I'm thinking of applying the Creedmore/458 advice to a 308 in a Kimber Hunter.

The Kimber Hunter short action 84M is also chambered for a 257Roberts. (Nice to see the old round in a modern rifle.) And to the point: the Roberts case is about .22" longer than a 308Win. I am hoping that the magazine may allow one to seat TTSX bullets out an extra .1" inch with a crimp on the second Barnes grooves. The should end up with a 2.9" COL and more importantly, the extra grain or so of powder could add 50-60fps in comparison to what a grain of powder does in that small cartridge. If so, the 308 would be almost a half-step toward a 30-06 and in the little lightweight Kimber package.

Of course, the SAAMI COL of the 257Roberts in only 2.78", but many handloaders routinely load the Roberts to +P loads in modern rifles and I am hoping that Kimber has included a little extra space in the magazines without advertizing this. I won't see one until mid-November.

Any thoughts?


PS: Yes, I'll cross post in Reloading, since this is not a .458 issue.
PPS: the point is to maximize the lightest affordable platform for a guest/grandkid rifle in Africa. Some less-than-max loads would also be tested and provided for the kids.

Mrs Blacktailer's Super America will not allow the cartridges to be any longer than SAAMI specs. Don't even think about touching the lands. Unless of course you just want a single shot.

Thanks, Blacktailer.

That takes away extra questions, assuming Mrs Blacktailer has an 84M action. (The SuperAmerica is a pretty rifle. The website tab only works with 308 today so maybe my question on the 84M is superfluous. Twist is listed as 12", so that suggests more reasonable lighter weights, too.)

I may also try some GSC bullets, and they do not have problems with one other item above, and that is touching the lands. Many bullets need special treatment as the lands are touched. I'll just have to wait and see what the rifle can do. I'm currently leaning to the theory that fast mono's would be good all around, so I'll try 130gn Barnes and GSC, with 150 and 168 also tested as alternates.