308 or 7-08?

tomL

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I was just in WSS and supposed to pick up the last of the Marlin XS7c in 7-08.
However the box was mis-labelled and the gun was stamped 308.

The barrel is 30 cal.(7 mm bullet slides right through). The twist is 1 in 12 (right for 308). The full length sized 308 case can go into the chamber. But I am thinking if the factory has used a 7-08 reamer in a 30 cal. barrel, a 308 case can go in also.

What else can I do to make sure I have a 308 and not a bastardized 7-08?


Tom
 
bring it back, its obviously a 308

A sized 308 brass with no bullet will go into a 7-08 chamber
 
Sounds like you bought a 308. If you were determined to have the 7-08, I would suggest taking it back and having them look for another in stock somewhere in the country...
 
You won't be dissapointed with that Marlin, esp in 308. Save youself the hassle and keep the gun. It's obvious someone mixed up the boxes with another rifle. No man or game could tell the practical difference between a 7/08 and 308.

I tried a while back to buy a Marlin XS7C in 308 from WSS and they informed me that they were sold out. Guess you got the last one. ;)


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You won't be dissapointed with that Marlin, esp in 308. Save youself the hassle and keep the gun. It's obvious someone mixed up the boxes with another rifle. No man or game could tell the practical difference between a 7/08 and 308.

I tried a while back to buy a Marlin XS7C in 308 from WSS and they informed me that they were sold out. Guess you got the last one. ;)


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I actually bought the gun knowing full well that it is not a 7-08. I can deal with a 308 also.

What I don't want is a gun that they used the 7-08 reamer in a 30 cal. barrel.
The difference in the case dimension is very minimal, however still a little difference. And a 308 case will go in because the barrel is 30 cal.

However Shane from Reliable suggested that if a 7-08 reamer was used it would not have a proper pilot in a 30 cal. barrel therefore creating a chamber that it would be > .008" in concentricity. I created a fire-formed case and the chamber is concentric. Therefore a true 308. Only a labelling mistake.

Thanks for everything. Tom
 
Does the serial number on the gun match the same on the box?

If not, it's a box mix up and I'd think you could safely assume you have a proper 308.

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If you have a 7mm-08 cartridge or brass try to chamber it. If the bolt closes it was cut for a 7mm-08 as they are slightly longer to the shoulder of the brass. If you can't close the bolt it is cut for the 308win.

That is a good suggestion.

The bolt will close with difficulty with a sized 7-08 case inspite of the extra room afforded by the 30 cal. barrel. Tom
 
It is a 308, period. A 308 case will NOT chamber in a 7-08 rifle, period. There is a .027" difference in outside neck dia. Also "shortaction" you are mistaken as the 7-08 case is NOT longer in the headspace dimension, it is identical to the 308 and a 7-08 case will most certainly chamber in a 308 chamber.
IF this rifle were in fact, a 30 cal barrel chambered with a 7-08 reamer you would never be able to chamber a 308 case or factory load as the neck and throat dimensions would never allow it. The neck cutting section of the reamer would have only just throated the neck area at .3155" and the throat would not be touched at all. The outside neck dimension for a 308 is .3435".
There is just no way in hell you are going to convince a .3435" neck to go into a .3155" hole.
I don't care how many times you size that 308 case, even if you take out the expander ball, it ain't going into a 7-08 chamber till you run it through the 7-08, 260 or 243 die.
These are the cold hard facts of the matter, period.
 
It is a 308, period. A 308 case will NOT chamber in a 7-08 rifle, period. There is a .027" difference in outside neck dia. Also "shortaction" you are mistaken as the 7-08 case is NOT longer in the headspace dimension, it is identical to the 308 and a 7-08 case will most certainly chamber in a 308 chamber.
IF this rifle were in fact, a 30 cal barrel chambered with a 7-08 reamer you would never be able to chamber a 308 case or factory load as the neck and throat dimensions would never allow it. The neck cutting section of the reamer would have only just throated the neck area at .3155" and the throat would not be touched at all. The outside neck dimension for a 308 is .3435".
There is just no way in hell you are going to convince a .3435" neck to go into a .3155" hole.
I don't care how many times you size that 308 case, even if you take out the expander ball, it ain't going into a 7-08 chamber till you run it through the 7-08, 260 or 243 die.
These are the cold hard facts of the matter, period.

Thanks. That makes sense. Tom
 
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It is a .308. If 7-08 reamer had been used, the neck would not have been cut in the barrel as the 7-08 neck is to small in diameter, and you could not chamber a factory .308 cartridge..

Barrels are made on automated machinery. A batch is made at a time, then stamped. Then these barrels are fitted to the actions and stocks.

What Marlin really needs is someone who can use a Labelling Machine properly. What seems to have happened here is that the worker who runs the Labelling Machine typed in 7-08 instead of .308, was lazy and did not check for a previous setting or pushed the wrong button much like someone at Tim Hortons pushing the wrong button on the cash register and your donut comes out with egg and bacon on it.

It could be a single one, or there could be a whole days production of .308 rifles mislabelled as 7-08. Like computers, Labelling Machines are subject to the Garbage In=Garbage Out Syndrome.

I would definitely e-mail Marlin and let them know of this. WSS went by the label on the box and believed it was a 7-08, and the rifle was not checked in the store when bought as to calibre. If you really have your heart set on a 7-08 then exchange it. However, the .308 Winchester will take almost any Game Animal in North America, but for the Big Brown Furries I would prefer a larger calibre.
 
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