Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Since It Seems To Be A Topic Lately - Finn Aagaard On The 7mm-08

riverdog,

VERY sorry to hear about the fire. Damn!

But thanks for posting. I have been procrastinating about buying extra insurance for our library, which includes not only my collection of books on hunting and firearms (many first editions) and Eileen's many cookbooks. Had no idea North American Elk was going for that much. Also have a collection of Finn's works personally signed to me, and one signed by both Finn and Berit.

Signed first editions...had at least 50 if not more but I am struggling to remember all of them. Yes max out your insurance. We were lucky, had enough notice to get most guns out, and since I knew about the shortages of ammo and reloading components I had a friend help me get all that out. It all went in the old F150 which had a bit of trouble managing the load. As the fire was approaching I honestly didn’t think about the books. The loss of the books is tough...many simply cannot be replaced. Examples: signed first editions from Edward Abbey, Rick Bass, Colin Fletcher, Cormac McCarthy, Larry Watson, Russel Chatham, and so on. Sporting authors like Larry Brown, John Gierach (holy hell, signed first of Trout Bum!). Jeff Cooper. Even some limited edition Jack O’Connor books, and I have to say I am really going to miss the O’Connor Outdoor Life book club editions handed down from my Dad. So many books accumulated over the past 40-50 years, with so much meaning that comes from the time I bought them and first read them. Not to mention my Barsness signed first editions!

Don’t know yet what our insurance carrier will have to say about all of this. We are still working on the inventory, and they won’t say anything till they see it.

It is difficult to calculate the value of a book like North American Elk...every now and then when a thought or question comes up I would pull it out and see what it had to say.

That is my thinking 100%

A friend of mine had a disappointing season with his 30-06. Lost all his confidence in the rifle and it is going down the road. I told him to come on out and shoot some of my 270's and 7-08's and he could have his pick. Two of his kids shoot 7-08's also supplied through me. Pretty sure he will pick one of the two 7-08's, but you never know. I

Again, thanks for the additional info.

The Internet has both advantages and disadvantages, but one advantage is a decent idea of the selling price of such stuff--as long as there are enough around to obtain an average!

Are you referring to Elk Of North America; Ecology And Management by Thomas and Toweill?

If so, I got a $1000 book on my bookshelf........Good god........

Just went up to a place in Poudre Canyon to look at a garage/shop that burned down (the house didn't burn). The owner retired and recently sold his mechanic's business in Fort Collins. All his mechanics tools were in the garage/shop. His two Snap On tool boxes and their contents are currently up to $75k so far, and he's "only" on page 135 of his tool inventory.

Yes you have a $1000 book on your bookshelf. Probably a lot of valuable books on your shelves. And yes regarding the inventory. We fortunately have “replacement value”insurance, which means they pay the price to buy a new tool today to replace the lost one.

Just Googled North American Elk. They can be purchased for $250--which is far more than they sold for originally, but not $1000.

Yep, books are hard to replace at current prices, especially when you have so much other stuff that actually needs replaced. I didn't have signed first editions of anything but I had some that sell for well over $200.00 each, all ruined in a flood. It SUCKS! At least I was able to use them as a write off on taxes that year.

Abebooks.com has the slip case edition of guns & hunting in stock for $225

Somebody on Amazon is asking $2000+, but it has a dust jacket I've never seen before. I don't think there was a second printing, but maybe so.

A lot of Amazons 3rd party sellers just have crazy prices listed. Was on there tonight and one seller is offering Mule Deers shotgun book for $150 when it's still available on his website for less than $30

The 7mm-08 has been a favorite of our family since my dad brought home a custom stocked model seven in the early-mid '80's. The cartridge has worked well through the years without excessive damage in deer and black bear. We currently have 3 in my house for my two kids and myself. This season I threw together a load that all 3 rifles shoot under moa. which makes things very easy. I'm a big fan of the 7x57 also and have had a few through the years. They all seem to go down the road, because at the end of the day they do nothing the 7-08 can't and they're generally larger rifles.

I really enjoyed reading Finn’s articles. I have one of his books. He sure gave you a down to earth practical view of things. I still remember him using a Gerber Shorty. I have used a Gerber Mini Mag for longer than I can remember. Thanks for posting this, Brad.

I wonder if Amazon and others aren't using an algorithm to vary the price. I initially looked it up on Amazon and found the $1000 price. Looked it up again last night and now it is $250 from the same seller. Naturally I want the highest advertised price to report to my insurance adjuster.

Great article. Thanks for sharing.

I used to love reading Finn UNTIL I saw where he used a push feed model 70 458. We all know that anyone that would use such a thing is not very gun savvy. The fields of Africa are covered with the bleached bones of hunters that use PF rifles. How can i trust anything he wrote after learning of this gun loony faux pas?
.

All written in jest

Yeah, Finn and Harry Selby obviously didn't know what they were doing.

Awesome post!
I really wish the 7mm-08 would get more love from the ammunition companies, gun writers/media & rifle manufacturers(starting with a updated faster twist rate over the common 1:9.5” )

The 7mm-08 is a phenomenal cartridge and with the right marketing push I could see it becoming the next 6.5cm in popularity.

I'd like to know why SAAMI or manufacturers are stuck on slow end twist rates for some cartridges, which has nothing to do with safety or function that I'm aware of. A faster twist covers more bases, duh?