Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Your Favorite Short Action 7mm

I am mainly a lever-gun guy, that’s just where I find most enjoyment when deer hunting.

However, I am on a quest of adding a 7mm to the herd. This will be mainly for white tails in the Mid-South. When I am able, I will build a 7mm SAUM or close equivalent for Western hunts.

I have a .270 Win, and it leaves nothing to be desired for accuracy or killing power. It does a boringly good job of smoking critters from as far as I can shoot.

So this isn’t about necessity (how boring) just looking for a short action 7mm.

Only stipulations are this: (1) no barrel burner, and (2) not interested in fire-forming. I guess the only real question is: within these criteria, is there anything that legitimately tops the 7mm-08?

JP

Nope.

(If short action wasn't required, 7x57 and 280 are just cool. I also had a 7x64BR that I regret selling.)

If I could do it again, I’d go with a .280 all day long over the .270. I’ve even seen plenty of it on shelves recently.

I’m considering the .284 Win. But brass with the 7mm-08 will always be able to be formed from .308. But as long as I’m rolling my own, thought I’d check to see if there was anything more interesting out there.

Where do you see lots of 280 on shelves? I wasn't seeing it much *before* shortage. If only I hunted with a 26 Nosler or 300 SAUM.... it's piling up at Cabelas.

Depends on the bolt face. If it's a .473 then go with the 7-08. If it's a short mag bolt face, 7 WSM.

https://www.lapua.com/new-lapua-brass-cartridge-cases-for-2021/

You didn’t state the platform, but since your rolling your own the 284 might be worth a look if you’ve got the room.

Go with the 7mm-08. You won’t regret it. It’ll do everything you want in 7mm.

PS: Welcome to the ‘Campfire

7mm-08, no question about it.

I’ll walk back my comment about their being “plenty” of .280 available. But it does seem to be available whereas the .270’s and 30-06’s are not.

I do not have a complete rifle or action to build off of as yet. If I do go 7mm-08, I may look for a factory option. If other, a custom tube may be the ticket.

Either way, I do envision this being a Model 70.

7-08

Agree with the others on 7-08 for your application. My current 7mm's are 7x57 and 275 Rigby, and I'm currently building a 7 SAUM.

This.

A friend of mine swears by the .284 Winchester on whitetails. I tell him that it's a great choice , but my .284 Remington will kill them just as dead.

Std bolt face 7mm-08, mag bolt face- 7mm SAUM

7mm saum

+2

Though my next .473” 7mm will likely be a 7 Creedmoor.

This. I don’t think you would regret a 7mm08. I really like mine. Mine is a M70 EW. Great rifle!

7mm WSM

7-08 is a fantastic cartridge; extremely versatile, easy to find brass/components,

So no, nothing legitimately tops the 7-08; not even close.

Agreed. And Lapua brass is icing on the cake.