7mm08
- Thread starter Hw60sniper
- Start date
For me the 7-08 sounds a very sensible cartridge, for deer a good step above a 6.5 however... A good friend is using his 7-08 since a few years and he said he would not get another as it does nothing his 308 couldn't but ammo is difficult to get. Like most in Europe he does not shoot further than 300m mostly around 100yds. I also think at closer ranges the 308 is the better deer cartridge which also covers boar better.
If one wants the benefit of a slippery bullet for deer and extra energy over say 300m then the 7-08 has some advantages however for serious longer range performance one would want 280 7RM or 300wm. I went 300wm.
I really like the 7-08 but never had a specific role for it.
edi
If one wants the benefit of a slippery bullet for deer and extra energy over say 300m then the 7-08 has some advantages however for serious longer range performance one would want 280 7RM or 300wm. I went 300wm.
I really like the 7-08 but never had a specific role for it.
edi
Edi, I think ammunition availability is very much down to your local gunshop. I'm lucky in that all those around me seem to stock a good variety. Reloading lets you get the most out of the chambering, as it does with most other chamberings. I just love the efficiency of the 7mm bullets, as I do the 6.5's. In my very humble opinion, 300WM is just more gun than you need when shooting deer in the UK.
I currently have slots on my FAC for both 7mm-08 and .308, and having researched the respective advantages and disadvantages of each on this forum and others, I'm erring towards the 7mm-08 for both stalking and target use. However my concern is the availability of ammunition, as I don't currently reload. If I can identify (or if anyone can recommend?) a UK supplier with a reliable supply and a variety of 7mm factory ammo, I'd take the plunge and get one now.
The 7mm-'08 Rem should be the ultimate UK short action calibre, it is only factory ammo availability that has held it back. If one or two of the major brands or importers had got behind it in the same way they have the 6.5mm Creedmor it would have been hugely popular. I have just sold mine simply because I have lost interest in hand-loading.
Edgar Bros import the Hornaday Precision Hunter 150 ELD-X which any gun shop who has an account with them can buy - and most do. If they don't have them on the shelf it can take a few months to get them but so long as your FAC allows you to hold a couple of hundred you should be able to smooth that out. Just don't run out before you reorder.
Nigel, ammo availability for us is not great however no matter where you go you will have more options for the 308 (apart from NZ maybe) more practice ammo like the cheap 155 steel match that are very underpowered but accurate. You might just practice more. I agree the 300wm is OTT for our type shooting however many argue the better BC of 6.5CM and 7-08 will beat the higher ME of a 308 at a certain distance often mentioning 300m plus. I think the energy values at over 400m start falling so low that the little short action case might be running out of steam for big game in 6.5, 7mm or 30 cal and one would be better off with a bit more powder if going those distances. Looking at normal European shooting or average distances we are in my opinion better off with a 308, benefit from the bigger hole it punches, slightly more ME for the driven shoots and more ammo availability.
edi
edi
c18rch
Well-Known Member
If you reload - 7-08
If you don't or hunt abroad (legal issues aside in certain places) - .308
I use .308 for most of my stalking because its easier to find ammunition for, but I have a 7-08 target rifle because of the better ballistics. They are both Rem 700s so I can and have swapped stock and scope around as required depending on what I am doing and where.
If I could guarantee always having a supply of good 7-08 ammunition I would use 7-08 exclusively.
If you don't or hunt abroad (legal issues aside in certain places) - .308
I use .308 for most of my stalking because its easier to find ammunition for, but I have a 7-08 target rifle because of the better ballistics. They are both Rem 700s so I can and have swapped stock and scope around as required depending on what I am doing and where.
If I could guarantee always having a supply of good 7-08 ammunition I would use 7-08 exclusively.
Edi, you're quite correct, inside 300m we are almost talking semantics. A high BC 6.5 or 7mm bullet at 300m will retain more velocity than an equivalent 300 bullet where you need to get into 190 or 200 grain to get the same BC as a 140 in 6.5 or 150/160 in 7mm. I like the fact that wind drift is reduced significantly with the higher BC bullets. Trajectory is irrelevant as you can dial it, but wind is the big issue and even at 200m if you can cut 8" of drift to 6" you reduce the margin for error.
For driven game I agree, go 30 cal or bigger. The odds on perfect shot placement is much lower so you need a good heavy bullet that will still stop a beast with the bullet in the wrong place. A 6.5 is not going to do that, a 7mm will be marginal, a 30 cal better.
For driven game I agree, go 30 cal or bigger. The odds on perfect shot placement is much lower so you need a good heavy bullet that will still stop a beast with the bullet in the wrong place. A 6.5 is not going to do that, a 7mm will be marginal, a 30 cal better.
Usurped,7mm-08 is the second best selling chambering in New Zealand, after .308. The .270 Win is in third place, and dropping.
It’s versatility and advantages over the long action 270 that it has usurped are well known. That it is not that well known elsewhere is a reflection of tradition and resistance to change I guess. We always pick the best, first, adapt the fastest, the others eventually follow....
lochty
Well-Known Member
I have a Tikka LSA55 which was rebarreled into 7mm 08 and it's certainly effective. I take all the points previously made about availability and carcase damage, but for the knockdown power, you have to compromise somewhere. I order bullets by the 100 and my local gunshop holds them for me to draw on when I need them. After a few problems with Federal Fusion 140gr, I switched to Winchester 140gr or PPU 140gr. Results from the PPU and price (£18 per box) would make them my preferred choice for mostly reds, with some fallow and roe.
I’ve shot 7-08 for several years now. In all honesty all the calibers will do the job. If you don’t reload or don’t want to reload then stick with .270 or .308 for the larger uk species, or the .243 for the smaller.
There are several reasons why I’m sticking with the 7mm-08 (I’ve just acquired another in stainless synthetic)
It’s a lot softer shooting than the .308 or .270, this in weight for weight rifles gives several advantages in my experience. In lighter weight rifles less recoil means less jump, nine times out of ten you can see the bullet strike on the beast and it go down, which I have found not to be the case with .308 or .270. If you see the strike and you know it’s well placed, all’s good, if you don’t know if you’ve hit the damn thing or not and it runs off, well to put not too fine a point on it you’ve got a problem. Also Less jump means more chance at a second shot at another beast. Plus, it’s generaly accepted that lower recoil means greater accuracy.
It’s noticeably quieter as well which is a considerable advantage.
All in all in 7-08 you can have a light weight rifle which jumps less, is quieter, accurate, is easy to reload for, with a good selection of both powders and bullets which will give you similar performance to the .270 and the .308. If you feel that you’re getting to much meat damage, change the velocity or the bullet.
The disadvantages are that factory ammunition is difficult to get compared to the others and quite a bit more expensive.
Possibly the only caliber that I’d like to try over the 7-08 would be .260 Remington.
Target 4 is first try of factory federal premium 7-08 140gn in Sako 75 with a standard synthetic stock @ 100m
Target 3 was two rounds out of the same rifle with 139gn sst’s using Rs52 which had been loaded for my old 7-08, this combination had to be knocked back as it was easily achieving in exces of 3,000fps out of a 20” barrel.
BTW they’re 1/2” squares
There are several reasons why I’m sticking with the 7mm-08 (I’ve just acquired another in stainless synthetic)
It’s a lot softer shooting than the .308 or .270, this in weight for weight rifles gives several advantages in my experience. In lighter weight rifles less recoil means less jump, nine times out of ten you can see the bullet strike on the beast and it go down, which I have found not to be the case with .308 or .270. If you see the strike and you know it’s well placed, all’s good, if you don’t know if you’ve hit the damn thing or not and it runs off, well to put not too fine a point on it you’ve got a problem. Also Less jump means more chance at a second shot at another beast. Plus, it’s generaly accepted that lower recoil means greater accuracy.
It’s noticeably quieter as well which is a considerable advantage.
All in all in 7-08 you can have a light weight rifle which jumps less, is quieter, accurate, is easy to reload for, with a good selection of both powders and bullets which will give you similar performance to the .270 and the .308. If you feel that you’re getting to much meat damage, change the velocity or the bullet.
The disadvantages are that factory ammunition is difficult to get compared to the others and quite a bit more expensive.
Possibly the only caliber that I’d like to try over the 7-08 would be .260 Remington.
Target 4 is first try of factory federal premium 7-08 140gn in Sako 75 with a standard synthetic stock @ 100m
Target 3 was two rounds out of the same rifle with 139gn sst’s using Rs52 which had been loaded for my old 7-08, this combination had to be knocked back as it was easily achieving in exces of 3,000fps out of a 20” barrel.
BTW they’re 1/2” squares
c18rch
Well-Known Member
I shoot with a lot of people who shoot .260. We found .260 and 7-08 to be ballistically identical out to very long ranges (1500yds+) with the right bullet/load combinations. The 7-08 has the edge though because of the heavier bullet. We found you can see splash more easily with the 7-08 at longer ranges.
We regularly shoot steel targets between 100 - 1550 ish yds so being able to spot your misses is quite important.
I know this doesn't really matter for stalking, but just thought I'd point out there is no ballistic benefit to .260 over 7-08.
The deer man
Well-Known Member
Probably not many 7-08's for sale second hand because once you've got one you tend to keep it! Used one for years now and know four close shooting buddies who use one predominantly over other calibres. It's not that it's some mystical wonder calibre, it's just a pleasure to shoot, accurate and gets the job done. Factory ammo is readily available and 140's is all you need for hunting, very easy to reload for and you can have lots of fun playing with anything from 100gr varmint up to 162gr target bullets.
If you want to buy new in the UK, Shultz and Larsen and Remington 700 are two generally available. Others available to order, Tikka, Sako.
Someone mentioned 6.5 Creedmoor, the new fad! Let's face it if the industry wasn't re-inventing things it would be a very boring sport!? There is nothing the 6.5 Creedmoor will do the 7-08 cannot, even out to 1,200m, also nothing wrong with the 6.5 Creedmoor although reloading as I understand, I've never reloaded this calibre, can be a little fussy but factory ammo is getting more available in the UK (Hornady).
Yes, I agree balistically very similar.
However, as has been mentioned and possibly down to the wrong bullet combination, 7-08 can be a bit devastating on Roe. Like I said I’d be interested to see how in comparison the .260 performed across the three main uk species.
But not sufficiently to give up my 7-08.
Hw60sniper
Well-Known Member
Hi m8 cheers for the reply, Its not just 2nd hand that there aren't many off searching the bigger shops up here or on guntrader there aren't any new up here and only a few if you go to the likes of Sgc but as I said not ready to buy just yet so plenty of time to find the right 1.
The deer man
Well-Known Member
Well I'd have to agree because the other 7mm I use is 7x64, also a great calibre, very accurate with a bit more punch. The big slow bullets like RWS 172gr T-Mantel (which you can't get anymore!) were superb, very slow at 2,610 ft/sec but dropped everything and on small deer like Muntjac stopped them dead with no mess/meat damage. 160's with this calibre are just about perfect.
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