Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Is the 7-08 dying?

Someone claimed that the 7-08 was dying in another thread, which seemed greatly exaggerated to me. Rather than muck up the thread in question, I thought I'd pose the question here. Thoughts?

No

I’ll go check mine……. No. It is still breathing

You really have to define “dying”.

If you are asking if 7-08 fans will continue using them, the answer is no, it’s not dying. If you are asking if the 7-08 will continue to be supported by rifle manufacturers, it’s debatable.

I'd need to see some data but in my neck of the woods, it's seems more popular than ever.
A few weeks back I asked a shop owner what parents were buying their new hunters these days? "6.5 Creedmoor or 7-08" was the response.

I won't say it is dying, but the former luster it once had is gone, at least around here. I've been in the retail gun business for almost 30 years. At one point, the .270, .30-06 and 7-08 were the most requested deer rifles. I hardly have any requests for them now. The .308 and the Man-Bun rule the roost. The lack of 7-08 ammo over the last few years may have a lot to do with it, but the Creed was already winning the battle prior to that.

It's not the easiest to find factory ammo for on the shelf.

Ammo companies make what sells and has high demand - right now, priority 1 is prob Creedmoor for machine time.

I think it will always have fans. I own and shoot one as my primary rifle. Love it. It's been nicknamed "The Death Star" because over the last 10 years, nothing escapes. I think total tracking distance on deer in that time has been 30 feet combined. Just an amazing cartridge that seems to kill above its paygrade.

That said - likely, were I buying new today without a rifle in the case - I'm probably solid in the 6.5 Creed because both rifles and ammo are plentiful.


IMO - it's not dying, it's not growing either and I find it to be amazing as a handloader. Definitely not looking to replace it and as I muse, below say 338/375 magnum - I don't see much need for anything else other than varmint 223. That is to say, if I need "more" than what I can do with a 7-08, I likely need quite a bit more and a 30-06/300WM ain't it chief. YMMV.

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Excellent post, Teal.

It's still dang popular here. And while ammo is expensive, It can be found.

+1 Teal

I never really liked the 7-08, and have liked stuff on either side of it more. My friends who use it wouldn't be without one.

I think it's more popular than ever right now

That!.

Good post, Teal... In this part of the country it's fairly popular, since average distance of shots (for say, deer) is under 100 yds..

The 7-08 is a fine round but if buying a new rifle the 6.5mm CM has a lot more ammo support and does the same job.

I would bet a small sum that, on average, 6.5mm CM rifles will shoot better than 7-08s using factory ammo.

SAAMI spec 7-08 throats and SAAMI spec factory ammo are not the best fit.

Interesting. I'd have thought the ammunition availability these days would suppress new 7-08 rifle demand.

Mine's not.

I believe you could fill in a lot of cartridges where you've typed 7-08 and still be correct.

LOL yeesh. It was me. And the comment was made in the context of ammo availability, not that many responding actually read it all.

On one hand, it's much harder for the non-reloader to find 708 on physical shelves, it's more expensive when they do (even relative to general increase), and there are way fewer new rifles in just the last few years. On the other hand, stores that don't even have spots for 708 do have tons of different 6.5cm ammo... and the new 6, 6.5 and 7mm rounds just keep coming.

So, if you're a casual hunter/shooter or even a serious one that doesn't reload, 708 is not a logical place to start. But as I said in the original thread, it's a great hunting round.

This^^^^^^^

Not dying with the people who have it & most are probably not rushing to replace it with the 6.5, but if you measure new gun sales from maybe 5 years past & going forward from now, they are not increasing for the 7-08 for the reasons JB cited.

MM

I wasn't calling you out and didn't mention the other thread because I didn't want to give that appearance. I also didn't want to muck up the other guy's thread, even though it happened anyway.

7-08 may be tougher to find on physical shelves for now, but it's quite easy to get online and store inventory should improve. You can also buy 7-08 hunting ammo for $20/box. https://ammoseek.com/ammo/7mm-08-remington

Your points about the 6.5 manbun are noted and I agree with them. I just think the 7-08 still makes a lot of sense for people.

I hunt a rotation of 280, 30-30, and 6.5x55. So I totally get using effective rounds if you're already set up for them. But 708 is clearly not a priority for ammo or rifle makers and that isn't going to improve as time passes. 708 isn't going away anymore than 257R or 280 or 7x57 are... even so, they're all shadows of their former popularity in the US.