Rechamber to 7mag or similar?

[brotherjack]

What I want, is a NEF Super-light rifle (the 5lb variant), in a caliber of some significant "whop" for hunting elk (among other things) way back up in the mountains (even my 7lb Winchester 88 seems a heavy after a day of climbing in the mountains).   308 or 30-06 would far and away be my preference, but NEF doesn't make a Super-light in either of those calibers.    The biggest they go is a 7-08 barrel, which is pretty much on the low end of what I might feel comfy with for shooting an elk at potentially a good long ways away - and I'd have to get into reloading if I wanted some heavy (168/175 grain) bullets (and I have no significant interest in reloading).  (and yes, I know a little about sectional density, and how a lighter bullet in a smaller caliber is supposedly just as good, but heavier is still better, IMHO, especially at longer ranges when the velocity has come way down)

So, I had the (possibly insane?) idea of having the 7-08 variation of the SuperLight re-chambered for something with more power - the 7mag being the most obvious choice for it being so common as a caliber.

Which brings me to my question: is there anything that would make this a terrible or unsafe idea?   I see a max pressure rating on the 7mag of 52,000 CUP, which is just very slightly more than the 7-08 (50,000 CUP), and about on par with a 35 Whelen (which is available in the usual 7lb Handi).    Not to mention, I would be shooting factory loads, which I would suspect as being well below the max listed pressures.  So, it would seem that the pressures involved wouldn't over-stress a Handi frame (or am I missing something?  is max pressure not the only factor to consider here?).

Or is perhaps the chamber steel around the chamber cut down on the SuperLight rifles to a degree, that an extra 2,000 CUP would be exceeding the safety standards of the barrel/chamber itself?   I know magnum rounds loose velocity because of shorter barrels worse than standard rounds - would I have lost so much velocity with the 20" barrel that the 7mag is going to be down near the 7-08 for velocity data anyway?

And yes, I've thought about the fact that such a rifle at 5lbs (or around 6lbs with a light scope and ammo holder on the stock) would probably have a kick like a freight train.   But, other than sight-in, I'd only probably ever shoot 2-3 rounds a year with the 7mag barrel on it (under hunting conditions, in which case I don't expect to notice the recoil at all) - the rest of the time I'd shoot it with a barrel in probably 243 or maybe even 223.

Any thoughts/ideas/discussion you may have on this topic are welcome, as long as they're vaguely related to what I'm suggesting here.

Thanks in advance for your input, and apologies if I'm pretty ignorant of the issues which may be involved here - Really - I'm smart enough to learn if you can explain it to me in small words and short sentences.   

[brotherjack]

Or an additional thought I just had, looking up some ballistic data on things in the .284 diameter class, a 280 Remington looks like it might be a better choice in the shorter barrel, and the max CUP looks to be in line with the 7-08....

Thanks again for any of you who are giving this some thought.   I look forward to your feedback.

[quickdtoo]

You'd have to check with our Handi rechamber/rebore expert, Wayne York(see the Rechamber Special at the top of the index) on the 7mag possibility, but there is no 7mm-08 Superlight barrel, the one listed on the acc barrel list on the web site and in the acc barrel pamphlets is a typo, the 7mm08 barrel is a standard contour,see the Superlight rifle descriptions, no 7mm-08. You'd have to have a Hornet, .223 or .243 barrel bored and rechambered to 7mag to make one, Wayne would be the one to make the determination that it could be done safely.  He'll need the muzzle diameter of one of the 3 donor barrels if anyone can offer that info.

An option that he may be able to do is to turn a 7-08 or .280 barrel down for ya to lighten it, then rechamber it.

Tim

http://hr1871.com/Firearms/Rifles/handiRifle.aspx

[brotherjack]

Oh, I didn't realize that was a typo....  Bummer....  I figured it was just a barrel they had available that wasn't currently on any shipping rifles (kind of like the 7.62x39 is available on rifles in stores, but not listed in the barrel acc program)     Definitely nothing in the .243 diameter family that has enough 'oomph' to whack an elk with at anything other than what you would call 'close range' (IMHO).

What's the usual price for having one bored out and re-chambered and such?   Would I be talking enough dollars I might as well buy that little used Kimber 84M in 308 I've been eyeing (and 308 is a caliber I like much better than a 7mm of any flavour anyway)?    Or, for that matter, could a .243 Super-Light barrel be bored out/re-chambered for a .308 or 30-06, as long as we're talking about going to all the trouble...

Thanks.

[quickdtoo]

You'd have to talk to or email Wayne, but plan on about $300 for a rebore/rechamber plus ejector work, that's what I paid for both of my rebores.

btw, the 7.62x39 is no longer made, it's been discontinued in any form.

Tim

[OHHJIMMY]

Buy the Kimber. Or, just throwing out an idea, buy the Handi 7-08 and try some hotter factory loads such as the Hornady light magnums?

[quickdtoo]

Even the syn stocked 7mm-08 with a lightweight scope will still weigh about 8lbs, light, but not as light as brotherjack is looking for.

Tim

[brotherjack]

Yea, I'm dreaming of a rifle that comes in closer to 6lbs, including scope and ammo.

[quickdtoo]

Yeah, the frame and syn butt stock alone weigh about 3lb-10oz, doesn't leave much wiggle room for the rest. I'd seriously ask Wayne what a shortened 26" .280 Rem barrel that's been turned to reduced weight would cost ya., no rebore or rechamber, and ballistics not that far from 7mag.  I don't know if he could flute it, or if it would reduce much weight, something else to ask.

Tim

[Swageall]

xxx

[MSP Ret]

I have a .280 Handi with a cut down 19" barrel some here know as "Thunderboomer", it is currently wearing a synthetic Survivor buttstock and Survivor "storarm forearm", is mounted with a Simmons Red Dot and has a lightwieght sling on it. I get the wieght at about 6.0 to 6.5 lbs on 2 different bathroom scales. The barrel is quite thick in those first 19 inches and I am sure you could trim some wieght by putting it on a lathe....but at just over 6 lbs. and with the Survivor pistol grip stock it carries very easily. You could just get the .280, not worry about spending any money on rechambering and spend a little on shortening and turning the barrel if you wanted. The .280 is more than enough for your needs, it's a great efficient cartirdge with fine factory loadings and many, many bullets available for the reloader....<><....

[Fred M]

Just rechamber the 7mm-08 super light to 280AI with a .469 shoulder. She will kick you. Or a standard 284 Win may work too.

[quickdtoo]

Fred, there is no 7mm-08 superlight barrel! And he only shoots factory ammo!! Did ya forget to put your readin glasses on???

Tim

but there is no 7mm-08 Superlight barrel, the one listed on the acc barrel list on the web site and in the acc barrel pamphlets is a typo, the 7mm08 barrel is a standard contour,see the Superlight rifle descriptions, no 7mm-08.

(and I have no significant interest in reloading)

[Fred M]

Yah, my catheracs given me a hard time, for sure, and my reading glasses are nxg.

Thanks for the heads up.

[myarmor]

Just rechamber the 7mm-08 super light to 280AI with a .469 shoulder. She will kick you. Or a standard 284 Win may work too.

I thought the same exact thing too when I first started reading this thread. A 280 AI or improved will certainly come close to 7Mag performace, and has been seen do-able in a Handi. But if he's not going to reload for it, that rules that out completely. To each his own.

Something like MSP's 280 shortened would be an option too, however I personally think if a 280 is shortened too much, then it looses the actual advantage with the extra case capacity to burn slower powders over the 7mm-08. So in the long run, perhaps a turned down 7mm-08 barrel would be better suited if he's stuck on a 7mm
I don't think Wayne would do a 7Mag in a Handi, as I remember asking him about what calibers are do-able in a Handi thread awhile back. But an extra email wouldn't hurt.
I don't have too much experiance with Magnum calibers, only 2. But as stated earlier the loss of barrel length would affect velocity, and not to mention having such a lightweight barrel in high pressure "magnum" calibers might make for more challenges in accuracy than what it's worth.... Just a thought.

-Aaron