7mm-08 Rebarrel to 338 Federal

I have a 7mm-08 Savage 11 FCNS bought used at a great price with a pitted barrel. I want to modify it and make it "my own". I will be buying another 7-08 in a Model 70 Extreme Weather.

I figure I can replace the accustock with a Boyd's prairie hunter in nutmeg with checkering and replace the barrel with a pacnor match grade stainless, then get all the metal parts coated by Black Ice and it would be a Weather resistant rifle with some heft to it. I think this would be a good opportunity to have a medium bore 338 Federal.

Besides changing the recoil lug to an aftermarket (it is an accustock so has a smaller lug), and the barrel swap, anything else I need to worry about? Magazine and cartridge length no problem with the short action for this chambering in this rifle? Any thoughts on the cartridge? I like to think this might be a rifle that accompanies on a great variety of hunts and builds some memories.

Are you shooting meaty stuff at closer ranges?

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Yes I primarily hunt deer in the east coast and dream of elk hunts.

Personally I think the 7-08 is a better deer cartridge. 90% of the deer I killed in MD were done with a 5.56.......frail critters if shot placement is correct.

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Just re read your post and saw you have a bad barrel, 260REM is a good choice too. 338 is just a little big IMHO

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I will be buying a Model 70 in 7mm-08 and it feels redundant to me to have two, and/or a 308 which is the other easiest barrel swap for this rifle.

243, 260R, 7-08, 308win (and a ton of other lesser known cartridges) all the same case/mag/bolt

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All you need is the barrel to make it work. If you want to change the recoil lug is up to you.

Is the 7-08 caliber new to you?
Just my experience having owned both 7-08 and .308 there aint a hill of beans worth of difference in 'em on a hunting rifle except the 7-08 ammo can be harder to find and more expensive. .308 is available at most any gas station hardware store or big box you walk into and the amount of components and data for handloaders is dizzying.
Just thought I'd throw it out there.
Pitted or not I'd shoot it first and see what you've got before swapping it out. It may surprise you.
Good luck and a .338 Fed has been on my "want to shoot one" list for a while :)

Been hunting and shooting with this rifle for a couple years now. Want to give it a makeover to 338 Fed in a heavier stock and buy a different 7mm-08

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Originally Posted by Doc7

Yes I primarily hunt deer in the east coast and dream of elk hunts.

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Personally I don't think either one is a very good option for an elk gun unless you are committed to limiting yourself to 300 yards max. Sure they could technically go further but big difference shooting paper from a bench and critters from offhand with no time to range or setup for shot. Easy to find yourself in a 600+ yard shot situation.

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I am not a good enough hunter or
Shooter to take a 600 yard shot at an elk!

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Originally Posted by brownb56

Personally I don't think either one is a very good option for an elk gun unless you are committed to limiting yourself to 300 yards max. Sure they could technically go further but big difference shooting paper from a bench and critters from offhand with no time to range or setup for shot. Easy to find yourself in a 600+ yard shot situation.

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Well if that's the case,he would have to work 300yds closer then. No sense taking a 600 yd shot unless you have REALLY practiced at that yardage, in all sorts of conditions. Too many folks it seems are making 1000yd rifles and practicing at 100-200yds. Besides never heard of ANYONE shooting an elk or any other animal offhand at 600yds. Last deer I shot with my '06 offhand was at 50.

NOTHING wrong with the 338 Federal for deer or elk. At 300yds with a Barnes 210gr TSX and you will have a dead elk. Friend and gun store owner has killed several elk at 300yds_+ with his 308 and the TSX bullets. Has not recovered a broadside shot bullet yet.

If after deer, use a 160gr TSX, fast expanding and there will be a blood trail a blind man could follow. It does NOT need to be pushed hard. Big bullets kill easily and with less meat damage usually than lighter faster counterparts.

My '06 load is more than 500+yd capable on elk, but I limit myself to 300yds for anything, because that's the longest I practice.

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Originally Posted by handirifle

Well if that's the case,he would have to work 300yds closer then. No sense taking a 600 yd shot unless you have REALLY practiced at that yardage, in all sorts of conditions. Too many folks it seems are making 1000yd rifles and practicing at 100-200yds. Besides never heard of ANYONE shooting an elk or any other animal offhand at 600yds. Last deer I shot with my '06 offhand was at 50.

NOTHING wrong with the 338 Federal for deer or elk. At 300yds with a Barnes 210gr TSX and you will have a dead elk. Friend and gun store owner has killed several elk at 300yds_+ with his 308 and the TSX bullets. Has not recovered a broadside shot bullet yet.

If after deer, use a 160gr TSX, fast expanding and there will be a blood trail a blind man could follow. It does NOT need to be pushed hard. Big bullets kill easily and with less meat damage usually than lighter faster counterparts.

My '06 load is more than 500+yd capable on elk, but I limit myself to 300yds for anything, because that's the longest I practice.

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I agree, need to practice for what you plan to shoot. Personally keep shots on game under 1,000 but can shoot 1mile+ anytime I want. Perks of living in Wyoming. After 20 years of elk hunting I have seen a lot of things. Good judgement seems to go out the window when adrenaline hits. Notice I also said "personally" in my comment? No idea what his capabilities or intentions are but from the position I have been in over the years it wouldn't work. Would have to watch a lot of elk walk if I was limited to 500 yards.

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Originally Posted by handirifle

If after deer, use a 160gr TSX, fast expanding and there will be a blood trail a blind man could follow. It does NOT need to be pushed hard. Big bullets kill easily and with less meat damage usually than lighter faster counterparts.

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Lighter, flatter shooting bullets save more meat if the shooter applies common sense to their shot placement. Hunters here whack Elk, Moose, and Deer with head shots. THAT is how you save meat. Additionally, Elk are kind of dumb, clumsy animals that aren't particularly hard to sneak up on within 200 yards most of the time. Lots of Guys whack 'em with bows inside 50 yds here.

338 Federal is an amazing cartridge, you will be happy you went with it. I live in the North East myself, have a Ruger m77 in 338 Fed and a DPMS in it as well. Took a nice white tail this fall with the 180 grain Accubond. The Ruger's are known to be a bit longer throated, I load to 2.875 and still jump a bit.

I took my deer at 130 yards, he was quartering towards me. Here is the recovered bullet, it traveled about 23" through him before being recovered in the hide on the far side.

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2016...86da7798bb.jpg

Didn't damage him a hell of a lot meat wise but did make an entrance big enough that he blew this chunk of lung out.

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2016...10baf4c5a6.jpg

Here's the entrance

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2016...b952c21a84.jpg

I love the 338 Federal and can't recommend it enough, you won't be disappointed.

Here's the happy hunter

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2016...99520d79f1.jpg

SHM

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Originally Posted by thatguyshm

338 Federal is an amazing cartridge, you will be happy you went with it. I live in the North East myself, have a Ruger m77 in 338 Fed and a DPMS in it as well. Took a nice white tail this fall with the 180 grain Accubond. The Ruger's are known to be a bit longer throated, I load to 2.875 and still jump a bit.

I took my deer at 130 yards, he was quartering towards me. Here is the recovered bullet, it traveled about 23" through him before being recovered in the hide on the far side.

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2016...86da7798bb.jpg

Didn't damage him a hell of a lot meat wise but did make an entrance big enough that he blew this chunk of lung out.

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2016...10baf4c5a6.jpg

Here's the entrance

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2016...b952c21a84.jpg

I love the 338 Federal and can't recommend it enough, you won't be disappointed.

Here's the happy hunter

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2016...99520d79f1.jpg

SHM

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Certainly effective. Impressive terminal ballistics, those meaty bastards used to stop 20ga slugs in MD. All hopped up on gmo'd feed corn!

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Originally Posted by Mountain Man

Certainly effective. Impressive terminal ballistics, those meaty bastards used to stop 20ga slugs in MD. All hopped up on gmo'd feed corn!

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For sure. I'm not even pushing the AB that hard. I'm at 2735fps. I could easily drop another grain or so of h335 in the case but it worked flawlessly and hit this guy hard, I couldn't have been happier.

SHM

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Originally Posted by Mountain Man

Lighter, flatter shooting bullets save more meat if the shooter applies common sense to their shot placement. Hunters here whack Elk, Moose, and Deer with head shots. THAT is how you save meat. Additionally, Elk are kind of dumb, clumsy animals that aren't particularly hard to sneak up on within 200 yards most of the time. Lots of Guys whack 'em with bows inside 50 yds here.

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After what I have seen over the years I would say a head shot is one of the least ethical shots there is and a greater risk for the animal to get away. A lot of people go for the neck here but not the head. I have seen deer and elk with their jaw blown off or their face split down the middle with a nasty infection. Last headshot I took hit a cow elk 1/4" below the eye with a 7mag at 200 yards. Blew her sinuses out the other side, had to put one in the chest to drop her. If it wasn't for the follow up shot she would have run off wounded and no blood trail.

Maybe the elk are dumber in Idaho, granted the bulls are easier to sneak up on during the rut because they have one thing on their mind. But from what I have observed they are cunning creatures. And if they wind you, you won't get within 500 yards. Usually get and elk every year but not because they are dumb critters easy to kill ;)



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Originally Posted by brownb56

After what I have seen over the years I would say a head shot is one of the least ethical shots there is and a greater risk for the animal to get away. A lot of people go for the neck here but not the head. I have seen deer and elk with their jaw blown off or their face split down the middle with a nasty infection. Last headshot I took hit a cow elk 1/4" below the eye with a 7mag at 200 yards. Blew her sinuses out the other side, had to put one in the chest to drop her. If it wasn't for the follow up shot she would have run off wounded and no blood trail.

Maybe the elk are dumber in Idaho, granted the bulls are easier to sneak up on during the rut because they have one thing on their mind. But from what I have observed they are cunning creatures. And if they wind you, you won't get within 500 yards. Usually get and elk every year but not because they are dumb critters easy to kill ;)



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Yup. Big dumb feral cows that get killed by the hundreds every year by trains in this county alone because they're too lazy to walk in the snow.

A headshot is THE most ethical kill when performed properly. Instant off switch and you can taste the difference in meat that's been killed tensed up in pain vs. meat that simply got unplugged. Deer have an easy 3" circle broadside between the rear brain and the brainstem/upper vertebrae. Double that for elk, 2.5x for moose.

Edit: I should clarify my earlier statement. Elk hunters (horn/trophy) around here take heart/lung shots. Meat hunters take CNS shots. But they are after two different things so it makes sense.

You are really worried about hitting a 6" plate less than 200yd away? Not too many stock savages that won't do that, if the shooter took hunters ed.

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Originally Posted by Mountain Man

Yup. Big dumb feral cows that get killed by the hundreds every year by trains in this county alone because they're too lazy to walk in the snow.

A headshot is THE most ethical kill when performed properly. Instant off switch and you can taste the difference in meat that's been killed tensed up in pain vs. meat that simply got unplugged. Deer have an easy 3" circle broadside between the rear brain and the brainstem/upper vertebrae. Double that for elk, 2.5x for moose.

You are really worried about hitting a 6" plate less than 200yd away? Not too many stock savages that won't do that, if the shooter took hunters ed.

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I just know what I have seen, hit a deer in the face and they are in for a slow agonizing death. I'll risk a little meat loss to make sure they go down on the spot. I did shoot an antelope at the base of the skull with my 7mag this year. But that was the result of a neck shot hitting a little high.http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2016...f87eecfd57.jpg

The behavior of elk in 3-4ft of snow after hunting season is over is night and day different from what it is during hunting season.

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The size of the target of a head and neck isn't the issue from my experience. It is the movement. Most deer species move their head around a lot looking for predators. Their body will stay virtually still while eating and then raising their head to look around. If you fire right as they start to raise or lower or turn the head, you may miss or have a bad shot. A double lung shot is a better, easier target to hit.

Rosewood

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Originally Posted by rosewood

The size of the target of a head and neck isn't the issue from my experience. It is the movement. Most deer species move their head around a lot looking for predators. Their body will stay virtually still while eating and then raising their head to look around. If you fire right as they start to raise or lower or turn the head, you may miss or have a bad shot. A double lung shot is a better, easier target to hit.

Rosewood

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I suppose. Coming from MD, I got to see a ton of dead deer. You could take 40 a year if you hunted all the seasons. Buddies would get crop destruction permits that allowed us to kill 150 in a weekend. When you go from hunting to extermination on a grand scale, you learn a lot about terminal ballistics and what works. We also donated 80% of the meat to homeless shelters/prisons, so not having to carve out potentially lead contAminated meat was a big time saver.

Anyway, 50% were taken with 223s shooting fmjs (cns shots), 30% were taken with 12/20ga slugs from h&r rifled slug guns (shoulder shots-5" exit hole ruins A TON of meat, but some counties only allowed shotguns), the remaining 20% were ear hole shot with 22lr inside 50yds (they just drop-even subsonic aguilas would do the job) and the occasional bow or glock kill if you got close enough. 17hmr killed a few as well.

I guess a lot of my "hunting" experience came from these setups, so my views on ethical kills are much more based on shot placement than knocking the hell out of them. I only "missed" a head shot once with a 204 ruger AR, but the explosive nature of those bullets still severed both main arteries in the neck after hitting low and blowing the jaw off.

I can appreciate your point of view though, it's just not what I learned growing up in an area with major whitetail over population issues.

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If elk will be on you menu soon, I'd look at a WSM.
Barrel and bolt head will get you there. A spare mag will keep you from tweeking the lips back and forth if you are going the switch barrel route. Most elk shots will be 200-500 yards unless you are lucky enough to draw a KY, AR, PA tag. While the 338 Fed will kill at 400 yds, your scope may not have enough travel for a dead on hold.

I have a small shank 300 WSM barrel that I would part with - I'd even discount it if you traded me your 7-08 barrel.

New to the forum here, I am interested to see how this build turns out, I am planning on building a 338 fed out of my SA 223. Is the 300 WSM a short action cartridge?

the 338 fed is an awsome caliber. I've ended up shooting the 160 barnes for deer and caribou. The 200 bullets do a good job as far as that goes but the 160 barnes sitting on re7 (max per barnes) shoots a clover at 100 out of my sako, it is coming out of the tube at around 2900 and recoil isn't as much as a 270 with a 150 grain pill. The savage isn't as good as group it's only a 1 1/8" gun, but it's 1 1/8 rain shine or anything else I've ever took it out in.

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Originally Posted by twchristian

Is the 300 WSM a short action cartridge?

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Yes