.308 savage vs 7mm browning

R

rogerha

Inactive
best cartridge for hunting all big game

Alright sounds like the browning is going to be my best choice here; my thanks to all of you who sent your advice. My question now is what caliber is best for hunting elk, deer, and antelope, I had posted that I was going to get the 7mm rem mag because that was the advice I was given from a reliable source but it seems there are a lot of mixed opinions about that cartridge. So what would you hunt these types of game with if you had only one rifle.
Options are:
22” barrel 7mm-08 rem
22” barrel 308 win
22” barrel 30-06 spfld
26” barrel 7mm rem mag
26” barrel 300 win mag

Old posting
I have an opportunity to get a couple rifles at a great price and as much as I would like to get both I cannot afford to do to so.
The first is a savage II FXP3 .308 w/accutrigger
The other is a browning A bolt composite stalker 7mm

I will be hunting elk, deer, and antelope and this will be my first and only big game rifle for awhile. I won't be putting a lot of rounds through this gun as I have a couple varmint rifles thatI like to shoot.

Which one would you choose
 
Last edited:
As much as I like a .308 Win as an all around rifle, I would get the Browning A bolt composite stalker 7mm Rem.
 
The cartridges aren't different enough to worry about.

Pick the rifle that feels the most comfortable when you shoulder it.
 
The cartridges aren't different enough to worry about.
Click to expand...
Gotta disagree.

Buy the 308. A 7 mag is a great round, but ammo is far more expensive, has considerably more recoil and is not the best choice for a first big game rifle. You'll use the 308 much more because you can afford to shoot it, and will enjoy shooting it much more.

The 7 mag's greatest assett is at long range. While the 2 are very different the 308 is more than capable of taking the game you have in mind out to 400 yards. Inside of that the 7 mag won't offer you a single advantage. Only more expense and more recoil. If you have the skills to stretch your range to 600+ yards, then the 7 mag has a distinct advantage and the expense and added recoil are worth it.
 
The cartridges aren't different enough to worry about.Pick the rifle that feels the most comfortable when you shoulder it.
Click to expand...

I agree there isn't enough difference that the game you shoot will ever know. I'll agree past 400 the 7mm will have the advantage. Most hunters will never see a 600 yard shot that they have to take because they can't get any closer. Most hunters will pass up 600 yard shots as well if that is the only shot they have.
 
The cartridges aren't different enough to worry about.

Depends on which 7mm CARTRIDGE he is referring to...:D

And, like "mrawesome22" added, "^^^^ And which .308" cartridge."

T.
 
Last edited:
That is a really hard choice. Those Brownings are beautiful, but it's hard to pass on a nice .308 Savage when you know you can afford to shoot it much more. As much as it would pain me, I would have to pick the Savage because of the ammo issue. Maybe you can make the more economical choice and put that savings towards a better piece of glass, seeing as since you're using it for elk you may not really be shooting the rifle that much. I agree with Buzzcook. Shoulder 'em. Buy the one that sings to you.
 
Get the Browning. Savage is crap (I can hear the boo's from the cheap seats) :rolleyes:. Even if the price of the ammo is twice as much on the 7mm, how often are you going to shoot it? I doubt that most people ever shoot more than 100 rounds out of a hunting rifle over their lifetime. They shoot it 8-10 times to sight it in, and then shoot it a couple of times a year at a deer or hog. Most gun owners don't go to the range and shoot 100 rounds from their 7mm.

The Browning is the better rifle.
 
Things that drew me to the Browning:

- 60 Degree bolt-lift. It makes a big difference for me, especially if you have a low mounted optic. With the Savage and Remington that I used to have my thumb would often hit the optic or the mount when cycling the bolt.

- Slight palm swell on the stock (synthetic) put the trigger in just the perfect place for my hand

- Safety locked the bolt

- Lighter weight

Of course, now I don't even have a bolt action hunting rifle anymore, but if I did, I would get another Browning.
 
Assuming you are talking about a 308 Winchester in the Savage vs a 7mm Remington Mag in the Browning, if elk are something you regularly hunt I'd pick the Browning. The 308 is a fine cartridge and capable of taking elk when the proper bullets are put in the proper spot but the 7 Mag is better in my opinion.
 
Great responses from all of you thus far, but no one has really hit the nail on the head yet...

If it were me, I'd beg, borrow, or sell other stuff so that I could buy both rifles, shoot both rifles, then sell the one I liked the least. Obviously, if it is a good deal as you say, you can sell the other rifle for more than you paid for it, and make a profit.

OR, whichever one you decide NOT to buy, tell a guy like me about the other one & I'll pick it up.
 
i've gotta vote for the browning, even though i'm not a 7mm fan. i really dislike the accutrigger in the savages. if you havn't shot a savage find a way to try before you buy. people either love them or hate them.
 
I own a .308 and a 7mm Rem Mag. I've taken antelope and whitetail with both. The 7mm offers up a little more performance with a little more recoil. Both are excellent rounds and I doubt using one over the other will cause you to miss a shot or kill an animal.

One nod to the .308 is that ammo is a little cheaper and to get the best performance out of a 7mm, you need a longer barrel length. Those extra couple of inches make a difference in the woods.

Still, as much as I like the .308, I really enjoy shooting and hunting with the 7mm.
 
The Browning is a better quality rifle and the 7mm RM gives you better long range performance. It's a nobrainer get the Browning. And I have 2 308's & 1 7mmRM both are great calibers but for the game you want to shoot the 7mm is a better choice IMO.
 
"It's a nobrainer get the Browning."

Yes, a simple no brain answer is to get the Browning.

But the use of a few brain cells indicate there are many other factors involved that are as important or more important than the brand or cartridge.

T.
 
Last edited:
Use YOUR brain cells Einstein. The 7mmRM is the better caliber thru the spectrum of animals he says he wants to shoot and ,IMO, the Browning is the better quality rifle. I'm not downing your Savage rifle!!
 
The 7mmRM is the better caliber thru the spectrum of animals he says he wants to shoot and ,IMO, the Browning is the better quality rifle.
Click to expand...

First the 7mm RM isn't a caliber it is a cartridge, secondly the best cartridge for pronghorn to elk would be the .300 Win Mag. I'm not saying it is vastly superior to any of the others just that it will deliver heavier bullets with more energy than any of the OP's other choices. That makes a difference when elk are involved.

The problem is the average hunter can't take advantage of everything the .300 or 7mm magnums bring to the table. For one cartridge all around big game rifle using the choices given by the OP the plain old vanilla .30-06 would be the better choice. With the .308 following in a close second and you can flip a cannon the last three cartridges.

Both are superbly capable of taking the game animals at ranges most likely to be encountered. With practice they both can be stretched to a range way beyond what the average hunter takes. Plus the recoil is manageable and both are easier on the wallet than magnum for practice at the range. For a one rifle hunter it is impossible to beat the versatility of the old 06.
 
Last edited:
"Use YOUR brain cells Einstein. The 7mmRM is the better caliber thru the spectrum of animals he says he wants to shoot and ,IMO, the Browning is the better quality rifle."

"jehu", sorry, meant to say, "if you used those brain cells to THINK WITH...":D

Doesn't matter if the 7mm Rem Mag is a better cartridge.

Doesn't matter if the Browning is the better rifle.

As I said, "there are many other factors involved that are as important or more important than MINDLESSLY picking "the best" brand or cartridge."

If you can't understand that I can't explain it to you...:rolleyes:


"I'm not downing your Savage rifle!!?

Duh, "my Savage"? Only you seem to have a problem with that, whatever it is.

T.
 
I would agree the 30-06 might be a better choice for the OP but I was trying to give him the best advise, IMO, on the two rifles he stated he had a chance to purchase based on the limited info he gave and the game he said he wanted to shoot. There's always other factors involed but we can only address the info given or ask for more. But you Oracles can take over this deal I'm done.:eek:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top