7mm-08 or .284 Win for hunting rifle

[dfry]

Ok, just FYI, I shot a Browning A-Bolt Medallion in 284 for a long time. The box mag is limited to 2.8” maybe just a little more. I originally shot IMR4350 for years and the Speer 145 BTSP. I killed a few truck loads of deer, hogs, predators, some elk, etc. at 3050 FPS and that’s a 22” barrel. RL17 pushes it over 3100 and I never pushed it past that though I probably could have.

Yes a long action would have been better, and a longer barrel. It was a hunting rifle that I used a lot in a deer stand so I liked the short barrel along with mountain hunting so it was great to carry. Not to mention the speed with at the time 120 TSX at close to 3300 that was a Lightning bolt.

Now I also love the 7mm-08, it’s just an easy round to deal with, and if I’m to lazy to load I can walk into Wal-Mart and buy a box of ammo, but the 284, even in a short action, is still an entirely different animal!

I haven’t shot it much recently just because I like shooting my 350 Remington mag. Or my 270 with 110 TTSX, at over 3400 FPS. Although I will probably build one sooner or later on a long action for 160+ weight bullets just for fun. I have really thought about re-chambering my tikka 7-08 to 284 and shaving the bolt stop and using a long caliber mag.

Dave

PS: this rifle had a lot of freebore and took a lot more powder than book max.

 

[284winner]

Ok, just FYI, I shot a Browning A-Bolt Medallion in 284 for a long time. The box mag is limited to 2.8” maybe just a little more. I originally shot IMR4350 for years and the Speer 145 BTSP. I killed a few truck loads of deer, hogs, predators, some elk, etc. at 3050 FPS and that’s a 22” barrel. RL17 pushes it over 3100 and I never pushed it past that though I probably could have.

Yes a long action would have been better, and a longer barrel. It was a hunting rifle that I used a lot in a deer stand so I liked the short barrel along with mountain hunting so it was great to carry. Not to mention the speed with at the time 120 TSX at close to 3300 that was a Lightning bolt.

Now I also love the 7mm-08, it’s just an easy round to deal with, and if I’m to lazy to load I can walk into Wal-Mart and buy a box of ammo, but the 284, even in a short action, is still an entirely different animal!

I haven’t shot it much recently just because I like shooting my 350 Remington mag. Or my 270 with 110 TTSX, at over 3400 FPS. Although I will probably build one sooner or later on a long action for 160+ weight bullets just for fun. I have really thought about re-chambering my tikka 7-08 to 284 and shaving the bolt stop and using a long caliber mag.

Dave

PS: this rifle had a lot of freebore and took a lot more powder than book max.

Dont be scared to run that 284 in a short action platform as a hunting rifle. As I stated earlier, my SA .284 with 162s makes 3000 fps easily with RE17 at a 2.9 OAL. I use bottom metal and DBMs. Typically I shoot the 160 Nosler Partitions for deer in closer quarters under 300 yards. The 162s out to much further ranges. I love the .284 in a short action package. My LA 284 is a better option for the longest ranges using 180s. The 175-180s won't be a good choice in a SA unless single feeding is used.

 

[mauser284]

I know this is an old thread but it sure is relevant still today!

I do not think from a hunting perspective you could go wrong either way if you are a reloader.

A lot of people do do .284 Win on short actions in F-Class and for general purpose hunting and just live with the limitations.

Clearly if reloading is not an option 7-08 is the only way to go.

In a hunting situation especialy anything under 500m I doubt you would ever be able to tell much difference making the 7-08 maybe a better choice over all. In hunting situations when talking about modern cartridges 500m or less never seen 100fps or 200fps make much difference in leathality on Elk and smaller.

 

[XTR]

I posted on this when it was current. My thoughts when I built my 7-08 was that I was looking for a deer rifle,

1. I already had a 7mmRM so the new rifle didn't need to do double duty for bigger animals, or longer ranges, deer was pretty much it. Maybe a black bear or a hog if they wander under my stand.
2. The 284 is kind of the original short magnum, but not quite, and it fits in a space hunting wise where it's probably a bit much for most hunting out to reasonable ranges, and not quite enough for long range.
   
3. in the end I built a straight 7-08 and I'm happy with it. It's my go to hunting rifle.

 

[std7mag]

I've had/have both.
I prefer the 7mm-08.
Highest velocities came with RL17.
Most consistant is Alliant PP2000MR.

My commercial Mauser action barreled to 284 seems to hit the pressure wall about 56,000 psi. Hard bolt lift.

 

[Siko12]

I have had both. Now I have a 284 only. Much easier to meet the velocity I want with a variety of loading combinations, some of which are bound to be very accurate.

 

[HuntClub]

7mm-08 will take anything you will hunt in the good ole' USofA. The 120gr TTSX with RL15 will absolutely be the nightmare for any game you are after.

 

[Cody Richardson]

I have a 284 Shehane hunting rifle. I used the exact same reamer as my open rifle. I had so much brass that I use the brass the is pushed out of match circulation and now use it for hunting. It is absolutely devastating with a 180 hunting VLD.

 

[Fuj]

I know this is an old thread but it sure is relevant still today!

I do not think from a hunting perspective you could go wrong either way if you are a reloader.

A lot of people do do .284 Win on short actions in F-Class and for general purpose hunting and just live with the limitations.

And one of the reasons for that SA284 wild cat I've been
working on. It's not ready for prime anytime soon, and you
may never see ammo on the shelf, but a re loader's option
non the less for a short action, .473 bolt face.....I know
several that shoot a straight 284 in short actions. Proper
bullet with its corresponding proper throat, has the 7-08
beat. And the 7-08 does a proper job on it's own.

 

[john pruitt]

peterson makes 284 brass

 

[Idaho-Lefty]

My son is getting, 2,885 to 2,900 FPS with, a Horn 150 grain ELD-X Bullet and a stiff load of, StaBall 65, Fed Match Primers and Load is, SUB 1/2 MOA out of, his 22" bbl. T-3X, Tikka in 7MM-08 ! The ELD-X bullet, did a great "Job" on his Elk, the year before last ( good penetration / weight retention ) shot at, 250+ yards.The 7MM -08 is, PLENTY with, the "right" Bullet, as these Velocities equal, the .30-06's "Power" and the Trajectory is, BETTER, so AKA,.. can't lose !

 

[XTR]

I'm running 140s at 2900 with a pretty pedestrian load of 2000MR in my 7-08. That's enough to kill deer as far as I can see or that I'm willing to shoot in most situations.

 

[284winner]

And one of the reasons for that SA284 wild cat I've been
working on. It's not ready for prime anytime soon, and you
may never see ammo on the shelf, but a re loader's option
non the less for a short action, .473 bolt face.....I know
several that shoot a straight 284 in short actions. Proper
bullet with its corresponding proper throat, has the 7-08
beat. And the 7-08 does a proper job on it's own.

Easily. As I said earlier in my response. Running 53 grains of RL17 in a short action with 162 elds, I'm getting 3000 fps and very good accuracy. Not a hot load and getting 7-8 reloads from brass. OAL is 2.980. Accurate mag fed platform.

 

[hunter67]

Yes both

 

[mauser284]

Yes I have done a lot of 284Win over the years on Mauser actions hence my user name. I did straight 284 for a long time in F-Open and now am doing a lot for 260Rem. I have used 7-08 to kill everything but grizzly. I have can say the same for 30-06, 300WM, 308Win, 8x57,7x57 and on and on..... Up until about 10 years ago if it existed and was not obsolete from a brass availability standard I shot it between me my father inlaw, brother inlaws and friends. I almost bought a 50BMG in college but my gunsmith talked me out of it and into a 300WM this was around 1993. If I did not like guns so much I could hunt everything I want on this Earth minus caliper minimums in Africa with 300WM, 22LR and 45-70. My father in law was big on Weatherby Mark 5 rifles and exotic cartridges. Some how I ended up selling my uber magnums and returning to tried and true affordable plain Jane cartridges like 25-06, 30-06, 260REM, 243Win, 300WM, 338WM, 8x57, 284Win,7-08, 35 Wheelen,45-70 etc......

Everytime I think about building a 300RUM or 338RUM I tell myself no. I know I will love it and shot the crap out of it for 6 months and then decide brass is insane and rate I am burning powder is insane and sell it so I just say no! LOL

I am build a 6.5Grendel for my gas-gun for PRS.

 

[280man]

7-08 would be my vote

 

[284winner]

I think if you reload, the .284 is a verstile cartridge. If you don't, you may never find ammo. The 7-08 is the only option. Kinda Ike the .260 vs the 6.5 CM. Many more loaded options for the CM.

 

[cjames]

The rifle from my OP turned out to be a "hole burner" 7mm-08. It has shot every load combo decent (after fine tuning) that I have tried. During load development I changed brass and my load totally change also. I had some older Remington brass I started off with and it loved IMR4350 and didn't really like Varget. I changed to Lupua and then didn't really like IMR4350 and loved Varget. I couldn't honestly ask for better results how this rifle finally turned out.