I almost cant bring myself to say it. Turning to the darkside (you will be shocked)

[Michael Eichele]

For anybody that knows me or even pays attention to many of my posts knows that I am the 308 winnies biggest fan. Dont get me wrong, I still love it and will continue to use it for much of my hunting and shooting needs.

However, I feel as if I could improve some how when it comes to really long range dall sheep and coues bucks. Let's face it, they are small targets that live in breezy enviornments.......... Now, I see myself as a shooter that does a fair job of judging, calling and doping the wind. However, I seem to have drawn the line on these critters at 700-800 yards due to their small size and enviornment and the windage capabilities of my hunting loads. I just dont feel comfortable outside that range with the tools I am currently using for game.........I have a bigger and heavier tool. The 338 Edge. For the most part, I really dont want to pack that rifle around for sheep even though it is VERY light for it's caliber. I would be happy to pack it in the back country for an elk hunt or a moose hunt but not for sheep.

This past season I developed 'tennis elbow' from lugging both the 308 and the 338 around in the back country. This was VERY painfull (it sucks getting old) and it has just now gone away. So that got me thinking that it is time to lighten up my 308. Since I believe that the scope base is too important to try and lighten up I looked to other items. The only thing I was left with was the barrel. I initially thought about getting a sporter contour. After some thought I realized that I would have to get a new stock too since using a spaggetti barrel with a stock inletted for a sendero would just be laughable. I dont want a new stock. This left me with one other option. That is to get another ABS barrel. It will be in sendero contour to fit my stock and will reduce some excess weight. Due to Mike D's stand up services, I feel comfortable with buying another one. It will be a Rock Creek 5R.

Now for the shocker..........

I initially decided to go with another 308. After some inner wars, I decided to turn to the dark side. I am going 7mm....................7mm08 for my sheep and coues deer.

 

[RockyMtnMT]

Re: I almost cant bring myself to say it. Turning to the darkside (you will be shocke

I think you are only in the shade, not quite all the way into the dark. You still have the .308 parent case. This should help ease the pain of the brake up.

I'm sure the new chambering will work well for you. What bullet are you going to run?

Steve

 

[Pdvdh]

Re: I almost cant bring myself to say it. Turning to the darkside (you will be shocke

I think you just made an improvement. No way is 30 cal needed for deer or sheep, and the 7mm bullets will have higher BC for equivalent weights. I've used 280 RCBS Improved and 7mm Rem Mags for dall sheep, Mt. goat, deer, and black bear for many years. All are relatively lightweight rifles, and all are accurate enough with 168gr Berger VLD hand loads to kill these animals out to 800 yds. The 7mm Rem Mag is simply a Tikka T3 factory rifle. The heaviest contour barrel I have is a Lilja #3. So far no tennis elbow. I stopped packing 29 oz scopes last year to lighten up the outfits. I don't intend to pack any more 29 oz scopes - ever. I find them unnecessary and I'm unwilling to needlessly put up with that extra weight. I use aluminum one-piece bases and Seekins aluminum rings to save additional weight.

So much for what I do. Interesting to hear the direction you're headed. You should get great barrel life and I hope it drives tacks. Shouldn't need any muzzle brake either, which will prolong your hearing.

 

[Oliveralan]

Re: I almost cant bring myself to say it. Turning to the darkside (you will be shocke

Michael, your article "making a case for the .308win" helped make the decision to stay with the .308 when I rebuilt my old .308 SPS. And now your changing calibers?? I'm kidding, I agree coues deer and sheep a big heavy .308 isn't nessasary. If I were to build a dedicated light game rifle I would go with a 6 Crusader (115 DTAC at 3300fps) or a 6.5-284. There are very few 30 cal bullets that can rival the 6.5 and 7mm's. And those kick hard even in a heavy gun. I think you made a good choice.
And like said above, it's still based off the .308 win so that should be moraly acceptable

have fun with your barrel, I bet it will rock.

Oliver

 

[Chas1]

Re: I almost cant bring myself to say it. Turning to the darkside (you will be shocke

7mm08 shoot us a pic and let us know how it shoots once the new barrel is installed. Enjoy.

 

[MontanaRifleman]

Re: I almost cant bring myself to say it. Turning to the darkside (you will be shocke

Scratching my head and wondering... why not a 7 WSM?

 

[Ernie]

Re: I almost cant bring myself to say it. Turning to the darkside (you will be shocke

In a SA, the 7mm SAUM may even function better than the 7WSM (I like them both), but mine are all single-shots!

 

[Michael Eichele]

Re: I almost cant bring myself to say it. Turning to the darkside (you will be shocke

Scratching my head and wondering... why not a 7 WSM?

1: BBL life.

2: My 308 will be the platform for the new barrel. It will be set up as a switch barrel gun. I dont want multiple bolts.

3: I hate recoil. Yes I have an Edge but I hate shooting it. I only shoot it when I have to.

While I will easily concede to the WSM's superior ballistics, I just have a soft spot for medium calibers.

 

[Michael Eichele]

Re: I almost cant bring myself to say it. Turning to the darkside (you will be shocke

I stopped packing 29 oz scopes last year to lighten up the outfits. I don't intend to pack any more 29 oz scopes - ever. I find them unnecessary and I'm unwilling to needlessly put up with that extra weight.

I quite packing the heavy scopes around as well. My NF is on the Edge and my 308/708 will continue to wear the fixed power Mark 4 which is MUCH lighter than the NXS. I too am using aluminum rings but I am not sure if I want to switch from a steel base to an aluminum base.

How do you like yours? I have been somwhat concerned with the whole aluminum/steel thermal expansion rate issue. I have no idea if there is any proof that validates it's effect on rifles.

 

[Chas1]

Re: I almost cant bring myself to say it. Turning to the darkside (you will be shocke

I'm not a metallurgist but I'll throw my 2 cents worth in and if it doesn't make sense let me know. It would seem to me that the expansion rates are different when exposed to temperature changes either up or down but I don't think the time period for either to expand or contract fully would be of such a duration to effect accuracy. for example: let's say we go from nice warm 72 degrees in doors to a frigid 10 degrees outdoors. I would think that both metals would reach the same temperature, thus contracted fully within a few minutes of each other. Or if we go from cool to warm temperature expanded fully within a few minutes. Once the few minutes are passed we're good to go.
Don't know if I'm making sense or out in left field on this...

 

[Moman]

Re: I almost cant bring myself to say it. Turning to the darkside (you will be shocke

No, say it isn't so. I never thought I would hear or read those words from you. You'll be back, LOL. As I would suspect, you've put some time into this decision and it sounds like it will definately fit your needs. I also like MTR's idea of the 7WSM, but understand the recoil issues too.

As you know, I've got that 5R Mil 308 and also working with a new 300 RUM Sendero, both are fairly heavy guns. Their weight is borderline for me on long days, they're doable, but sometimes a bit on the heavy side. For the most part, I use the 300 WM with McMillan Edge stock, it weighs 6-3/4 lbs unscoped. I know exactly what you mean by saving a little weight. Good luck with your project Michael.

 

[Pdvdh]

Re: I almost cant bring myself to say it. Turning to the darkside (you will be shocke

I too am using aluminum rings but I am not sure if I want to switch from a steel base to an aluminum base.

How do you like yours? I have been somwhat concerned with the whole aluminum/steel thermal expansion rate issue. I have no idea if there is any proof that validates it's effect on rifles.

I like one-piece aluminum bases because they notably reduce weight. I know how to calculate the differences in expansion between steel and aluminum over the approximately 5 inch spacing between the forward-most scope base screw and rearward-most base screw (which is the effective distance the two dissimilar metals would bind over), however I have never done it. I just don't expect the difference in the rate of expansion over this 5 inch distance would cause problems.

The part that's always bothered me about the concern that aluminum bases would cause a problem on a steel receiver, is that the scope tubes are also aluminum. So even if we use a steel one-piece base on a steel receiver, we're connecting them to an aluminum tubed scope that will contract and expand at a different rate than the steel receiver and steel scope base. So the same concern would apply - that the differential expansion & contraction of the scope tube versus the steel base could cause some type of problem. Yet Aluminum scopes are the norm, and Steel receivers are the norm.

So I don't personally give it any further thought. I do go with one-piece aluminum bases to get 4 scope base screws holding a single scope base, rather than two scope base screws holding two different scope bases. Four screws holding one base over a length of 5 inches is simply a more rugged mechanical connection, less apt to shift position during the thumps and bumps of the hunt.

Just my thoughts on the subject.

 

[trueblue]

Re: I almost cant bring myself to say it. Turning to the darkside (you will be shocke

great choice , Michael.
Let us know how it turns out for you.
I like the one piece Talley rings/bases myself.

 

[liltank]

Re: I almost cant bring myself to say it. Turning to the darkside (you will be shocke

That sounds like a plan old man!!!! Just messing with ya. The 7mm-08 is an excellent caliber and I look forward to hearing you exploits.

Tank