Upgrade short action or buy long action

[Millwood21]

I’ll shoot you an email then

 

[nobody]

I'll echo what has been shared above regarding keeping your rifles but upgrading your scopes.

The main thing I would recommend you consider is ensuring your weapon system is NEVER the deciding factor for which you can't make a shot, on a game animal or on a target. That 7mm-08 will perform handsomely on game to 700-ish with the correct bullet selection.

Choose a bullet to shoot from your 7mm-08 that will work on game at long and short distance, something A-La ELDX/ELDM/TMK-esque. Something that will upset and do damage at higher velocity on closer shots, and expand reliably at lower velocity on longer shots. You say you'll "never shoot beyond 4-500 yards," but make sure the reason you don't shoot beyond that is YOU, not because your bullet won't perform at those distances.

Choose a scope that will allow you to shoot at distance if you ever decide you want to. You don't need a nighforce NX8 4-32 to kill game at 200 yards, but a 3-9 duplex reticle in a $200 Leupold Rifleman from Walmart will 10000000% hold you back if you ever even wanna target practice. Pick up a reliable, repeatable, durable scope in the 2-10, 3-9, 4-12, 4-16 range and mount it up in some quality rings and then learn to use it. While hunting back home for whitetails, you NEVER need to touch the turrets if you don't want to, but on a play day at the range you have the option to dial and shoot. And if you ever get super into the western big game scene, you have a rifle scope that will allow you to take the longer shots if needed.

Bottom line, YOU should be the only reason you choose to not take a shot at any distance. Whether that's a 200 yards or 2000 yards is irrelevant. IMO, there's no reason your weapon's system shouldn't be capable of 1k yard target shooting or 750 yards on game, even if you think you'll never use it for that. I thought that when I got my first creedmoor, and after about 4 months, I was swapping out optics and adjusting triggers and doing all the stuff I said was "unnecessary."

You have a fine cartridge in that 7mm-08, no need to make any changes. Remember the old adage, "beware the man with one rifle, he probably knows how to use it." Swap out the scope and rings and make this your proverbial "one rifle" setup, and learn to use it efficiently. If you get confident on targets to 800-1k, then the first time you hunt Colorado 3rd season mule deer and a buck steps out a 546 yards, you'll be confident in taking that shot. Say nothing of the Whitetails back home, you'll be a menace!

Good luck!

 

[Millwood21]

I'll echo what has been shared above regarding keeping your rifles but upgrading your scopes.

The main thing I would recommend you consider is ensuring your weapon system is NEVER the deciding factor for which you can't make a shot, on a game animal or on a target. That 7mm-08 will perform handsomely on game to 700-ish with the correct bullet selection.

Choose a bullet to shoot from your 7mm-08 that will work on game at long and short distance, something A-La ELDX/ELDM/TMK-esque. Something that will upset and do damage at higher velocity on closer shots, and expand reliably at lower velocity on longer shots. You say you'll "never shoot beyond 4-500 yards," but make sure the reason you don't shoot beyond that is YOU, not because your bullet won't perform at those distances.

Choose a scope that will allow you to shoot at distance if you ever decide you want to. You don't need a nighforce NX8 4-32 to kill game at 200 yards, but a 3-9 duplex reticle in a $200 Leupold Rifleman from Walmart will 10000000% hold you back if you ever even wanna target practice. Pick up a reliable, repeatable, durable scope in the 2-10, 3-9, 4-12, 4-16 range and mount it up in some quality rings and then learn to use it. While hunting back home for whitetails, you NEVER need to touch the turrets if you don't want to, but on a play day at the range you have the option to dial and shoot. And if you ever get super into the western big game scene, you have a rifle scope that will allow you to take the longer shots if needed.

Bottom line, YOU should be the only reason you choose to not take a shot at any distance. Whether that's a 200 yards or 2000 yards is irrelevant. IMO, there's no reason your weapon's system shouldn't be capable of 1k yard target shooting or 750 yards on game, even if you think you'll never use it for that. I thought that when I got my first creedmoor, and after about 4 months, I was swapping out optics and adjusting triggers and doing all the stuff I said was "unnecessary."

You have a fine cartridge in that 7mm-08, no need to make any changes. Remember the old adage, "beware the man with one rifle, he probably knows how to use it." Swap out the scope and rings and make this your proverbial "one rifle" setup, and learn to use it efficiently. If you get confident on targets to 800-1k, then the first time you hunt Colorado 3rd season mule deer and a buck steps out a 546 yards, you'll be confident in taking that shot. Say nothing of the Whitetails back home, you'll be a menace!

Good luck!

Great advice. Practice practice practice. I wouldn’t take a shot I don’t feel confident in. Whether it be distance or the way the shot has to be made etc. When I get the scope for the job I will def start practicing distance so if I ever wanted to take those shots it would be just as you said. Anything less than the practice mark is made a lot easier. And I would rather buy a better scope for the application than be left wanting more later on and needing to buy again to please my needs and wants! Kinda where I’m at now.

 

[nobody]

Great advice. Practice practice practice. I wouldn’t take a shot I don’t feel confident in. Whether it be distance or the way the shot has to be made etc. When I get the scope for the job I will def start practicing distance so if I ever wanted to take those shots it would be just as you said. Anything less than the practice mark is made a lot easier. And I would rather buy a better scope for the application than be left wanting more later on and needing to buy again to please my needs and wants! Kinda where I’m at now.

The old adage of "buy nice or buy twice!" It's painful in the moment but you'll be so grateful long term.

This one would serve you well without breaking the bank or being overly cumbersome. It would be a great compromise without ever holding you back:

https://www.nightforceoptics.com/riflescopes/shv/shv-4-14x50-f1/

Pick up a 20 MOA Rail and some good rings (Nightforce Ultralight or Seekins or something similar), a wheeler fat wrench, some acetone and loctite and mount it up and go shoot!

Only other thing to consider on the 700 is a trigger upgrade, especially if you have the original trigger in it. Outside of that, just run what you have!

 

[Ducks N' Bucks]

What scope or scopes would you recommend.
Was leaning toward adding a vx5 to it one day possibly so may just do that and save my money on a new rifle. But just not sure what scope would be ideal for this rifle.

I really like my nightforce, mine is the NX8 4-32x50 and its about 1.8lbs. Its on the heavy side and its not cheap. I have not personally looked through any Leupolds but have heard great things about the VX-5HD and the VX-3HD

 

[Millwood21]

The old adage of "buy nice or buy twice!" It's painful in the moment but you'll be so grateful long term.

This one would serve you well without breaking the bank or being overly cumbersome. It would be a great compromise without ever holding you back:

https://www.nightforceoptics.com/riflescopes/shv/shv-4-14x50-f1/

Pick up a 20 MOA Rail and some good rings (Nightforce Ultralight or Seekins or something similar), a wheeler fat wrench, some acetone and loctite and mount it up and go shoot!

Only other thing to consider on the 700 is a trigger upgrade, especially if you have the original trigger in it. Outside of that, just run what you have!

I dont have an upgraded trigger. May put that on the list!

 

[Millwood21]

I really like my nightforce, mine is the NX8 4-32x50 and its about 1.8lbs. Its on the heavy side and its not cheap. I have not personally looked through any Leupolds but have heard great things about the VX-5HD and the VX-3HD

Ive always had Leupold's. so has my dad so i followed along. But im not oppsed to try something new. As i see they arent the toughest on the market.

 

[nobody]

I dont have an upgraded trigger. May put that on the list!

12/10, would highly recommend

 

[Ducks N' Bucks]

Ive always had Leupold's. so has my dad so i followed along. But im not oppsed to try something new. As i see they arent the toughest on the market.

If you want a smaller size scope, the Nightforce NXS – 2.5-10x42mm could be a good option