Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Making the case for the 260 and 7mm-08 as superior deer cartridges

When shopping for a lightweight short-action deer rifle, such as Browning's new stainless takedown lever action or any of the many bolt guns, most hunters look to the .308 Winchester chambering.

No doubt, the 308 is the standard in short-action whitetail cartridges, yet the 308 family of cartridges offers some other intriguing possibilities.

The 7mm-08 Remington is considered a bit less potent and the more recently introduced 260 Remington is often regarded as barely a step above a woodchuck round. But on can make a case for the smaller diameters of the bullets in these necked-down cartridges.

The 7mm-08 is simply a 308 case necked down for a .284 bullet, and the 260 is the same case necked down ever more to accept a .264 (6.5mm). A cursory examination of typical bullet weights for the cartridges, the muzzle velocities and muzzle energies, seems to bear out the idea that these cartridges lag behind the 308. However when each is loaded with the best in modern streamlined bullets, weight for weight, the 7mm-08 and 260 will catch up to, and eventually deliver more downrange velocity and energy than the 308.

But first, a little refresher course on why the 308 remains one of our most popular hunting cartridges, about equaling the .30-06 in performance, yet from a short-action platform.

The popular 308 bullet weights for deer are 150, 165, and 180 grains. The 180-grain bullet is actually designed more with elk in mind, while the 150-grain is the one made specifically for deer. The 165-grain is a nice compromise.

The 150-grain 308 bullet is likeliest to realize ideal expansion on deer-sized game, perhaps because of softer construction or maybe just the fact that it is traveling considerably faster than the heavier bullets. Regardless, the velocity and bullet mushroom balance to give penetration with full energy transmittal on a whitetail.

If there is any question that a 150-grain 308 is enough for whitetails, consider that many a veteran elk hunter uses this load. And while some hunters may use the 150-grain for elk, a much higher number reversely opt for the heavier 180-grain bullet for deer. Perhaps built tougher and certainly starting slower than the 150-grain bullet, a 180 may not fully mushroom in deer. But even so, it expands plenty enough to anchor any whitetail, and it almost always exits to produce a good blood trail. Since the 308 delivers adequate energy for elk, it clearly carries an overabundance of energy for whitetails.

Big game cartridges from .270 to .338 similarly offer a couple of bullet weights, one lighter for deer and one heavier for elk. The choice often comes down to higher velocity for more shock or more weight for a better guarantee of penetration.

The smaller diameter and lighter 140-grain bullet most often loaded in a 7mm-08 does smack of less potency and the 260's even smaller "standard" bullet is sometimes seen as being barely adequate for deer or antelope. However, longer 150-grain bullets can be loaded in both the 7mm-08 and the 260, matching the preferred whitetail weight in a 308 bullet, and though launched at somewhat lower velocities than the 308, these longer, slimmer bullets in the same weight produce a fair and interesting comparison of all three cartridges downrange.

Why do some weight bullets leave the same 308 case with slightly less velocity? Perhaps an analogy can be made to a big-block automobile engine.

All else being equal, a wider piston in a fatter cylinder delivers more force. It's the same with rifle bullets and barrels. The 308 case used in all three cartridges may hold the same amount of powder and thus deliver the same "push". But the smaller diameter bases of the 7mm-08 and 260 bullets are less effective at capturing this push, simply because they offer less area to push against, all else being equal.

The 308 launches a 150-grain bullet at about 2,820 feet per second. The 150-grain bullet from a smaller diameter 7mm barrel leaves the muzzle at about 2,750 fps. The even smaller diameter 150-grain 260 bullet exits at 2,660 fps.

These numbers fall right into line with the common overall perception of the three cartridges. But the seldom considered point is that the narrower bullets, if nicely pointed, have higher ballistic coefficient than the equivalent-weight, but fatter 308. The smaller diameter that gave them a slower start also allows them to better retain energy as they fly downrange, due to less wind resistance.

The slimmer 7mm-08 and 260 bullets eventually catch up to the 308, and some where between 300 and 400 yards, may surpass the downrange energy of the 308 even though the 308 left the muzzle with more energy due to higher velocity.

At closer range, say, out to 200 yards, all three deliver an abundance of velocity and energy for whitetails. It's only at longer range that we become concerned that any of these cartridges might no deliver enough punch. Yet when using the best-shaped bullets, at 300 yards, the 260 and 7mm-08 have pretty well caught up to the 308. And at 400 yards, both overtake the 308 in terms of velocity and energy.

At 500 yards (a distance included here just to prove a point, not to suggest a realistic range for hunting whitetails), both the 7mm-08 and 260 lead the 308 by 50 fps and 50 foot-pounds.

The bullet path for the three cartridges is virtually equal right out to 500 yards too, and the smaller diameter bullets suffer a bit less wind drift. (All data from the Sierra Infinity Suite ballistics program)

Of course there is something to be said for the fatter 308 bullet too. A fatter bullet expands into a wider mushroom, delivering slightly more energy on target.

In the old days, smaller diameter bullets were considered just too narrow for dependable expansion. But today's better-built premium bullets pretty much work perfectly regardless of diameter.
Nowadays, the advantage of a 308 over a 7mm-08 or even a 260 in terminal performance is splitting hairs. In reality, it just doesn't matter anymore.

If you may ever hunt elk or moose with that new rifle, you might want to opt for the 308, to have the option of heavier 180-grain factory ammunition, or to perhaps handload a 200-grain bullet.

For deer however, the 7mm-08 and 260 produce less recoil and concede nothing significant in performance, as long as bullets of comparable weight are used.

Sounds like a winner to me.

And don't rule out the 7mm-08 for larger game. It will deliver a 160-grain bullet for elk or moose, and with less recoil than the 308. The 160-grain all-copper Barnes MRX bullet has no lead core and no lead in the nose to wipe away as it forms its mushroom.

It penetrates with all 160 grains while a conventional 180-grain jacketed lead 308 bullet likely loses 10 or even 20 grains during expansion, actually penetrating with less weight than the 160-grain 7mm copper bullet.

The final point favoring the narrower bullets is that edge in wind drift. The differences aren't big, but yes, the longer narrower bullets drift less.

I haven't included the new 338 Federal in this comparison, even though it is actually a 338-08, because it's lightest bullet weighs 180 grains. It is a tremendous 200 deer thumper. But to get a decently high ballistic coefficient with that diameter, the bullet mush be heavier, 225 or 250 grains, and that's just not a long-range deer bullet.

The same can be said of the 358 Winchester, also a .35-08. It may be a superior, light recoiling cartridge for elk in cover or even at moderate open country distances, but it needs too heavy a bullet for superior long-range deer performance.

I also didn't include the smaller .243 because of its truly small diameter. A 100-grainer is the established "deer" bullet for the 243, and we surely aren't about to load it wit ha a 150-grain bullet for comparison purposes. Still, at 300 yards, the 243 can deliver 1,200 foot-pounds of energy with a well-shaped bullet, maybe not enough for elk by most standards, but plenty of punch for a whitetail. And bullet performance with the 243 can be virtually guaranteed these days with premium bullets.

Bullet makers have done wonders perfecting core and jacket construction. Many cores are actually bonded to the jackets. Nosler's famed Partition bullet has enjoyed a reputation for guaranteed performance for years. The Barnes all-copper hollow point is guaranteed to mushroom readily and not come apart.

Newer designs with plastic ballistic tips and some with heavy tungsten bases promise exceptional performance. These premium bullets maximize terminal performance, mushrooming well at a wide range of impact velocities without any risk of too much expansion at close range.

But not all premium bullets are created equal either. Some manufacturers do not seek to maximize long-range performance with streamline design. Even the little flat at the point of some premium bullets steals considerable ballistic coefficient, robbing long-range punch. If you wish to maximize long-range impact and flat trajectory, check the BC of a bullet.

Actually, a well-designed .25-08 might make a dandy deer cartridge, with just a bit wider base than the 243. And some might say we already have it in the .257 Remington Roberts, a once-popular wildcat and than a factory load that has all but faded away.

Do you remember the 6mm Remington as being early-on competition to the 243? When it was originally called the .244 Remington, it had problems with rifling twist for heavy bullets, and the 243 prospered while it floundered, even though the newly named 6mm offered a bit more velocity because it used a slightly larger 7x57 parent case.

This case was also used for the 257 Roberts, and it should slightly outperform a .25-08. But the "257 Bob" was originally loaded somewhat lightly for minimal recoil, and with round-nosed bullets. The hotter-stepping 243 with more streamlined bullets simply pulled away.

When you look at the adequate punch of any one of the 308 family of cartridges, it is perhaps difficult to justify the blast and recoil of bigger loads- not for whitetail deer anyway.

The trend today is toward lightweight rifles, and recoil is an important factor. Nothing against the venerable 308, but with the right bullet, I would take a 7mm-08 or a 260 Rem for deer.

And the 243 is not included due to being a "truly smaller diamter." Hmmm.....the others are not "truly smaller" I guess?

Musta been a slow news day. You know, they've got to write about something.
He started to lose me when he started talking about how popular the .308 was. And I stopped reading when we got to the 500 yards 50fps and 50# of energy part.
I think the .260 and the 7-08 are tremendous cartridges. I own and have killed deer with both of them. However, we don't need another half-assed writer promoting long range deer sniping.

yeah, the engine anaolgy got lost and wwas never finished, and the thoughts are not well-developed. this guy knows what he wants to say but it isn't getting through.

his point is taken. but he needs to stick to the beginning two cartridges and stop wandering, make a solid point based on a few facts and then fill it in with real world experiences.

When shopping for a lightweight short-action deer rifle, such as Browning's new stainless takedown lever action or any of the many bolt guns, most hunters look to the .308 Winchester chambering.

No doubt, the 308 is the standard in short-action whitetail cartridges, yet the 308 family of cartridges offers some other intriguing possibilities.

The 7mm-08 Remington is considered a bit less potent and the more recently introduced 260 Remington is often regarded as barely a step above a woodchuck round. But on can make a case for the smaller diameters of the bullets in these necked-down cartridges.