6.5-47 vs 7mm-08

pierred

Well-Known Member
Evening chaps and chapettes thinking about a change of caliber and a rebarrel on the .243 finnlight I KEEP COMING BACK TO THE SAME TWO CALIBERS please add your views of pros and cons to each as a stalking rifle.
thanks in advance Pierre
Nothing wrong with the .243 just fancy a bit more knock down power,I have been looking for a stainless sako 75 111 action for a while to build a seperate project gun and keep the finnlight,but they are proving rather elusive ( like rocking horse shite ) or silly money which draws me to the gun i already own.
Over to you
 
Hi
6.5x47 is a really sweet round, not quite the horsepower of the 7/08 though. Strikes me that the 6.5x47 it is absolutely perfect for roe and undoubtedly will do a great job on larger deer too. The Lapua brass is more expensive but it is of very good quality. I did have some problems getting 6.5x47 approved for deer as there are no expanding factory loaded cartridges available. I think if you predominantly shoot smaller deer, are prepared to handload everything and look after your cases the 6.5 wins out. If you shoot significant numbers of red deer or want to use factory ammo I personaly would go with the 7mm/08.
Let us know what you end up with.

S
 
6.5x47 max bullet weight is 130 grain, 7mm-08 usual weight is 140 - 150 grain.

So in reality there is nothing bettween the two in terms of terminal capabilities.

I'm pretty certain there are no factory mmunition available for the 47 (for deer), but if you compare the data from a factory 7mm-08 (in this example a Norma 140g ) with a homeloaded 6.5x47 case:

Norma 7mm-08 140g - ME 2475 ft lbs

Homeloaded 6.5x47 using 29g SST - ME 2409 ft lbs


So in reality nothing in it for stopping power.


(the figure for the "47" was obtained using a MV of 2900fps - easily attainable with this case)
- I have one

If you dont reload then ammunition is more readily available for the 7mm-08.

Accuracy - both are "inherantly" accurate cartridges, ive built several of both and have to say that I think the "47" has the edge personaly, also in terms of popularity, the "47" is far more popular than the 08 (read into that what you will)



I know stalkers who use the 6.5x47 for all deer sizes and have heard no reports of unsuitablity for Reds, shot placement, as always is the key.


My advice would be to pick either 6.5mm or 7mm and stick to that choice, either will do the job very well.
 
i have a 7mm08 rifle which i use as my main stalking rifle. it is a really really great round. i have used 120, 130 and 145 gr bullets. all have taken deer from muntjac to reds. I load my own for it. I would never hesitate in recomending it.
 
So in reality there is nothing bettween the two in terms of terminal capabilities.

I looked into the .7mm-08 in detail recently and was sure that you could shoot 100-175gn bullets, compared to the max bullet weight of the Lap i say thats quite a lot!:confused:

I ended up going for the 6.5x55, but I still like the idea, but would probably plump more towards a 7x64 than a .7mm-08 though. No real reason just prefered the7x64 that I shot to the .7mm-08s I have!


A freind is very much waxing lyrical about his new .280, I have little knowledge but it might be worth a look.


I think my favourite allrounder that I have come across is the 6.5x55. It IS a little like a mortar, so might not be an ideal hill gun (.270) but I love it all the same.

I think my ideal combination of rifles for British deer would be a 6.5x55 for woodland and a .270, or maybe even a .30-06 for the hill, just thought I'd let you know :D


Sam


Sam
 
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Ahh redmist, I knew there would be a clever bugger out there.....should have checked my figures before posting. Mind you I suspect your Surgeon may be quite good at withstanding high pressure so those of us with less elegant weaponry may not quite get the same velocity. I agree the difference between the rounds is small and quite academic and either will do quite nicely......as you know

S
 
7mm-08....

Less (alot) kick than a .243. Your eyes are still on the target after the shot. Hardly any kick. I have not fire 6.5x47 so can't comment about that but my 7mm-08....if it had tits i'd be Sh******g it!:thumb:
 
One rifle, for everything..............? 6.5x47 or 7mm-08? Then it would have to be the 7mm-08. I now have two friends who have them, one in a remington 700, the other in a steyr classic (nice wood shame about the rifle :stir: ) and they will deal with fallow and roe perfectly. Depending on magazine/chamber length, larger bullet sizes can be a problem if you want to shoot pigs. This is the reason I have gone for a 7x64 to go alongside my 6.5x55, it gives me more choice.

ft
 
Ahh redmist, I knew there would be a clever bugger out there.....should have checked my figures before posting. Mind you I suspect your Surgeon may be quite good at withstanding high pressure so those of us with less elegant weaponry may not quite get the same velocity. I agree the difference between the rounds is small and quite academic and either will do quite nicely......as you know

S


S

its a BAT, not a Surgeon;)
 
I shoot 100gr, 120, 140, 150 and 175gr through my 7mm-08 and I LOVE IT.

Also, Prvi's do 7mm-08 ammo which, if your rifle likes them (mine doesn't) then it ain't worth reloading.

Take a 45min flit up the A1 Pierred (GaryB will give you directions :cool: ) and you're welcome to come play with a real gun (and I might throw in some free bullets for you to play with!).

ATB

Iain
 
Feck...getting old and addled!!!!:doh:


Edit....mind you if you check the factory energy on the 6.5x47 and compare again the 7mm08 does have more oomph. Perhaps the 7mm08 could be handloaded faster than the factory??
 
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I shoot 100gr, 120, 140, 150 and 175gr through my 7mm-08 and I LOVE IT.

Also, Prvi's do 7mm-08 ammo which, if your rifle likes them (mine doesn't) then it ain't worth reloading.

Take a 45min flit up the A1 Pierred (GaryB will give you directions :cool: ) and you're welcome to come play with a real gun (and I might throw in some free bullets for you to play with!).

ATB

Iain
If thats a genuine offer Iain drop me a pm with contact details as i would love to take you up on the offer mate,I will also Pm you my mobile.
thanks for the offer and thanks to everyone else for the input.
 
Does the 7-08 really have less recoil than a .243? (as was suggested earlier). Never used the 7mm but the .243 isnt exactly harsh

Dan
 
A freind is very much waxing lyrical about his new .280, I have little knowledge but it might be worth a look.
Sam

If the 280 he's waxing lyrical about is the .280 Remington, then it's just a 7x64 with an American accent. The .280 is a 30-06 case necked down to 7mm, the 7x64's case is so similar that it makes no difference and I knew a hunter in Germany regularly used to neck down 30-06 cases to feed his 7x64. Reloading data for the two cartridges is interchangeable.
 
Does the 7-08 really have less recoil than a .243? (as was suggested earlier). Never used the 7mm but the .243 isnt exactly harsh

Dan

Assuming all other things are equal, same rifle weight etc and but shooting the same weight of bullet at the same speed then the 7-08 may have less felt recoil, but if you are shooting a heavier bullet/more powerful load in the 7mm rifle then you can’t beat Newton law. More powerful cartridge then more recoil.

ATB

Tahr
 
Thats what i thought! Threw me for a second though.

Currently weighing up a 6.5 or a 7-08 but leaning to the 6.5 as it will one day partner a 30-06

Dan
 
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