Acuuracy 7-08 or 308

[roc1]

Which is most accurate 7-08 or 308. Most tactical rifles are in 308 but is the 7-08 which is a necked down 308 not just as accurate and as deadly? It has better BC and has good bullet weights.
Thanks
roc1

 

[Supertac45]

Given the same round and load, it's the rifle.

 

[W.E.G.]

The 7mm-08 is a fine catridge.

So is the .243 Winchester (which is a 6mm-08).

They will all shoot with accuracy equal to the .308 if fired in rifles of equal quality, and with ammo of equal quality of components.

Very few shooters have the skills, or the opportunity, to shoot under conditions which would demonstrate one whit of difference on the target.

 

[Big_E]

Don't forget that there is also .260 Remington (6.5-08) which has the highest BC and used extensively in competition.

However, factory ammo is harder to find, but you should be reloading any of these rounds for accuracy.

Of the two, I would pick .308 just for availability and .308 rifles are easier to find (but most are also chambered in 7-08 as well.)

 

[Uncle Mike]

7mm-08-

 

[R.W.Dale]

Here's what matters

the quality of the load and components used
the quality of the rifle
the quality of the optics
the shooters ability

what the headstamp says matters not

 

[a-sheepdog]

I would say that both are about equal if all components are the same.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

I don't think you can really say that one caliber is more accurate than another. Accuracy has a lot to do with the particular rifle and the load you're shooting through it. All rifles are different. You have to find what yours likes the best. I don't think that caliber has much to do with it. Most rifles are capable of good accuracy with the load that it likes, and a skilled shooter.
And yes, a 7mm-08 is just as deadly as a .308. You hit a deer in the same spot with each and he won't tell any difference. I would think that the 7mm would be a bit better at long ranges, but I'm not a good enough shooter to know the difference. And I may be wrong about that anyway. Snipers have been using the .308 round for many years. If you're thinking of buying a tactical rifle in one of the two calibers, the .308 would be a good choice, especially if you don't handload.

 

[Slamfire]

Which is most accurate 7-08 or 308. Most tactical rifles are in 308 but is the 7-08 which is a necked down 308 not just as accurate and as deadly? It has better BC and has good bullet weights.

Any difference would be so small, that in the end, I suspect the differences in rifles and shooters are the largest error factors.

I was on the firing line when a Long Range champ bud shot a 200-19X at 500 yards with a 7mm-08. It will shoot well.

Lots of Highpower competitors were using the 7mm-08 in the mid nineties. But this is mainly an expression of the irrational, superstitious, herd mentality prevalent among many highpower shooters.

In the mid nineties the 7 mm 168 SMK had an ungodly high published ballistic coefficient.

Not only did the 7mm-08 shoot well, guys like Mitch Maxberry were winning National Championships with the things. Yahoo!

Then, Sierra reduced the ballistic coefficient.

The day after, tumbleweeds were rolling in 7milltown.

Still, the 308 is about the easiest cartridge to load match grade ammunition. Because of this, there are all sorts of dogmatic statements, over which is the best powder, (for example: "IMR 4064 is the most accurate") and the fact of the matter is, there are a lot of powders that do well in the 308.

There are a lot of good bullets in the 308. My favorites are 168, 175 and the 190 SMK's