Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters 7-08 vs. 308 for whitetail

I have a fairly heavy gun for open/long range use (280AI). Want a shorter and more nimble gun for brush and medium range hunting. In a bolt rifle with a 22" barrel, would a 7-08 loaded with 160gr. bullets have close to as much knockdown as a 308 with 165's? For some reason I have the idea that I need more knockdown power for woods hunting. Know the 7-08 would be slightly more versatile for field hunting. I guess the question would be, which would you prefer for a second/lightweight gun?

Either one will ventilate deer quite easily.

You know there's no such thing as knockdown power from a rifle you could shoot and not be knocked down while doing it, right?

If you picked up identical rifles, not knowing the chambering, neither you, nor your quarry would ever know the difference.

My personal pick would be the .308, simply because I have a ton of brass and components.

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that 7-08 with a 140NAB will let the air out of em just fine. And it will give ya 2 holes just in case no one informed the deer it was supposed to drop upon bullet impact.

FWIW, I like the 7-08 as much as the next fellow, but...

How could the 7-08 be more "versitile" than a .308?

Considering the fact .308s shoot everything from 110g varmint slugs to 180 Elk busters , I don't see how in the heck the 7mm-o8 can be called "more versatile".

A guy would have to be drinking the 7mm Koolaid pretty deep to believe that nonsense...

They both smack deer really well....at any sane distance.

My preference ... the 308Win with a round-nosed projectile. Odd thing, but the RN projectiles seem to 'hit' harder, but I think its just they start opening a bit quicker. A bonded RN or flat-nosed projectile is almost perfect.
Cheers...
Con

There is not a nickel's worth of difference between the two cartridges. If you want a real "woods' gun, get a 45/70.

If you don't reload, then a .308. Otherwise it's a toss up.

I'm with the you or deer won't know the difference crowd. Some of the claims that I read on the internet from the 7mm08 crowd are ridiculous and to get some of the velocities claimed those guys must be pushing some really insane pressure or smoking something . Now having said that I like the 7mm08 for what it is and in your case that's probably the way I would go as you already have a 280 so I would guess you already have a selection of 7mm bullets available. So to get it up and running you need a set of dies and a bag of brass. As to versatility I believe you would be splitting hairs but the 308 does handle heavier bullets a bit better with it's 180 gr and maybe 200gr the 7mm tops out at 175 and really the 7mm08 is running out of case capacity with that weight as is the 308 with the 200. IMHO the heaviest practical weights for the two is 160 gr in 7mm08 and 180gr in 308 . Again I doubt the deer or elk could tell the difference. By the way I have a 308 my buddy has a 7mm08 in similar rifles. The deer try and avoid both of us.

I have a 308, love it, shoot 130 grain reloads in it, no need for heavier on deer. The little 7-08 fits better for the WT game shooting the 120's..if your strickly a deer hunter and not all anal about .3 inch groups find one of those old blue wood handled model 7's in 7-08...

This all sounds vaguely familiar...I'll check back in 150 pages...when the fishin and wimmens pics start...

Strong language will kill a deer.

Pick the rifle that fits you the best, and then shoot the hell out of it.

Broken record but my 2 cents

I own 2 rifles in 308 and am very happy. I suspect I could own the same 2 in 7-08 and be equally happy.

I've noticed that, too.



Now ya talkin'

I was thinking the same thing.

Pervert!!!! But I like the way yer thinkin. Steve

Short and nimble medium range brush gun? Your talkin' 30-30 & 35 Rem levers. Someone mentioned the 45/70 and it will drop anything bigger in North America.

7-08 is a fine caliber but a tad expensive if you have to buy ammo off the shelf while out on a hunt. Sometimes ammo gets lost and you may want to choose something you can find at Wal-Mart.

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