Is anyone shooting a 7mm/08?

[Rusty]

Thinking of a new side lever and I'm thinking about a 7mm/08 vs a .308 Win.

[7.62 Precision]

I would. It is a grey cartridge, reaching the base performance of 7mm mag when hand loaded without the disadvantages. I prefer a 6.5mm even more, but ammo for a 7mm-08 is more easily found than for a .260 Rem in many cases.

What rifle?

[carbluesnake]

The 7/08 is a 308 necked down (I assume); what is the 260? I have heard of it, but not familiar with it. I thought it was a fairly hohum round.

[7.62 Precision]

The 7/08 is a 308 necked down (I assume); what is the 260? I have heard of it, but not familiar with it. I thought it was a fairly hohum round.

.308 necked down.

It is kind of a modern 6.5x55 Swede. Incredible cartridges, the 6.5s. People say they are ho-hum because all the consider is diameter. They don't understand the advantages the .260 and 7mm-08 can have over .308.

[wolfdog]

7mm/08 works well, my buddy Steve has a couple and they shoot well, and have clean killed several deer for him. I like the 6.5s myself Would love to have an AR-10 in 260.

[tman]

.308 WCF. Eaiser to find and cheaper ammo. Won't find 7mm-08 at boxmart. The 308 with 130, 150 , 180, and 200 grain bullets outperform any 7mm-08. You are giving up a lot of versatility. The 7mm-08 is an excellent cartridge on it's own. But, it can't even compare to the 308.

[hondo1892]

I liked the 7mm-08 I had. It was a Kimber rifle, nice and light. Wish I still had it kinda. Don't really need one that shoots that far but kind a nice to have if you need it. I don't think it is any less of a cartridge than the 308. Every one has there favorites and you can't prove to me any one cartridge can do everything equally well. The 308 is carried by more retailers but then so is the 30-06 and 223. But that doesn't mean I want one. Get what YOU want and have fun with it. If you do get one and want some dies, I have a set of RCBS that have never been used. Give you a good deal on them.

[Rusty]

I've been shooting a Ruger #1 in .308 for years. I just thought, maybe something different. But why?
The .308 has always been good for me. I like it. Have everything for it.

Just thinking out loud I guess. Jr. keeps telling me I should get a 7mm/08. I think he wants to use it.

[Marlin32]

Browning made the BLR in 7mm-08 didn't they? Don't have to settle for a bolt.

[arjunky]

Browning made the BLR in 7mm-08 didn't they? Don't have to settle for a bolt.

Savage had 99's too.
Byron

[Dave]

The 7-08 is a great round. If I was starting over I would get one instead of the 243 I have. You really can't go wrong with a 7-08.

[Old Savage]

What would you like to use it for. You obviously know about the 308. I have found the 7/08 to be accurate with all the bullet weights and with 380 for all of them. I see no comparison to the 7Mag because I don't think anyone buys one of those for the bottom end. It is more comparable to the 7x57 with a more modern case. Here is a very good range of bullets available if you reload and if you don't a 140 of various construction will do about anything you would reasonably have in mind for it.

[Sixgun]

It's the "darling" of the high power silhouette crowd----6

[AJMD429]

Don't forget about the longer case version - the 280 Remington. it does almost everything the 7 millimeter mag can do but more quietly. the difference in trajectory at 500 yards is not very many inches with proper bullet selection. although it is a longer cartridge, in actions like the Ruger number 1, it does not matter.

[H_Talon]

I have two sav 99's in 7mm-08, and just built a long range shooter in 7mm-08
in a rem 700. great cartridge,, I've hit pigs and deer with it,

not the same ammo selection as 308 but higher BC, less drop and wind drift.
I'm looking to start developing a load for it soon ...

you'll love it...

[Old Savage]

Put almost 1,000 rounds through a stainless Model 7. Start with H380. You probably won't need anything else.

[7.62 Precision]

.308 WCF. Eaiser to find and cheaper ammo. Won't find 7mm-08 at boxmart. The 308 with 130, 150 , 180, and 200 grain bullets outperform any 7mm-08. You are giving up a lot of versatility. The 7mm-08 is an excellent cartridge on it's own. But, it can't even compare to the 308.

Not so. The 6.5s and 7s have the advantage of being able to shoot well-designed bullets that are heavy for caliber. The .308 does not have this ability. If you go to 180 and 200 gr bullets, you get low BC bullets that the .308 can't push as fast as it should. For a .30 caliber to perform like a 6.5 or 7mm with 140 or 150 gr. bullets, you would have to be able to push high BC bullets in the 225 gr range and heavier.

A 6.5 or 7mm with 140 or 150 gr bullets will outperform a 130 or 150 gr. .308 in pretty much every way. Even when heavier .308 bullets are used (165, 175 gr) the heavy-for-caliber smaller diameters will tend to get better penetration.

The 6.5s and 7s retain velocity longer, for better performance at longer ranges. They also experience much less wind deflection and less drop, so hits are easier.

In standard factory load weights, they have better external and terminal ballistics.

I would rather have a 7mm-08 over a .308 for pretty much anything I would use either for, if performance was all I was considering. The only place I would consider the .308 superior would be with round-nose 200 gr. bullets for close-range bear protection, but even so, I would prefer something heavier in that case.

By the way, I have never seen one of the big sporting goods stores that didn't carry 7mm-08, and most of the small shops, too.

[7.62 Precision]

Would love to have an AR-10 in 260.

I have one - man, what a shooter!

[Streetstar]

Correct me if i'm wrong, but wasn't the 7mm/08 developed as a substitute of sorts for the 308 in areas where military chamberings were not legal?

I recall when the Steyr Scout came out it was offered in both and i thought "why?" - but that was the explanation i was given

[mikld]

Are you thinking about (wanting) a 7-08? Can you afford a new rifle, dies, etc.? If you answer yes to either question, get one. So much talk about what's enough, what's under/over powered, how that particular caliber compares to another cartridge, etc. None of this shooting hobby (and it's associated sub-hobbies) is mandatory, so get what tickles yer fancy...

The 7-08 Has been reviewed as an accurate, low recoiling round, available in several factory rifles, and factory ammo is available. What else is there to know?

[carbluesnake]

You mention the 7X57 and the .280. These cartridges are legendary in their performance, as is the 270 and the 30/06. All of these rounds have taken virtually everything on the planet. It is true that the 7 Mag has superior ballistics, but how much. If you can adjust for 38 inches of drop at 500 yds, you can adjust for 48 inches. The difference is almost negligible, practically speaking. All of these new rounds like the 260 are fine rounds, will do almost everything, but offer nothing, PRACTICALLY SPEAKING that the 6.5X55 can't do. The 260 is for the group that wants something new or exotic, and there is nothing wrong with that. Every once in a while, I think I want 458X1.5" in an AR platform. Thats the fun of this sport.

[hayabusa]

I have never shot a 7-08 but my feelings are the same as mikld.
If you want one get it. No down side that I can see.


hayabusa

[wolfdog]

All of these new rounds like the 260 are fine rounds, will do almost everything, but offer nothing, PRACTICALLY SPEAKING that the 6.5X55 can't do. The 260 is for the group that wants something new or exotic, and there is nothing wrong with that. Every once in a while, I think I want 458X1.5" in an AR platform. Thats the fun of this sport.

One thing they do that a 6.5x55 won't do is run though an ar-10 type rifle, that is my main interest in one, I already have a few 6.5x55 bolt guns.

[7.62 Precision]

You mention the 7X57 and the .280. These cartridges are legendary in their performance, as is the 270 and the 30/06. All of these rounds have taken virtually everything on the planet. It is true that the 7 Mag has superior ballistics, but how much. If you can adjust for 38 inches of drop at 500 yds, you can adjust for 48 inches. The difference is almost negligible, practically speaking. All of these new rounds like the 260 are fine rounds, will do almost everything, but offer nothing, PRACTICALLY SPEAKING that the 6.5X55 can't do. The 260 is for the group that wants something new or exotic, and there is nothing wrong with that. Every once in a while, I think I want 458X1.5" in an AR platform. Thats the fun of this sport.

Exactly right - If you have a 7mm-08, there is little more advantage that you will get from a 7mm mag, unless you will be shooting animals at 800 or 1200 m, which very few hunters are capable of, and even if capable, wil rarely do as there are many more factors involved other than just being able to hit the animal at that range.

Same with a .30-06 - there are very few hunters that will gain any more advantage from a .300 ultra mag.

The .260 is basically just a 6.5x55 in a .308 case. The only advantage it has over the 6.5x55 is with some factory loads since the trend is for the ammo manufacturers to load down the older military cartridges, in fear of weak surplus guns, and the fact that it can go in anything built for the .308, and in short action bolt rifles. Even then, the difference in factory ammo is not great, and often factory 6.5x55 ammo is quite a bit cheaper than .260 Rem. when it comes to hunting ammo. Shoot a moose with a .260 or a 6.5x55 and it won't know the difference.

6.5x55 is still being chambered in some modern rifles, too, such as Howas.

[carbluesnake]

Wolfdog, I stand corrected. If it will run through an AR10 platform, it does have an advantage over the 6.5/55. I like it.

[Rusty]

One of the things I was looking at as well is lower recoil. While a .308 is no big deal, less recoil can help a lot for newer shooters.

[harry]

.308 WCF. Eaiser to find and cheaper ammo. Won't find 7mm-08 at boxmart. The 308 with 130, 150 , 180, and 200 grain bullets outperform any 7mm-08. You are giving up a lot of versatility. The 7mm-08 is an excellent cartridge on it's own. But, it can't even compare to the 308.

Other than FMJ ammo, there is just as much 7-08 at most boxmarts as there is .308. And you won't find 200gr .308 at any boxmart. Other than the 160gr stuff its pretty easy to find 7-08 ammo. I bought one 8 years ago for my son (he was 11 at the time) and I reload 139 and 150's for it and he has taken many antelope, mule deer and elk with it.

[Old Savage]

Let us revisit reality, 500 yds, 800-1200m? That is hardly the area of interest here nor where anyone should shoot at any game animal.

[6pt-sika]

I've had extensive use of both the 7mm-08 and the 260 REM .

I am what would be called a present 6.5mm person and a past and still slightly present 7mm person .

So with that being said according to my ledger the 260 REM has killed more deer for me then any other cartridge to date . I also think the 7mm-08 falls in my top 5 of deer kills by cartridge .

For me the 7mm-08 loaded with the old Nosler 140 grain Solid Base or the present 140 Ballistic Tip has knocked the fire out of a goodly number deer . The Hornady 139 SST should do the same thing .

I hunt woods mostly so I have never killed a deer with either over 175 yards . When I hunt spots where the shot can reach past 300 yards I generally carry my 6.5-06 . 264 Win Mag , 7mm Rem Mag or 300 Win Mag .

Some folks have brought up the issue of extended shots ie meaning those past shall we say 400 yards . At that point in the game the cartridge is not as big a factor as the nut on the stock . If the shooter is not well practiced at extended ranges and with a good range finder they're better off forgetting it . Just my ALWAYS biased opinion .

In my 45 years of deer hunting I have killed only two deer past 200 yards and both of those were in Montana . I am of the type that's prefers to get the deer as close to me as possible . I think for the 260+ I have killed in my life my lifetime average for distance of the shot is about 43 yards .

These clowns on TV that speak of shooting deer elk whatever at 500+ yards with all their calculations Night Force scopes etc are trying to sell something I personally do not think the general hunting public is ready for .

Let us not forget a wild animal deserves to be killed quickly and as painlessly as humanely possible . So for 95% of the hunting public the 500+ yard shots are not for them . At this point in the game I would most likely turn down anything past 500 and more then likely anything past 400 . I can practice out to 400 yards at my gunclub but that's it and I am genrally aware of what my "intense" rifles will do to that range . But further then that I have no where to shoot and or practice the distance .

[6pt-sika]

I've had extensive use of both the 7mm-08 and the 260 REM .

I am what would be called a present 6.5mm person and a past and still slightly present 7mm person .

So with that being said according to my ledger the 260 REM has killed more deer for me then any other cartridge to date . I also think the 7mm-08 falls in my top 5 of deer kills by cartridge .

For me the 7mm-08 loaded with the old Nosler 140 grain Solid Base or the present 140 Ballistic Tip has knocked the fire out of a goodly number deer . The Hornady 139 SST should do the same thing .

I hunt woods mostly so I have never killed a deer with either over 175 yards . When I hunt spots where the shot can reach past 300 yards I generally carry my 6.5-06 . 264 Win Mag , 7mm Rem Mag or 300 Win Mag .

Some folks have brought up the issue of extended shots ie meaning those past shall we say 400 yards . At that point in the game the cartridge is not as big a factor as the nut on the stock . If the shooter is not well practiced at extended ranges and with a good range finder they're better off forgetting it . Just my ALWAYS biased opinion .

In my 45 years of deer hunting I have killed only two deer past 200 yards and both of those were in Montana . I am of the type that's prefers to get the deer as close to me as possible . I think for the 260+ I have killed in my life my lifetime average for distance of the shot is about 43 yards .

These clowns on TV that speak of shooting deer elk whatever at 500+ yards with all their calculations Night Force scopes etc are trying to sell something I personally do not think the general hunting public is ready for .

Let us not forget a wild animal deserves to be killed quickly and as painlessly as humanely possible . So for 95% of the hunting public the 500+ yard shots are not for them . At this point in the game I would most likely turn down anything past 500 and more then likely anything past 400 . I can practice out to 400 yards at my gunclub but that's it and I am genrally aware of what my "intense" rifles will do to that range . But further then that I have no where to shoot and or practice the distance .

[7.62 Precision]

Let us revisit reality, 500 yds, 800-1200m? That is hardly the area of interest here nor where anyone should shoot at any game animal.

What I said was:

If you have a 7mm-08, there is little more advantage that you will get from a 7mm mag, unless you will be shooting animals at 800 or 1200 m, which very few hunters are capable of, and even if capable, will rarely do as there are many more factors involved other than just being able to hit the animal at that range.

To be honest, 500 meters is not a stretch up here, especially when hunting for meat. Many times when I was growing up, we ate only because my dad took a long shot.

On the other hand, most hunters are not usually capable of such a shot, even those who could hit a shot at 500m if all conditions were perfect.

At 800m or 1200m, even the guy with the right combination of skill, rifle, and cartridge to hit an animal may not even be able to find the spot on the earth the animal was standing when it got hit and would likely lose it. I know a guy who shot a moose at 50m, it ran 100m and died, and he spent all day looking for it, and found it only because they stumbled across it the next day as they were leaving.

My point was not that we should take long shots, but that the magnum rifles in reality have no advantage for most hunters, within the ranges most people hunt.

[piller]

I have a 7mm-08, and it is a mild recoiling and very accurate round in my limited experience. My son is recoil shy, and he can shoot it. My daughter, SightHunter, does not like it because it doesn't kick enough. She likes the .270 and .30-06, and she even has fun with my Guide Gun. It does have the advantage of finding brass from a .308 and the bullets for the 7mm available anywhere. I have made some rounds for my rifle out of .308 brass without any trouble. It is really only necking down from .308 to .284 and is easily accomplished in 1 step. If I had to start all over again, I would get my kids a 7mm-08 rather than the .243 that I started them on.

[Old Savage]

7.62, I know you know all that and are likely very well aware of your capabilities and those of your equipment. When I went on my first antelope hunt with a group from a local gun shop I was amazed at what some who knew little would try. They had heard a lot of stories from those who were more knowledgeable or pretended to be and had no experience to compare. My comments were only to provide a counter balance to be considered from what might be imagined.

[7.62 Precision]

My comments were only to provide a counter balance to be considered from what might be imagined.

No kidding. I know a kid who has a .338 Lapua target rifle, and from a bench, on a calm day, in perfect conditions, he can hit a bucket at 1,000m

All he wants to talk to me about is going out and shooting a moose at 1,000m

I keep trying to tell him that hunting is not the same as sniping. He has to be able to HIT the moose, IN THE VITAL ZONE (not just anywhere on the body) under FIELD CONDITIONS with a bullet that will perform well at the velocities it is traveling at at that range, and then NAVIGATE to the EXACT SPOT the moose was standing a kilometer away (not always as easy as it sounds) so that the blood trail can be (hopefully) found.

Hunting is not sniping, nor is it the range (OK, I did see a moose walk across an active range once, but it was not a legal moose). My interest is long-range shooting and long-range hunting. But I have never yet killed an animal at long range. The longest shot I have ever fired on an animal was only a little over 300m on a caribou. Other than that, all of my shots have been closer due to circumstances or conditions. I shot one moose at 10 feet and a bear at 7 feet.

I was once hunting with a K31 rifle capable of accurate shots at long range. I had no doubt in my ability to shoot a caribou at 600m with it.

I spent all day trying to work within 100m of the herd, and finally shot a caribou at 75m, and even at that range, I was a little nervous about my ability to hit. Wind was gusting up to 65 knots.

[carbluesnake]

I, like 7.62, did not intend nor did I mean to say one should take shots at 500 yds. I was merely demonstrating that the difference between a 7 Mag. and a 308, 270, 6.5X55 is much different in trajectory, even at 500 yds. Most people can't hit a deer kill zone sized target over 150 yds consistently, unless they use a rest, and even then it is doubtful. However, to say a shot like that should never be taken is a statement I most gladly will let the owner of that statement take back. There are some who can make that shot. Sometimes, in our passion, we say things we probably don't mean. The point I was making was that the 260 did not offer anything in power or trajectory that cartridges of 75 years ago couldn't do. The 260 is a fine cartridge, but the only thing it offers is it is the cutie for today, and it will work in an AR. Hmmm, maybe I need an AR 260.

[carbluesnake]

Just saw Old Savage's comment. You're right. There are lots of people who talk and cannot deliver. It is extremely tiring of the gun shop snipers who just don't know when to stop talking and listen to someone who has some experience. Who knows, they might even learn something. I remember, at a match, a guy was spouting off, and really wasn't shooting very well either. I had suggested something and when I stepped away, he started in again. Another fella, who was 18 years old, who I helped hone his ability, heard him spouting off, and said, 'you know, if you would just listen to him, you might learn something.' That was the end of his talking. Not everyone knows everything, and the more you learn, the more you find you don't know. That has been my experience.

[Old Savage]

Well 7.62, to me wind is what queers the deal on long range shooting. You can even know the drop if you know the range but the effect of the wind can always be a mystery especially if the terrain is uneven. One day at the range which is a semi bowl it blew the chronograph over one way and the target over the other way 100 yds away.

Certainly not to ignore the other factors you mentioned.

[carbluesnake]

The only people that know the effects of wind are those that have shot A LOT in it. I have tried learning about wind through books and shooting, and I can tell you I don't know nothin about wind.

[Old Savage]

Well now I play golf in a 20 to 25 mph wind about 100 days a year.

[firefuzz]

.308 WCF. Eaiser to find and cheaper ammo. Won't find 7mm-08 at boxmart. The 308 with 130, 150 , 180, and 200 grain bullets outperform any 7mm-08. You are giving up a lot of versatility. The 7mm-08 is an excellent cartridge on it's own. But, it can't even compare to the 308.

Not so. The 6.5s and 7s have the advantage of being able to shoot well-designed bullets that are heavy for caliber. The .308 does not have this ability. If you go to 180 and 200 gr bullets, you get low BC bullets that the .308 can't push as fast as it should. For a .30 caliber to perform like a 6.5 or 7mm with 140 or 150 gr. bullets, you would have to be able to push high BC bullets in the 225 gr range and heavier.

A 6.5 or 7mm with 140 or 150 gr bullets will outperform a 130 or 150 gr. .308 in pretty much every way. Even when heavier .308 bullets are used (165, 175 gr) the heavy-for-caliber smaller diameters will tend to get better penetration.

The 6.5s and 7s retain velocity longer, for better performance at longer ranges. They also experience much less wind deflection and less drop, so hits are easier.

In standard factory load weights, they have better external and terminal ballistics.

I would rather have a 7mm-08 over a .308 for pretty much anything I would use either for, if performance was all I was considering. The only place I would consider the .308 superior would be with round-nose 200 gr. bullets for close-range bear protection, but even so, I would prefer something heavier in that case.

By the way, I have never seen one of the big sporting goods stores that didn't carry 7mm-08, and most of the small shops, too.

This. A .308 used to be one of my favorite cartridges for about anything....until I shot a 7mm-08. Don't own a hunting rifle in .308 anymore, a 7mm-08 eats it's lunch in every dept except cheap mil-surp ammo and recoil.

7.62 precision....is your AR10 in .260 a stock gun or did you build it? If you built what barrel and bolt did you use? Fixing to start accumulating pieces for one of my own.

Rob

[7.62 Precision]

7.62 precision....is your AR10 in .260 a stock gun or did you build it? If you built what barrel and bolt did you use? Fixing to start accumulating pieces for one of my own.

I built it using CMMG and DPMS parts. Barrel and bolt were DPMS. I ordered a .260 barrel for a customer, and he found a small mark on the side of the barrel and brought it back, and I had to order another. So I spent about three years squirreling away parts as I had the chance. I planned to use a lower that was designed to use G3/HK91 mags, but in the end I sold it and bought one that uses Knights Armament/DPMS-pattern mags, since there was no way to lock the bolt open on the G3 mag lower, and that bothered me.

On the .308 PMAGS, you MUST use the lids, just like any Tupperware container. Even if you only have a couple rounds in the mag, if you leave it with the lid off, it will go bad, as in the feed lips spread and the rounds get named up between them.

The barrel is a stainless bull barrel, 24".





As you get started on this, talk to me. I know I have at least an upper receiver, charging handle, and lower parts kit for DPMS-pattern rifles that I would square you away with for cheap, some new, some slightly used. Other parts, too, if needed. I have stuff around that I have accumulated over time.