7mm-08 Superlight

[HuntenNut]

I was just looking at the barrel accessory list and noticed they have a 7mm-08 superlight offered. Does not seemed to be offered from the factory as a complete gun though. Does anyone have one of these and how does it shoot?

[MSP Ret]

HuntenNut, I don't have one and don't know anyone that does. The only thing I can add is I do not recall anyone either here or on the old site that has ever had any luck at benchrest accuracy with any of the "superlight" barrels. Of course they may be just the ticket for a hunting gun at short to medium ranges where m.o.a. accuracy is not needed....<><.... :grin:

[Mitch in MI]

There's only one 7-08 barrel on the accessory page, a 22" superlight. Such a barrel has never been offered in any caliber on a new gun. I would expect that this is a typo, and the 7-08 barrel is 22" standard as used on the 7-08 Handi.
You can call H&R 1871 to be sure.

[HuntenNut]

Mitch, I am guessing you are correct. When crosschecking against my "paper" accessory barrel list, the same part number is listed just as 7mm-08 22" without the superlight added.

MSP, I suspect the reason for poor benchrest accuracy would be due to the thinness of the barrel and lack of weight to the gun. Would be hard to stabilize a 5lb gun on the bench and the barrel probably heats up after 1st shot pretty good.

Anyways, I do some backpack hunts where it would be a great advantage to have a 5lb rifle that could hit 10" at 200yds. The 7mm-08 would be a good choice do to its low recoil and better energy than the 243.

[Mitch in MI]

Anyways, I do some backpack hunts where it would be a great advantage to have a 5lb rifle that could hit 10" at 200yds.

I wonder what a 16.5" 30-30 synthetic would weigh? (or maybe an 18.5" to match the length of the buttstock/receiver)
Muzzle blast would be less than with a 7-08 of equal length.
My 30-30 is .76" at 16.5", my 280 is .835" at the same length. I'd guess the 7-08 would be closer to the 30-30 in diameter, the 280 is probably heavier to give a similar muzzle diameter with a 26" length.

Mitch.

[MSP Ret]

HuntenNut, I agree on the 7mm-08 caliber, a great choice and much better than the .243 in my book. I also agree with your assumption about the 5 lb. carry gun and the single 200 yard shot. I do think 10" is a but large for an ethical shot but I also think the gun is capable of 5" to 8" easily at that range as long as it is set up for that first shot from a cold barrel, I even think a second follow up shot if needed would be. I don't think the first single shot would heat it up so much as to degrade hunting accuracy much.  I also agree that shooting 5-10-20 from a bench in fairly quick succession from a superlight barrel is a recipe for a large wandering group. Good luck and let us know how it works out, sounds like a winner, especially with Synthetic stocks to reduce the weight even more....<><.... :grin:

[HuntenNut]

MSP,

By hitting 10", I mean from a hunting a position not from a bench, also, hitting it consistantly. Right now I'm looking at one of those Ruger Compacts, but a bit pricy when I could get 2 handis and a cheap scope for the price of the Ruger.

I wish they offered the 7mm-08 in synthectic stock. Just adding to the cost of the gun if I replace the wood ones to save weight.

Mitch, I am also considering the 30-30 (I know where there's a used one with synthetic stock right now), but I'm thinking with the shortened barrel, it wouldn't be a 200yd gun. I think the 7mm-08 would hold enough velocity for a dead hold out to and maybe past 200yds, even if the barrel were cut down to 16 or 18".

Maybe if you weighed your 30-30 barrel, we could guesstimate how much the gun would weigh with 4-6" wacked off.

[De41mag]

HuntenNut;

I have one of those Ruger Compacts in a 7mm-08. It is truly a great shooter. Only thing was that I spent over a $100.00 on factory ammo, and could not get it to group anything. Then tried some IMR-4064 w/ a Sierra 120gr. spitzer and started getting 1 inch MOA right away. Also it's a pleasure to tote when hunting.
Good Shooting

Dennis  

[HuntenNut]

De41mag,

What kind of muzzle velocity are you getting with the short 16" barrel?

[Mitch in MI]

Maybe if you weighed your 30-30 barrel, we could guesstimate how much the gun would weigh with 4-6" wacked off.

Muzzle diameter .66, diameter at 16.5"=.76, chopping off 5.5" would save about 9oz.
In factory configuration, my 1999 vintage 30-30 syn weighs 3lb 9.5oz barrel, 2lb 10.5oz action, stock and forearm, total 6 1/4lb with open sights. That's 20oz over your 5lb goal, so any way you slice it the gun is going to weigh over 5 1/2lb unless you turn the barrel down on a lathe. I'd guess the velocity loss at around 200fps if you cut it down to 16+". You may be able to get that back with a 30-30 Ackley reamer, definitely could with a 307 Win reamer.

I'd think a 125gr Nosler BT at 2400fps from the short 30-30 would do fine at 200yards. PCBallistics says 6.3" low at 200 with a 100yd zero, if you sight it in 2" high at 100, it will be dead on at 170 and 2.3" low at 200. That's minute of deer and then some.
A Sierra 30-30 flat nose 150gr at 2200fps would hit 5" low at 200yds from a 2" high zero at 100yds. Entirely workable if you hold a bit high on the shots over 150yds.
If Remington's claimed BC is accurate (0.338), their 30-30 round nose would hit 4" low at 200 if zeroed 2" high at 100 with 2200 muzzle velocity. You could use green box ammo in a short barreled handi if those numbers are good enough for you.

[HuntenNut]

Thanks for the stats Mitch. I'll take it under consideration. Even though not 5lbs, the gun would still be very light by most standards and probably worthy of consideration for the intended purpose. I would still prefer the 7mm-08 but then I'd have to upgrade to synthetic stocks which would ad more to the cost.

I may go look at that used 30-30 again.

[De41mag]

HuntenNut;

I Don't have a chrony but the SPEER number 13 manual says 2981fps with a max load and that is what I worked up to (max). The results on deer have been very promising. The reason I use lighter bullets was of course accuracy but also since I'm giving up inches in barrel length I try to make up for it in velocity. I have two 7mm-08's the Ruger and a Rem Mod. 7FS w/ a 18-1/2 barrel. Both will shoot MOA. I think it's the best caliber I've used on deer ever.
By the way, that velocity was with a 24" barrel in the Speer manual, so I suspect about 2700 to 2750 out of the short barrel Ruger.
Hope this helps in your decision. Keep us posted.

Dennis