Neck down 308 to 7mm08

[roysclockgun]

I am ordering a 7mm-08 chambered rifle and have a ton of .308Win. brass. Can .308Win. brass be passed through the 7mm-08 full length sizer in order to get 7mm-08 brass, or is the shoulder angle different where would need to fire form the necked down brass?
TIA
Steven in DeLand

 

[SJB358]

Pretty sure it is exactly the same Steven. Should be an easy operation.

What rifle are you ordering? Scotty

 

[elkeater2]

Steven, it is the same.
I've got a 7mm-08 Encore and prefer using .308 brass. That way I can control headspace with the first shot, rather than shoot maybe undersize brass and overstretching the first time. I've found it makes a difference. I haven't found a need to neck turn or anything with WW brass. If Santa would deliver 100 or so Nosler 7mm-08's I wouldn't turn it down. :grin:
Elkeater2

 

[roysclockgun]

Thanks to both responders. It is always good to get advice from someone who has been there!
Scotty, to answer your question about which rifle; If I buy new, I will likely get the Howa youth combo, which comes with two stocks. I am also looking at a rifle in 6.5x55 that will go off on an auction site in two hours. That is a Royal Swedish Model 1896 Mauser that someone put a fair amount of money into. It has a cock on opening bolt, commercial adjustable trigger, double pillar and glas bedded. Bell & Carlson wood graiin plastic stock. Comes with mounts in place. The seller claims .4 inch groups at 100 yards and list the formula for that load.
Since I am an 01FFL holder, I can buy the new Howa for just a tad over $500, plus shipping. The 6.5 auction rifle is now hovering at $450, so very little difference in price. Which one should I buy?? I have never had a 7mm08, but do have dies and lots of .308Win. once fired brass. I have had rifles in 6.5x55 and that is also a sweet shooting cartridge, and I have lots of primed new brass and the dies. The 6.5 Mauser is unique, but no telling how smooth in operation, until I get it. The Howa is new and of known quality with no surprises. NOW I really have a dilemma! HELP me decide!!....Then there is the CZ with full wood stock that is a gorgeous piece and with being about to purchase wholesale, is a good value!
Best,
Steven in DeLand, FL

 

[SJB358]

Out of those, I would look at the CZ Steven. They seem to be some very classy rifles!

Now me, looking for a Youth Model Rifle, well, here is what I would want

http://www.winchesterguns.com/products/ ... mid=535126

Ha, hows that for muddying the water! Scotty

 

[roysclockgun]

Scotty, maybe I am not up to date on the facts, but I believe that over the past several years, Winchester has been all over the place, in terms of quality. Not too long ago, I bought a Winchester in 7mmWSM and had to send it back, as the cases were extracting hard and when I put my micrometer to them, I found that they were swollen. Winchester, (then Browning) wanted to replace the rifle, but I held out for a cash refund and got it. Dunno, maybe this new outfit who owns Winchester will do a better job. Before I went into the Army in 1961, I would have nothing but Winchester. By time I came home in 1964, the Winchester of old was gone.
Best,
Steven

 

[1Shot]

The 6.5X55 Swede is a great round but this rifle you are talking about it somebodies build off an old military rifle. The cock on the open conversion for these rifles are notorious for having problems. If it were me I would go with the brand new 7-08. That way if there were problems you can go directly to the company and get it fixed. Howa action rifles are really good rifles. I guess you know that the Weatherby Vangard is nothing but a Howa with Weatherby's name on it.

 

[roysclockgun]

1Shot that was excellent intel. regarding the military converted Mauser, no matter how much was sunk into it. The old saying applies; "You can't make a silk purse out of a sows ear!" Nothing against the Swede Mausers, but they are afterall, an old military rifle.
I thank you all for your input. I just got off the phone, ordering from Simmons Gun Specialties in Spring Hill, KS. They have always been great people with whom to deal. I bought the Howa Ultra light with the Hogue Youth stock and the Hogue adult stock. The rifle is chambered for 7mm 08. I figure by time I would have paid for a trigger job on Storm's Handi-Rifle, I would be on the way to paying for this rifle anyway, and she would still be limited to trying to speed load a single shot rifle if she needs a follow-up shot. Plus if this Howa with the 12.5" LOP fits her well, she will easily get used to my hand loads for the 7mm 08, as I will start low and work her up in MV.
The short action will not hurt her chances of getting good with the rifle either.
Buying rifles always gets my blood flowing!!
Thanks again,
Steven in DeLand, FL

 

[SJB358]

Scotty, maybe I am not up to date on the facts, but I believe that over the past several years, Winchester has been all over the place, in terms of quality. Not too long ago, I bought a Winchester in 7mmWSM and had to send it back, as the cases were extracting hard and when I put my micrometer to them, I found that they were swollen. Winchester, (then Browning) wanted to replace the rifle, but I held out for a cash refund and got it. Dunno, maybe this new outfit who owns Winchester will do a better job. Before I went into the Army in 1961, I would have nothing but Winchester. By time I came home in 1964, the Winchester of old was gone.
Best,
Steven

Steven, I will let the others chime in, but I believe the new SC made M70's are excellent in build quality and worksmanship. I am a die hard Winchester guy and haven't had any issues, with any of them, but I truly think the new ones are excellent. You owe it to yourself to go and snap the new trigger a few times as well. Just about the nicest one I have felt on a factory rifle in quite awhile. Scotty

 

[SJB358]

Man, great grab Steven, too slow in my posts!

The Howa is a nice one though. Should be a sweet rifle for your wife and shouldn't be too far behind your 280 either. Scotty

 

[gerry]

The Howa should be great lots of good game bullets from 120-140 gr for you to choose from. You should be able to start with a load that approximates the recoil of the 243 your wife already has and go up from there a bit depending on what is comfortable for her.

 

[SJB358]

I would bet the Howa has less felt recoil anyhow, with a good stock and pad on it. It should be a real pleasure to shoot. Scotty

 

[Guest]

Steven, I'm sure you're already aware of it, but just in case, take a look at the youth loads sheet from Hodgdon:

http://www.imrpowder.com/PDF/Youth%20Loads.pdf

http://www.hodgdon.com/PDF/H4895%20Redu ... 0Loads.pdf

The first link is the original paper on reduced loads. The second link is the newest version (which appears on cursory glance to have the same data). I'm going to embark on using the 270WSM data from these sheets for my son, in short order after hunting season ends at the end of January.

Also, consider the Trail Boss loads that can be created with exceptionally low recoil:

http://www.hodgdon.com/PDF/Trail%20Boss ... %20R&P.pdf

The beauty of TB is that the loads work with cast or jacketed bullets, and yet keep velocities waaaay down (and recoil in the single digits!!) with bigger cartridges such as the 7mm-08, and even with the really big boys, like the 300mags!

Good luck with the reduced loading. I'll be back around in the spring to compare notes on our respective results.

 

[Guy Miner]

I like the 7-08 Howa! Good choice.

 

[roysclockgun]

Thank you all, for the encouragement. Agonizing over which new rifle to get is the sort of pain I like to endure! Of course, this rifle is for Storm, my wife, but note; it arrives with a full sized stock as an extra!
Dubyam; I appreciate having that light load info.
Best,
Steven

 

[roysclockgun]

Guy, it was a close call between the Howa and the CZ, as I have always wanted a full stock hunting rifle, but the two-fer-one stock deal with the Howa clinched it. Now the fun of breaking a new one in and working up loads! I will likely do more of the nasty break-in work than will Storm! But golly, someone has to do it!
Steven

 

[DrMike]

Steven,

The Howa is a fine rifle. I consider them to be a real bargain in the world of rifles. You certainly picked an excellent cartridge for the rifle.

 

[russ808]

Steven,
I have a Model 7 in 7-08. Its shoots Federal shells good but really like the Hornaday shells.
The only way to get them is to buy loaded as they don't sell just brass.
Been resizing the 308 brass to 7-08. I don't even have to trim after resizing.
Works great.
Russ

 

[Ridge_Runner]

1Shot that was excellent intel. regarding the military converted Mauser, no matter how much was sunk into it. The old saying applies; "You can't make a silk purse out of a sows ear!" Nothing against the Swede Mausers, but they are afterall, an old military rifle.
I thank you all for your input. I just got off the phone, ordering from Simmons Gun Specialties in Spring Hill, KS. They have always been great people with whom to deal. I bought the Howa Ultra light with the Hogue Youth stock and the Hogue adult stock. The rifle is chambered for 7mm 08. I figure by time I would have paid for a trigger job on Storm's Handi-Rifle, I would be on the way to paying for this rifle anyway, and she would still be limited to trying to speed load a single shot rifle if she needs a follow-up shot. Plus if this Howa with the 12.5" LOP fits her well, she will easily get used to my hand loads for the 7mm 08, as I will start low and work her up in MV.
The short action will not hurt her chances of getting good with the rifle either.
Buying rifles always gets my blood flowing!!
Thanks again,
Steven in DeLand, FL

for a low recoiling, deer killing machine in the 7mm/08, try the 120 gr nosler BT in front of IMR 4350.
RR