New barrel for the Savage

[Josh]

So I got a "new" 22" takeoff barrel for my Savage 110 for the low cost of shipping. Supposedly it is a good shooter, now if the 308 isn't the best designed cartridge for cast I can only assume the 7-08 is "worse". I have access to a 7x57 and 7x57 Ackley reamer that I could use with no cost to me.

Now the problem, is a 7x57 reamer won't clean up a 7-08 chamber and I won't do a 284 Winchester in a short 22" barrel, so should I use the 7x57 Ackley 40° shoudler reamer or have one cut by Manson that has a standard 20° shoulder but blown out .454 (basically giver the 7x57 a 7-08 shoulder) and keep that nice long 7x57 neck? With a new reamer I could throat it for whatever bullet I wanted.

So to recap, I can continue the trend of super cheap barrel and keep it 7-08, use a reamer I already have access to, or blow $100 and get a chamber that may make a tick more sense for a dual use cast/jacketed cartridge.

What do the 7mm guys think?

 

[Ian]

I'm confused. Is it a .223 or 7mm-08?

If it's a 7mm-08, the FIRST thing to do is check the bore diameter and decide if you even want to try it. I got one free with a trade and it only had about .0015" left on land height. Still shot, though, here's how to do it: Make brass out of .270 Winchester or .30-'06 and your necks will be thick enough to work with. I used a Redding .358 Winchester form and trim die to set back the shoulder and trim to length, then sized through a .308 Win die with the decapper removed, then through a 7mm-08 die, then expanded the neck with an RCBS cast bullet expander, final trimmed and turned off the high side with a Forster neck die.

With the standard Lee bullet and H414 I broke 200,000 RPM and still shot 3" ten-shot groups at 100 yards with it. Throttled back a bit it would do MOA easily, but had to watch the alloy and powder burn rate combination extra-close because if the load didn't slug up the bullet's nose just right it wouldn't hit the berm.

 

[Josh]

It is a 7-08, I will check bore condition before I do anything. It does have a good bore from the pics, I was told it was a donor for a 6.5 CM build. Let me see if I can dig up the photos from Facebook. Heath said it was a strong shooter but it was bought as a cheap base rifle.

 

[Josh]

It needs a cleaning, but rifling still looks strong from the pic. I could have had a 22-250 barrel but couldn't do anything with it.

 

[David Reiss]

The 7mm-08 is a good cast bullet shooter. I shoot the NOE 287-150-FN & the Lee LH-7mm Soupcan / 130 gr FN in mine or my wife's I should say with really great accuracy. I am looking for the 287405 which I hear is awesome in the 7X57 & 7mm-08.

 

[Josh]

You guys... talking sense into me... I am hearing (in fading echo) "leave it alone stupid"

 

[Ian]

You have a Mauser in 7x57, don't you? But do you have a .358 Winchester? Just sayin'...

 

[Josh]

This is my 358 Winchester, and I do infact have a mauser 7x57. When I get round to it this summer it will be my entry in the High Velocity challenge. I have been hankering for a sporter in 7x57, i guess a 7-08 would be the same, just not as classy.

 

[JWFilips]

This is my 358 Winchester,

Josh,
Nice Rifle!
Jim

 

[Josh]

Thanks JW!

 

[Ian]

7mm-08 is classy enough. I'd have one still except that barrel was shot so we put a good barrel on it chambered in .30 XCB, soon to be a .30-'06. If you want "classy", it's going to be hard to beat an FN Winchester Model 70 Featherweight Deluxe with a Leupold VX-3 3x9x40...in 7x57 Mauser.

 

[waco]

Josh. What brand of stock is that? It's very nice looking.

 

[Josh]

7mm-08 is classy enough. I'd have one still except that barrel was shot so we put a good barrel on it chambered in .30 XCB, soon to be a .30-'06. If you want "classy", it's going to be hard to beat an FN Winchester Model 70 Featherweight Deluxe with a Leupold VX-3 3x9x40...in 7x57 Mauser.

That is quite true, but i won't be in it for $250 either

 

[Josh]

Josh. What brand of stock is that? It's very nice looking.

That is a Boyd's Tactical Varmint in Coyote wood, so far I love it.

 

[freebullet]

Not a 7mm guy at all but, would warn you if Manson doesn't have what you want in stock it will be 5 times longer than they tell you for delivery.

 

[Josh]

That's why i would likely use the 7x57 ackley 40° I already have access to, custom work normally takes time.

 

[Josh]

Ok, so I got in the 7-08 barrel, it is pretty mint. A pin guage shows the bore diameter is an even 0.277", I must say if this barrel was shot 250 times I will be surprised. The throat is still sharp (clearly defined angles and such) and the crown is perfect. I cleaned it and could only get the slightest blue/grey from my patches.

So I guess we have to spin on the barrel to see what it will do before I decide to mess with the chamber. I am hoping for a sub MOA barrel.

 

[freebullet]

Sounds nice. "Hoping for a sub moa barrel" aren't we always?

 

[Josh]

Well yes, if we are sane, now to make some brass and work up some loads. Jacketed and cast

 

[Dick West]

The 7mm-08 is a good cast bullet shooter. I shoot the NOE 287-150-FN & the Lee LH-7mm Soupcan / 130 gr FN in mine or my wife's I should say with really great accuracy. I am looking for the 287405 which I hear is awesome in the 7X57 & 7mm-08.

Is that Lyman mold similar as it looks to the NOE 288-150-FN 288407? Curious because I'm going to be shopping molds for 7x57 (a Ruger and a Spanish with an oversized bore and throat) this winter and I'm trying to get an idea about what my options are.