Author Topic: I need 1st person opinions about 7mm-08 (Read 1340 times)

jvs · « **on:** February 16, 2004, 02:12:57 PM »

For years I have hunted with .35 Rem, .308 and .30-06 for whitetails. Where I was hunting determined what rifle I took along.

I used the .35 Rem for the relatively close quarters with sometimes thick woods and brush, mostly under 75 yd shots. But the snot was there for a little longer shot if I needed it.

I used the .308 for hunting in not so thick woods with some clearings. I figured I was good for just about anything I could see.

And the .30-06 was basically my all around caliber if I would be hunting in places strange to me. If I went hunting with a friend, I would take the 06.

I thought I had just about everything covered.........untill I started reading up about the 7mm-08. Now I need some experienced advice about the 7mm-08. It seems to have advantages over the .308 and .30-06 and I am considering it for my next purchase. I figure it to be an excellent deer cartridge. I never wanted a .260, .270 or a .280 but the 7mm-08 may fill a gap for me.

I don't think I'd get rid of anything I already have, but it may be a good addition to my collection of shooters. Although I see that the heaviest shell available is 140 gr from some manufacturers.

How does the cost of shells compare to those other calibers?

Will_C · « **Reply #1 on:** February 16, 2004, 02:43:28 PM »

As I reload, I can't tell you about the cost of shells. I can tell you that I am very happy with my 7mm-08. I don't claim that it is any better than a .308, etc., but I love to shoot it, have found reloading and load development easy, and it kills deer dead if I do my part.
I am not sure what is avaliable in factory loads, but I am going to work up some 150 Partitions for a boar hunt.
My rifle is a Remington Model 7, walnut/blued with the 18.5" barrel. if I was buying a new one, I would consider the 20" barrel Model 7, or the Winchester or Browning bolt guns. I like the round enough that I have thought about picking up a 7mm-08 barrel for my Encore.
Will

longwinters · « **Reply #2 on:** February 16, 2004, 05:25:04 PM »

Do a search on 7m-08 and you will find lots of info on this fine caliber. But unless you want to shoot 120 gn bullets it will do nothing that your .308 or 06 wont do. The only thing would be a little less recoil. I have 1 and really like it, but it is no better than the .308 that I also have. You can figure from $14.00 for cheap Winchester to over $20.00 for the premium stuff.

long

Big Paulie · « **Reply #3 on:** February 17, 2004, 07:56:32 AM »

Here is a little practical advice, IMHO.

I fully agree that except for just a slight reduction in recoil, the 7mm-08 does not offer any real world improvement over the.308 Winchester. But, if you want to have things covered, with fewer rifles, think about this:

1. Sell the .308 Winchester and buy the 7mm-08. You will get a little less recoil, a little more down range energy at 250 yards, but best of all you can generally get factory ammo in 120 grain bullets, as well as the standard 140 grain loads.

2. Keep your 30-06. On the high side of power, using Federal Hi-Energy 180 grain factory ammo, you will have the ballistic twin of the 300 H&H Magnum, coming out of a 22 inch barrel. Hard to believe, but true. I personallly chronoed it, and the two loads were within 30 feet per second of each other.

So, with the 7mm-08, and your 30-06, you can get excellent factory ammo that will cover you from 120 grain varmint loads, all of the way up to Moose and beyond. (Many a big brown bear has been killed by the 300 H & H, and until the invention of the .300 Winchester Mag., it was considered to be THE brown bear gun.)

I love the .308 Winchester as my all around rifle. With the Federal Hi Energy 180 grain loads, and Barnes or similar bullet, it has all of the power of a regular 30-06, with much less recoil.

But, if you are going to have two rifles, go 7mm-08 and 30-06. However, you definitely do not need all three. If you are going to have three rifles, then drop the .308, and add a 7mm-08 and perhaps a .223 Remington (or maybe a .243 Winchester or 22. Hornet). Again, this will greatly broaden your hunting abilities.

Again, just my opinion.

Paul Amos

PA-Joe · « **Reply #4 on:** February 17, 2004, 10:59:34 AM »

Dad and two kids all have 7mm08. Great for anything under 300 yards. Dad also has a 30-06 for the bigger things in life.

jvs · « **Reply #5 on:** February 17, 2004, 01:41:12 PM »

Big Paulie Wrote this:

" 1. Sell the .308 Winchester and buy the 7mm-08. You will get a little less recoil, a little more down range energy at 250 yards, but best of all you can generally get factory ammo in 120 grain bullets, as well as the standard 140 grain loads. " :shock:

I must have neglected to write that I would not sell any of my current gun cabinet residents. What I was considering is adding a 7mm-08 to my collection.

For some reason I always have trouble even thinking about selling one.

mcrae555 · « **Reply #6 on:** February 17, 2004, 02:58:44 PM »

Hi There

I hunt with a 7mm-08 and I love the thing. I have a Remington Model 700 Classic with the 24 inch barrel. I shoot 139 grain Hornady Interlocks over a load of IMR 3031 at around 2700 fps. This combination accounted for both my black bears, a whitetail deer, a mule deer, and my cougar this past fall. All animals fell to a single shot. I originally bought the rifle for my wife but it has never made it to her! Here in my little corner of British Columbia you have to be a reloader in order to shoot the 7mm-08 because ammo is not availible unless you mail order it and that can get pricey! I won't claim its the best caliber out there but it certainly gets the job done. I also own a 30/06 and I feel I have every species I am going to hunt covered! You can't go wrong with the 7mm-08, low recoil, accurate, and hard hitting!

McRae

Graybeard · « **Reply #7 on:** February 17, 2004, 05:26:12 PM »

I've been using the round since not long after it was commercialized. Love it. Most of the game we've (me, oldest son and wife) killed with it have been taken with factory ammo for Remington and Hornady. I've used some reloads but mostly just stick with factory for hunting and reloads for practice. My current favorite is the Hornady Light Mag. Shoots well under an inch in my rifle (R700 LSS Mtn. Rifle) and really puts the deer down. The rifle my wife uses has mostly seen duty with the RP 140s. In over 25 years of use by the three of us that rifle has never missed and never needed a second shot on game. Been used by all three of us on a variety of native and exotics plus hogs in several states.

It will honestly do nothing the .308 or .30-06 won't do just as well but it is mild on recoil and deadly on game. I love mine.

GB

jvs · « **Reply #8 on:** February 17, 2004, 11:27:10 PM »

Thanks too all of the 7mm-08 owners who responded to this question.

I think I have made a decision. Since Remington is coming out this spring with a new CDL model, I was checking their website for the calibers available. I wasn't interested in the lighter loads and those fancy short action magnums don't interest me in the least. That left the 7mm-08, 7mm Mag and the .30-06, along with a few others.

Since I don't really need another .30-06 I have decided to pass altogether on the new CDL. What a couple of you have basically said is that I won't accomplish much more with a 7mm-08 that I don't already have. If recoil is the main advantage, it doesn't interest me. Although the new CDL is supposed to have the new reduced recoil buttpad.

When I bought my last computer printer I learned a lesson... Find out what it costs to run ! ! (as far as ink goes). So now when I see a new fangled caliber on the market, I ask about ammo prices first. The older I get, the more conservative I get. Sooner or later maybe the big demand will come back to the old calibers instead of all this new stuff being made. The search for perfection isn't all that complicated in my book.

The 673 Guide Gun in .308 is still a possibility though, then again, they have a 6.5 Mag too. The more I think about it, the nicer the .308 appears. BUT.............

Decisions, decisions.............

jim21 · « **Reply #9 on:** April 19, 2006, 03:10:04 PM »

Before you decide on what rifle to purchase.Think about a Stevens model
200 in 7-08 caliber.Its a keeper.Guns and Ammo gave it 4stars.The best reason to purchase it,is price.Mine cost less then $300 and it out performs my Sako.

keyway · « **Reply #10 on:** April 21, 2006, 01:15:28 PM »

I live in southwestern Pa. and sold my 7mm08 because it was a pain to find factory ammo for . Also the Browning a-bolt I had was not grouping any better than 1.5 to 2inches at a 100yards. The 308 can shoot 125grain and 130 grain fatory ammo so the recoil is about the same. If it were me and I wanted a lighter recoil and cheap ammo I would go to a 243. K-mart ,Wallmart & Dicks all stock that one.

Golsovia · « **Reply #11 on:** April 21, 2006, 03:14:21 PM »

The 7mm-08 is one of those cartridges which is just plain a good hunting cartridge. I have killed probably close to 50 caribou with the two I've owned as well as a few moose. I handload for mine using 139-150 weights for smaller stuff -even a few Speer 130s, but generally heavier bullets for moose. The 140 grain Barnes X is pretty much of a "do everything" bullet in this chambering. The most recent 7-08 I have is one of the most accurate off the shelf rifles I've ever used; a Remington fixed mag LSS Mountain Rifle.

muzzleblast525 · « **Reply #12 on:** April 26, 2006, 03:57:24 PM »

Had to think about it before buy mine and one day I walked into a gun show and walked out with one. Loaded some bullets up and went hunting. 3 does, one pig and one 12-point, all one shot and they never knew what hit them.