7mm-08 Ruger American Rifle

Z

zipspyder

Moderator
Ok, did some research since I'm getting older and want a little less recoil that what I'm currently using and decided on a 7mm-08 Ruger American rifle, mainly because I got a great deal on the Ruger.

Long story short man does that thing have a bark to it using Remington 140GR core lokts. I mean it kicks harder than my .308 with 200gr NP loads. I filled the butt stock with foam and added a bipod for shooting so it weights about 8ish lbs. Does anybody else have any recommendations? Might have to add some lead to it. I was thinking of a aftermarket wood stock but those are dam near the cost of the rifle itself?
 
"Long story short man does that thing have a bark to it using Remington 140GR core lokts."

What kind of hearing protection did you use when shooting that rifle? I've shot the Remington Model 7 a few times in 7-08 and recoil is quite mild. Let me guess, you have a short barrel on that rifle, say 20"?

Long story short, back in 1973 I bought a Remington M660 with 20" barrel. That thing flat out kicked the snot out of me. Even a restock to a full length Mannlicher stock was no help. My kids bought me a set of hearing ear muffs and then time I shot that rifle? OMG! what happened to the kick? I only bring this up because you commented on the loudness of the rifle.

I don't have a 7-08 at this time but do have a rifle in 7x57 Mauser that I load to 7-08 velocity. I wear muffs with all my shooting these days as I'm aabout deaf in my right ear and the left is barely hanging on. I even wear the muffs while hunting for three reasons. They protect what's left of my hearing,enable me to hear game moving around or instructions from my guide if on a guided hunt and last but not least they keep my ears warn when it's 6 above zero on a hunt. :D Anyway, check out what you're using to protect your ears. Might just be the same problem I had when I first got that .308 way back in "73".
Paul B.
 
There simply isn't enough difference between 7-08 and 308 to matter. Assuming equal weight rifles the difference in recoil is splitting hairs. Same with down range performance. The 7-08 is a little better on paper, at 500 yards it'll have about 30 ft lbs more energy and drop about 1" less. I can't justify having both, but could be happy with either.

What you are seeing is a stock that just doesn't fit you. It ain't just about the weight, and adding more won't make much difference. I have a Kimber 308 that is over 2 lbs lighter than your 7-08, and recoil is very manageable because the stock fits me.

You start seeing enough recoil reduction with 260 or 6.5 Creed to make a difference. And no game animal will ever know the difference. I have both 308 and 6.5 Creed rifles in the Ruger American Predator. The heavier barrel combined with the low recoil of the 6.5 makes for a very soft shooter. There is nothing in the lower 48 I'd not hunt with either. The 6.5 Creed essentially matches 270 beyond 200 yards.
 
My 7mm08 is a 700 Ti, total weight about 6.5 pounds with scope, ammo and sling. Good recoil pad; it's no recoil pain at the bench. In the field, zero problem.
 
It's a 22" rifle barrel not a short 20" youth one. The recoil does not hurt it's just sharper than I thought. It has a pretty good stock recoil pad as well. I'm going to remove the bipod and just shoot using bags. I banged a finger on my hand pretty good against a sharp part of the bipod on one shot so I remember that the most. I've come across some other suggestions to try.
 
Long story short man does that thing have a bark to it using Remington 140GR core lokts. I mean it kicks harder than my .308 with 200gr NP loads.
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I have a Remington model in 7-08. One of the early wood stocked models with 18.5 inch barrel and its kicks as much as my buds .270 shooting 150gr loads from the .270 when I am shooting full power 140gr loads from the 7-08. Buts its a really nice rifle to carry around at just 7.25 pounds with a 2x7 scope on it.

I have been loading some Sierra 120gr loads a little less than max and a 15 year old girl used it to kill 4 deer. And thats a small 15 year old girl that stands 5'2" and weighs about 100 pounds.

One time I bought a Remington carbine with a 20" barrel ( I stupidly sold) and it hammered the crap out of me with 150gr factory loads. Then I bought some military surplus and it was even worse. Some on the forums told me I was wrong. A .308 doesn't kick. Well it kicked. After all it is trying to duplicate a 30-06 and do it by using a faster burning powder with a sharper peak burning rate.

On the other hand I have two 7x57 rifles and they are easy to shoot with modern loads and 154gr bullets. And one of the 7x57s is a Remington Mountain rifle that weighs 6.25 pounds unscoped.:confused:

I shoot BP rifles in 50 and 54 caliber and those aren't too bad at all. Even the Great Plains rifle with the steel buttplate from hell.
 
I would suggest using a slip-on recoil pad. Your 7mm-08 is a lot of power for a very light-weight rifle, so it's going to kick as hard as a 30-'06 in a heavier rifle would.
I think the 6.5 Creedmoor is closer to the 25-06 than it is to the 270 Winchester. the 6.5 mm cartridge that most closely matches the 270 Winchester is called the 264 Winchester Magnum. There are two others that I know of that also come very close, namely the 6.5 Norma and the 6.5-06. The Creedmoor has been referred to as, "the 260 Remington done right". I think it's got a lot going for it, but it's no 270 Winchester. I bet it would fit nicely into a Savage 99 action.
 
I filled the butt stock with foam and added a bipod for shooting so it weights about 8ish lbs.
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What kind of "foam" would significantly increase the weight of the rifle? Seems to me adding lead shot or something heavier than foam would be the way to go. What am I missing here?
 
A slip on recoil pad would be the easiest cheapest way to reduce recoil. Another option is to reload your own ammo with a 120grain bullet at ~2700fps...VERY deadly on deer and easy on your shoulder.
 
Recoil is increased or decreased by modifying the weight of the gun, the weight and velocity of your ammo and the amount and makeup of the recoil pad. Your posture can affect the felt recoil as can the fit of the rifle.
To reduce recoil adding lead shot in a metal tube to the butt stock can really help. There are also commercial recoil absorbers that you can buy to install in the stock. One of the best recoil pads out there is the "Limb Saver". Having it fit to you as well as the rifle is better than just buying the pad and installing it. Posture; I'm not your mother but I will tell you truthfully that if you are shooting from a bench and are hunched over the rifle it will kick a lot harder than if you are sitting with your back erect. I always have to lower the seats to get my back vertical at the benches because I use a fore-end rest that doesn't lift my gun high enough to keep my back straight. Your back, in a vertical alignment, can react to recoil with less jarring and pain than if you are hunched over your gun.
You can try any of these as your wallet allows but the one that costs nothing is a great first step.
 
Rifle weight is the most proportional factor and also, there is very little difference between 308 and 7mm/08.

The American is light. Put a lead filled sock or rockite in the stock.
A good slip on pad works well as does the past pad.
 
Another option is to reload your own ammo with a 120grain bullet at ~2700fps...VERY deadly on deer and easy on your shoulder.
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Exact same thing I suggested in post #6. And shootistPRS is dead on on keeping your back straight. Get away from the bench and go out in the field where you can practice shooting from a field position and I bet 75% of your recoil problem goes away. And you don't need lighter bullets to do it either.
 
Foam adds no weight just helps make it sturdy in the buttstock. A lot of people recommend it. Pretty much any expandable foam for filling cracks. Might absorb some recoil but can't prove it by me. Take off the recoil pad and they have a small piece of Styrofoam in there about a 1/8 size of the empty space in it. Wanted to keep it light as possible but I might have to insert some lead strips into the foam to help. Keep in mind it's an entry level bolt action gun at a good price so I expected what I got.

I've got some recoil managed Remington 140's coming so I will try that. I can shoot the gun the way it is with regular ammo, I was just surprised the first time shooting it.

Thanks for the help guys. I wanted to stick with the 140's if possible to be consistent and reloading is an option if it comes to that. The forearm grip is kind of slippery and was concerned about pounding my fingers/knuckles into the bipod as well but I think I'll just remove it.

Below is almost exactly what I'm using. It has a good recoil pad already.

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Does it have to be a 7-08? Its a nice round but you mention recoil. Ever think about the 6.5 CM. It will do anything the 7-08 will, but with less recoil.

I have a Ruger American Predator in 6.5 CM. Wanted a light rifle for deer/antelope. Found out that little RAP shoots as good as my wife's Ruger Precision in 6.5 CM. So close in fact after my wife tried my RAP I had to buy her one (in 204 Ruger though).

Regardless whether you go with the 6.5 CM or the 7-08, the Ruger Rifles are threaded for a Brake. You'll see a huge reduction in recoil with a muzzle brake.

My wife even had me put one on her 204 RAP. It eliminates all muzzle whip in that little rifle.
 
@ T.O'Heir, yup that is an option but holding off for now.

@ kraigwy I was focused on the 7mm-08 and did overlook the 6.5 CM. Are you sure the American rifles are threaded, I didn't think these entry level ones were? There is a clamp on one you can purchase.
 
I've been shooting an American in 6.5 Creedmore quite a lot, and it seems like very mild recoil to me. I shoot the 123 Hornady's out of it and it has accounted for a fair amount of deer and hogs so far. It is threaded at the muzzle, but I haven't bothered to do anything with that so far. Consistent 1/2 inch shooter from the bench and a pleasure to shoot.
 
This is odd. First time I have heard one bad thing about recoil in a 7-08. In equal weight rifles I would think the recoil in the 7-08 would be less than the 308 for no other reason than lighter bullet's. have you considered a wood stock? It should add weight. The craze for light rifle's sound's like it backfired this time.
 
If you like the 7-08 and the 140 gr bullets, you can take up reloading and just load down a bit. Or, get someone else to load ammo for you. Or, as someone suggested, just go to a lighter bullet. In my 260 I shoot 100 gr Nosler BT's and 120 gr BT's, and there is a noticeable increase in recoil with the 120's, though recoil is still less than full power loads in my heavier 270 with 130 gr Noslers.

So if you don't want to reload, try the 120 gr bullets in your 7-08. The deer won't know the difference.
 
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