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Author Topic: 308 vs. 7mm-08  (Read 2277 times)

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Offline vanbuzen9

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308 vs. 7mm-08
« on: June 26, 2007, 04:36:35 AM »
Hey guys,

For those of you who have shot both out of a 15" encore, is the recoil of the 308 that much more (min to max loads, not just max, as I reload)?

I am stuck on which one to buy.  I know they both have heavy recoil, but if I can load one or the other down, I could practice more

often.  The heaviest recoil I have personally experienced was from an 8" S&W 629, with 240 grain factory loads.  I like the fact that

one can buy smaller 100 to 120 grain bullets for the 7-08, but the 308 has a great bullet selection and are easy to find.

Any incite into this subject would be great.

thanks,
vanbuzen9
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Offline PA-Joe

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Re: 308 vs. 7mm-08
« Reply #1 on: June 26, 2007, 05:53:17 AM »
A 150 grain 7mm or a 150 grain 308 will give you about the same recoil.
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Offline KN

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Re: 308 vs. 7mm-08
« Reply #2 on: June 26, 2007, 01:30:51 PM »
I don't find the recoil on a 308 that bad. Stout but not too bad.   KN
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Offline Ken ONeill

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Re: 308 vs. 7mm-08
« Reply #3 on: June 26, 2007, 02:55:06 PM »
2 peas from the same pod.
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Offline Grumulkin

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Re: 308 vs. 7mm-08
« Reply #4 on: June 26, 2007, 03:31:56 PM »
In my opinion, the recoil of both is fairly mild.
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Offline K.K

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Re: 308 vs. 7mm-08
« Reply #5 on: June 26, 2007, 03:35:34 PM »
I find my .308 15" Encore more comfortable to shoot than many heavy .44 loads. In fact, The first time that I shot it, I ran through 3 boxes of Remington factory ammo, until it occurred to me that I rarely do that with any centerfire rifle. I think that you may be pleasantly surprised at how comforatble these handguns are to shoot.  As for caliber, either one will be a good choice. .308 offers a little more latitude for factory loads and reloading compnents.
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Offline vanbuzen9

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Re: 308 vs. 7mm-08
« Reply #6 on: June 26, 2007, 04:36:59 PM »
Thank you all for the great info.

I have a 2-7 Simmons Pistol scope on it's way from midway(birthday present from girlfriend) and a gift card to midsouth (from dad), so all I have to do now is buy a frame.  I found one at a local dealer for 299.99, brand new.  Is this a good price?  It seems that most frames I see on the auction sites are going for around 320 brand new.

I will probably get some form of straight-walled cartridge before deer season starts(where I live, no bottlenecks), but I want to try shooting a rifle cartridge out of a 15" barrel first.  Never tried it before.

thanks,
vanbuzen9

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Offline skarke

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Re: 308 vs. 7mm-08
« Reply #7 on: June 26, 2007, 04:58:59 PM »
I load a 7mm 08 for the kids with about 36.5 grains H4895 and a 120 grain bullet.  Barely more recoil than a 243.  You could probably get close with the 125 Noslers in 308 and about the same charge, but I haven't tried it.

BTW, out of a Bergara carbine barrel, Norma brass, turned necks, BR primers, proper headspacing, Hornady 120s, I get 6s to 8s most of the time out of the 7mm 08.  It is rare indeed that I shoot a group over an inch at 100 yards, with 180 rounds through the barrel.  Working on seating depth a little, thinking I can drop into the 5s more often, but then I'm done.  IMHO, that's gonna have to be good enough for an 11 year old to take a whitetail.]

I love that barrel.
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Offline xphunter

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Re: 308 vs. 7mm-08
« Reply #8 on: July 03, 2007, 10:40:19 AM »
Personally, I would choose the 7-08 everytime.
Both will work great though.
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Offline Heavy C

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Re: 308 vs. 7mm-08
« Reply #9 on: July 05, 2007, 09:56:11 AM »
I had the same dilemma about a year ago.  I went with the 308 for its many offerings in bullet weights, easy to find at just about any store, and it has been around long enough that you can easily build off of what others have done with handloading.  I love mine - just wish it would stop raining so much here in Texas to finally head out to the range.

BTW, I think that's a fair price on a new frame.  Good luck!
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Offline NYH1

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Re: 308 vs. 7mm-08
« Reply #10 on: July 05, 2007, 06:28:38 PM »
I shot my first Encore today!  ;D It was a 7mm-08 Rem with a 15" barrel, wooden grips and a Tasco Pro Point Red Dot sight on it. I liked it a lot. I can't compare it to a 308 Win. but I didn't think it recoiled to bad to tell you the truth.  Does anyone know how much more the same Encore in 30-06 would recoil compared to the 7mm-08?
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Offline skarke

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Re: 308 vs. 7mm-08
« Reply #11 on: July 19, 2007, 07:52:23 AM »
Of course, charge and bullet weight are big factors, but the 3006 will be more at full charge, maybe a lot more.  In my opinion, there are very few examples of game that the 3006, especially at pistol velocities, would be more easily killed than with the 708.  The 708 is also very accurate in the encore 15 inch barrels, but I have no experience with the 06.
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Offline poncaguy

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Re: 308 vs. 7mm-08
« Reply #12 on: July 19, 2007, 03:11:58 PM »
I have a 15" 7-08 Encore, my favorite deer round in a pistol ( and one of my favorite in a rifle too!). Very accurate and recoil in not too bad for my 66 year old arthritic wrists.
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Offline SingleShotShorty

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Re: 308 vs. 7mm-08
« Reply #13 on: July 26, 2007, 02:44:54 PM »
I shoot an Encore 15" 308 handgun and love it, I shoot 125 gr Ballistic Tips in it and have taken deer at over 200 yards. I think the recoil is less than my 44 mag Super Redhawk.
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Offline Jim Stacy

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Re: 308 vs. 7mm-08
« Reply #14 on: July 27, 2007, 01:56:03 PM »
SSS have the same set up and working up loads with 130 HDY. Would you be willing to share some of your loads.
Grumpkin says the 308 recoil is mild ? Mine kicks a bit with 150 factory loads . Mil spec loads are reasonably light but 150 factorys definitely kick more than my heavies SRH loads  20/296/320 cast .
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Offline doc-and

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Re: 308 vs. 7mm-08
« Reply #15 on: July 30, 2007, 01:25:12 PM »
I own factory barrels in both 7-08 and 308 and find recoil not bad but managable.   I changed out the factory grips and that made a big difference.

The blue one is 7-08 which now wears a Burris 7x scope, and the SST is the 308



I went with custom grips on both guns and it made a big difference in felt recoil



Hope this helps

docand 8)
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Offline banjoman

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Re: 308 vs. 7mm-08
« Reply #16 on: August 01, 2007, 01:03:16 PM »
 I shoot a 15" Encore 7mm-08 with 139gr Hornady SST's and feel the same way and it is way nicer to shoot than my 44 contender

Quote from: SingleShotShorty on July 26, 2007, 02:44:54 PM
I shoot an Encore 15" 308 handgun and love it, I shoot 125 gr Ballistic Tips in it and have taken deer at over 200 yards. I think the recoil is less than my 44 mag Super Redhawk.
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Offline gman628

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Re: 308 vs. 7mm-08
« Reply #17 on: August 03, 2007, 04:34:29 PM »
(I will probably get some form of straight-walled cartridge before deer season starts(where I live, no bottlenecks), but I want to try shooting a rifle cartridge out of a 15" barrel first.  Never tried it before.)

Just buy one barrel prior to deer season and get a straight walled rifle cartridge like a .444 or 45-70.  I have a 15" .444 and it will work out to 150 - 200 yards on whitetail and fall within most states' regs. for straight wall handgun cartridges.  Most people will want a brake with either of these,  My .444 w/ brake does have more punch than my 16" 308 w/o a brake, but it's not that bad at all.   
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Offline dadsturn

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Re: 308 vs. 7mm-08
« Reply #18 on: August 04, 2007, 03:59:09 AM »
308 all the way
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Offline dadsturn

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Re: 308 vs. 7mm-08
« Reply #19 on: August 04, 2007, 04:01:27 AM »
they are both very good, but i will go with 308 15"
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Offline xphunter

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Re: 308 vs. 7mm-08
« Reply #20 on: August 04, 2007, 04:04:51 AM »
Quote from: vanbuzen9 on June 26, 2007, 04:36:35 AM
Hey guys,
For those of you who have shot both out of a 15" encore, is the recoil of the 308 that much more (min to max loads, not just max, as I reload)?
I am stuck on which one to buy.  I know they both have heavy recoil, but if I can load one or the other down, I could practice more
often.  The heaviest recoil I have personally experienced was from an 8" S&W 629, with 240 grain factory loads.  I like the fact that
one can buy smaller 100 to 120 grain bullets for the 7-08, but the 308 has a great bullet selection and are easy to find.
Any incite into this subject would be great.

thanks,
vanbuzen9

vb9,
IMO for one who reloads, bullet selection between these two calibers is not an issue.  Usable bullets for deer are bountiful with both calibers.  The 120's in the 7-08 have a great reputation for smacking deer.  The 308 Win will kill them just as dead.  It comes down to a personal preference.  I prefer the 7-08 since I have used one extensively (I have also had the 308 Win) and for the bullet weight I will get a better BC's  in 7mm for LR shooting, which is also preference for me.  In the 308 Win family of cartridges my two favorites would be the 260 Rem and the 7-08.
You can't go wrong with any of them.
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