7mm-08

[brian923]

please tell me more. i was looking at all the magnums and everything,7mm saum, 7 rem mag, 7 stw... excetra...) but it seems that this little round gets a lot of use. anyone out there can help me learn a little more, it would be greatly appreciated.

also, how do you think that it would stack up against the 7 rem mag. thats the round i was going to go with, but i dont know much on it eithr. thanks alot, brian

 

[DBailey]

What do you intended to use the cartridge for?

 

[brian923]

well, hear goes the story.

i was interest in the 7 saum, then the 7mm stw, and seen that they are very expensive to load for and find factory ammo i had to travel. i can buy Remington 7mm mag ammo for 22.00$ a box. so, i figured that for the money, and this being my first build, i would go for it. then i seen some one say that they liked there 7mm-08. me being one that wants the best, but doesn't have to much money, it got my attention.

this is also my first build. i am using a barrel i got, its used and is chambered for 7 stw. was only shot about 60 times. gentleman didn't like the recoil and sold for a good price.

i just wanted to know the comparisons of the 7 mm-08 and the 7 mm mag.

i am probably going to do more shooting between 100 and 200 yards. paper and hunting. but.... i do want to go out west and go for elk, bear and mulies.

i do have a Mauser in 8 mm that i can use for deer around hear. that's why i kind of lean towards the magnum. but i was just trying to see what other people have experienced and think. thanks guys, Brian

also. i have a 30.06 action. can i load heavyier bullets,and light ones)out longer to longer oal and squezze more fps. out of the 7mm-08?

 

[jclin]

Answer also depends if you reload or not. If you're building with a long action,3006 action), then you have a few options. You could go with the 7-08 which is a great round, but is a little limited if you want to use heavier bullets,over 150 grn) due to case capacity. But if you're mostly shooting 100/200 at the range, its a solid round. But, given that you've got a long action, why not go with a 7mm mauser or .280 Rem? Thats a round that you can buy off the shelf if you don't reload, and will do anything the 7-08 does but a little better, especially if you want to shoot elk and such with the heavy bullets. If you reload, you can come close to 7mm rem mag velocities with a lot less powder in the .280. The last and more "custom" option- a .280 Ackley Improved. This will give you even more performance out of the .280,with a standard long action receiver, not magnum) if you reload, but gives you the ability/option to shoot standard .280 if needed. The 7 short mags, ultra mags, rem mags, etc., are rather expensive to shoot and rather unpleasant after a couple rounds, and really are overkill.

 

[FrankintheLaurelMts]

It's all the same bullet going through the air...the only question is how fast it's going....I often wonder if a game animal can feel the difference betweem 2700 fps and 3100 fps..I personally think NOT..other than the ballistic advantage which can be alot with on a few hundred fps I don't think there's much difference..for actual hunting up to 200 yards..NONE in my opinion..SO why do we want to say MAGNUM...I guess it's one of those man things..the price of toys from men to boys...The 7mm08 is just about perfect for any type of deer....with a premium bullet it'll handle just about everything..

 

[Bugs]

Go with a 7-08 and don't look back. My current favorite whitetail rig is a trued short rem. with a 22" Douglas air-guaged barrel and perhaps the ugliest McMillan stock you've ever seen. I've shot several deer with 120 grain bullets at right about 300 yards with no problems. Truthfully, 300 is a bit of a stretch under actual field conditions, at least for me. 200-250 and you're in great shape with a 7-08. Just pick a good 120-140 grain bullet and a prudent charge of Varget.

 

[brian923]

how will the 7-08 compete with the 7mm rem mag for western mountian elk hunting though?

 

[M700]

The 7mm-08 is a great cartridge and should not be underestimated. All the same, a bull elk, at 700+ pounds, is one seriously strong animal. Badly hit by anything they can and will leave the area, and leave the hunter trying to keep up...

Some elk hunting is at relatively close ranges, and a short-action cartridge is fine. Many times though, it's one of those famous "cross-canyon" shots where the extra velocity of the magnum comes in handy. Elk have been killed with all sorts of cartridges, from the little .243 Winchester up. When I'm hunting them, I like to treat them with respect, and carry enough rifle. The 7mm-08 you're considering will do the job, but a 7mm Rem mag, or the STW, will do the same job at greater distance thanks to greater velocity.

If you want the 7-08, get it - you'll likely have a superbly accurate rifle that will excel as a deer slayer, and will work, within certain limits, as an elk cartridge. Do yourself a favor, and work up a good load, with really good bullets before you zap a 700 pound bull elk though.

Cartridge choice is nowhere near as important as bullet placement and bullet construction. At least not in my ever so humble opinion! I'd have no reservation about taking my little old .308 for elk - but I'd make sure I had a real good load, with deep penetrating bullets. Something like a Nosler Partition or a Barnes TSX. In 7mm, the 175's do an amazing job of penetrating...

Regards, Guy