7mm-08 with 20" barrel advice

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cmdc

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I am wanting a 7mm-08 with a 20" barrel in an all-weather configuration, but can't find one in left hand. I was thinking about Savage making me one on the Scout Rifle or Hog Hunter platform. They can do it, but I wanted some input about these particular rifles if anyone has experience, or if I should go a different route altogether.

Thanks
 
You may be able to find a Remington Model 7 in this configuration. I have a right hand version (18.5" barrel with sights) that is a tack driver in 7-08 (but I had to float the barrel to get it to perform. The barrel is so light that it will not tolerate anything touching it.)
 
I don't think you'll find that exact combo. Very few left handed guns and few, if any, options for a 7-08 in a 20" barrel. Add all weather in the mix and you're probably not going to find exactly what you want.

Ruger is your best option. They make a 18" barreled 308 in a left handed version of their scout rifle.

http://ruger.com/products/gunsiteScoutRifle/models.html

They also make a left handed 7-08 walnut/blue rifle and a right handed all weather in 7-08. Both have 22" barrels, but cutting one down to 20" is not that big of a deal.

http://ruger.com/products/m77HawkeyeStandardLeftHanded/models.html

http://ruger.com/products/m77HawkeyeAllWeather/models.html

There are probably more options in 308 that will at least come close to meeting your requirements. Shooting a right handed bolt rifle from the wrong side isn't that hard once you master it. My brother shoots a right handed bolt rifle lefty with no issues.
 
Savage lists a 7mm-08 stainless left-hand model.
Wouldn't cost much to get the barrel cut.
 
why do some people look for a gun that does not exist commercially? hax by you are right get the savage and a good hax saw lol
 
That's the consensus I'm getting. That would be the Weather Warrior I think.

I think the 20" would be handier for pig hunting.
 
Few things to consider.
1. there ain't that much difference between a 20" and the much more common 22" barrels, you would have to go down to an 18" to really have a noticeable difference.
2. There is not much difference between the 7mm-08 and 308, I own/handload both and the difference between a 140gr 7mm-08 and a 150gr 308 is hardly noticeable inside 200 yards, beyond which the superior ballistics of the 7mm kick in. Though with 120gr Pro Hunters the 7mm-08 has considerably less recoil (like a 243)
3. If you wanted to split hairs I would opt for the 308 over the 7mm for the average hunter, ammo costs less (not an issue if you handload) and the advantages the 7mm enjoys are well beyond normal deer/hog hunting ranges while a .30 cal bullet is a small advantage closer in where 95+% of all hogs are killed.
4. If I were to design the "perfect" hog rifle it would not be a bolt action at all, I would go with a light/handy semi auto in 308, 7mm-08 or 260 Rem depending on the conditions I was hunting. The 308 if my long shots were inside 200yards, the 7mm-08 if they were 300yards and anything beyond that the stealer ballistics of the 6.5mm would easily be my pick.
Just some food for thought.
 
Nothing wrong with an AR-10 platform, you don't have to go that route but if your state allows high cap mags for hunting and you have a dense hog population I would call that a good choice, I know several people who hog hunt with an AR.
There are more conventional semi autos on the market including the BAR, 750 and R1. They are not any heavier then a traditional bolt action.
Quick follow up shots is a much larger advantage on hogs then it is deer for several reasons, you don't NEED it but since most hog hunting is done at closer ranges I fail to see any downside.
 
I do have a number of ARs. I share your affection for the 6.5 calibers. I have a couple of 6.6 Grendels, and a few 6.8s as well. I spend most of my time in FL, which does not allow hi-cap mags, but I have some five rounders. My Grendels aren't in FL.
 
What are the conditions you are hunting? If you are hunting the dense river bottoms the 308 would get the nod, if you are hunting an open farm field the 7mm-08 is a better choice. If you are going to be hunting a mix or you don't know yet get the 308, ammo is cheaper and (normally) more readily available.
While the 7mm-08 has better external ballistics in general it is not THAT big a difference, my 7mm-08 can drive 140gr bullets as fast as my 308 can drive 150gr, the 140gr Ballistic Tip has a BC of .485 while the 150gr .308 cal Ballistic Tip has a BC of .435, noticeable difference at range but not huge, the 7mm-08 does have a slight reduction in recoil technically but in the case of my rifles the 308 has less felt recoil due to being slighty heavier and having a nicer recoil pad so the real world difference is slight at best.
 
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I'm sure it will be a mixed bag. I will, though, want to hunt Texas and Oklahoma as well at some point, so that would lean more toward open country.

So you think the BAR would be a good choice in general though? In either 7mm-08 or 308 it weighs 6 lbs 10 oz. It is also available in 270WSM.
 
It is also available in 270WSM.
:D I love my 270 WSM, shoots flatter then a 257 Wby and hits like a 7mm Rem Mag, great open country cartridge but not something I would recommend for hog hunting in the brush, all that extra speed does nothing but tear up more meat inside 200 yards, I only bring mine out the safe if I am hunting WIDE open fields. The BAR is a solid choice, it has been the most respected auto for the past 60 years (at leased)
 
No my 270 WSM is a Savage 11 bolt action, I would not want such a high speed cartridge in an auto loader since that long ranged shooting goes hand in hand with exceptional accuracy, an area where bolt actions shine. My 7mm-08 shoots really well with my 160gr handloads, I have had good results from both the Sierra Game King and Speer Deep Curl bullets in that weight.
 
With most autos you will be looking at around 1.5-2" grouping at 100 yards making them accurate enough for hunting inside aprox 250-300 yards depending on your target game, now if you handload you might be able cut that down to around the 1" range and extend your accurate range quite a bit. Some of my bolt action rifles can shoot .75"-1" groups right out the box with factory ammo and my handloads can cut one ragged hole at 100yd in several of them including my 7mm-08.
 
Hmm. I'm leaning towards the BAR in 7mm-08 if it can get out to 300 yds or so. With heavy bullets it ought to be pretty effective.
 
It is plenty effective with regular ol 140s, my standard load is a 140gr SGK over 47.5gr of Big Game moving just shy of 2900fps, if that don't put um down God never intend for it to die :D
 
Are you referring to hogs or bigger game game like elk?
Hate to break it to you but hogs get bigger then elk, world record elk was in the 1,000lbs range while the largest true feral hog was over 1,100lbs he was killed by a single well placed shot from a 7mm-08 :) There was a 680lbs hog killed just a few miles north of me in 2009.
Edit: My bad record elk was 1,600lbs, hogs are still pretty darn big though.
 
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That's a lot of pork. The 7mm-08 is obviously effective. How does the 750 stack up against the BAR? I'm trying to explore all the options.
 
The 750 is a much newer rifle, jury is still out on it but I generally avoid Remington firearms. They sold their soul to the devil back in 2007 and they have not been the same since, it is less expensive then the BAR though and you can get one with an 18.5" barrel. Remington autos have historically been hard to keep functioning properly, they have a bad habit of stopping up due to carbon buildup not sure if the new one is any better.
 
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