Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters 7mm-08.... The Good, The Bad, The Ugly......

Very interested lately in this chambering. I recall reading an article a few years back (I think possibly by Dave Petzal) about this being the perfect whitetail cartridge. Is it really any "better" than a .308 for deer?
I also wonder where it ranks in effectiveness compared to any of the other 308 based offerings. Or are they all pretty much the same?

Is there some "magic" in putting a 7mm bullet on a 308 case?

Please educate me on this little wonder round, I'd love to hear some real world experiences ( good or bad ) and maybe some pics of your rifles and game taken with the 7mm-08.

Thanks guys!

There is magic in anything in a 308 case but the 7-08 is not any better on deer than a 308.

Just bought one so I am open to anyone justifying my purchase

.308, and .358 make a bigger Entry wound.

7mm-08 and .260 penetrate well, and kick a little less.

There's really no reason to chose the 7-08 over the 308 for whitetail, other than its 140 gr bullet will kick slightly less, and penetrate more than the 150 gr bullet from the 308 at the same velocity. To get a similar SD/BC in a 30 cal, you really need to jump up to a 165 grainer, and more recoil. But any 150 grain bullet from a 308 will give you all the penetration you can use on any whitetail that walks.

The truth is, neither kick much, and a deer won't know if it was killed with the "ideal" whitetail cartridge circa 1980, or the ideal whitetail cartridge circa 1952.

I like them both, but over the years I've found the 308 a little more eager to please handloading. I could be happy with either for all my elk hunting here in MT, and have taken good sized bulls with each. I'm pretty sure whitetail are easier to kill

LOL, great post!

I have and regularly use both a 7mm-08 and a .30-06. Have taken several whitetails and hogs with both. The 7mm-08 is pleasant to shoot and in my experience, all the gun you need for deer and hogs. I've never hunted one, but I am told by many that they also use 7mm-08s for elk, but that seems a bit on the light side to me. YMMV. A .308 is a little bit of a step up from a 7mm-08, but not a big step. IMHO, if you think you might want something big enough for deer, hogs, and elk, consider a .30-06 as you can get heavier loads than with a .308 if you need it. If I was wanting something no bigger than for deer and hogs, I would lean towards the 7mm-08. 7mm-08 is also great for coyotes. Having said that you will not go wrong with the .308, either. I am a firm believer in "use enough gun".

I don't know if this will help or not mjbgalt, but I shot a 7mag almost exclusively for 3 decades. Since I've gotten older I've enjoyed shooting the 7-08 much more, especially the mild recoil. I've manged to take at least 100 hogs, 30 deer or so, and another 25-30 aoudad sheep with the 140 accubond, 140 partition, and 120 ballistic tip.

It is a very effective killer, and easy to load for.

The 7mm-08 is much like the 7x57, only a little shorter and a little faster, so what's not to like?

EDIT: The Hornady American Whitetail and Winchester/Olin Deer Season XP both shoot good groups in my Marlin XS7.

EDIT2: If there is a down-side to the 7mm-08 when compared to the 308 it is that factory ammo isn't as common in rural areas, at least those rural areas that I frequent, and it is usually a little more expensive. Both "problems" can be avoided through proper prior planning.

The Fire is a great place for just about any gun purchase justification...

I just got a 700, 7-08, too. Got it in a trade, a Bobby Hart build that I put in a Hunters Edge. Haven't had time to work up loads. Previous owner said it was a shooter. I just shot it enough to sight it in, need time to work up loads. Already had a Timney 510.

DF

Sweet rig DF. Can't wait to see what your loads turn out to be. I'm betting it won't be too tough.

Henry, yours is pretty typical thinking of those that have never hunted, let alone killed an elk. The more you hunt and kill them the more you realize they're just flesh and blood and die like every other animal, despite their reputed toughness.

I could be perfectly happy to hunt elk the rest of my life with the 7-08 and have every confidence I'd be just fine. Problems with "elk rifles" are usually just problems with elk shooters.

Nice.

Love the 7-08! A lot of different bullet weights work great for the suggested game, though I'm partial to the 150's.

DF,

I have your rifle's twin in a 6.5CM:



David

Nah, the 7-08 is a puddy tat, a real friendly round to load for.

I had one some years back, but traded it. You know how us Loonies are...

Think this one is gonna be a keeper.

DF

NICE!

I'm also working with a new 6.5 CM, Shilen 23", McWoody Mtn. Rifle handle. We'll have to compare notes.

DF

7-08. Plain Jane Kimber MT. One 150 NBT did the deed handily, penetrating 3' of elk.

Does that help any mjbgalt?

I haven't tried those 150 BT in my 7-08 yet. Mind sharing a good recipe please?

There is no ugly when discussing the 7-08...