Go anywhere gun!

TGEvans

Well-Known Member
Right here goes.I need a gun to cover all Deer species over here,Boar and the odd target session.I have my .308 and love it.But....I have got access to Boar in France and cannot take the .308.After a great catchup with my Firearms chap this morning he said that a 7mm08 may be the answer as its legal everywhere,and fast enough carrying plenty of clout for all my needs.So,do you experienced people agree?And how does it compare really next to .308/30-06/270/6.5x55?Info on meat damage and reloading would be great too.Thanks,Tim.
 
Right here goes.I need a gun to cover all Deer species over here,Boar and the odd target session.I have my .308 and love it.But....I have got access to Boar in France and cannot take the .308.After a great catchup with my Firearms chap this morning he said that a 7mm08 may be the answer as its legal everywhere,and fast enough carrying plenty of clout for all my needs.So,do you experienced people agree?And how does it compare really next to .308/30-06/270/6.5x55?Info on meat damage and reloading would be great too.Thanks,Tim.


7-08 works fine on Boar, I used 140 and 150 Gn Accubonds, with Nosler Book 6 loads.

No comments on the others proposed, except the 6.5x55 which I only ever used on deer, for which it was superb.

​Good Luck with your choice.
 
My friend has one(7-08) and says that it is very kind to shoot. He hasnt shot anything with it yet but he is very experienced and is confident it will all you require of it. I to was in the same thoughts as I wanted somthing to go to France with (I have 30-06) so I went for 270 it does all of these things.
Tusker
 
If you want to go 7mm I'd go 7x64 or 7mm Rem Mag (Some places in France say a 7x64 with 170gr bullets is the minimum they allow).

Whatever you choose, good luck.

Scrummy
 
I have a 7mm-08 Steyr-Mannlicher stutzen and chose that chambering for the same reasons as you. It will happily deal with anything in the UK, and has enough clout to use on boar in France should my brother-in-law ever sort something out for me. I have a box of Federal Power-Shok 150gr Speers that I keep for this eventuality. There are manufacturers in France who make 7mm-08 loads specifically for driven boar in heavier bullet weights too such as Sauvestre and Sologne.

Apart from that, it's lovely to shoot and works well in short barrels if that's a consideration. Having shot it last weekend together with Scrumbag's 7x64, which is pretty much identical to .270 Win, I can tell you that it's a fair bit quieter than these too.
 
In Spain 5.56 and 7.62 x51 are illegal in semi autos but okay in bolt actions , semi auto owners have FAL`s in .307W and I think you can put 308w through them and there are also .222 AR15`s so its all a load on nonsense created by bureaucrats !
 
Hi. I work in France so have a reasonable idea what most well stocked gunshops have in ammunition and etc..

Any of the 7mm calibres that "substitute" for 308 and 30-06 are popular in France.

So 7mm-08 for 308 Winchester is widely used and liked in so called short action rifles.

The other calibre that used to be the 30-06 "substitute" in Remington pump action and self-loading rifles was 280 Remington. And also it used to be in Belgium until that country rescinded its military calibre prohibition about two or three years ago.

But I have ONLY ever seen two at most bolt action rifles in France in over ten years in 280 Remington...as it it usually only ever seen in pump action and self-loading rifles. And those mostly Remington make....who used to chamber 280 Remington in such things as an off-the-shelf stock calibre listing.

So in a so called long action 7mm the main player on the continent is 7x64 and less so 7mm Remington Magnum as the 7x64 is so good (as in fact is the 280 Remington) that most continentals go straight from 7mm-08, 280 Remigton or 7x64 up to 300 Winchester Magnum.

But yes, a 7mm-08 would be a good choice and a 7x64 an excellent choice! 7mm Remington Magnum? Maybe an outside consideration but for me I'd sooner have one more cartridge capacity and no belt!

6.5x55 is also, being a military calibre, currently subject to the same prohibitions in France as 308 and 30-06.
 
I have a 7mm-08 Steyr-Mannlicher stutzen and chose that chambering for the same reasons as you. It will happily deal with anything in the UK, and has enough clout to use on boar in France should my brother-in-law ever sort something out for me. I have a box of Federal Power-Shok 150gr Speers that I keep for this eventuality. There are manufacturers in France who make 7mm-08 loads specifically for driven boar in heavier bullet weights too such as Sauvestre and Sologne.

Apart from that, it's lovely to shoot and works well in short barrels if that's a consideration. Having shot it last weekend together with Scrumbag's 7x64, which is pretty much identical to .270 Win, I can tell you that it's a fair bit quieter than these too.

C'mon, muzzle blast is your friend. :stir:

David
 
Made a few calls today in relation to a 7mm08,the outcome was more confusion!My usual gun shops told me to look into 300 win mag,300wsm or 270 wsm.This ain't going to be easy!
 
Sounds to me like your gunshops didn't actually answer your question and trotted out what they were going to say anyway. My advice would be to do your own research on this one. 300 win mag is really popular in France but then everyone there seems to choose the largest calibre they can handle, but often in semi-auto rifles which reduce the recoil. Also, as the primary form of hunting is driven boar, they're often looking for stopping power at quite short ranges, so fair enough. But if your rifle is primarily for deer in the UK with the occasional pop at boar thrown in, 7mm-08 will be just fine.
 
If you want a .30 cal with a bit of clout I am a great fan of the 300 H & H but let's be sensible, It is a difficult and expensive rifle to feed. I wonder if the 7 x 64 isn't easier to get in France than the 7-08. My look in some places in France seems to support this but it is very shallow research. I think that, unless you have (I nearly said misfortune but thought that would upset PM :stir:) to live in London, your local shop will get and hold ammunition for you so the stuff that is easier to get in places you travel to should have more influence.

Best wishes,

David.
 
Made a few calls today in relation to a 7mm08,the outcome was more confusion!My usual gun shops told me to look into 300 win mag,300wsm or 270 wsm.This ain't going to be easy!

If your gun shop can't get you a 7mm-08 I would find another gun shop. Pine Marten hit the nail on the head. I know for a fact you could get a very nice Kimber in 7mm-08 as they are being imported by Riflecraft (local to me). Sako and Tikka do the 7mm-08 albeit you may have to order and wait for one but really worth it.

I use a 7mm-08, specifically converted from a .308 so I can take it to France. I shoot Reds, Fallow, Muntjac and occasionally Roe with it. The deer don't know the difference in calibres and most of them do a good job but the 7mm-08 is inherently accurate and comfortable to shoot with all the clout you'll ever need for deer and getting more popular for Boar on the continent.

Good luck
​ATB
 
Would people please stop being rude about my Sikamalc christened "Big, loud man-gun" 7x64 is a lovely calibre.


Still, in this country .300 Win Mag or 7mm Rem Mag might be easier to feed (incidentally, those are the 2 big calibre choices in France from what I have seen).

Scrummy
 
Would people please stop being rude about my Sikamalc christened "Big, loud man-gun" 7x64 is a lovely calibre.


Still, in this country .300 Win Mag or 7mm Rem Mag might be easier to feed (incidentally, those are the 2 big calibre choices in France from what I have seen).

Scrummy

I won't be rude, I'd like one too!
From what I've seen in French gun shops 7x64 ammo seems fairly available, just not very popular over here, maybe it should be.
 
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