m+ and Sambar deer legal, so 7mm and bigger.

Application to be shooting steel out as far as I can go, some spotlighting in paddocks for roos, and possibly the odd deer at distances under 500m.


Cheers.
Click to expand...
jsthntn247 said:
311 g7 same as a 162Amax. Wtf you talking about. Get your hand off your mouse and go shoot some before you talk to folks with experience son. He mentioned killing shit at 900 and therefore would need 1k ftlbs of energy.
Click to expand...

As stated above, he needs 7mm or larger to be legal to hunt, only wants to kill out to 500m MAX.
How about you work on reading comprehension.
 
#19
Go the 7mmSAW mate. There will be enough reamers around in Aus soon enough. Im taking mine to the range for the first time tomorrow. Make sure you go AW mags and try and get the 0.150 freebore reamer if you want to run it out far.
 
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#22
"I asked him to take a Tikka 7mm-08 barrel and re-chamber it for Ackley Improved. We just needed the pilot to make it into the rifling for it to work, and it did. He chopped it down to 17” for me, and threaded and crowned the muzzle. The assembled rifle tips the scales at 6 pounds 10 ounces. I decided to experiment with a slightly faster burn rate, and small kernel powder, and I’m going to keep this one to myself. Again, the fire-forming load was at maximum for a standard 7mm-08. I got all that brass fired, and went another two grains heaver. I am also shooting a 162 gr Hornady ELD-X. It is making 2640 fps MV out of a barrel that short, wearing a Tiger Shark suppressor. By comparison, my 20” 7mm-08 with the same suppressor, is at the same velocity. So I’ve got 3” less barrel length, same suppressor, and making the same muzzle velocity."

A quote from here:
https://tacticalgunreview.com/7mm-08-ackley-improved/
 
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