Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 25-06 or 7mm-08? Or??

I doubt I could ever attain gun-god status. Maybe gun-fairy status...

Yes, I'm pretty convinced that you are queer.

I chase deer on my own place and I've killed them with in order: 22lr, .22 mag., .223, .243 win, 6.5x55, .260, .270 win., 7-08, .7x57, .280, 7 mag, 30-30, .308 win, 30-06, 7.62 x39, .303, 7.62x54R, 7.92x57, and 45-70. I'm sure one or two more have slipped my mind.

You can also throw in a few with double ought buckshot, .45, .50, and .54 caliber muzzleloaders, and a 50lb at 28, longbow.

I've had good luck with all those except the .270 for some reason or another. They all kill more or less the same within their limitations, although the rimfires are obviously out as deer rifles and not recommended. I never saw any advantage to the bigger stuff and these days, even the 30-06 seems like overkill for deer.

So, with that experience, the 7-08 seems like the perfect balance of quick effective killing power and is right in the middle and a more or less perfect balance of killing power and all the other factors that make a deer rifle desirable.

Oh yeah, add the .357 mag and .45 Colt.

Thank you. Might explain why I like the 270 so much.

And if you want to go further, the 7mm-08 has no significant range limitations for normal hunting situations. It will easily take deer to 300 yards and a little beyond with practice. It kills quickly and effectively within that range. I personally wouldn't feel comfortable at the longer ranges in that window with something smaller. Although, I'll concede that the .25s and the 6.5s probably do just as well. If I were looking at shots consistently longer than that or even on the top end of that window, I would probably want something with more umph. If everything was 200 yards or less, then a Win 94 30-30 would do nicely.

But I don't sit in a stand over a feeder so I carry my rifles a lot. A nice, light and short 7mm-08 lets me still hunt with the rifle comfortably in my hands where it should be. With it, I am at no disadvantage if the deer is 30 yards away or 275 yards across a field I'm looking at.

It is all about having enough rifle to give a little margin but not too much that it becomes a chore to carry.

Well, you made your case for the 708. But, it didn't need to be made. Most of us are well aware what it will do/what it is.

Merry Christmas!

What is the best giraffe caliber, rifle, bullet and scope combo?

We can argue brass after we sort out the above.

Well, it wasn't aimed at you now was it? Merry Christmas to you as well.

Touche...laughing

Buddy killed a Spike Bull Elk this year with a 7mm-08 Savage and 140 accubond at 310 yards. Complete pass through and the elk went straight down!

I would look at a 260 or 6.5 creed also.

In the spirit of trying to get back to the OP's question, I wouldn't hesitate to put a 7-08 in the hands of a young shooter. 7RemMagnicifent? Not so much.

7-08's and 120 BT's are mild-mannered, game killing machines (killed nearly 50 whitetails and more hogs than that with it). A 140 Accubond or partition.....lights out on nearly 40 aoudad sheep and about that many whiteys and mule deer with that one out to 300 yards or so. Obviously the 7RMagnificent will do all of the above as well, with more recoil. I cannot think of a better cartridge up to medium size game than the 7-08. I wouldn't hesitate to use it on African plains game either, at least up to eland size stuff.

I was thinking about $500 (give or take a bit)for glass. Maybe a Leopold VX-3i. Thoughts or other considerations? What do you guys like for reticles?

Oh, and I don't reload at this time but who knows what the future may bring. Right now my days are busy 'til bedtime.

My Tikka hunting rifles wear recent manufacture VX2 3-9x40 CDS scopes. I read that newer VX2 scopes have the same coatings as older VX3 scopes. When Leupold introduced the Windplex reticle they put the duplex models on closeout, I bought a bunch at $250 each. Great scopes.



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Clearly the cartridge will be, ahem, necked down.

I have shot the 7 mag for years now I shoot the 7mm/08. In the hardwoods of E.Ky. don't really need the 7mag., at reasonable White tail ranges there is not a spits worth of difference.

Did not see this till now,sorry SLM.

Well here is my choice..

Caliber/cartridge..... .223 ai

Rifle.... Remington M 700

Bullet... 75 gr A-Max

Scope... 45x Leupold with LR dots.

What is a 223 ai?

Go down to "Miscellaneous" and look up "Is the .223 AI enough gun" it'll answer all your questions.