7mm08 Barrel Length

[Aussie Wanderer]

Just wondering if anyone has done any chronograph work on the 7mm08 regarding Barrel Length. I am dropping off a 243 to get a new barrel in the aforementioned cartridge and haven't settled on a barrel length yet. Most of my hunting is in reasonably open country where shots can range from circa 100 yards to 400 yards. There are always exceptions to the rule but that generally sums it up. I'm going to shoot 140 grain projectiles. So what do I lose if I chop it from 26 to 24 or even 22inches? (Apart from my hearing ;-) )

 

[300WSM]

Just wondering if anyone has done any chronograph work on the 7mm08 regarding Barrel Length. I am dropping off a 243 to get a new barrel in the aforementioned cartridge and haven't settled on a barrel length yet. Most of my hunting is in reasonably open country where shots can range from circa 100 yards to 400 yards. There are always exceptions to the rule but that generally sums it up. I'm going to shoot 140 grain projectiles. So what do I lose if I chop it from 26 to 24 or even 22inches? (Apart from my hearing ;-) )

Not much...

The 7-08 , like 308...isn't burning a ton of powder to see a big velocity drop or gain.

Add in the ELD type bullets of today and whatever little loss you might get is completely negligible especially with the bullets today.

The 7-08 is perfect with a 22" bbl.
that thing even performs satisfactorily in a 20" model 7 stainless
Nice compact package with respectable performance.

It's not at it's best IMO with a 24" bbl
It's utterly silly with a 26"

22" nice packaged weapon.

 

[xphunter]

Well said 300!

 

[diverdown]

Not much...

The 7-08 , like 308...isn't burning a ton of powder to see a big velocity drop or gain.

Add in the ELD type bullets of today and whatever little loss you might get is completely negligible especially with the bullets today.

The 7-08 is perfect with a 22" bbl.
that thing even performs satisfactorily in a 20" model 7 stainless
Nice compact package with respectable performance.

It's not at it's best IMO with a 24" bbl
It's utterly silly with a 26"

22" nice packaged weapon.

I use a Rem 700 Titanium in 7-08 with a 22 inch barrel for all my deer hunting needs. The barrel length is perfect for carrying through the Maine woods and I've taken deer out to over 200 yards with the same rifle. Perfect combination.

 

[xphunter]

Just wondering if anyone has done any chronograph work on the 7mm08 regarding Barrel Length. I am dropping off a 243 to get a new barrel in the aforementioned cartridge and haven't settled on a barrel length yet. Most of my hunting is in reasonably open country where shots can range from circa 100 yards to 400 yards. There are always exceptions to the rule but that generally sums it up. I'm going to shoot 140 grain projectiles. So what do I lose if I chop it from 26 to 24 or even 22inches? (Apart from my hearing ;-) )

I have taken elk past 450 yards with 140 grain partitions with the performance level of the 7-08.
With better bullets today for the longer ranges, it is even more viable for what you are wanting to accomplish.
What brand barrel (twist rate) are you going with?

 

[Aussie Wanderer]

Swan barrels here in Australia with a 1:9 twist.

 

[xphunter]

I am not familiar with your barrel makers. I should have paid better attention to your user name
9T will do everything you would want to do in a 7mm-08.

 

[grry10]

It is interesting that Nosler's published reloading data for the 7mm-08 was done with a 26" barrel. While the published data for a 7x57 was with a 22" barrel. I don't own a 7mm-08 but I have a 7x57 Ruger 1AB with a 22" barrel. I've found the 22" barrel to be adaquate for Wisconsin White Tail but there where many rifles chambered in 7x57 with 24" barrels as well. Since these two calibers can produce almost identicial results I would think either a 22" or 24" barrels would be acceptable.

 

[hunter24605]

Once upon a time someone here ran the quick-load calculation for me when I was pondering the same thing. My notes say:
7mm-08
140 Nos Part
46.8 Gr Reloder 17
20" 2809
22" 2878
24" 2939
I split the difference and went 22", and never felt I needed more length. Nor would 2" less make any appreciable difference in handling or weight savings to justify the velocity loss, albeit a slight loss in speed.

 

[nhenry]

Not much...

The 7-08 , like 308...isn't burning a ton of powder to see a big velocity drop or gain.

Add in the ELD type bullets of today and whatever little loss you might get is completely negligible especially with the bullets today.

The 7-08 is perfect with a 22" bbl.
that thing even performs satisfactorily in a 20" model 7 stainless
Nice compact package with respectable performance.

It's not at it's best IMO with a 24" bbl
It's utterly silly with a 26"

22" nice packaged weapon.

I agree that it's probably best in a 22" barrel; that makes the most sense, at least.
However when I had my 7mm-08 it had a 24" barrel and I really liked it.

 

[Firebird]

We figured this once at 50fps per inch gain or lose. If you are ringing steel at distance the inch matters. If you are in the Maine woods it won’t.
I would not hesitate to buy one with a 22 inch barrel but I don’t care for the 20 inch.
Modern bullets are only good if they are accurate in the barrel you have.-they don’t all shoot moa at max speed!

 

[PJGunner]

I shoot the 7x57 but load using 7-08 data so pretty much the same results. I have three rifles chambered to the 7x57, two with 22" barrels and a custom where I went with a 23" barrel. Why? Just to be different I guess. I was more interested in seeing just what that old cartridge could do when loaded at modern standards. There's still a lot of life left in the old girl after all.
Paul B.

 

[RL338]

My 7-08 wears an 24” barrel which I believe is the right length for slower burning powders.

 

[FOTIS]

The 7-08 is perfect with a 22" bbl in my mind also

 

[Lazy Bushman]

My 7mm-08 is in a 22" barrel though I don't own a chronograph so any velocity would be hypothetical based on computer program calculations

 

[ronc80]

We figured this once at 50fps per inch gain or lose. If you are ringing steel at distance the inch matters. If you are in the Maine woods it won’t.
I would not hesitate to buy one with a 22 inch barrel but I don’t care for the 20 inch.
Modern bullets are only good if they are accurate in the barrel you have.-they don’t all shoot moa at max speed!

My Stock tikka barrel is 22" and it does not like the higher end of the charge wieght with any bullet or powder

 

[Blkram]

I rebarreled my Winchester Model 88 to 7mm-08.
I went with a 20" barrel, as my goal is to have a full length stock installed at some point down the road, and a 20" barrel just seems to make sense for this configuration, and the approximate loss of 50-100 fps for a brush hunting carbine wasn't going to be an issue for me.

If I was going to keep a regular stock configuration, I would have gone with a 22" barrel, to keep it standard with factory configuration for this rifle model.

 

[wisconsinteacher]

I went with a 20" barrel as well. My goal was a light compact deer rifle. I absolutely love it!!!

 

[Orezona]

I'm getting ready to load some 140 BT's for my 22" 7mm-08 Bergara Hunter. I know it will spin 162 ELD-X with 39 grains of IMR 8208. I got good groups at 2653 fps and a 4.7 SD. Going to use Big Game for the 140 BT's. Redding body die and a lee collet die

 

[300WSM]

I'm getting ready to load some 140 BT's for my 22" 7mm-08 Bergara Hunter. I know it will spin 162 ELD-X with 39 grains of IMR 8208. I got good groups at 2653 fps and a 4.7 SD. Going to use Big Game for the 140 BT's. Redding body die and a lee collet die

Pictures or it doesn't really exist.

I just want to see your rig


That said...

I found imr 4350 to be the very best 7 odd 8 with 140's BT bullets

Accurate...damm near advertised velocity.. oh yeah. Extremely accurate. One of my most accurate ever and I've had some real tack drivers