Best all around short action cartridge

Once you add handloading into the equation, anything based on the 308 case will do.

For hunting I like the 308 Win myself. For hunting the added ballistics of the 7mm-08 don't come into play at normal range, and 308 Win ammo is pretty much available anywhere in case you forget your hand rolled ammunition. I like how the velocity of the 308 Win means that even traditional cup and core bullets will perform very well on big game.

There is nothing wrong with the 7mm-08, it's a fine cartridge. The 308 Win just has more commercial support if you ever take handloading out of the equation.

Jimro
 
Most of the powders I have is benchmark, mag pro, and hunter.
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Of those you listed, I'd guess Benchmark would be the most suitable for the 7-08, I think ..... Ramshot Hunter is a fairly slow powder (4350ish).... though some books list the 4350's as among the top velocity producers for 7-08 .... I'd try both of those...... what's your barrel length?


MagPro is slower yet, being designed for the various short magnums....
 
I have had decent results with benchmark, I worked up to 38.3grs pushing a 140gr sierra gameking. That is a posted max load on the hornady website. I get 1.5"groups out of that load at 100yds,
43grs of Varget pushing the same bullet 140gr sierra gameking give me 1" or smaller groups @ 100 yds.
I shoot the same load out of my Model 7 with 19" barrel or my ruger 77 with 22" barrel with the same results. I dont chronograph so I dont know what speed I am getting.
 
7mm-08, 7mm-08, and did I mention 7mm-08.

OP I believe I read you are a handloader. And if you are then the 7-08 will do all you ever need it to and it does it with slightly less recoil and better high b.c. bullets than the .308. If black bear and deer are on the menu then a premium bonded bullet in the 140-150 grain bullet weight will do both out to as far as you will care to shoot. IMO of all the .308 based cartridges for hunting the .308 isn't the one I ever reccomend, the 7-08 does all the .308 does and it does it better, less wind drift, less drop, less recoil.

My 7-08 23" barrel shoots a 140gr Accubond to 2870 using 43gr Varget. It is a very stiff charge, but it is safe for my rifle even in 100+ degree weather. USE WITH CAUTION!!!
 
1. 6.5 Creedmoor
2. 260 Remington
3. 7mm-08
4. 243 Winchester
5. .338 Federal
6. .308 Winchester

For the reloader:
1. 260 AI
2. 6.5x47 Lapua
3. 6mm Creedmoor
4. 6x47 Lapua

I don't consider the 6.5-.284 Norma or .284 Winchester short action rounds.
 
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Guv said:
Some Savage 99's came in 284, a short action.
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Correct the 284 was designed for lever actions and short actions. With modern VLD bullets and even the large grain Hybrids, the 284 is suited for long actions. If you don't want to shoot VLDs or large grain Hybrids, then by all means it is a short action cartridge.

I have a new Savage model 116 in 6.5-284 Norma. It is Thor's hammer on Whitetails, but once I shoot the barrel out, I will go 284. Making sure it has a fast enough twist rate to shoot the 180 VLD or the 195 EOL.
 
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If you are well and truly resolved to buy a new rifle, any of the production .308Win. bolt actions are pretty good. I'D be inclined to stick with .308 because ammunition is more prevalent and less expensive. Although I'd want something bigger for the largest bear or moose, the .308 probably has an edge over the 7mm-08 for bringing them down.

If you'd rather not invest in another rifle, I'd contact Hodgdon concerning some reduced-load data for 200gr. projectiles in your .338 Win. Mag. I would think that there is a tenable load using H4895 or other powders that would give you good accuracy with less recoil.

I made some assumptions and plugged values in a recoil calculator for a 150 gr. .308 projectile at 2750 f/s from a 7-pound rifle. A 200 gr. .338 projectile at 2400 f/s from a 9-pound rifle generates 5% more recoil, and is every bit as efficient a game-getter as a short-action .308 Win. If one of your reasons for wanting a short-action hunting rifle is NOT HAVING TO lug around a 9-pound rifle, then it's probably "new gun time" (aww SHUCKS!). But since you reload already, you might not have to go that route.

Get with Hodgdon on the matter. There are also other firearms forums whose contributors have developed reduced loads to a science. They MAY tell you that all of what I say is possible, if one doesn't mind "minute of #2 Washtub" accuracy, but I suspect better accuracy is entirely possible.
 
Since you mentioned black bear I'd recommend 308. Bolt action are more accurate but I'd get a lever action because it's ambidextrous. You may someday have a lefty child or significant other.

Either the Browning BLR or Savage 99.
 
There is no 'best' anything.
"...If you ever plan to walk into a store and buy a box of ammo it's..." Excellent advice. The 'store' should be Wally World though. If they have it, you can get it anywhere. But it'd be the .308 for versatility. It can do things a .243 cannot.
The Savage 99 hasn't been made since 1998. Most of 'em are collector pieces now.
 
Since you mentioned black bear I'd recommend 308. Bolt action are more accurate but I'd get a lever action because it's ambidextrous. You may someday have a lefty child or significant other.
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.... they need their own gun ..... just sayin'.
 
If I relied on just factory ammo I would pick the 308. But I reload and load for a couple of 7x57 Mausers. The last few years my favorite whitetail rifle is an older remington model 7 with the walnut stock and 18.5" barrel. It wears a leupold 2x7 scope. The gun weight is around 7 pounds. I have lots of 7mm componants on hand.

I have never shot a bear but I am pretty sure that using a Nosler 140gr Partion would kill them just fine. I know it lays out the whitetails with one shot apiece.

I have two 30-06 rifles so a 308 would just be duplicating what I already have. But there is nothing at all wrong with a 308.
 
T. O"Heir,
I know the 99 has been out of print for a while, our bad luck. My point was it was a short action, I had a 99 in 284 for about a day. I bought it from a buddy who said take it home and check it out and after noting a slight "thunk" when setting it up against the wall found the barrel was loose. He was happy to take it back and I don't know what became of it after that, besides I had a 7mm08 already. I thought the 284 99 would be a rare bird one day.
 
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Would say .308 since you can load anything from the 110's up to 180's and beyond. Not to mention the vastness of brass, bullets, and commercial ammunition for it.
 
It's going to be a 22" bbl. and those are the only powders on hand be cause all we ever used were mags and short mags. As for the short action the rifle will weight 7 pounds 3 ounces, scope an all. My 338 is pushing 10. I really wanted a very light "packing" rifle. Also my son will soon be joining me and I would like to gain some knowledge of the smaller calibers before he gets old enough. I started out at 10 years old with a 300 win mag rem 700. Needless to say it took me a long time to overcome the flinch I developed. I don't want that for the little guy.

It seems like the majority here votes for the 7-08. With it being less recoil than the 308 (by a hair) it may be a good "hand me down rifle" for the little one too.

Are there any powder choices that are ideal for the 7-08? I have heard a lot of talk about win 760 and 748.

Thank you all for your help!
 
My 7-08 has a carbine length (16ish inches) barrel, so this may not apply to yours with the 22" tube, but I found that IMR40464 works really well with 139 to 150gr bullets in mine.....
 
That's the powder that my uncle is giving me to try with the 22-250. I'll have plenty of extra to try in 7-08. I have pretty well decided on the 7mm. But I'll have to wait until next week to get it ordered. Local gun guy told me if I got it and didn't like it he would give me $550 back on it for trade on a 308. I can get that xbolt otd for $610. I may get to try both!

Thank you to everyone for all of your help! When I get it I will post a range report!
 
Good luck with the x bolt, I have looked at a few and have taken a fancy to Browning as of late, be sure to let us know how you make out.
 
I don't think you can go wrong with either a .308 or 7-08. I have used a 7-08 for the past 15 yrs, and I love it. Ammo sometimes is in short supply, but since I reload it's not a problem. For powder I use varget or imr 4064. My weapon of choice is Browning a-bolt medallion.
 
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