Did 7mm-08 twist rate ever get fixed?

[bvmoney]

I always see the the 7mm-08 twist rate is 1:11.5. Was this always the case with barrels from savage? Or did they fix it in the new ones? I really want a savage in 7mm-08 but not with that twist rate.

[Armed in Utah]

To my knowledge...Savage 7-08 bbl's are 9 twist....

My 7-08 24" FP bbl is 9...

Double check with their website for current twist.......

[bvmoney]

i did, everything still says 11.5

[JW]

I just checked the Savage catalog and the twist is 11.5 in it also.
I bought a 16FCSS last year in 7-08 cal and I am very pleased with it.
Never checked the twist though

[Con]

I stopped a Stevens 200 purchase once I found the twist was 1:11.5" as its severely limiting in the rifles versatility when being run by a reloader. Grabbed a 308Win instead.
Cheers...
Con

[Cycler]

To my knowledge...Savage 7-08 bbl's are 9 twist....

My 7-08 24" FP bbl is 9...

Double check with their website for current twist.......

That hasn't been correct for at least three years. Savage's current twist for the 7-08 is 11.5" and noone here has a clue why. Multiple phone calls to Savage's Customer service confirm it's 11.5" but there has never been an explanation.

[hailstone]

Generally accepted that the 139 grain loadings are stabilized with the current 11.5" twist rate. If you want the 160 grain to 175 grain bullets then the faster 9" twist is needed. Unless your going to shoot the heavier bullets for ? hunting then the 139 grainers work on deer size game.

[Cycler]

Generally accepted that the 139 grain loadings are stabilized with the current 11.5" twist rate. If you want the 160 grain to 175 grain bullets then the faster 9" twist is needed. Unless your going to shoot the heavier bullets for ? hunting then the 139 grainers work on deer size game.

That's all true but why limit the rifles to 140 gr and lighter bullets? It's not as if it costs more to make the twist 9" or 9.5" which nearly every other make uses. There is no downside to the faster twist and no advantage to the slower one.

[DGD6MM]

Sounds to me that a 9.5 twist 7-08 is a wanted barrel. :) I have a Model 16 with 200 rounds down it wrapped up not being used, may be willing to part with. Shot 139's out to 640 yards under 1 moa. I have 1 of those new 200 Stevens with the slower twist that will do what I want.

[hailstone]

That might be true in this chambering as I have rifles with both twist rates. Since the only thing I use these rifles for is white tail deer hunting the 139 grain bullets have done everything asked. I don't shoot varmits with mine because there are more appropriate chamberings. 600 yard long range shooting isn't done either. However I do have another chambering that twist rates range from 14" down to 7". Despite what the gun scribes proclaim it makes a huge difference which twist rate is chosen. It's been my experience over the past fifty years that whatever range of bullets a chambering will shoot usually the best is the mid-range weight. Although I haven't looked up the SAMAII specs on this chambering would suspect that originally it used the slower twist rate.

[powderburn]

My buddy's has a 1 in 11 twist and does fine with 139 thru 175 gr bullets. Much ado about nothing IMHO.

[bvmoney]

Well after reading all this seems lik you can still stabilize 140gr bullets.

Is that the proper twist rate for 140gr?

What about 110-130gr? Can these lighter bullets be stabilized?

[tammons]

It will work with lighter bullets like 110-130 gr.

[powderburn]

Well I stand corrected, my buddy told me he tried some 162 gr. bt I gave him and they were tumbling in flight. The good news is the speer 145 gr. were going into .8 inch. It also likes the 175 rnsp.

[Cycler]

Where the problems with the 11.5" twist will likely surface in the future is if lead-free bullets become more common. These are always longer than the lead core equivalents and the slower twist will probably not stabilize even 140 gr in lead-free construction.

Again. I have no idea why Savage did this and they refuse to explain.

[GabbyM]

Savage has made there 7mm-08 to not try to be a 280 Remington.

IMHO the necked down NATO case is not enough powder capacity to achieve much gain with heavy bullets in the hunting field. I'd argue if you want to shoot 175 to 180 grain bullets to leave the case at 30 caliber. For 175 grain 7mm bullet I'd suggest a 280 Remington. Better yet a 30-06 then have the chamber Ackey Improved and you can shoot a 180 grain bullet 3,000 fps from a 24 inch barrel. Suppose you are thinking that would kick the snot out of you? Well yes they do and that's why people buy a 7mm-08 to shoot 139 grain bullets at 2,750 fps. Especially in a light weight rifle like all the Savage / Stevens are.

There is nothing to “fix” with the twist rate. I think the 1-11 1/2 twist is ideal for a 7mm-08. Slower twist makes a better cast bullet shooter. Which is a big deal for me and a few others I know. Plus gives you more velocity, increased barrel life, less fowling, less heat build up, allowing more accurate shots in a given string of fire and does indeed shoot the standard weight bullets better than a fast twist will.

I've been shooting the 270 Win with 150 grain Hornady SP for 36 years. Recoil is brutal from the Monte Carlo stocked Weatherby with noodle barrel. Gun doesn't have enough barrel weight on the far end and to much drop in the stock. For hunting it doesn't matter. What would appeal to me when looking to buy a 7mm-08 would be less power and thus recoil than the 270 Win.

Has anyone tried the Hornady 154 grain SP flat base in one of these 11 1/2 twist barrels? It's much shorter than similar weight boat tail bullets so may stabilize. If you're looking for heavy bullet with deep penetration I much prefer a flat base bullet as they fly straight on as opposed to the boat tail flying tail down. Boat tails tend to start tumbling after hitting bone as a result of not hitting straight on. Speer uses this to effect and builds it's boat tail bullets with lighter jackets than there flat base bullets. Effect is dramatic shock value. I shoot a few 6mm Speer 85gr BTSP at small critters. In 7mm the Hornady 139 grain SP will give you all the bullet you need from a 7mm-08. It won't loose much weight as it is designed to hold up to 7mm magnum velocity. Thus you will have great penetration as velocity enhances penetration as long as it doesn't cause your bullet to fragment into pieces on impact. If you want a bit more pop on impact use a Speer hot core bullet in the same weight range. For the big pop a Nosler BT or Speer 130 grain BT. Going to the heavy bullet will just give you a rainbow trajectory.

With the slower twist you can actually shoot the light weight bullets at varmints if you want. Or the 160 grain cast bullet at 2,350 fps There's my argument for versatility of 11 1/2” twist. This rifle is a light weight not a target or long range gun after all.

[GabbyM]

Where the problems with the 11.5" twist will likely surface in the future is if lead-free bullets become more common. These are always longer than the lead core equivalents and the slower twist will probably not stabilize even 140 gr in lead-free construction.

Again. I have no idea why Savage did this and they refuse to explain.


You have a point there with the lead ban crowd. However that's all about politics and nothing about what we do in the shooting sports. And I'm not diving into that here.

[DGD6MM]

I bought mine for 120's - 140. This weight bullet will kill a deer dead, dead, dead.... ;D I have a 7rsaum for the heavier one's.

[Armed in Utah]

To my knowledge...Savage 7-08 bbl's are 9 twist....

My 7-08 24" FP bbl is 9...

Double check with their website for current twist.......

That hasn't been correct for at least three years. Savage's current twist for the 7-08 is 11.5" and noone here has a clue why. Multiple phone calls to Savage's Customer service confirm it's 11.5" but there has never been an explanation.


When's the last time you saw an FP in 7-08 ??

Bought mine in 1998...its one of two factory Savage bbl's I still have in use...

The other is a 308 camo Whitetail Hunter.......