Which for elk out to 250yds 250gr Hornady interlocks in the 358 ,or 140gr Nosler partitions for 7-mm-08?. I am leaving it up to all of you to choose for me simply because I have created to much brain damage over thinking this . thanks.

250 yards isn't much of a challenge to either of these cartridges. Both are up to the task.....Personally, for elk, I'd go with the .358 Winchester but load it with 225 partitions or a similar-to slightly-less-weight TTSX.

If one likes the 7mm-08, then a 160 partition might be a better bullet....even though I'd use a 150 TTSX.

The really nice thing about the 7-08 is it's dual purpose.....it'll make a splendid deer rifle as well

If, down the road, one wants to divest either of them, the 7-08 might be a lot easier to move than the .358

Good grief, either will work.

Having owned both, and having used the 7-08 for one of my best bulls, I'd far and away prefer the 7-08. Kicks less, penetrates plenty.

Elk are just animals...

the 7mm-08 is a much better cartridge ,easier to buy ammo for,will shoot much flatter,is much more accurate out to 500yards, 358 is just not a good cartridge at long range bullets just drops to much. .just buy a 7MM-08 you will be much happier in a boltgun with atleast a 22 inch barrel. as a gun dealer I would never recommend 358 win. to a new gun person for elk. also as said both cartridges will kill elk ,my biggest bull scored 374 B.C. and I shot it with a bow and arrow. good luck,Pete53

140 Partitions in the 7mm-08 and never look back.

Simply an excellent choice.

Haha damn I know it!! I’d 358....

But yes for the love of god, either will work

Throw that pop-gun in the garbage and use the 358 winnie.

I got a 7 08 BLR hunted elk with a few years.

I would chose the 358!

Just got my 356 marlin worked up this winter!

I would buy one of each and solve all issues.

7mm-08!!

and a 358 win is just an old pumkin lead thrower with plenty recoil short range club ,best advise posted buy both and hopefully someone will buy the 358 win from you ?

I've got both...358 by a mile. In my experience the 250 grain bullets are a bit heavy for that caliber for longer shots, although they are real good for big stuff at closer ranges. Killed my biggest bison to date with a 358/250 combo. 225 grain bullets are just about perfect....go with the NP if they shoot well for you. If I've learned anything in my long career as a guide its this...very few should be shooting at big game at much past 250 yards, and most shouldn't be shooting that far, although they will never admit it. Also dont fall for the old myth that the 358 is a short range brush gun.....it will shoot as flat as a 30/06 with the right bullets.

The 358 won't kill an elk, cause it aint fast enough.

Take the .358 Win and slay elk.

The 358 Winchester and the 7 08 share the same parent case the 308 Winchester.

The less restriction between the powder column and the bore or the more area of the bore the more efficient the powder colum will be.

The classic velocity versus kinetic energy debate........yawn!

Get your popcorn.........or should I say pop gun?

I'd throw 140 TTSX or 150 Partitions in the 7, or 200 TTSX or 225 Partitions in the 358 and go to work; they both work on both caribou and moose in my rifles.

Generally, I'd say this is a "how and where you hunt elk question"....

7-08 all day long baby....

+1

7mm-08.

I've killed two bulls with mine, one shot each, 140 Partition over Big Game. Both DRT.

It's my main shooting iron.





P

7-08 + 140 gr Partition = dead elk

Either will work, but that's a pretty ignorant statement from someone who says they sell guns. Yeah the 7-08 is flatter overall but run the numbers for a 200 grn TTSX at 2700+ fps and tell me it's a short range round....can easily make a 3 or 400 yard shot.

I was visiting with a buddy about this thread.........

We came to the conclusion perhaps a compromise..........

You know .............

Kinda halfway between a 7 mm and a .35 caliber........

How about a ........308?

Funny ain't that the original parent case?

U Know 308 Winchester?

How could old farts KNOW?

To have picked it out?

Itz a miracle!

No elk in the world would know the difference.




P

The .308 is like that girl that no one wants to boink.

Sure, maybe she has the goods, maybe she doesn't, but she ain't no 7-08 nor is she anywhere close to a .358. She's a pedestrian date at best.

Go 7mm-08 and 120 TTSX.

There will be no guesswork at all with this bullet out to 300 yards with the high velocity and it will easily penetrate as far or farther than a 250 NPT fired from a .358 Win at all ranges you’re talking about. Probably close to 50% less recoil means you’ll shoot it more accurately, as well.

I’ve killed a couple of bulls with this combo and I’m not exactly sure the 120 TTSX even slowed down as it passed through each bull. VERY impressive.

That 120 TTSX is a cool option. And 3,100 is a legit speed with some of today's powders.

ya we all kinda don`t what normal but the 308 is still a heck of a cartridge ,yes I like a 7mm-08 but last year my son for fun used his 308 Browning BLR and killed a big 8 pt. whitetail buck at 250 yards and a big 5x5 mule deer at 200 yards , many hunters would have mounted both these fine bucks,he also killed a big 6x6 elk with his bow all last fall 2017. son owns a 7mm-08 too but used the 308 for a change. that dang old 308 win is just a good old cartridge that will also get the job done. yes all 3 cartridges will kill animals but my favorite of the 3 is a 7mm-08 but in a pinch I would use a 308. good luck to all.

With the original poster stating he will not shoot at an elk over 250 yards.

1. How can a 7 08 be " better" than a 358?
A. At what distance?

B. How?

2. If any elk in the world would not feel the difference between a 308 and a 7 08 as per stated.

A. Why would one own a 7 08?

B. Would any elk in the world at let's say 80 yards..... not " feel" a difference between a 358 220 grain bullet.....and a 7 08 ?


Thanks.

the 358 winnie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

To feel the difference it would have to experience being hit by both so it can compare..

The 7X57 was killing moose, elk, deer, elephant and everything else on the planet more than 60 years before the 358 was invented. A 7-08 does exactly the same thing with even better bullets than they had in the 1890's. I don't see how a more arched trajectory and greater recoil is an improvement over that proven success.

Why did the German military adopt the 8 X 57 over the 7 X 57?

Because 7mm Mauser did not exist at the time the parent cartridge of the 8x57 (Patrone 88 .318cal)
was developed and put into service (1888)

a couple tweaks to the existing service round(Patrone 88)and the 'S Patrone' .323 cal variant was born.

changes incl. dropping from 225grain RN, to much lighter weight 154 grain aerodynamic Spitzer.

How did the 7 X 57 get into the Spanish American war?

The San Juan hill deal?

Dear me, people seem to go out of their way to make this hard. There's nothing wrong with the 358, but why?

The 7-08 kicks less, shoots flatter, and if you're worried about penetration, a 160 gr 7mm will out-penetrate a 250 gr .358 of the same build.

I killed a 4x4 bull in 2013 with a 140 Partition from my 7mm-08, 68 yards. He took one step forward, one step back, and fell over. I didn't have time to put another one in him, he went down so fast. And it wasn't a CNS shot, either, I hit him in the left scapula, through both lungs, then caught the bullet under the hide.

I can't believe a different cartridge would have performed better.






P

The 358 is very close to a 35 whelen, I doubt any elk could tell the difference between the two. So why don't we start a 7mm-08 vs 35 whelen thread and see how that goes.

If only , if only Elmer Keith & Jack O'Connor were still amongst the living.

I betcha they could settle this little carborundum.


Mike

No, no, no! I have a real problem - 280 rem or 350 remmag?

7-08 and partitions will kill an elk well beyond 250 yards. Softer recoil and higher velocity induces better accuracy which means you might well shoot 300-350 yards and not watch the big one walk because he was too far away.

The bigger the meplat..........

The tighter the group.........


Recoil be dammned!

Killed a few elk with a 7mm Caliber, none with a 358, I can afford either. If you are hunting the deep, dark and wet, timber the 358 is your bet. Any other areas the 7 mm will get it done.

Do you mean the 348 or 358?

The 348 rifles had no place to mount a scope.

I have both calibers and both have been elk hunting (no elk taken with either rifle). I think Elkmen has summed it up nicely. The 358 win with a 225 grain bullet is a good woods rifle and 250 yards shouldn't be a problem. Mine likes NP's but, Sierra Gameking's are the most accurate bullet I've tried. As indicated, the 7-08 will reach out a bit further and has a better selection of bullets to choose from. My 358 win is probably my favorite rifle and is well suited for the distance I'm comfortable shooting large game.

this post is right on with two additions 7mm-08 ammo is much easier to find and cheaper too buy than 358 win. not many rifles chambered in a 358 win any more either and every company chambers 7 mm -08. that should tell you something also.

I like them both, but I own neither right now. If I were to be offered one of the two, I also would have trouble choosing. The 7-08 is the shell that covers the bases a bit better, but for raw power the 358 dose the job with real authority.
So I guess it depends on what you hunt, and where.

I do own some 270s and the 7-08 covers the same ground in the game fields as the 270. I see the 7-08 as the very best of the factory shells made on the 308 case. But don't think you can't shoot 400 yards with a 358. You sure can. You just need to know the hold over, and it's not as high as you might think.

The 358 Winchester is a shell I have made several rifles on. I have never sold one to a customer who didn't love it.

I have a 9X57 in the works now and a 9.3X57 in my safe. As I load them, those 2 shells set on both the high side and the low side of the 358. I think very highly of them as hunting cartridges, but after about 175 yards you have to judge or measure your ranges closer than you would with the 7-08. But if you hunt in the trees the problem doesn't exist.

Maybe you should ignore everyone's advice here except for that given by JimhnSTL
"Get both".

Then in the future when someone else asks, you can tell us all the answers, and give real world advice concerning how they work.

Well said amigo!

Eh.....

the right choice FEELS like the .358.....

But I don't think either is a bad choice.

-Jake

No wrong answer here.

It sure helps when posters read the original question.....see the bolded words.

While either of the cartridges in question are adequate for the task the .358 is going to make the larger hole. If we stretch the distance another football field we are simply evading the original question.

^^^^^^^this^^^^^^^^^

For what it’s worth: to the original poster, either will do fine, but after many years of use I’ll take the 7mm-08. There is nothing it won’t do in this country if loaded and shot properly. And, if the 7mm-08 didn’t exist, my next choice would be the .308. Why tolerate more recoil and a less flat trajectory if not necessary?

358, l aready have a 7x57 and a 35 Whelen. For elk in timber I would prefer the 358 and 250 gr. Speer spitzers or Nosler Partitions. 250 yards is not really to far to shoot a pointed bullet started out at 2300 fps. If you just had to you could use 225 gr. bullets going a bit over 2500 fps. My experience with the 35 caliber rifles give me absolute confidence that I will get an exit hole and it will leak blood no matter what. I have killed an elk with a 7MM RM but neither of the two bullets exited the elk. 175 gr. Hornady Spire points. The 270 though not a 7MM did well with 150 gr. Speers and Partitions exited half the time but on elk blood trails were kind of thin, I was glad I had snow. This all said most of the elk I have shot were closer than 200 yards, some much closer.

Started with a 358 then went to a 700 Ti 7mm-08 for a decade or so but decided to give a 358 another try.

My new Elk rig is a light weigh Montana rebored to 358 shooting 200 gr Tipped TSX. Sweet shooting gun out to 300 yards.

Great advice. That's why I have a 7mm-08 and .35 Whelen barrel for my Encore and a 7mm-08 bolt gun. :-)

split the difference and go .308 165 gr. TTSX will do well =]

I totally agree. About the parent case......the 308. Waz built 4 a reason.........itz a miracle!

This just might be the best advice on ths entire thread.

Not in my opinion... it runs the 165 mono too slow for my taste.

i have only used conventional bullets in the 308. 165 or 180 s. The 160 FTX in the 300 savage.


Been good 4 me on cow elk. ( Rocky Mountain). Under 450 yards. Most a lot closer.

my 2 cents: I don`t live out west so I get stuck spending to much money for a non- resident license,plus gas,food maybe lodging, and time, I can`t just hunt the weekend ,so when I go west its for 2 weeks and I plan on fill`n my tag with a tasty elk. I hunt long and hard and yes I like 7mm-08 and even the 358 win. but to be honest for me both these cartridges are just ok for elk hunting. So from now on I will take my new rifle for elk hunting because distance or size will no longer matter. I built a weatherby mark 5 accumark with a custom brux barrel I a 338 lapua and put a niteforce scope and bi-pod on this rifle, I`m tired of having a bull elk at 500- 600 - 700 yards and wondering if I have a gun that can kill that bull,if its standing at 80 yards or 700 yards from now on and if you have the proper skills its dead with a 338 lapua . no more smaller cartridges for me to elk hunt with anymore, being a non-resident I just put a better chance on a tagged elk in my favor now with a 338 lapua from now on ! so if your a non-resident think about it maybe buy a bigger cartridge rifle to hunt elk with its worth the tasty elk meat ???? good luck,Pete53

Many, many rifles are capable of kill zone accuracy at 500-600-700 yards.

Shooters, not so much.





P

With all due respect, very much an Easterner mindset on western hunting....

just pour in a little more gunpowder.....or use a Northfork or A-Frame.

> we don`t have as much time to hunt, but pay the most for a non-resident license on federal land in Montana we both hunt on.
non-resident elk license in Montana about $800.00 / resident Montana elk license less than $50.00

this why we bring bigger rifles to fill our tags

Aaawwww - cut to the chase.
Get a 30-06 and go kill whatever - wherever.



(Duck and cover now )

You are still missing the point...

with respect to all, I believe bigger is better if you can carry it , handle it and I still can as can many others. my biggest bull scored 374 B.C. and that was with a bow at 75 lbs. but when I rifle hunt I will never be under gunned ever again at my age of 65 years, I have seen what can happen with a smaller caliber / cartridge rifle on elk even deer,you have many more limitations with a smaller cartridge rifle,plus someone may get your wounded animal/elk ? best to hit them hard ,knock them down and tagged them before someone else does ,on public land there are sometimes dishonest hunters who will tag a elk just because its easier they have no pride,i have had that happen before on a big 6x6 bull and I hope it will never happen again. As has been said with age comes wisdom to help others and at 65 years of age I am just trying to help some others and save them from a sad situation from happening rather your a easterner or live by the mountains. so good luck this fall 2018 ,have fun ,be safe,Pete53

You too sir - kill a big guy....

Same here. Run 150 or 130 TTSX in the .308 Win and we’re rollin’

(7MM-08 + 358) / 2 =308 !!!

I have seen 2 cow elk shot with the 7-08 both under 200 yards, both needed additional shots, 3 shots on one of them, 2 shots on the other. Both ran about 125 yrds. Further examination of the animals during field dressing revealed solid hits into lungs with factory premium ammo 150 gr bullets. My sister was the shooter here, an excellent shot. The animals knew we were there and were on a fast move and then stopped offering a shot. If i had a choice between both i would take the 358 any day, even on marginal shots that 358 makes a bigger hole.

Come on now....

Have to agree...

Your's truly with a pretty nice 6pt I dumped at 40 yards with a 150 Ballistic Tip from the 7-08... Bull was angled away so I held for the off shoulder, which put the bullet through the rear ribs... it penetrated 32" of elk, and was under the scapula on the offside. The bull ran 25 yards and pitched over. I covered the 65 yards to the animal and it was stone dead when I got there. I've shot more than a couple elk and never seen one die quicker.

Nice animals guys..........In spite of having my knees replaced last Summer, I was able to harvest this giant desert pig at my buddy's place. Must have weighed 300 lbs ( I'm a big, strong sonofabuck). Took it with my 7-08 and one well placed 120 Ballistic Tip.

Great eater JG!

Nice bull! Question, why block your face out? I’ve never understood why folks do this??.....

Brad did us all a favor, as happens to be very homely.........that's putting it nicely.

LOL, so true

I have seen similar results as fireman.

In my opinion elk wanting to cover ground seem to be able to cover ground after hit with a bullet. Adrenaline perhaps?

So that’s it? Not being a dick just seems wierd to me

No, you’re just clueless...

Ok, I reckon so....

358 win is a reloading deal as I have not seen loaded ammo for 358 in many years.
I have a BLR in 358 that is deadly accurate with 200 gr Hornady's and have taken deer,many Big Hogs and a Black Bear.
They mostly fall where the bullet hits them.It a sledge hammer of a round.
I have owned and shot a 7x57 for years and feel its a better long range round.
But inside 250 yards the elk won't know what hit him with a 358 win!

Paper or plastic? Both will do the job.

Why beat yourself up with the 358? Makes no sense.

Shoot the 7-08...

(7mm + 9mm)/2 = 8mm Better pick up a .325 WSM and fill the bed of the truck with elk.

how are you with recoil?
I would go with the 7-08 in a tikka.
you want to shoot heavier bullets then go with the gold standard 30/06 and 180 grain pills and you can go further than 250 yards.
you want a real thumper, get the 9.3x62 and you'll be fine from alaska to africa

Split the difference and get a 308 Win.

I almost bought a .358 but ended up going with a 308. I actually wish I had gotten the 7mm-08 but I am using it for deer. If I was buying one specifically for elk, the 358 would be great but only if you hand load. The factory ammo selection for 358 is not very good.

I have had two 7mm-08s. Killed deer and hogs. The 7m-08s went down the road. Just did not like them. Now I have two 308s. They do what I need. I also have several other calibers, but do not miss the 7mm-08.

[

(.284 + .358)/2 = .321 = .32 Special

What specifically do the .308's do for you that the 7mm-08's didn't?

Recoil a little more.

I would take the 7-08. Hunting in the lower "48" for elk at 250 yards with a Nosler Partition would set the table every time if the shooter does his part.

Now if you were up here on one of our islands hunting Uncle Teddy's Roosevelt elk that are living with the meat stealing brown bears hot on their heals, I would grab the .358 Winchester and a good tough 225 grain or heavier bullet. I would take that any day over a 7-08 for Alaskan elk hunting!