Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 7mm-08...good short-action substitute for .270?

I currently shoot a .270 Win. bolt action rifle and am toying around with the idea of picking up a lever action in a short action caliber. I love the ballistics and energy of my .270.
Will the 7mm-08 be the closest "equivalent" to it in a short action caliber?
FWIW, I don't reload.

I'd just get a .308.

I have always thought that the 7mm-08 is just a short action 270.

If I wasn't such a huge 270 fan and already have all the reloading supplies/overhead, I would probably pick a 7mm-08.

My 270 rifles drive 140 grain factory stuff out the muzzle at about 2900-2950fps. My 7mm08 is only 50-100 fps slower.

There is no difference between them in the field as far as I can tell.

Even Jack O'Connor who loved the 270,was a great admirer of the 7x57 with handloads. He lived before the 7mm-08 was a factory round but his 7x57 handloads were about identical to the modern 7mm-08.

You will find that the 7mm-08 does in fact do most anything in a short action that the 270 will do. Get one and fill an ark.

They are pretty much same/same with deer bullets. Doubt 100fps one way or another makes a huge difference.

The 7mm-08 is a very efficient cartridge. 120 grain bullets over 3000 fps and 140s just over 2800, and 160s just under 2700 are the norm for 22 inch barrels in the 7mm-08. I can't tell the differnce in the field or range between my .270 and my 7mm-08. I load 140s to just over 2900 with H-4831 in the .270 and 140/139s to 2800 with Varget in the 7mm-08.

Velocity retained at 400 yds for a 270 win, 270 wsm, 7-08 with 130 (both 270s) and 140 core-lokts (7mm) is 2022, 2198, 1988 fps respectively as published by Remington. For comparison, a 150 rnsp from a 30-30 has 1973 fps at 100 yards and if you cant kill a deer at 100 yards with a 30-30, the fault is not the caliber.

I think a BLR lightweight in 7mm-08 would be a a very nice, easy to shoot rifle whose only real disadvantage to a 270 win would be ammo availability in the boondocks.

My post on another thread:

Whether a 7/08 is 'equal' of a larger capacity 270...well, as I have mentioned in posts before, I have clocked 21" bbls, TWO different rifles, factory unaltered chambers, at 2900-2960 with 140s. 120s shot 3050-3100 in the same guns...imagine those 10 grains less wt. from a 130/270 bullet is not a huge difference in how a bullet flys...or kills, many love the ballistic tips or the Barnes in 120s out of the 7/08. In a short tube i.e. 18.5" model 7, it's a loud gun that loses a good bit of potential speed no doubt as many rounds will in those short tubes.

It may not be equal, but I am not sure how much faster 140s go in a 270, esp. in a 21" bbl. I am sure my handloaded 7/08s were faster or equal some 270 factory loads, so for ME, the 708 is so close to the 270, for me to pick it over the 270. Owned a few 270s in the past, all shot well, killed well, and yes Cypress I agree, animals never know the fps, not mv or impact. If placed correctly and bullet penetrates vitals with some expansion properties, death usually results.

BTW, I just ran some numbers: http://www.biggameinfo.com/index.aspx?page=%2fbalcalc.ascx

Here is what I found:

270/130 accubonds, .435 BC/3100 mv, 200 yd zero, 500 yd drop 36.9", wind 18.6" at 10mph. Energy @500yds 1267 lbs. SD .242

7mm/140 accubond .485 BC/2950 mv, 200 yd zero, 500 yd drop 39.5", wind 17.6"/10mph, energy 1329 lbs. SD .248

SO, there you have it, a 7/08 drops 2.6" more at 500 yds vs. the 270 load, but has 1" advantage in a 10mph, also better by 62lbs energy....

At 500 yds, I can't hold that good, much less judge range, but if one had an LRF, and a scope to click, one could shoot deer with either about as far as you might expect to need/want, and kill with either, if the bullet lands well. ON larger game, I am confident a stouter bullet will get the job done, many stopping at 140 partition or barnes, but 150-160s are there, inc. the partitions, etc.

I don't know what 'practical' advantages a 270 has...ballistically than a 7/08. Not knocking the fine 270 and what is has and will continue to do, but the 7/08 is no slouch in my opinion and experience with both rounds. I doubt a few fps and .007 of an inch will ever be distinguished by most shooters or animals taken with either....marksmanship and bullet construction are much more important.

Thanks for the info. guys.

Phasmid, how'd you know that was the one I was looking at?
I handled one recently and it felt just right in weight and balance.

The whole idea of a lighter, shorter, easier to handle in the thick rifle like a BLR does not lean towards the 400+ yard shot.
So, why not just choose a .308W?
Better access to more diverse factory loads and a wider variety of bullets to choose from seem to be an important issue since you do not handload.
7.08, .260, .243W all are good rounds. But what do any of them do that much better than a .308W in a "brush gun?"

In any other action, I prefer a .260.
Compare the ballistics, especially way out there, with a .270.
All three are very close.

stumpy

Triggernosis - Just a good guess. I figured that unless you had found a old savage 99 in 7mm-08 that the BLR was the object of your desire.

WTM45 - Read the title of the post carefully. The .308 is a fine round and in fact the hunting world would be much simpler if all the calibers we had to choose from were .22 lr, .308, and .458WM but different strokes for different folks;) Just because you have a handy rifle doesn't restrict the distance you can shoot it. Your skill, ethics, and its accuracy determine that. My skill at this time limits me to 300 yards for unwounded big game in ideal conditions but I want to know where to hold at, and that the cartridge is adequate at 400yds in case I screw up the close shot.

You're preaching to the choir.
I read the title, as well as the post. It seems obvious the .308W is really what he is seeking, as it has the widest selection of factory loadings, more than the 7-08.

Can't imagine anything a 150gr .308 TSX will not do, and do it well.

Why try to duplicate the .270W you currently own? Is it a need to have similarity in dope between two rigs? Are they sharing the same optics? Looking to have the same elevation/windage data with both rigs?

Yep, I'd like to have at least similar dope for the occasional 300 yd. field shots. I'm not really looking for a "brush gun" so-to-speak, but more of an all-around one. I'm just tired of the bolt, but don't want the weight, etc. of a semi-auto...and pumps and I definitely don't mix.
I should have added that I prefer lower recoil, if possible, so I think that sways me a bit more towards the 7mm-08.

There are plenty of cartridge/rifle combos that will give MPBR similiar to the .270W. Have fun with the selection!
300yds really is no challenge regarding windage/elevation dope anyhow.

A Winchester Model 88 in good condition would be an option, and perhaps the new Marlins i.e. 308 express would qualify, but I DO prefer Browning in a round capable of reaching out there.

A .284 might be sweet if you found a clean Win. 88.

The only noticable difference between my 270s and the 7-08 is recoil. The 7-08 is definitely milder and easier to shoot. It is also incredibly accurate out to 400 yards with very consistent ballistics.

I like my M70 Fwt in 7mm-08. I haven't killed a lot of deer with it, but can't tell any difference in killing effectiveness between it & 270 Winchester or 280 Remington.

I do really like shooting 120 gr bullets in it however as the reduction in recoil is noticeable then. With the 140 gr bullet weight, I couldn't really tell any difference in the recoil in my 7mm-08 and my 270 Winchester with 130 gr bullets.

If you get a 7mm-08, I'd suggest getting someone to load you ammunition with 120 gr bullets or try buying Nosler Custom Ammunition with the 120 gr Nosler Ballistic Tip - I think you'd like it.

My (albeit limited) experience FWIW.

BLR's are neat- I have owned two, still own one- but the triggers SUCK.

Neil Jones is the only gunsmith willing to work on a BLR trigger that I've ever found. He did the trigger on my .325 BLR and now it breaks clean at 3 lbs. Highly recommended.

http://www.neiljones.com/

Thanks for the recommendation, Jeff.

My buddy has one and it's 5 for 5. He absolutely loves it...Chambered in 7-08 to boot.