Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting 308 or 7mm-08 for Elk.

I have been thinking of purchasing a very lightweight rifle for elk hunting. It will probably be a short action. Between the .308 and 7mm-08, which would you choose and why?

I need a cold beer and popcorn...here we go..

Either works.

Buy one, shoot it, then go kill elk.

I'd choose the .308, but that's just me. (I don't own either).

the smallest I've used on elk has been a .270 w/ 130 gr bullets.

no problemo.


get whichever one you want more, but I'm staying with the .308 rec.

I've heard the 7mm-08 is a much flatter shooting cartridge................

I killed many elk with the .308 using 150 grainers. Took this bad boy with mine.
[img:center] [/img]

Wowza! That is a dandy.

Either would work. Personally I would choose the 308. It has a bit heavier bullet choices.


ddj

I have both and used both with great success but if it's a short action you want go WSM or RCUM

....................Either will work fine. Some prefer the 7mm and some would prefer the 308. This can be debated, splitting the hairs and picked apart until we all go to our graves.

The 7/08 is a little flatter shooting, while the 308 offers a more versatile bullet weight selection from 110gr to 220 gr.

I`d say, pick the rifle you happen to like the best and live with whichever of the two cartridges comes with it.

You made my night... THAT is an absolute toad!

Well done...

Aside, I'm a 308 fan and this year's elk season will find me toting a 308 stoked with 165 Accubonds. Would be even happier with 168 Ballistic Tips, but couldn't find any before the season. 165 Hdy SPBT's also shoot great in my rifle and would be happy with them.

The 308 is just easy on bullets...

I would choose the .308. So many different combinations of guns and bullets to choose from. However, if you found a 7mm-08 that you really liked or got a great deal on it would work with good bullets.

308 with some good 165's on up to 200 grain if you like.

In my honest opinion, I wouldn't use or buy a 7MM08
The neighbor had one and it did not impress me to the point of where I would have ran right out and bought one and he sold it two years after he got it and now misses the gun he sold when he won the 7MM08.

If a person was going to buy a rifle to hunt Elk, they should buy a 30-06 because you will not notice any difference between the two when you cycle the round in the chamber and all it takes is one shot to kill a animal - so a quick 2nd shot wouldn't be enough of a reason to want to use a short case over using a long case.

The Elk that 4100 FPS has in that picture is very impressive.
Way to go and keep up the good work.

For those that cares the 308 Winchester is a poor performer with anything other then the 150 GR bullet. Trying to shoot even a 180 GR bullet with a .308 would be like trying to haul a cord of wood with a CJ 5 Jeep. If you want a pick up truck to haul stuff you buy a full size pick up truck and haul your load all in one load.

The 30-06 is good even with a 180 gr bullet and is marginal at best with a 220 gr bullet. When you consider that a .300 Winchester Magnum has almost twice as much performance with the same bullet - it is clear that the .300 Winchester Magnum would probably be the right choice if I was me and not you.

I too will be hitting the elk hills with a 308 running 165 Accubonds. Took a bull last year with 165gr. Partitions and am also a large fan of the 308. Between bullet selection, easy to load for or find factory ammo, recoil ain't bad... it just works.

I actually just sold off a 300WSM, for my purposes, it just didn't seem to do much a 308win couldn't do. Just my $.02 though-

Interesting only a couple of "elk hunters" commented on this photo...

Brad, that's because the picture speaks for itself. Nuff said.

I doubt that's the reason...

I am a new elk hunter but I know a massive elk when I see one. That is a once in a lifetime bull.