Arming a Minion

[Denis]

I wish I had some minions! I usually just boss myself around

[First Shirt]

So, I'm loading up some 120 gr. spitzers, to a nominal 2600 fps, and some 154 gr. RN at about 2200 fps (in deference to Denis's suggestion of a .30/30) and we'll try them out this weekend.

Now, to get a stock down to 11 or 11.5" LOP....

[PawPaw]

So, I'm loading up some 120 gr. spitzers, to a nominal 2600 fps, and some 154 gr. RN at about 2200 fps (in deference to Denis's suggestion of a .30/30) and we'll try them out this weekend.

Now, to get a stock down to 11 or 11.5" LOP....

A 154 RN at 2200 has knocked over a lot of game.

[blackeagle603]

I learned to love the old RN Winchester silvertips growing up. Held together on close shots when others might come apart. Expanded reliably at longer range/lower velocity. At least (right or wrongly) that was the lesson learned at the time on limited set of data.

[Denis]

...in deference to Denis's suggestion of a .30/30...

Glad to be of service. Enjoy the loading, and let us know what junior minion makes of the levergun.

This thread inspired me to get some trigger-time on my CZ527, so I brought it to the range tonight. There, two of our lady shooters, neither of whom would tip the scales at 80lbs, fully-dressed and soaking wet, got a look at it, pronounced it "a cute little gun", and promptly blew through a 50-box of S&B ammunition. You should have seen the grins, mine included. I warned them it would be a bit louder indoors than the .22s with which they have been practising, but downplayed recoil as a mere function of noise - they were not bothered in the slightest.

I also discovered that I find the combination of my Burris medium rings and my newly-arrived Vortex Viper 2-7 scope a tad high for a good cheek weld (I have a short neck!), which led me to look for "low" CZ527 rings. It seems Millet once made some, but I can't find any for sale now, and a backorder from Midway says September 2015! That led me to Mr James Calhoun, who makes custom-chambered 527s, special scope rings, and also sells a modified bolt handle, to clear low scopes.

Deeper and deeper down the rabbit hole I go...

I learned to love the old RN Winchester silvertips growing up.

I haven't used the RN ones, but the regular180-grain Silvertips are what I use in my main hunting rifle, because the factory eXpert loads group best in it. With the exception of one box that showed bullet expansion failure signs (straight-through shots on game when they should have mushroomed), I have had superb results with the silvertips for many years.

[Lokidude]

Not a whole lot of things out there that a good shot from a .243 or a .257 Roberts won't park. Never shot a 7mm-08 myself, but a former boss had one that his son and wife (both pretty slight) bagged deer or elk with every year.

[First Shirt]

...in deference to Denis's suggestion of a .30/30...

Glad to be of service. Enjoy the loading, and let us know what junior minion makes of the levergun.

Oh, no! Junior minion isn't getting a levergun; I've got two Winchester 30-30s, but neither is particularly.... minion-friendly.

But you got me to thinking (dangerous, I know) and I dug around and found an old box of Hornady 154 gr. RN softpoint bullets in .284 diameter. A quick excursion into the loading manuals and I found a 30-30 equivalent load for the 7/08. Should give about 2200 fps, and if it's accurate enough, might make the 7/08 a more suitable choice for a mini-minion!

[Denis]

A quick excursion into the loading manuals and I found a 30-30 equivalent load for the 7/08. Should give about 2200 fps, and if it's accurate enough, might make the 7/08 a more suitable choice for a mini-minion!

Aha. Ingenious!

[First Shirt]

No. Cheap and lazy.

[PawPaw]

But you got me to thinking (dangerous, I know) and I dug around and found an old box of Hornady 154 gr. RN softpoint bullets in .284 diameter. A quick excursion into the loading manuals and I found a 30-30 equivalent load for the 7/08. Should give about 2200 fps, and if it's accurate enough, might make the 7/08 a more suitable choice for a mini-minion!

If my inclinations are correct, you're going to find a dandy load for the junior minion. Light recoil, superb accuracy, and it will take game with authority. As I said earlier, there's a lot to like in a 154 at ~2200 fps.