7mm-08 or 7mm BR ??

[Fred McIntire]

I am thinking about purchasing either a 7mm-08 or a 7mm BR barrel for my TC Encore. I would like to use this barrel for deer hunting. I'm thinking of a 15" barrel.

Can someone please explain the difference between these two cartridges to me.

Also, I currently have a 44 magnum barrel on my Encore. Can anyone compare the these two barrels to the 44 magnum barrel that I currently own? What would I be gaining with one of these barrels over the 44 magnum?

Other than deer hunting, what do you see these calibers used for?

Thanks very much. I appreciate your thoughts and input.

[xphunter]

the 7BR is in essence a shortened 7-08.  Your range on either of these cartridges will surpass the 44Mag, trajectory flatter, and recoil will be less.  I have used the 7mm-08 for PD's, turkey, coyotes, bobcat, mule deer, antelope, and whitetail.  My hunting buddy Steve has the used the 7BR for mulies & antelope.  7BR is good out to about 250 yards and the 7-08 further on deer sized critters depending on conidtions and shooter ability.

[KYODE]

xphunter gave a very accurate description. i would expect as much, since he nailed my 7-08 load on the button a couple years ago. the 15" ss 7-08 has been the easiest barrel i own to develope a load for. 120gr nosler bt over H4895 powder at 2800fps......and dang accurate. thanks xp :wink:  

i love my 15" 7-08. it is a great handgun caliber, but so is the 7br. both would be very effective on deer, and like xp says, range would be the only difference between the two, excepting powder usage and recoil. the 7br would be a good choice in barrels shorter than 15" also.

one advantage i see with the 7-08, is the availability of over the counter factory loads.

7-08.......is simply the .308 necked down to 7mm
7br.........is simply a shortened version of that.

[Redhawk1]

xphunter, got it right. I have the 7mmBR in a 15 inch Encore barrel and it is an extremely accurate shooting gun. Either round will serve you well.  

[Shortgun]

One additional difference between the 7-08 and the 7BR is the primer used. The 7-08 uses large rifle primers and the 7BR uses a small rifle primer.

shortgun

[Fred McIntire]

What has your experience been as far as pass thru on Whitetail deer ? I live in Indiana and have some concerns about pass thru on deer.

What would your suggestion be for a good deer load? I want something that packs a wallop to stop them in their tracks.

Thanks for all the info! It is very helpful.

[KYODE]

i have only shot one deer with my 15" 7-08, as i packed my 30-30AI contender a lot last season.
i did kill a small button buck 2 seasons ago with a 120gr nosler bt at 250 yards. the deer loped about 20 yards, and fell over. the bullet did exit with about a 1" hole. muzzle velocity at the time was 2600-2650fps.

now my chronographed load of 41.5gr of H4895 and 120gr nosler is going 2800fps.
xphunter initially recommended 42.0gr of H4895 with 120gr noslers..........and 40.0gr with 140gr noslers. i believe him :wink: .....man it shoots good :shock:

Varget works good also with 140gr bullets, as i hear.

there are a few bullets that i find interest in for the 7-08, although there are many that will work in the versatile 7mm's. 120-140gr nosler bt's...... 140 nosler partition........140gr sierra btsp gameking........and possibly hornady's 139gr sst. for now i'll continue to use the 120gr balistic tip, but i do want to try a heftier bullet for use as a elk load.  
in the 7br.....i'd take a good look at sierra's 130gr single shot pistol bullet.

the 120gr nosler at 2800 fps may not exit on a closer shot...... :? ....maybe i'll get to see this season. :wink:

[xphunter]

My assumption is that you do not want the bullet to exit because you are in a suburban area?  Or do you want a load with a massive exit wound so that the exiting bullet will not travel far because it is so disfigured?

I would choose the 7-08 over the BR in that the 120 NBT would be more frangible with the higher MV's.  The bullet has always exited with either my 7-08 or 284 Win specialty handguns.  Steve did find on one occasion the bullet on the far side of the animal, just under the hide with the BR with one mulie though (if I remember right).  The NBT's open fast with enough velocity.  Jump to the 284 Win with a 140 NBT at around 2700-2800 fps and you will still will not of drop a deer in it's tracks every time.  I have used both the 120's & 140's NBT's with the 7-08 with great success and have only used the 140 NBT's in my 284 Win. for PD's through mulies and Partitions for elk.
I also have a 7.82 Patriot in an XP which pushes a 150 NBT @ 3001 fps.  I shot a medium sized doe in the lungs several years ago at  80 yards with it.  That bullet did a number on her and she still ran 50-60 yards before going down.  The only way you can ensure a "drop them in their tracks" shot is with a central nervous system hit (spine) which may paralze only the back portion depending on your hit or a head shot (brain).  MY brother-in-law using a 7Mag in a rifle with NBT's hit a deer in the lungs at around 60 yards which upon postmordem had a huge exit wound and the deer still traveled 150 yards.  This is the exception to the rule but we just cannot expect our revolver or bottleneck cases in specialty handguns to do things that rifles cannot do.

[Fred McIntire]

Ernie;

Yes, you are correct. I am concerned with the bullet exiting and traveling a great distance in a populated area. A massive exit wound would be a plus, in my opinion.

I agree that it is not fair to think that deer, or other animals for that matter, will drop in their tracks. I probably phrased that wrong. As far as I am concerned, deer that drop within 50 yards of the shot location are, to me, considered dropped in their tracks.

I'm going to look around and see what I can find available in either the 7mm-08 or the 7mm BR with a preference for the 7mm-08. By the way, what does the BR stand for?

Thanks to everyone for for all your help and information.

Fred

[Redhawk1]

Ernie;

Yes, you are correct. I am concerned with the bullet exiting and traveling a great distance in a populated area. A massive exit wound would be a plus, in my opinion.

I agree that it is not fair to think that deer, or other animals for that matter, will drop in their tracks. I probably phrased that wrong. As far as I am concerned, deer that drop within 50 yards of the shot location are, to me, considered dropped in their tracks.

I'm going to look around and see what I can find available in either the 7mm-08 or the 7mm BR with a preference for the 7mm-08. By the way, what does the BR stand for?

Thanks to everyone for for all your help and information.

Fred

Bench Rest.  

[Fred McIntire]

Ahhhhhh! I see. BR=Bench rest. Now that makes too much sense.

Thanks!

[jhalcott]

You will enjoy shooting the 7br more than the 44mag .It shoots flatter and delivers less recoil in my opinion. I use it on deer to 200 yards with 120 or 130 grain bullets.In my 7-08 I use 139 for deer and 145's for bear.

[upnorthbacon]

I bought a 7-08 last winter and I LOVE it!  Very accurate, more so than I can probably shoot it.  We have a large sporting goods store so ammo selection availablity is not a problem.  Tried calling in Coyotes to test it out but no avail.  If your looking for less penetration try looking into ballistic tips in either caliber, it's been my experiance they really expend a lot of energy very quickly.  I went with the 7-08 because I wanted enough power for deer out to 150 yards ( I don't trust my shooting skills much further) and still have a gun capable of shooting coyotes and such.  Either way you will not be disappointed in both calibers.