Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters 280 or 7-08 for Texas ??

Yep. For a non-handloader the 7-08's the obvious choice.

Either is just fine.

It it were me, I'd go with the 7-08 because I am a hand-loader, and you can make very long lasting brass for a 7-08 out of surplus GI Machine Gun brass. I have done it for both 7-08 and 260 and the cases I made were as good and probably a bit better then the commercial offerings, yet the cost was super low and sometimes free. Free brass, easily made into 7-08, compared to full price for the 280. But that's the only reason I would choose the 7-08 in a bolt action. In a bolt action there is no arguing that the 280 fires it's bullets a bit faster owing to the fact it holds more powder.
In my 50 years of gunsmithing and shooting, I have yet to see this "advantage" the writers speak of when it comes to short bolt actions. In bolt guns I have not found short actions to be more accurate, faster or easier to handle. All these things we are told to believe, but making guns myself for 50 years now, I can't force myself to believe it because I can't see any real-world evidence of those claims.

The longer 280 give you a bit more speed, but I doubt that it matters to ANY animal you would ever shoot with a 7MM rifle. The ballistic difference between the two is what gives rifle-fans fodder to talk over. But my experience has shown me that the difference in killing ability of a 270, a 280 a 7-08 a 308, 30-06 (with bullets up to 180 grains) and a 7MM Mag is virtually non-existent on game. 7MM Mag fans will hate me saying so, and I have nothing bad to say about the 7MM Mags, but the real truth is that in all my years, I have not seen that it works any better then any of those other cartridges I listed here.

If I were to want a lever action BLR, or a semi-auto I would choose the 7-08 because it makes for a more compact action that feels and handles easier to me. Having shot both the short and the long BLRs I can say I prefer the short one. I own a 30-06 in a BLR and it's very smooth and accurate, but my friends BLR in 7-08 is lighter, easier to work the lever, and just a nicer feeling gun.

My last point about the 7-08 is that if you are so inclined to want an AR10 style rifle, the 7-08 is super easy to make and uses standard NATO magazines, whereas the 280 is way to long to fit.

I have a 7-08, don't have a 280.

But the 280 is a fine round, the .280 AI gets pretty close to the 7RM in a more efficient package.

I guess it boils down to the individual gun, SA vs. LA.

My 7-08 is a Bobby Hart built 700 in a Hunters Edge. It's a mighty nice rifle and right now, my go to WT and hog gun.

But, as a Loony, that's always subject to change...

DF

I’ve learned more from this site than I’ve taught, so I feel an obligation to provide relevant experience.

As to the rifle choice, it’s hard to beat a Tikka for accuracy. These are Tikka 7mm-08 targets:

One of mine



My brother’s



A different one of mine (who buys two of the same rifle?)







P

Well, you’ve gotten a lot of bad advice here. Although I’ve no experience with either cartridge, the answer to your question is obvious in the title of the thread: TEXAS! Go big or go home! .280 is bigger.

Ain’t bigger. Faster, but not bigger. And faster don’t mean diddly inside of 400 yards.

To the OP: I’ve killed deer with my 7mm-08 out to 541 yards, and elk to 346 yards. My nephew killed his first bull last year, a 5x6, at a bit over 400. You’ll have plenty of gun with the 7mm-08, and it won’t bang you around.




P

I'd go 7mm-08 also. However, if you do want a .280, I have a nice older Rem Mnt rifle that I'd sell ya.

I suggest you let the rifle make the decision for you.

Pick the rifle first. See what you like and what really fits you. What is it available in?

If both are available in the rifle you choose, I would take the 7mm-08 due to accuracy, ammo availability, etc... as has been said above.

If the rifle you really like and fits is only available in 280, that would work just fine also. If shooting factory ammo, there really isn't much difference.

Yep, as long as you loading it with BG powder...



DF

1911 ..across the street from Davey Dogwood Park....and the creek that runs thru it cross's my street about 1/2 block away...
Ron

Damn straight.


P

.280 AI rules, one of the best cartridges for Texas hunting.

I would either get a 26" barreled 7-08 or a 20" 280.

I just listed a NIB Sako 85 Bavarian in 7mm-08 at a great price in the Classifieds if you want a 7mm-08.

7mm-08. For Texas hunting under 400 yards, it'll do everything you need with less recoil

Could not agree more.

That makes two of you who can’t do math.




P

Ron, I still have that .280 I've told you about. It's a shooter. I'm about to do a couple of things to it to dress it up more. It will have everything I'd ever want except a 3-position safety on it, and if I ever do that it will be the "not for sale" sign.

7mm-08

But...... I've got a 280 Rem and a 280 AI. I love the 280. I have a Kimber MT 257 Robts that I'm not excited about even though it shoots well. My hesitation with turning it into a 7-08 is the 2.8 inch mag box. Seating 150 and 160 gr bullets to the primer seems to be a bit of a waste of good capacity. A Fieldcraft solves that issue but can't get past the non-locking bolt 'feature'. Still the 7-08 tugs at my rifle looneyism......

^^^This^^^

And much easier to find Factory ammo if you don’t reload.