Which 7 would you choose?

[Vol1975]

if you reload then a really good option would be necking a 6.5 prc up to a 7mm .
brass is abundant and collect dies make it easy to reload. Basically a 7 saum. With todays market finding components is a must.
also. This is the hot new cartridge that is a semi secret.


if you don't reload then I'd go 7 prc or 7mm 08.
of course the standard 284 is an option for reloading also.

cheers

 

[KsKevin]

Have had 280AI since 2011. My loads are
* 168vld, 2960fps, RL23 58.7g (ladder tested up to 60.5g 3030fps before starting to get faint ejector mark)
*. 180vld, 2842fps, RL23 56.8g (ladder tested up to 58.5g 2950fps before starting to get faint ejector mark)

All out of a 24" Bartlein. Standard chamber / reamer.

I just finished another build…objective was hunting rifle for deer & elk with bare rifle weight 7# empty (increased FB in newest build to load longer given long neck on 280AI brass so expect I can load even heavier charges & velocities than current 280AI with standard chamber).

Wanted another 7mm bullet and reassessed what cartridge to go with. Came back to 280AI after looking at 7SAUM, 7WSM, 7RM (didn't want to go bigger as too much overbore IMO leading to higher recoil and shortened barrel life). Landed on another 280AI. If I was starting again today, 7 PRC would be the one I'd take a hard look at next to the 280AI.

Just another small item to consider is you can get 4 in magazine with 280AI vs only 3 in some of larger chambering. Not that you will ever likely require 5 shells though

Good luck with your decision. Lots of great cartridges in the 7s.

 

[KH_Outdoors]

I'm toying with building a 7mm of some flavor cus I don't have any 7's. My criteria for this rifle would be a standard weight of around 8-10 pounds hit steel to a 1000 and deer to 500 maybe 600.

280AI is high on my list but I also got respect for the no frills, get it done, dependable 7.08. I also think the 7 SAUM is pretty cool just haven't looked into it a ton.

28 Nosler I do not want because I like to actually shoot my sh!+ and not re-berral every 2 seasons. Also if I'm serious on taking something big at distance the 30 or 338 is coming out.

So which 7 would you build and why? Which 7 has good performance vs barrel life? Which 7 is optimal on a short action, which is better suited to long actions?

Are you planning to hand load? Also, are you wanting to build a full custom rifle of buy factory? So many great options!

 

[hawg chaser]

For what you are wanting to do I would look at. 7Rm, 7Prc, 280Ai any of these 3 will meet your needs with a 8 twist barrel.
Now look for good brass for these. By the end of the year all 3 will have top brass manufacturers building brass. Good luck

Peterson already makes brass for all three as well as for the 284 Winchester. All 4 would be good choices.

 

[xsn10s]

For the 7.08 guy's, do you think pushing the 162 ELDM to 2900-2950 is attainable or is that pushing it for this cartridge?

Look at some of the 7mm SAW loads and yous see that 2850 fps-2900 fps is their claim. I think 2850 fps is probably more like it. Which isn't bad ballistics.

 

[KH_Outdoors]

I had a 7 SAUM built last year on a medium action and have zero regrets. It's taken 7 game animals and I've had alot of fun developing different loads and target shooting. For the first time in my hunting career, I watched my own vapor trail & impact on an animal (590 yd fox on Kodiak!).

That being said, it also had its challenges due to brass availability. I started the build as a 7 SS, with the note of potentially switching it to 7 SAUM if I found brass (hence medium length action, medium is not needed for a SS). The build took maybe 5-6 months or less and I found brass just weeks before it was chambered. So I let availability of brass make the decision for me with 7 SAUM being my preference BUT I would have been happy with a SS too.

Noted here also, the 7 SS brass was available for purchase online at the Sherman Wildcat website every single day while my rifle was being built. I may still do a 7 SS down the road BUT, it will be a short action and ideally running 180's. Maybe even go super short barrel, 18-20" for suppressed!

Whichever you decide buy 200 pieces of brass from the same matching lot #, and you'll be good to go man! 5x firings on my first 100 pieces of ADG at the moment and saving the next 100 till I wear those out.

 

[CCAguns]

I'm toying with building a 7mm of some flavor cus I don't have any 7's. My criteria for this rifle would be a standard weight of around 8-10 pounds hit steel to a 1000 and deer to 500 maybe 600.

280AI is high on my list but I also got respect for the no frills, get it done, dependable 7.08. I also think the 7 SAUM is pretty cool just haven't looked into it a ton.

28 Nosler I do not want because I like to actually shoot my sh!+ and not re-berral every 2 seasons. Also if I'm serious on taking something big at distance the 30 or 338 is coming out.

So which 7 would you build and why? Which 7 has good performance vs barrel life? Which 7 is optimal on a short action, which is better suited to long actions?

280AI fills the bill in so many ways. Lighter weight-wise than a magnum action. Minimal difference using a bolt gun between short and standard length actions. Excellent performance with an abundance of case makers if you handload. Nosler and Norma make excellent factory ammo. Great ballistics from 21" to 24" barrel lengths. I've owned 7RemMag, 7STW and 7-08. 280AI outshined them all IMO. Good luck!

 

[UCzO___]

I just put money down on a 7mm RM 1-8" twist barrel. It seems to be the easy button with balance on performance and barrel life. I considered the 7-08 and 280 AI also, the 7mm RM just seemed like the easiest solution.

The only thing I would add to this is to throat it 0.140" or so IF you are a handloader. I was going this route, but my wife convinced me to go with the 7mmPRC, which is another good option.

 

[rawsk]

Repeat a lot what was said. Comes down to reloading or not. The performance of all those choices are so close I don't think it really matters. But for shelf ammo 7mmRM but in a few years 7PRC should catch up. Nosler shooting is a rich mans sport. Try finding Saum ammo. I picked 7PRC. I have a 280 Rem and felt that the difference to the AI was not worth it.

 

[Justice1327]

Look at some of the 7mm SAW loads and yous see that 2850 fps-2900 fps is their claim. I think 2850 fps is probably more like it. Which isn't bad ballistics.

Yep, my 7 SAW does 2875 with a 1:9 and 162gr

 

[xsn10s]

Yep, my 7 SAW does 2875 with a 1:9 and 162gr

Before I completed my 260 AI but had all of my components I wished I had done a 7-08. Now that my 260 AI is completed I'm very happy with it. But the 7-08 or 7 SAW still peaks my interest. I compromise on my guns by making them pull dual duty. Which is why I chose a 7mm Rem mag this time. A LR rifle with flatter trajectory. If I didn't have the 260 AI I'd have a 7-08 or 7 SAW.

 

[birddog 68]

I'm gonna do a 708AI. 308 Lapua brass sized down by 708 die, then 708AI die. I sometimes don't keep things KISS. However brass availability is king! 7 SAUM? Geez good luck.

I'm thinking about AI my 7-08 and curious if dies are readily available?
Apologies to the OP but this may be of interest to get a little extra fps from the 7mm08 since it's on his list.

 

[Calvin45]

I ain't on any "new is better" bandwagon no do I own a 7mm

The 7mm PRC really does make a lot of sense to me from a design standpoint.

To have something not everyone has and totally free from being "tacticool" I think the 7mm weatherby is about the most underrated 7 there is. Not near as bad on barrels as the stw or Nosler (to say nothing of the RUM or
firebird haha), and far superior to the 7mm rem mag (which had great potential but is pretty underwhelming becuase of its lower pressure allowance and minimal freebore).

The 280 rem or 280 AI is surely along the most bang for buck practical high performance long range capable rounds in existence (and as a 270 guy I feel like a traitor admitting that but it's the plain truth, it's a truly special round)

 

[manitou]

280AI has served me well over last 7 years hunting in Wyoming and New Mexico. 162ELDX Precision Hunter has killed everything it hit. Not too big, not too small - it fits into a standard long action with 308 bolt face. Easy to reload too - Hornady and Nosler have factory brass.

I have a custom short action ex-PRS rifle available - looking at 7-08 or 7 SAW for hunting/NRL Hunter rifle (because limited to short action).

I am watching 7PRC with interest

Peterson also makes 280ai brass.