Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles New 7-08 Mod Questions

So I just picked up a NIB stainless 700 SPS in 7-08. I'm gonna drop it in a Ti take-off stock I have and have Karl flute the bolt and skeletonize the handle.

Couple questions:

- I want to go shorter than 24" on the barrel. What are your thoughts for good balance; 21",22",23"?

- If I can sell a couple Vari-X II 3-9x40 Gloss scopes, I'll pick-up a VX3 2.5-8 Matte. Although for the price, I'm intrigued with the Redfield Revolution 3-9x40. Any experience with the Redfield?

- I'll go Talley LW's. Can I go ex-low's or will I need to stay with just low's?

Jeff

1. 22"
2. Stick with the Leupold
3. Lows, extra lows are a little too low.

^^^^^^^

All of the above.

20" with a Leupold in Talley XLs don't suck. keep in mind that Talley XLs are too low to use BC caps on the occular..the bolt handle will hit. Alumina caps work fine though...



18.5" might be a little short for some, but still usable.

SPS stainless 7mm-08. I sent it to Karl couple months ago.
He cut & recrowned it @ 22.5". Also had him Ti flute the bolt and put on his Campfire bolt knob, side bolt release and had him bead-blast it. He got the finish to be much better, almost like an older BDL finish, looks much better than in the pic.
Forgive the ugly stock, in about 2 more weeks it will be in a olive green Classic Edge. By the way, balance is really nice with the shorter barrel. Its a darn good shooter so far.
Good luck with yours, not a bad rig for the money.

Now THAT I like a lot!

I'd go 21-22" on that setup, and Talley Lows like the others have mentioned. X-lows will work if you don't want BC caps. You can run BC caps on the Compact or Ultralight Leupolds and still use BC caps, since the ocualars are smaller. I had a "Faux Ti" with a 22" Mtn contour barrel and always thought it would have balanced better with a full sporter contour like you are doing.

Regarding the Revolution 3-9x40, I have a few and really like them for the money. The accurange reticle is a nice feature for longer range shooting. It doesn't bother me regarding the sight picture at close range.

Thanks for the comments. I shipped the bolt to Karl today. Once it's back, will have the local smith cut and crown. Nice rifle Oregonmuley. I like your idea of shortening 1.5" to 22.5 -- I may swing that way. I think I saw another great looking rifle of yours posted on a thread about Kampfeld's work.

Still chewin' on scope options -- though likely will end up with another VX3 2.5-8. They are great little scopes.

21.5 or 22.5 is where it's at, a 22 is just generic... Lol.

Scope? Easy, not much an FX-II 6x36 won't handle...but a VX 2-7, or 8x will do fine. Good luck.

I just put a 3-9x40 leupold on a new short action ADL using XL talleys. I had to file down the rear ring just a bit, so the power ring didn't hit, but it works well now. Mines in a takeoff stock as well, and yeah, the 24" barrel makes it too muzzle heavy for me.

The original Mod 7 had an 18.5" barrel. There were a lot of complaints about muzzle blast and barrel light handling so they moved it out to 22" (IIRC). I know on my first mod 7 it was awful barrel light but if you shot it often, you got used to it. I would think that 22" would be good.

Long back I used Leupold DDs w/6x36 on 700s and 70s, short actions.... Super Lows

I can only use Talley XL's on my 2-7x32's. Just dont clear on the 40's. At least on my 700's and M7.

I am waiting on my second custom "ultralight" rifle in 7-08, this one has many custom features and is a rifle purpose built by a fine smith who is also an experienced sheep guide/hunter, etc, here in BC and the "Territories". Both of mine weighed just over 6 lbs, scoped and the barrels were "Mountain Rifle" contour, the first was on a 600 action and the "keeper" enroute to me in a few weeks, is on a sts Mod. 7.

These, are both 22" tubes and I consider that ideal for the 7-08 as it barks too loudly in the 20" and shorter tubes and the "feel" is just nicer, to me, anyway.

These rifles, at 6ish lbs, scoped, are about the lightest and adequately powerful, that I feel comfortable in using for general B.C. big game hunting. They are easy to carry all day in the typically steep and bushy terrain here, can shoot well and can be shot well, without a lot of messing about with something just too light to settle down in field conditions.

I like the 1.75x6 and 2.5x8 Leupies on these and quite a number of my other hunting rifles and I prefer Talley QD-screwlock mounts as I like a spare scope available when hunting with a "bare-barreled" rifle. The other scope I like on rifles like this is the Swaro-Z3-3x9-36, one I find a VERY nice piece of glass.

Them's my thots on it, anyway.

22"'s
6x36 in tally low's.
fluted bolt.
all up with 4 rounds and a sling comes in at 7lbs.

I'm thinkin' Stiller Predator, Pacnor #0 23in 7/08, an Edge and a 2.5x8 B&C Leupy. Nickel-plated straight Timney. What's not to like?

The little Remington 660 I did recently in an Edge handle is the lightest rifle I've owned at just under 6.5lbs scoped. I was pleased to find that it was not as difficult to shoot from a bench as folks sometimes suggest. Using a soft towel to pad my front bag and getting a firm grip on the forend, groups were consistant in shape and point of impact. Recoil wasn't bad either, but I only went up to 145's over a book-max H4350 charge. I got my daughter a 20" 700SS in 7mm-08 last season and I'm thinking I'll like this one also. Neat chambering......

Karl should receive my bolt on Monday. It'll be the first bolt I've ever had work done on. I'm pretty jacked about getting it back.

Chewed on the scope question long enough -- decided to forfeit another 2.5-8 and opted for my first fixed power. I went FX-II 6x36 LR. Included Talley LW Lows. I have them on a 700 LA holding a 2.5-8 on Ti stock -- it fits me nice. Should have scope and mounts here in a few days.

Once the bolt is back, it's cut and crown time. What are your thoughts on standard 11 degree target verses recessed target crown?

I'm not to sure about the X-Mark Adjustable. I'd like it a little lighter, but the screw is already out far enough that I feel it on my finger. I suppose I could shorten the screw? Will probably shoot it some the way it is.

I'd ditch the X-Mark adjustable and get a decent trigger. If you're looking to save weight, the Rifle Basix trigger has an aluminum housing which cuts the weight by about 1.5 ounces.

For a hunting rifle, I would go with a recessed crown.