Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats 7mm-08 vs 7mm-08 AI vs 308 Win

Okay crew, I am building a custom lightweight model 600 Remington. ( I realize that this is a departure from my beloved mausers, but heh those things just are not real light. To date the 600 action has been:
- completely trued
- milled the reciever sides to reduce weight (except the front ring)
- spiral fluted the bolt
- Davidson aluminum shroud
- Tubb titantium pin (I had an older one kicking around from a 700
long action which I shortened)
- New Tubb chrome silicone firing pin spring
- Hollowed out Holland recoil lug
- New Dakota bolt handle
- New Timney Model 600 trigger with safety.

(For 1/2 the price or less I could have purchased a new 1999)

Still undecided on a stock but looking at MPI and Wildcat at 14-16oz. (Of course these are bare blanks that require pads, bedding and paint)

The rifle will be used for backpacking for sheep, mule deer and caribou. I am undecided on chambering. I guess I like the old .308 Win, but happen to have a couple of 7mm barrels in my shop at the moment. For those of you who have had the 7mm-08 and 7mm-08 AI how do they compare? I wanted a 20" tube but would consider 22" if the ballistics warrented it. Looking for a good reason to do the AI over the standard cartridge and hoping someone has a magic recipe that will convince me to proceed.

Thanx brno284

Opinions:

MPI stocks, while light, are not the best in workmanship. I chose a Bansner for my in progress lightweight project and am far more satisfied with it than with an MPI that I have on another light gun. However, it (the Bansner) does weigh about 3-4 oz. more.

Consider whether you might encounter an interior grizzly on your sheep or caribou hunts. (?) It's highly unlikely that you'd have trouble with one, but it's still a possibility to consider. This could be a consideration for your caliber choice.

I've owned two 7-08's one with a 22" and one that I had cut to 20" I really liked the 20". Going by Charlie Sisks' recent research, you might give up a scant 40-50 fps with 2" less barrel.

The ballistic difference between the 7-08 and the AI is no big deal unless you have (ahem!!) a "special barrel" <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

It sounds however, like you "WANT" a 7-08 AI. If you go with a 7mm over the .308, that's reason enough for you to get the AI and have fun with it.

JimF