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

I could actually see the 7-08 getting a boost in popularity as the 7mm caliber gets more attention these days.

I think both of the below are true. However, at least as of this time, it appears that most manufacturer have all but "abandoned", for lack of a better term, the manufacturing of 7mm-08 chambered rifles for the various 6.5s. Other than the fact that business decisions like such tend to create a large group of "butt-hurt" hunters, it is a business decision and appears, from my perspective, to be a smart one, at least in the short term. It has been frustrating for the past several years not seeing a regular supply of used 7mm-08s for sale. That is also a reflection of the stead in which those who own them view them.

Spot on.

People seem to hold onto the ones they have.

Rarely see a 7mm-08 hit the used shelves. And when they do they aren't there for long.

-Jake

You guys are spot on, but I think most of the campfire know this and have made the same claims. What I get a kick out of is I have who know's how many 6.5CM's and 1 7mm08. When I think, which one for elk? I pull out the 7... I have not even looked for factory ammo, so I don't know what is available. One thing I know is there are a hell of a lot of people that like the little 7, and for good reason.

There is plenty of interest in the 7-08 Rem. Again Remington really stinks when it comes to supporting their own cartridges with factory rifles. I’ve always thought that the 25-06, 260, 7-08, and their RSAUM line, which I consider a much better cartridge design by length and feeding than the WSM line, were all completely abandoned. Just goes to show the decision making by Remington which has kept them in the toilet financially for years.

The 7-08 Rem is a very desirable sweet spot for ballistics and hunting rig when considering rifle weight, barrel length, recoil, bullet technology and rifling. Let’s face it most manufacturers still utilize a 9.5 twist on 7-08 Rem rifles, which does satisfy most hunting needs with 160-170 gr class bullets. With cost of rifles and especially if you handload why bother with factory when you could simply order a $800 Rem action or Rem clone action, utilize a 3” box and nice trigger, throat and chamber to desired max bullet, put a 21-inch barrel on it and twist barrel to 8.5 or 8, and slap a Bansner stock on it. You’d have to forgo about $2,000, but you’d have one helluva firearm.

That to me is where the 7-08 Rem remains alive and well as it offers the serious rifleman the most serious rifle chamber for long range work having light recoiling. I would contend the there’s not a better set up for a mountain/alpine hunter rig. If buying factory you’re going spend close to $1,200 for a rifle that has none of the above characteristics, and of course lacking the accuracy and superior handling that the above attributes would supply.

I heard the 270win is dying also. Still waiting for that to happen.

Naw - they give you a drug cocktail now. Can live just about forever with HIV.

I don't think that many rifles that are based on the .308, really ever die for hand loaders. The lack of factory ammo can sure hurt sales to the shelf-ammo crowd, though.

Hard to argue with a 7-08, loaded with a 139 Interlock, or 140 AB.

While a 7-08 does not get the glitz and glamour a 6.5 CM does, it’s not dying. Just look at YouTube and there are plenty of videos with 7-08 being compared to other calibers like the .308 Win and 6.5 CM. I think it may actually be making a small, though very small comeback. I was without one for 16 years after selling my first one off. The wife bought me a new one last Christmas and it filled a hole in my soul that was lacking since I let my first one go. I’ve probably heard more people that are buying or at least showing interest in the 7-08 than I can remember.

I may see if Nugget will take me out behind the Borough dump and put me on a whitetail with it. My only concern is that he will not let me take it and make me go to the scrap metal pile and pull off a piece of copper tubing from an old discarded refrigerator to use as the weapon. Hell, he used rebar to kill his.

Sure, as if any copper makes it past Nugget to the scrap pile.

Again, the context of the original comment had to do with ammo availability for people who don't reload.

Will rounds like the 7PRC lead to renewed popularity for the 708? Probably not. At least, not for *new* buyers. Because the 7PRC isn't going to spur any new rifles in 708 and it isn't going to spur any increase in factory ammo production in 708. It's going to lead to new rifles and ammo runs in 7PRC. The 6.5cm's popularity didn't revolutionize factory ammo for 6.5x55 or 260...

Now, could the new 7mms be great for bullet availability for guys who already have a 708 and reload for it? Maybe. Depending on the specs for your rifle. I honestly have no idea how a 180 grain bullet would/could work in a 708. (My understanding of the 7PRC is a 180 grain, 7mm projectile at 300WM velocity?) But again, we're talking about a minority of hunters/shooters outside of this forum. (We hardly represent the average rifle owner here...)

Good point! I’m sure catalytic converters don’t make it past him either😜

Good posts.

I agree with the Creed having the edge on accuracy with factory ammo.

For the reloader, even then it can be hard to beat Creed factory groups.

My 7-08 is alive and well, sitting in the safe next to a Creed, a Swede and some other really good ones.

I find myself picking up the 7-08 more than the others.

May have to revisit that. Have samplings of Hammer bullets to try. We’ll see how that shakes out.

DF

Addendum: I think the revolution in good 6mm and 6.5mm bullets will only hurt the 708 for 2 reasons. Folks who used to have reservations about using the smaller round on larger game because they didn't think bullets would hold up are changing their minds. I also think that casual/average shooters are becoming increasingly averse to recoil. To me, the recoil of a 6.5cm and 708 are almost indistinguishable (and frankly, I would also consider my 280 to be borderline negligible)... but I can't tell you how many people I've heard talking about how there's a huge drop off when you go down to 6.5cm or smaller. Probably only a couple ft#s in reality... but then the Creedmoor doesn't do a hell of a lot the Swede won't so we already know that perception can rule the day...

Those who talk about a big “drop off”, 7mm to 6.5mm, need to get out more.

DF

You make a lot of valid points, but 7-08 ammo is not hard to find online (many *new* buyers likely have no issue shopping the interwebs) and store supplies will eventually get back to normal as well. Our current ammo situation is still far from what I'd consider to be typical, even though it is improving. I also don't think it's quite fair to compare the 7-08 with the Swede or 260 in your above example. In my experience, the 7-08 is quite a bit more popular than either of those 6.5's over the last couple of decades.

I dont think the 7mm-08 is dying but its certainly not gaining many new fans these days with the 6.5 craze in full swing. The 7mm-08 is here to stay but in IMO it will eventually be mostly a reloaders boutique type cartridge similar to what the .257 Bob is now. You will find many fans of the 7mm-08 on this site and they will undoubtedly profess to its many merits but we are rifle loony's, to the average Joe Blow deer hunter they have zero interest in this cartridge and many probly have never even heard of it.....Hb

I don't discount the 6.5 craze, but folks seem to act like it's going to last forever. We're only a few videos and magazine articles away from something else jumping into the limelight. Could it be the 7-08 with new 7mm bullets coming onto the scene? Dunno, but it will be something. Always is.

I don't think it's dying. It may be even getting a little bump with more rifles being made with fast twist. Plenty of bullets to choose from, decent rifles being made. I don't have one but I should and will.