Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 243 or 7/08

I'm kicking around buying another rifle, mainly cuz a guy can't have to many and I have a little extra cash. I'm thinking something like .243 or 7mm/08, would you all recomend one of these over the other or is there something else you think I should consider befor spending the dough. Thanks Alot.

Where do you hunt and what do you plan on shoooting with it?

My brother has a 7mm/08 that he has taken well over a hundred deer with. He uses the 140 grain core-lokts and swears by them. I used his rifle to take a couple of deer last year and it was really pleasant to shoot. I am thinking of getting a lightweight 7/08 for myself. Very capable caliber without a lot of recoil.

put the bullet where it should go and either will do the job just fine...

Id buy the 243. Since youre saying a guy cant have too many rifles Im assuming you already have huntin rifles taken care of. The 243 is a bad ass varmint caliber. loaded with 55 grain ballistic tips it smokes along at 4000 fps. And if you need to you can load that gun up with 100 gr partitions for light weight deer rifle. Ive never seen anyone shoot one and not like it.

My initial reaction is 7mm-08.

But I would like more information as to what your primary intended use will be.

I must admit that I am biased against the 243, but it would serve you better for varmint hunting. As far as deer, the 7mm-08 is easily one of the best.

Well I have a 22-250, .223 .308. .300win mag ect. I am going to shoot the occasional, deer, coyote, praire dog and what ever other unlucky critter might be in front of me at the time. I'm gonna have a young hunter in a few years and it might be used for them as well.

Buy both.....

Ingwe

What ingwe said.

It is standard Campfire wisdom, and should not be ignored.

Steve

Fellow 7x57 shooter are always inordinately wise....


Ingwe

I don't even have to read the text. 7-08 always.

+1

Wisdom of the ages!

Yep, buy both, but start with the 7mm-08. I have found that a 22-250 with Barnes 53gr TSX's does a very good job on deer/antelope.

In fact you could do the old African style trick of carrying softs/solids. But you could carry varmint bullets/hunting bullets. The trick would be getting them to shoot to the same POI. Same could be done with the 243 or 7mm-08.

Good luck and have fun shopping for a new rifle.

The .243 i s the better varmint cartridge, the 7mm-08 would be my choice for mule deer. Lots of gray in-between.

I never rule out the buy both idea, like most guys my favorite caliber is...all of them.

.243 is overkill for deer!

Mike

Based on your current inventory I might be looking into a .257 Roberts....

CLB

Easy question. 7-08

I prefer the .243 for a light rifle and if going for anything bigger that isn't optimal for the .243, then the .308 works just fine.

What use do you envision for it?