Can anyone expain all the hype surrounding the usefullness of the 7mm-08. Note I am not a handloader and when I compare the 7mm-08 factory loads with the .308win factory loads the .308 seems to have the advantage out until about 300yards where the 7mm seams to continue to fly better and faster! Are they both loaded in the same case with the same powder loads or does the length of the 7mm bullet limit the case capacity. If one had a .308 rifle with a shot out tube would it be worth considering rebarreling to 7mm-08? I hunt deer and moose a lot with a .308 but I am very curious about the 7mm-08.

7-08, slightly flatter.

308, slightly bigger hole.

308 is the lowest-drama round I've ever worked with... easy on the shoulder, eager to please.

I'd always rather have the 308 Win than the 7-08 personally...

Peas in a pod. FActory load only... screams .308 to me.

There's not a nickle worth of difference except the .308 can be found everywhere.

140 in 7-08 vs 150 in .308 apples to apples

I usually run 165/68's...

Not sure about the hype, but I have 7mm08 and it is a dandy. No noticeable recoil, even in a light gun. Shoots flat further than I can. And FWIW, my local retailer rarely has any short action caliber other than 243 on hand. I can order my Federal Fusion and cheap Privi practice rounds from Midway for about the same cost as any other rounds. The gun drops whitetail when I do my job and makes it easy to do my job. When my sons are old enough to shoot, the 7mm08 is plenty mild for them to take on. . .

My only experience with the 308 was in a Win 88 (besides the 240 Golf) but that thing kicked harder than my 340 Wby. Probably just stock design but I haven't liked the 308 since.

To each his own, I guess. I have a 308 M88 and it's a pussycat.

Re: the original question, for what you're going to use it for (up to moose), I'd stick with the bigger caliber, though there isn't much difference between the two. If you were a dedicated handloader and long-range shooter/hunter (past 300 yards), the 7-08 becomes more attractive.

If Boxer gets a hold of this thread, be ready to hear about boolits and b.c. and how stupid we all are to not drop the 308 for the Amax'd 7-08.

7-08 has a bit less recoil. .308 a bit more bullet. One can be loaded to do essentially the same thing as the other. With run of the mill hunting bullets/ammo the 7-08 is indeed gonna be a BIT "flatter" though that is fool's gold IMHO.

I killed a decent number of deer with 7-08. It sure works. Great cartridge. .308 has always seemed to be a 30-06 wannabe to me and I've avoided it for that reason... other than owning 3-4 of the damn things, lol.

Gee......this sounds familiar.....I'll check back in 150 pages when the fishin and girl pics start...

POST YOUR LOAD!!!!

How long before someone claims that they "won"?

George

Oh.....what the hell....

I thought you were supposed to start with pics of women with fish? Memory must be slipping...

George

Oops!...My bad...


You are right....

Happy Thanksgiving George.

To you and yours (dogs included ) as well, my friend. I'll leave you fellas to the pics for a bit....I have to go shovel off my wood piles before I head up to see the family.

George

Have and like them both. Like a good horse they just do what is expected. Today I like the 7mm-08 for doing the same job with less recoil.

"Can anyone expain all the hype surrounding the usefullness of the 7mm-08."



nope, sell more guns, give us more to debate, keeps the small cartridge guys happy, comes in a short action ??? Got me?

Wouldn't it kind of be like explaining the hype of the 270 over the 06.
Or the difference between the hype of the 270 over the 280.

That should get someone fired up ????

308 has been a genuine keeper for me. This South Dakota mule deer was taken at approx 225 yards with a single bullet through the chest organs. My rifle shoots 150 grain FEDERAL ammo best of all.

Sherwood

Keep the 308.

Yup +P

Thanks for all the comments guys. I should have figured this one had been around the block a few times! All I have read about the 7-08 seems to be flatter shooting, slightly less recoil, and typically sees more acceptance in the western part of the continent. I think the .308 is much more commonplace here in the eastern side. I own several .308's just wanted to know if there was any good reason to also have a 7-08? (I also own .270 and .30-06 and like them both for different reasons.) I think for now I will stick with the 308.
Also, some great pics guys!

there's a good thread on this subject in the hunting rifles forum.

I own both and have hunted the .308 and the almost identical 7X57 alot. If there is a difference in performance, recoil, or usefulness, I haven't seen it anywhere except on paper.
You can find lots of surpluse ammo for the .308 that's very cheap. Makes great practice ammo.
I see more premium match and hunting ammo availiable for the .308 than I do for the 7-08 for those that don't reload.
If you've managed to finally wear out a .308 barrel, then the above would be the deciding factor since you don't handload. E

Just a quick comment: .308 surplus ammo (7.62x51 NATO actually) isn't that cheap anymore, and, some rifles really don't like it. I have a Savage .308 that basically wouldn't function with SA or Venezuelan milsurp.

7mm-08 would be my choice of those 2. most of them shoot very well with 140grn bullets. i like the 270 and 140grn bullets alittle better but theres not much differents.

plenty of killin power with moderate recoil,2 perfect combo's.you can get either in very lightweight rifles without gettin stomped by them.

A 130 grain Barnes TTSX, case full of 4895, and CCI primers in the .308 is skookum.

To this I would add:

7-08: slightly less recoil, and high velocity.

.308: heavier bullets and better ammo & rifle choices/availability.

Thought this was settled.

Exhaustive effort from the Campfire Commitee for inconsequential increments (CCfiI)...

Epic of a thread. Loads were posted. Trousers lowered.

Save for the noise from the galley posting fishing pics featuring young ladies (where one would not have minded, had they been the one to lower their trousers) a open, respectful, goal oriented scientifc endevor...

Somebody, please shoot that thread.

Flip a coin, grab a rifle of either caliber and go huntin'!

Of course you should own one. Plenty of good reasons to own one.

Of the two .308's I currently own, one will shoot anything and one is picky as to what surplus ammo it will handle. So, try the ammo out before you buy it.
Still alot cheaper than 7-08 stuff. E

Ask 10 people, get 11 different answers...

Mine is a .308 Win. For those that don't handload that is the one I'd recommend most often.

No reason at all!!!!

You do realize that every time this 7-08 vs 308 thing gets rehashed a kitten dies.

both kill equally well....which is most available to the OP?

Split the difference... use the 270 and live happily ever after...

This discussion is similar to one about the 30-30 vs 32 Win Spl. They're so much alike that you can't really tell the difference.

can we start 3 threads a day then?

The 7mm-08 spits a 120 grain ballistic tip, Hornady HP or TTSX at 3,100+ fps. The .270 shoots a 130 at the same 3,100 fps. The .308 caliber bullets in that range fly like a bowling ball. Step the 7mm-08 up to a sleek 140 grain bullet and you have a fabulous flat shooting rifle that bucks the wind well, similar to a 150 ballistic tip in .308, but the 7mm-08 will still woop it past 400 yards.

If I were only shooting factory, no question, the .308 is king and is loaded to its full potential. Most 7mm-08 loads are pretty anemic. If you hand load, I like the 7mm-08 much better.

I have killed several nice mule deer bucks with 120's at over 500 yards with the 7mm-08. All were pass through shots and bang flops. That is pretty impressive in my book. I have shot truck loads of big game animals with the round at ranges much closer. I have yet to blow up a bullet. It gets it done in spades. Is it "better" than the .308? No, just enough different that I like it better I LOVE the 120's at 3,100+ fps. They shoot REALLY flat and hit hard. Flinch