Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles What 7mm-08 to buy?

I love my daughter's model seven.

I've discussed similar to this with a local gunsmith and keep ending up at $1300+

I have an itch for a 7-08 with similar criteria. I have a classic stainless FW in 243. The thought crosses my mind to rebarrel it to 7-08, this desire continues to increase.......until I shoot it in in current configuration. It's too good in current configuration to mess with.

That thought leads me to this question, can you get to ~6.5 lbs putting a classic M70 FW in a McMillan Classic Compact edge fill? I know a Montana will do, but they don't float my boat for whatever reason.

A 700 MR in nice stock, as already noted, may be my second choice.

This, except I wouldn't screw with a Mcmillan Hunters Edge these days. The Manners EH8 is a better route.

Definitely keeping my eyes open for something like this at the right price.

I second the Kimber Hunter, as a top choice.
If you shop around you can find them for around $750.
Paint the stock, adjust the trigger, go forth a fill an Ark......

Ya rub it in Marty:) Kidding, glad its in good hands and out hunting the way it should be.

Given what you're looking for, I'd recommend a Browning X-bolt Stainless Stalker. It checks all of your boxes. I have one in 7mm wsm, and it is a consistent sub-moa shooter with several different handloads, and has been a quality, reliable, rifle. The Win EW is also a fine rilfe. I had one in 300 wsm for awhile and it was also a good shooter. Good luck in your search.

I know the Kimbers are lighter than you want, but if you handle them, they may be your new favorite.

A used Montana if under $1000 would be awesome. A Kimber Hunter could meet your needs. Next I would look at a Winchester EW. It is heavier than the Kimbers. It is a nice rifle. Those are my favorites, they all have 22" barrels.

You don't need to do everything that you want right away either. I was ahead of the curve a little wanting a lighter weight mountain rifle back in the '80's, so I built one. What you want to do is first get the rifle with the action that you want, then send it off for a new or reworked lighter barrel, coating, trigger work etc. When that comes back you can put it back into the old walnut stock as in my M700's case. Then when I could afford it, I sent it away again for a camo painted Brown Precision Kevlar stock. Then the Leupold 2.5-8x36 got replaced with a Swarovski 30mm 2.5-10x42 for an all up under 7# 7 RM. My 7mm-08 started out as a ss Ruger M77 Mk II as a .308 and got a similar treatment with a Shilen #1 taper 20" barrel, Teflon coasted action, camo Kevlar, Zeiss glass.

Don't say I never did anything nice for you guys. Here is the deal of the day, Stainless ADL 700 package rifles in 243 at Bud's for $394.

SS ADL 700 243

Now I have one already and cut it to 21.5" for a knockaround rifle. It shoots really great with the 105 Hornady HPBT over RL26. But for a donor action, you cannot go wrong here. Trip the scope/rings on Craigslist and sell the take-off tube on the forums. That should net a guy $120, so after paying a $20 FFL fee, you are at $294 for a stainless action, lug, and ADL bottom metal setup. Have a top-end SS tube installed with your throating parameters, along with a Timney, bed/float in the decent 26oz tupperware and you are around $1k with a solid foundation for a stock upgrade in the future if need be.

And you get a free Drago backpack from Remington with the long gun rebate they've got going.

I think it's just easier to save up some extra cash and buy a used Fieldcraft from the classifieds. Light done right, and all that.

I think I bought, sold and handled just about every 6.5 creedmoor out there and never warmed up to one until I got the Fieldcraft, and the hunt was over.

Yes, I agree....if.....you want one that light. The OP was looking for a little heavier rifle according to his specs.

ABR..

Why no love for the Tikka?








Light and accurate.

Pharm, the tikkas just feel clunky and cheap and awkward to me.......but I may can overlook that based on your targets and many others I've seen.😁😁😁😁😁😁

If Tikka is the choice, why not a .280? They are same action length.

Pharm shoots some great groups.

He give a lot of credit to his rifles and BG powder.

They don't shoot these kinda groups by themselves...

DF

Tikka does not make a 280