Going to buy one or the other in a few months. I'm not interested in discussing the effectiveness of either on Whitetails. I'm not a reloader "yet" but will be as soon as a shop is completed and space is available.
What I want to know is, does either lend itself more easily to load development or bullet choices. I don't think in terms of throat length and mag confines or bullet choices, so I need to ask you guys. I would just like to pick the one that would more easily lend itself to the things a reloader does to achieve better accuracy. Does either the 243 Montana or 7mm-08 excel in that area?
If it's a wash, I'll likely pick the 243 since Whitetails will be the only game hunted and the kids or wife may use it at times, so recoil is a concern.
given you wife will hunt it the .243! For the 7-08 I would go .308 as easily the most simple to load and shoot, I find the 308 easy get to shoot accurately and it comes in those big green boxes of 500 rounds per...
its too bad you don't reload the .257 Roberts I have in select classic is a wonderful rifle, (but I know nothing as its a short action and everyone knows they are awful with 100 at only 3000 FPS) but I would take a Montana in same any day.
