7mm-08 VS .308

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02bigdogs17

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I am looking at buying a new rifle and I am looking at a 7mm-08 and a .308 in a bolt action savage. I know the 7mm-08 is the 308 case necked down to a .284" bullet. I would be using it for hunting whitetale deer, and hogs mainly. A lot of people have told me that the 7mm-08 has a very mild recoil but I have fired some .308's and I did not think they had very bad recoil at all. But if the 7mm-08 does have a light recoil that would be nice because I'm sure my 10yr old son will want to shoot it. Just want some opinions on these calibers don't try to talk me out of buying a savage it won't work. I have other more expensive rifles and they don't shoot any better than my savage's. Thanks for any info.
 
I have 2 7-08's and they both shoot very well and for my the recoil isnt bad. Now, I am going on a bear hunt in a few weeks with my 7-08 and have some 150 gr partitions loaded for it and they do have a good kick, but I am also shooting them out of a model 7 which is very light. If you reload you can shoot lighter loads for less recoil. My hunting partner has a 308 and he is shooting 180 gr bullets out of a rem auto loader and that thing does give a bit more jolt than my model 7.
So, in my experience, I like the 7-08 but I do reload for it. Around here in NH it isnt easy to find factory 7-08's but here and I imagine just about every where else you will find 308's.
So, there's my 2 cents for what its worth.
 
Not much difference between the two being two calibers apart. Frankly you can't go wrong with either's purchase. Only disappointment for some who rely on store bought cartridges when owning the 7mm-08. Their typical price tag. (spendy cartridges. So I've been told.) As far as felt recoil for junior. I doubt he'll even notice it on his first pull of its trigger. After all the rifle wasn't bought for the son. Your primarily purchasing it for your own use.
 
7mm08 has a recoil advantage over the 308 when comparing bullets of similar sectional density/ballistic coefficient. The .284 bullet will be lighter than .308.
I use a 7mm08 in a 22" barrel Savage and a 20" Wby Vanguard carbine and 308 in same model Savage and Remington 20" carbine. In the average full sized rifle, I see very little difference in recoil between the two. In the carbines, there is a noticeable difference with the .308 being just a little obnoxious. That said, I don't consider the 7mm08 to be "light recoil". When you light one off, you definitely know you're shooting a big game rifle. It's not painful, even in the 7# carbine, but you don't mistake it for a .223.
 
Just for fun I calculated some numbers for you. If both rifles weigh 8 lbs including scopes and mounts the recoil looks like this

7-08/140 gr bullet, 48 gr powder, @ 2870 fps---14 ft lbs recoil
308/150 gr bullet, 47 gr powder, @ 2850 fps----15 ft lbs recoil

Not much difference. Not much difference down range either. On paper the 7-08 shoots a smidge flatter, the 308 has the ability to shoot much heavier bullets if you handload. If you limit ranges to 400 yards either will work on anything in North America except big bears.

Both are pretty light recoiling. Just for comparison

30-06/150 gr bullet, 62 gr powder, @ 3000 fps--19 ft lbs recoil
270/130 gr bullet, 61 gr powder, @ 3150 fps---17 ft lbs recoil

I chose 308 only because I also load for 30-06 and 300 WSM and can use the same bullets. Loaded ammo is much easier to find and cheaper in 308 also.
 
Thank you very much for the info gentlemen. I think I am leaning towards the .308 because I do reload and also have a .30-06 so it would be nice for bullet selection like jmr40 said and I already have some empty cases for the .308 also. If anyone else has anymore info please share it thanks.
 
Have both, both Savages, and there is no noticable difference in recoil, range, and effect on game. My .308 is more accurate, but not enough to matter in the field. Anything shot through both lungs will die. It's all a matter of shot placement. You pay your money, and make your choice. Either one is simply stated, just fine.
BTW, you CANNOT go wrong with a Savage.
 
If you don't reload, I also agree that the .308 would be a better choice due to availability and cost of factory ammo.

My long-range rifle is 7-08 because of the better ballistics of the 7mm bullets- but this is not a consideration in your case.
 
1. It's NOT a *lot* lighter recoil - it's *slightly* lighter. We're talking about small degrees here.

2. 7mm-08 is arguably the perfect round for all North American big game hunting. I would choose it over the .308. Only way I wouldn't is if for some reason, I couldn't order ammo from MidwayUSA, *and* I lived in BFE, Wyoming with no large sporting goods stores carrying it.

But there ain't just a whole lot of difference in the final analysis, for a hunting rifle.
 
I shoot a Remington 700 SPS Varmint in 7mm08 with some pretty heavy modifications to it. I developed a 150grn Nosler BT load for a Sako 75 that I shoot and it is dang accurate in that 700 as well. If I shoot at something, I pick the hair I want to hit and EVERYTHING I shoot at dies, well, to date anyway.
 
.308 win is superior IMO. Better ammo availability, just as versatile as the 7mm and honestly the difference in recoil is fairly negligible. If the .308 recoil bothers you the 7mm-08 is going to be no better unless you count placebo effect. .308 doesn't really kick hard to start with, IMO.

7mm-08 looks cool on paper if you like the 7x57 mauser. But IMO there's nothing special about the 7mm and it's not worth the increased prices and limited availability of ammo.

If you want good long range performance and less recoil, you're better off stepping down to the .260 IMO.
 
Simple do what I did, Buy a model 11 in 308, a set of tools to change the barrel, 308 head space gages, A 7mm-08 savage barrel.

Then swap em out when ever you want.

I actually use my Model 11 as a mule. Swap from 308, 7mm-08 and 243 win.

Three guns in one.
That's the beauty of the Savage barrel nut system.
 
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I take it you're not hunting in Indiana, because neither the 7-08 or .308 are legal in Indiana for deer. If it were me I'd buy the .308 for myself and pick up a Ruger American compact in .223 for the boy. Even a 7-08 is more than likely too much for a 10 year old, plus if you're not reloading there is way more options for the .308 and .223 than there will ever be for the 7-08.
 
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Swapping those barrels out sounds good in theory, but you could have easily accomplished the same things with 1 barrel and making ammo choices.

I would find it more useful if you had chosen a 243 and something like a 338 Fed or 358 Win for the 2nd barrel. There isn't enough difference between a 308 and 7-08 to justify having both. And with lighter bullets either will do anything a 243 will do.

Come to think of it the 308 with 200-220 gr bullets will do anything a 338 Fed or 358 will do.

Taylorce 1 and I were typing at the same time. I actually like his advice best
 
Saltydog235 Was just wondering what you were using for powder under that 150? I just worked up a load for a 150 partition with IMR 4895, shoots almost 1 hole groups at 100 yds.
 
I've owned two 7mm-08s. I could never get either to shoot well with any factory ammo. My .308's however, have all been accurate with just about anything I shot in them.

I love the idea of the 7mm-08, but they just haven't worked for me personally.
 
Orion6, I have to agree with you , I own two 7-08 and they both shoot well, but its because of many many different load variations. Never shot factory out of either so I dont know how they would do. I do like em though.
 
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