AusVarmint

Just thought I'd fill you guys in on my latest project. Had a lovely old M77 Ruger, chambered in 220 Swift, with a standard weight barrel. I also have another M77 Ruger, also in 220 Swift, but in the heavy barrelled version. It since has been rechambered to Ackley 220--- but that's another story.
Purchased a secondhand barrel from a local gunshop, chambered in 7x64, that had been slowly dropping in price for about the last 3 years. I got it for $65.00. I posted it to a gunsmith and asked if it could be fitted to a Ruger. " No problems " was the answer. Met up with the gunsmith (he comes to Sydney, every 2 weeks to pick up work ), gave him the rifle and paperwork and told/asked him about the Ruger. Three weeks later I had the rifle back to find the "perfect" load. When it was a 220 it would clover leaf 3 shots using most projectiles. It loved 63 gn Sierras and 55gn Ballistic tips. Now that it's a 7mm/08 nothing much has changed. Three shots using 150gn Ballistic tips still clover leaf, 5 shot 140 gn Sierras groups open up for a 1 inch. Just got home from a hunting trip, 2 shots---2 clean kills, I think I'm gonna love this rifle.

Looks the goods mate. Nothing wrong with the 7mm08, terrific little cartridge and Rugers - have owned a heap of them and never found a bad one, I think they are really underrated.

malcolm wrote:Just got home from a hunting trip, 2 shots---2 clean kills, I think I'm gonna love this rifle.

Nothing better than hunting with a rifle you love using and have confidence in, find that and you rarely seem to miss any shot that presents it self.
Did you keep the swift barrel?

I like that,and obviously you do as well Malcolm

Yeah, I kept the Swift barrel. It has shot less than 350 rounds.
Cheers Malcolm

HiWall wrote:Looks the goods mate. Nothing wrong with the 7mm08, terrific little cartridge and Rugers - have owned a heap of them and never found a bad one, I think they are really underrated.

+1 a VERY underrated rifle.

[/quote]....+1 a VERY underrated rifle.[/quote]

And I move that the motion be carried.

Good choice Malcolm.

The 7mm-08 is an accurate and superb hunting round. I positively love mine - it shoots single hole groups at 100m with 120gr Nosler BTs and 140gr Woodleigh PPs, and it's an emphatic performer. Every game animal (deer, pigs, goats and small critters) I've taken with the 7mm-08 at all ranges has been a "floppy" using Nosler 120gr Ballistic-Tips, even on game out past 300m. Just recently, I harvested my first Red deer with a 150gr Barnes TSXBT – he didn't know what hit him.

You will not be disappointed with the 7mm-08.

I'm with Drew- I set out to get a 270W, but got offered a rem 700 short action at the right price, and certainly haven't regretted the 7-08, it's taken a shitload of goats, quite a few fallow and some unlucky foxes hares and rabbits. 120V-max and 140 Nos BTs in mine, but it seems to shoot accurately with most bullets. Not much between the 7-08 and the 270W ballistically or in the field- would be like trying to argue the difference between the 220swift and the 22-250R

The only problem that I can see with the 7mm08 is that I don't have one!

Mick

1010011010 wrote:The only problem that I can see with the 7mm08 is that I don't have one!

That problem is easily remedied.

i think even sambar will rol over with that 150ttsx load from 7-08

1010011010 wrote:The only problem that I can see with the 7mm08 is that I don't have one!

Mick

+1

trying to find the right rifle in 7mm/08 is proving to be a bit of a challange!

The ruger compacts look quite nice but wouldn't be accurate enough over a long distance with the 16" barrel.

Other than that the hawkeye seems like the best option in Stainless laminate.

Mick

Ted Mitchell has a 7mm/08 Ruger for sale on AHN at present. Very competitively priced too.