Mommas new “dear” Rifle.

[CWLONGSHOT]

We bought my great grand daughter a Savage Axis in 7-08 last summer.
She insisted on a wooden stock so we ordered her one with a factory wood stock.
It is probably one of the most accurate off the shelf guns, if not the most, I have seen.
She got her first deer with it last fall, a forked horn.
The only cast load I have tried in it is a Saeco 145 gr bullet with IMR 4198.
It shoots one hole groups with this load at 50 yds.
I haven`t shot this load at 100 yet.

This one is SAME!! Its barrel after initial cleaning is the absolute smoothest factory barrel I have ever sceen!!
I want to stay lighter bullets. But time may change things. Now I am focusing on 120 BT at lower velocities. Starting load with H380 is crazy accurate and clocks just shy of 2800. So until its not good its what we will use. The Hornady 120 Vmax is more fragile but shoots just as well. So not a deer bullet but good coyote load! The BT is also fragile but tougher the. The Vmax as it has that tapered jacket and preforms better in wet news print. The Vmax fragments the NBT stays together.


CW

 

[dale2242]

She shot a buck last year with a 145gr Speer spitzer at about 2600 fps.
Plenty of energy for these black tails.
She wants a black bear so I need to get a tougher bullet, GMX or such with more velocity.
It will take more to take down a big black than it take for big blacktail.

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

Not really no. Thing with bears that makes folks say that... Fat & Fur. It soaks up blood spore Tracking if far more difficult. You really want to shoot bones. Break them down. Calls for well constructed bullet. Heavy for caliber helps too.
Good luck!!

 

[fiver]

you musta got a boy yote....LOL

 

[Brad]

My solution for black bears is a 45-70 Marlin with a 420 gr cast bullet. Hit bones or not they don’t go far with a big hole in both lungs. Should I hit bone the bullet hardly notices but the bear sure does.

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

I pillar bedded this Boyds stock last week. I let it sit 24 then disassembled and cleaned. Re assembled and torqued the action. I shot it Friday. Again Pleasantly surprised just a H335 Starting load with a 120 Vmax bullet. Shot just over 1" AS SIGHT IN TARGET!


First shot was low left. Couple clicks up and right... Must jot have "settled in" cause first shot was still left. But next three clovered. I waited too long to shoot and guys wanted a cease fire and my buddy needed to get home. So that was extent of shots fired in the 7/08!!
CW

 

[fiver]

i have seen rifles take almost 20 rounds to settle back into their stock after being removed.
that's real good for right out of the gate in a freshly bedded rig.

 

[Petrol & Powder]

I view the 7mm-08 as one of the greatest cartridges in existence.
It is the modern version of the 7 x 57 and in all honesty, probably a little better than the 7 x 57 (which I also hold in high esteem)
I have persuaded several acquaintances to acquire rifles chambered in 7mm-08 and every one of them has later thanked me.
A co-worker was seeking advice for a deer rifle for his 17 year old son and I steered him to a Savage in 7mm-08 and a Leupold scope. I even set him up with some handloaded cartridges to get him started. He thanked me a few days later by giving me venison from his first deer. That rifle and my cartridges was capable of sub M.O.A. groups.

I have a STRONG bias for short actions and, of the short action cartridges, I believe the 7mm-08 is the most versatile.
If there was ever such a thing as an "all around" rifle cartridge, the 7mm-08 may be it. It's capable of fine accuracy, it has a fairly flat trajectory, it has plenty of energy, the recoil is mild and it's based on a readily available parent cartridge. Unless the ranges are extreme, the short 7mm will get the job done. If you need to reach way out there, you can step up to a long action and the 7mm Remington Magnum. (If you think I have a fondness for 7mm projectiles - you would be correct).

Long live the 7mm-08 !

 

[RBHarter]

If I wanted more power than the 7-08 or x57 I think WSM or 284 would be on the plate before the RM .........says the guy with the 7×6.8 , x57 , 280 and a secret lust to mark the x57 275 Rigby because .

 

[Ole_270]

I've got a Win M70 Fwt made just after they moved to South Carolina. I haven't used it an awful lot but have taken 3 or 4 deer with it. It's awful finicky on seating depth, but that's easy to find the sweet spot with. I've only tried three bullets in it, 120 BT, 139 Hornady Interlock and 140 Partition. All were fairly easy to get under MOA. The first two with Big Game and magnum primer, the Partition with Varget. The deer have been taken with the first two, never seen an elk while carrying this rifle and the Partition.
This last fall with the 139 Hornady Interlock.

I'd really like to have a good Mauser based 7x57, that's what I bought the JC Higgans 51-L for. It has a Husky HVA aaction that is based on the Mauser action, Small Ring, 98 length. Turned out to be a pretty decent 308 as is so it's still a 30 cal.

 

[CZ93X62]

That 308 Win/7.62 x 51 case has spawned all manner of great rifle calibers--243 to 358.

 

[fiver]

I can assure you that the 139gr. Hornady at 2880 fps will kill an Elk.
it also works on coyotes, and regular size Moose.
Deer seem to wander off a good 20 or so paces before falling over sometimes, so you gotta be real careful there.

 

[RicinYakima]

If you have a modern rifle, not a Mauser, in 7X57 use 49 grains of H4831 and the Hornady 139, you are good for anything but big bears. The 7-08 will do most anything a 7XX57 will do, just at higher pressures. IMHO.

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

I've got a Win M70 Fwt made just after they moved to South Carolina. I haven't used it an awful lot but have taken 3 or 4 deer with it. It's awful finicky on seating depth, but that's easy to find the sweet spot with. I've only tried three bullets in it, 120 BT, 139 Hornady Interlock and 140 Partition. All were fairly easy to get under MOA. The first two with Big Game and magnum primer, the Partition with Varget. The deer have been taken with the first two, never seen an elk while carrying this rifle and the Partition.
This last fall with the 139 Hornady Interlock.

I'd really like to have a good Mauser based 7x57, that's what I bought the JC Higgans 51-L for. It has a Husky HVA aaction that is based on the Mauser action, Small Ring, 98 length. Turned out to be a pretty decent 308 as is so it's still a 30 cal.

Gorgeous buck!! Do you have any other pics of him you can share?

Love the shape of his horns. ( Antlers)

CW

 

[Ole_270]

Nope, no other pictures. It was getting late, rain moving in and I wanted to get him dressed before it got too wet. He was easily the biggest buck I had seen in the last couple years, really lucky he showed up that afternoon. With all the state has been doing promoting Ks as a deer hunting destination our trophy quality has declined lately, at least where I hunt. I keep cameras out 5-6 months of the year so have a decent idea of what's around.
This buck ran maybe 40 yards at the shot, towards me. Thinking I might use this rifle more often if that's going to be the case.

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

Loaded two ladders to shoot tomorrow.

Speer 145g & IMR 4350

Hornady 139 & IMR 4895

I also cleaned out the barrel. Amazing how smooth this is. Two patches after a doz strokes of a brush came out clean!
CW

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

Shot this rifle again this AM and again it didnt disappoint!!

 

[Joshua]

I think that I am gonna try some AA4350, and some Shooters World Precision when I get my hands on those 139gr Interlocks.

 

[Ole_270]

Try some Ramshot Big Game with magnum priners. My rifle and lots of others show a distinct preference.