7mm-08 vs .308 win in a blr 81

I am curious , there is always the issue of available ammunition.Don't most folks get the quality ammunition from the gun shops anyways?Also , is it always the very last thing that folks purchase before they go hunting?

I just find it an entertaining scenario that the ammunition availability at the local hardware store or at CT is a determining factor when choosing a firearm.

Never have forgot my ammunition, nor has anyone I have ever hunted with.The same as forgetting your rifle, if you forget, you are camp cook.

But take the 7mm-08 , it is the greatest thing out there, just like Ford trucks and Arctic Cat quads.:stirthepot2:
 
I don't see any real advantages of 7-08 over .308 (other than about 10% in recoil which frankly I couldn't feel - and I can feel the difference between .308 and 30-06).
The more energy downrange advantage for 7-08 is a myth. My favorite factory hunting load for .308 (Hornady 165 gr SST superformance) has more energy up to over 500m by ANY factory 7-08 load by a wide margin and shoots flatter than almost all 7-08 factory loaded 7-08s. Up close the energy advantage is like 20%.
Don't forget that when you hit the game your .308 bullet is like already 9-10% expanded 7mm bullet also...
 
Kelly Timoffee said:
I am curious , there is always the issue of available ammunition.Don't most folks get the quality ammunition from the gun shops anyways?Also , is it always the very last thing that folks purchase before they go hunting?

I just find it an entertaining scenario that the ammunition availability at the local hardware store or at CT is a determining factor when choosing a firearm.

Never have forgot my ammunition, nor has anyone I have ever hunted with.The same as forgetting your rifle, if you forget, you are camp cook.

But take the 7mm-08 , it is the greatest thing out there, just like Ford trucks and Arctic Cat quads.:stirthepot2:
Click to expand...

You are making me laugh....
 
popper said:
The more energy downrange advantage for 7-08 is a myth. My favorite factory hunting load for .308 (Hornady 165 gr SST superformance) has more energy up to over 500m by ANY factory 7-08 load by a wide margin and shoots flatter than almost all 7-08 factory loaded 7-08s. Up close the energy advantage is like 20%.
Don't forget that when you hit the game your .308 bullet is like already 9-10% expanded 7mm bullet also...
Click to expand...


Hmmm, the 7mm-08 (Hornady 139 gr SST superformace) vs .308 (Hornady 165 gr SST superformance) has 10% less energy at the muzzle and has a mere 17ftlbs less (1308 vs 1325) at 500 yds while shooting 11% flatter (39.6" vs 44.7") at 500yds.

Don't get me wrong I like the 308win just fine (have 4 of them), but when I go hunting one of the 7mm-08's always seems to be my pick. Like I said before, I don't believe the 308win does anything the 7mm-08 can't, while the 7mm-08 shoots flatter and recoils less.
 
There is zero difference in "killing power" between the 2 cartridges, so base your decision on the other stuff that concerns you. So if you want less recoil and flatter shooting, then go for the 7-08. If you want to buy cheap practice ammo, then .308 may have some more options.

I know I would take a 7-08 over a .308, because the.308 doesn't interest me as much. If one interests you more than the other, that is a good enough reason to make the decision.
 
Here is the difference:

.308 - The bigger girl at the bar, a little thicker up top, does pretty much anything you want, there are many like her,looks kinda plain but dresses up well.

7mm-08 - Very similar to girl #1(.308), Also does anything you want(but don't know until you try her), however a little thinner and more classy lookin, she is a little harder to find but you will have similar results with her if you just try.

Forgot, they both wear same size jeans.

Hope this helps. ;)
 
If you want to be like everyone else the get the .308. It has proven itself.

However if you want to really impress your buddies get the 7mm08. They will probably make fun of you, but they shut up quick when they witness what the rest of us already know.
 
Gatehouse said:
There is zero difference in "killing power" between the 2 cartridges, so base your decision on the other stuff that concerns you. So if you want less recoil and flatter shooting, then go for the 7-08. If you want to buy cheap practice ammo, then .308 may have some more options.

I know I would take a 7-08 over a .308, because the.308 doesn't interest me as much. If one interests you more than the other, that is a good enough reason to make the decision.
Click to expand...

There IS a difference in "killing power" and .308 has more close range "knockdown" power because of the heavier bullets avaliable and more impact energy.
.308 can send 20% heavier bullet (180gr) with roughly the same muzzle velocity as 7-08 (150gr) and this is a huge advantage.
Even a 30-30 with 170 gr bullet would be better than 7-08 for very close range and .308 is not even close...
 
popper said:
There IS a difference in "killing power" and .308 has more close range "knockdown" power because of the heavier bullets avaliable and more impact energy.
.308 can send 20% heavier bullet (180gr) with roughly the same muzzle velocity as 7-08 (150gr) and this is a huge advantage.
Even a 30-30 with 170 gr bullet would be better than 7-08 for very close range and .308 is not even close...
Click to expand...

Use a 175gr bullet in the 7-08 and you will essentially have the same thing as a 180gr bullet in a .308. The .308 will have a bit more muzzle velocity due to greater bullet diameter, but the difference is so small it really is irrelevant.

I'm not sure what a 170gr 30-30 bullet at 2100-2200 fps or a 180gr 308 bullet at 2650fps will do better than a 175gr 7-08 bullet at 2600 fps, but then again, I'd just use a 140gr TTSX bullet in the 7-08. It will outpenetrate a 200gr conventional bullet from a 30-06 so I am not too worried about not having enough "knockdown" power, whatever that is.:p
 
How about a scoped 7-08, as its advantages don't come into play until further downrange, and iron sighted .308, so you can deliver fast, slightly more "powerful" shots in the bush and don't have to worry about scope biting you ? Don't make life so hard on yourself. You can afford a second set of dies....
 
So, boy's and girl's............The moral of this thread.

Don't use your 7mm-08 for close range shots, it isn't going to work.If you see something, run in the opposite direction so that you can put some distance between you and your game so that you can take advantage of the better trajectory in the 7mm chambering and are able to kill it at distance. ;)


popper said:
There IS a difference in "killing power" and .308 has more close range "knockdown" power because of the heavier bullets avaliable and more impact energy.
.308 can send 20% heavier bullet (180gr) with roughly the same muzzle velocity as 7-08 (150gr) and this is a huge advantage.
Even a 30-30 with 170 gr bullet would be better than 7-08 for very close range and .308 is not even close...
Click to expand...

mwjones said:
How about a scoped 7-08, as its advantages don't come into play until further downrange, and iron sighted .308, so you can deliver fast, slightly more "powerful" shots in the bush and don't have to worry about scope biting you ? Don't make life so hard on yourself. You can afford a second set of dies....
Click to expand...
 
Gatehouse said:
Use a 175gr bullet in the 7-08 and you will essentially have the same thing as a 180gr bullet in a .308. The .308 will have a bit more muzzle velocity due to greater bullet diameter, but the difference is so small it really is irrelevant.

I'm not sure what a 170gr 30-30 bullet at 2100-2200 fps or a 180gr 308 bullet at 2650fps will do better than a 175gr 7-08 bullet at 2600 fps, but then again, I'd just use a 140gr TTSX bullet in the 7-08. It will outpenetrate a 200gr conventional bullet from a 30-06 so I am not too worried about not having enough "knockdown" power, whatever that is.:p
Click to expand...

I admit that I am not a big 7-08 fan, but cannot recall seeing any commercial loads with 175 gr bullets (commercial 180 gr bullet loads in .308 are abundant)...If we are talking hand loads you can go much higher than 180 gr in .308 since you have the biggest choice of bullets in the most popular caliber...
And the "knockdown" power is not about penetration only - especially with a small caliber bullet like 7mm (or even .308)...
 
popper said:
I admit that I am not a big 7-08 fan, but cannot recall seeing any commercial loads with 175 gr bullets (commercial 180 gr bullet loads in .308 are abundant)...If we are talking hand loads you can go much higher than 180 gr in .308 since you have the biggest choice of bullets in the most popular caliber...
Click to expand...

Sure you can. But why? What do you hope to gain by going to a 200 or 220 gr .308 bullet?

And the "knockdown" power is not about penetration only - especially with a small caliber bullet like 7mm (or even .308)...
Click to expand...

You seem to be okay with the so called "knockdown power" of a .308 with 180 grain bullets, so what is the problem with the "knockdown power" of 175gr bullets in the 7-08?

What exactly is this "knock down" power anyway? How is it measured and defined?
 
I know that once the mythical knockdown power comes into play we can argue forever...
That's why let's look at the Winchester ammunition guide - they have maybe the best system for matching a cartridge to a game. The link is about the ballistic silvertip cartridges - one of Winchester premium bullets:

http://www.winchester.com/Products/rifle-ammunition/supreme/ballistic-silvertip/Pages/default.aspx

As you can see Winchester rates 7-08 as a thin skin game only (white tail, mule, antelope, black bear) only and both .308 cartridges are rated big game thick skin which includes Elk, Mouse, Caribou etc.
The problem is obviously not in the bullet since the 7mm mag with the same bullet is rated Big game thick skin...
I couldn't help but notice that the super premium Supreme Elite line with the new XP3 bullet does not even show 7-08 caliber at all...
I couldn't find any Winchester 7-08 load recommended for Elk & Mouse but found at least 3 in .308...

I rest my case...
 
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