Why not just get your other "primary" rifle in 7mm-08? I do believe it is available in that caliber.

If the composite stock doesn't shoot any better than the wood stocked 84 I had, is a fancy boat anchor IMHO. I HAD a .243 84 wood stock, didn't feel good, didn't shoot good, I found it a new home.

You may have had one of the old Kimber of Oregon rifles. They were made by the same people who own the current kimber company but those earlier rifles were really, really bad and pretty expensive at the time. When they went out of business someone came in and bought all the remaining rifles and sold them for around $300 each. I've seen a few for sale on this site that were from the old kimber company that were sold to people who thought they were getting a quality product and they paid a quality price. The newer ones are better but the sako is twice the rifle, IMO.

I've owned 3 model 7's and 2 ruger compacts. The model 7's would out shoot the rugers I had any day. Im not saying the rugers wouldnt shoot good im just saying the remington would shoot 1 ragged hole and the best i ever got out of the rugers was a 1.5" group BUT i only tried 2 kinds of ammo in them. The model 7's were more comfortable to shoot and the rugers were to small for me to shoot comfortably. The rugers were more of a pleasure to carry due to their smaller size. Overall if I had to pick one of those for ME to hunt with it would be the model 7 hands down. It just overall fit ME better...

The Kimber felt like a Ruger to me. I'm pretty tall and hold my head more straight up than most when shooting. The drop and length of pull just doesn't feel good on a Kimber or Ruger to me, not comfortable at all.

That's the same problem I had with it. When I shouldered the ruger I had to either slide my head back or push the gun off my shoulder a good bit and reposition my cheek on the stock. Way to much to think about when out there hunting...

All you have to do is put a slip on Simms recoil pad and it takes up the LOP to a regular rifle. Now you have a rifle that fits an adult and a youth just by putting on taking off the pad. Works fine on the one I have.

All you have to do is put a slip on Simms recoil pad and it takes up the LOP to a regular rifle. Now you have a rifle that fits an adult and a youth just by putting on taking off the pad. Works fine on the one I have.

Wasn't just length, those guns were too "straight".I guess not enough drop for me and my wrist felt like it was out of position because the grip was straighter than other rifles.

As bad as you talk about alabama deer hunting I'm surprised you are considering buying another deer rifle...but as demp and 2dogs have said, buy a Finnlite and be done with it!!

I bought my son a Ruger compact stainless in 7mm-08 for his first rifle several years ago. I don't believe they make it in 7mm-08 anymore.

Love the rifle. I used it for hunting in the woods from my climbing stand since I already had a 270 for field hunting. I always had good luck with Remington corelok 140 grain ammo. Relatively cheap (used to be anyway) and easy to find. Never shot as good of patterns as the 270 but plenty close (2 inch groups at 100 yards) for what I used it for.

I grew to like the caliber so much that when he finally left home and took it with him, I bought myself a Remington 700 mountain rifle stainless in 7mm-08 and use it for woods hunting to this day. Got a Zeiss 3.5 X 10 X 44mm scope on it and it is one sweet shooting rifle.

If you can find the Ruger compact in a 308, I think you would be very pleased.

Here is what they said Ned:

"Yes, our stock will fit your rifle. The LOP is 13 3/4" once installed."