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MapleHill
.375 Holland & Holland Magnum Joined: 01 January 2016 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 742 |
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Posted: 31 December 2020 at 16:13 |
Here it is, just picked it up this afternoon before they closed the shop. I took a plain jane 700SPS in 243 down to Hart 1/18/20. I wanted a handy, accurate, relatively light hunting rifle. Hardest part was picking the chambering, I was debating a 260 or 7mm08 and possibly AI. They talked me out of AI at the shop, the 308 family does not gain much and they don't feed as well with the sharper shoulder. OK, so after looking around the reloading room I decided on a 7mm08. I got lots of brass and components and I am a sucker for the 7mms. So the final stats are. 22" fluted 1-8.5 twist #5 contour (standard Rem barrel contour), Macmillian Hunter molded brown woodland camo, trued and blueprinted action, tuned factory trigger, all metal cerakoted sniper black. I got it home and mounted the VX3 4.5-14X40. I don't have a scale but my guess it @7.5lbs. It fits me perfect, balanced perfectly, not too light, not too heavy...ready for Eastern Whitetails, MT mulies and maybe WY antelope!! Range report to come
Edited by MapleHill - 31 December 2020 at 16:15 |
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BEAR
Administrator Joined: 07 September 2013 Location: Appalachian Mtn Status: Offline Points: 13734 |
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Looks great.
I'm a 260 guy, but 7-08 duplicates my 7x57 so good to go. wow a year wait.
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“ The IQ and the life expectancy of the average American recently passed each other in opposite directions.”
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Wing master
Administrator AKA StraightShooter Joined: 10 June 2003 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 7481 |
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Very nice. I'm thinking that could turn into a go to hunting rifle.
I'm looking forward to your range report. Wing master
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I have always considered myself to be quite the bullshitter, But ocasionally it is nice to sit back and listen to a true professional......So, Carry on.
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MapleHill
.375 Holland & Holland Magnum Joined: 01 January 2016 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 742 |
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First report!! Got a quick load thrown together to sight it in. Took it out to the range and it wouldn't extract spent shells...or any shells very reliable. Dang, called Hart...bring it right back in! OK, I'll get it back ASAP, but first gotta shoot it. Sight in load was decent, MOA was pretty easy. OK, loaded up some test loads with Varget. There we go, .75" 4 shot groups with 2 loads, and all 5 groups were no larger than 1-1/4. Looks promising. This was with 140gr Sierra ProHunters and once fired brass, nothing fancy. So this morning I stopped at Hart and Jim put in a new extractor and reamed the throat on a Ruger 77 Hawkeye I have in 257 Rob so I can seat the bullets longer. Brought them back home tonight after work, done deal. In a nutshell, I highly recommend Hart. They are real people running a family business. When you call you talk to a person (Karen Hart) that knows what she does, logisitics, pricing, lead times, etc. If you have a technical question she gets Jim Hart or their BIL Jack. They are the people that do the work. The 4th generation Hart family are working in the shop now.
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jsgbearpaws1
.416 Rigby Joined: 02 March 2013 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3599 |
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A little load work and it sounds like you have a winner for sure.
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...oh yeah! thats gonna hurt!
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Wing master
Administrator AKA StraightShooter Joined: 10 June 2003 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 7481 |
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That's great customer service.
It looks like with a little work you might have a 1/2 -3/4 minute gun. Wing master
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I have always considered myself to be quite the bullshitter, But ocasionally it is nice to sit back and listen to a true professional......So, Carry on.
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MapleHill
.375 Holland & Holland Magnum Joined: 01 January 2016 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 742 |
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Yes, for sure Wing. I chatted with Jim for over an hour when I picked them up the other evening. We actually talked DIY hunting more than anything. Of note, I took a newish Ruger 77 Hawkeye 257Rbt to him to ream the throat, like I said above. I asked him what would it cost me to rechamber it to 257AI while he had it. Bottom line, he wouldn't. He said due to lack of quality in some factory barrels he won't rechamber one barrel. He said he has done it a couple times with unsatisfactory results, ie crooked chamber, funky threads, etc. He rebarreled said rifles at his cost because with his name on it it had to be right, even if the barrel wasn't his work to begin with. As disappointed as I was that he wouldn't do it, I respect his commitment to quality.
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BEAR
Administrator Joined: 07 September 2013 Location: Appalachian Mtn Status: Offline Points: 13734 |
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I have a Ruger 77 in roberts; many times thought to ream it to AI.
But after thought, it doesn't seem to be worth the effort, little velocity improvement. once you do ist, you them have a wildcat gun and reload daata isn't relialble available. So internet AI loads are used. They only show improvement if they are above Sammi Pressures, even if the reloader doesn't know it. One could get the same placejust hot rodding the Roberts. Seems ignorance of the pressure is fine for some. AI only really have value on cases with long taper, like 300 H&H, 303 Brit, 30-40, etc I think Hart gave you good advise. Just thoughts
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“ The IQ and the life expectancy of the average American recently passed each other in opposite directions.”
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MapleHill
.375 Holland & Holland Magnum Joined: 01 January 2016 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 742 |
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Bear, with everything I have read AI the 257 is one of the few that really shows improvement. And I have several newer manuals with 257AI data. But, you have to fireform brass, which, according to said manuals, is easy enough. Actually, Jim is a big fan of the AI in most calibers, just not doing it to factory barrels. Either way, I am a big fan of the 257, I have 3 rifles chambered in such. I like this one and plan to hunt with it. Working on a load for it now.
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