Talk to me about 7mm-08

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JWarren

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Hi,

I'm trying to plan for next deer season.

My mother has always hunted with either a Remington 700 30-06 or a Remington 7400 30-06. Over the years she has drifted towards the 7400 because of its lighter recoil over a 700.

As she is getting older she has a bit less body mass, and frankly the 30-06 is kicking too hard. My father has expressed to me a desire to find another caliber for her to deer hunt with.

Initially, I looked at a 25-06, and I've heard good things about this round. However, it is just my impression that it is a lighter round than I'd like to see her with-- and I don't know if she'd feel comfortable with that round.

So...

Recently, I was told to look into a 7mm-08. So far, I like what I am seeing. Can anyone give me any experieces or impressions of this round? I'd like to hear about the recoil and stoppig power if you can help.

Ideally, I'd like to find a caliber like this in a semi-auto sporter like the Remington 7400. She doesn't care for bolt-actions in hunting anymore.


Thanks in advance!

John
 
Got a 708 this year and took two deer. Hundred yard shots to the lungs, both just fell over. I used 145gr Speer Grand Slam on one and 140gr Winchester Power Points on the other. Very light recoil. You won't need to use premium cartridges the Power Points do fine.
Very effective flat shooter. She'll love 7mm.08
 
A neighbor of mine has a 7mm'08 and he has Parkinsons Disease.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parkinson's_disease

He has the tremors pretty bad, but he takes his medicine every day and he is doing very well for as long as he has had it. But he sometimes shakes too much to be able to sight in a rifle.

He came down to the range one day with a box of shells and we shot them all up getting his rifle to within a inch of the bulls eye consistently. You have to remember - he sighted it in himself the year before and if it was within 6 inches he was doing good.

The old bugger ended up getting a bigger buck than I did and also filled both his doe tags.

A very good long range caliber, but it will have some felt recoil. Not as much as a '06, but about as much as a .308! After all, the only difference is that you are shooting a 7mm bullet instead of a .308

Same thing with a 25/06.. You are still shooting a '06 shell, just that it is throwing a .25 cal bullet out the end of the barrel..

If you hunt in mainly open country, I would suggest a .300 Savage. It is a very good round that will give you years of service even after your mother quits hunting.

If you hunt close range, the .35 Remington is a pretty good caliber with lot's of knock down power that will get the job done. I can't even remember my .35 kicking.. Just that it didn't have the power of a '06 and I took a ribbing after I missed a buck of a lifetime in farm country one year. A .35 is not a 300 yard cartridge.. I should have aimed where I intended to shoot and not 1 foot over his back! I know that I could have gotten that deer.:banghead:
 
To me the 7-08 is probably one of the most ideal deer rifles, plenty of energy, fairly light recoil, a nice flat trajectory. Honestly the 7-08 is ballistically very similar to the wonderful 7X57 that has been use to take at one time or another most of the game animals on the planet.

Simply you asked about stopping power, plenty of gun for deer. You asked about recoil, light and easy to shoot in a bolt, even easier in heavier autoloader.

Don't discount the 25-06, there is not a deer that walked that the 25-06 wont handle with ease with a 120 gr bullet. The 25-06 can deliver over 1000 foot pounds of energy past 400 yards with a bullet with a sectional density of about .250 or the same as the 7-08 with 140 gr bullet. The 25-06 is also a great deer round.

You would not go wrong with either. I probably would lean toward the 7-08, but would not feel handicapped with the 25-06. My dad has killed a truckload of deer with the 25-06, as he is getting older he is moving more toward his 243.

Good luck.

BTW I disagree with rifleman. The 7-08 will recoil less than a 308 by about 15-20% in equivalent rifles. The 25-06 will recoil less than a 30-06 by about 20-25% in equivalent rifles, same powder charge but a lighter bullet in the equation.

Please see:

http://www.chuckhawks.com/recoil_table.htm
 
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.308 versus 7mm-08 recoil? Same case size but smaller bullet equals less recoil. Conversely a 338 Federal or 358 Winchester is going to recoil a lot more than a .308.

The 7mm-08 is an outstanding round and capable or excellent accuracy. The biggest drawback (and it really isn't one) is the lack of commercial loads in varying grains and designs. What is out there is more than sufficient for deer, black bear, and elk and it makes a good 300 and under rifle. If you reload, also take a look at the 260 Remington. Even better BC's and still uses the .308 Win as a parent case and even less recoil (although not by much).
 
From Bambi's standpoint, what's the difference between a 140-grain bullet at around 2,800 and a 150-grain bullet at around 2,800? IOW, what's the practical difference between a 7mm08, a .308 and a .30-'06?

My Rem 700 Ti in 7mm08 with scope, sling and ammo weighs a total of 6.5 pounds. The stock fits nicely, so from the benchrest it is not at all abusive to my arthritic, 72-year-old shoulder. :)

For that matter, my little Sako .243 carbine at seven pounds is no recoil problem either. I've killed around 20-some deer with it, using the Sierra 85-grain HPBT; both my handloads and the Federal load.

Art
 
I just came from my mom's house.'

I talked to her a bit about her options, and she really liked the idea of the 7mm-08 in theory.

She told me that before she decides on anything, she will want to shoot both rifles. Fortunately, we have a neighbor who just got his wife a 25-06, and I *think* my brother-in-law has a 7mm-08 in his gun collection (the guy has one of everything-- two if he likes it LOL)

There's a gunshow this coming weekend nearby and dad is taking her with us. She'll be able to handle a few of different models there.

Thanks for the advice and experiences. My dad always wonders how I can learn so much about different firearms so quicky-- I tell him I just ask my friends :)


Thanks again guys!

John
 
Got a friend with a nice little Browning A bolt in 7-08 that loves it. When I went huntin' for a M7 Remington, I found a .308, what I really wanted, but the 7-08 can do about anything the .308 can, sort of a toss up, and 7mm bullets have good sectional densities and BCs compared to .30 cal.

You might consider .260, also, the 7s little brother, if you find one. For deer, it'd be a fine round with a bit less recoil.
 
Dang ART you told your age. I own a Model 7 in 7MM-08 and have shot it at the range but I have never taken any deer with it (don't hunt with it). It is a good accurate round that would probably do just fine. It is light weight but has a fast,sharp kick to it using hotter handloads. The recoil is not bad though, but it surprised me.
 
I borrowed a nephew's Savage 7mm08 to hunt with two years ago and I like it. I'm wanting one now........Ruger or Remington, but may end up with a Savage.
 
Sir,
What ranges will you be shooting at? Have you considered the 6.8 SPC cartridge? It's meant to be an efficent deer round at much lower recoil.
 
I've hunted with my Rem 700 in 7-08 for 12 years or so. It's taken plenty of deer. Very flat shooting, light gun with plenty of power to take down a deer if you do your part. I haven't found a handload yet that shoots better than the factory remington core lokt bullets (I prefer to shoot heavier bullets so I'm rolling my own) but I haven't spent much time developing rounds. Maybe before deer season this year.
Recoil isn't bad and the gun is plenty accurate and flat shooting to reach a long ways out.
 
The easiest solution is to use 30-06 ammo that shoots a lighter bullet. Recoil is directly related to bullet weight. Federal and Winchester make ammo with 125 grain bullets.

The difference in recoil between a 140 grain 7mm bullet and 150 grain 30-06 is minimal.
 
The difference in recoil between a 140 grain 7mm bullet and 150 grain 30-06 is minimal.
Click to expand...

In rifles with exactly the same weight the 7-08 will recoil 12.6 foot pounds the 30-06 will recoil 17.6 foot pounds...a 39% increase is hardly minimal. In addition the recoil velocity is approximately 12 FPS in the 30-06 verses 10 FPS for the the 7-08. So the 30-06 hits you with 40% more energy 15% faster, but really that is no difference?
 
The easiest solution is to use 30-06 ammo that shoots a lighter bullet. Recoil is directly related to bullet weight. Federal and Winchester make ammo with 125 grain bullets.

The difference in recoil between a 140 grain 7mm bullet and 150 grain 30-06 is minimal.
Click to expand...


Nope, surface bearing area has more to do with recoil reduction than the bullet weight. Granted lighter bullets will reduce recoil but that applies more within the same caliber. For instance, a 180gr .30 cal is going to recoil more than a 150gr .30 cal.. However, a .30 cal 150gr is not going to recoil the same as a .284 caliber bullet of the same grain.

Take a look at Chuckhawks link on recoil tables. There is a 5 pound difference between a 150gr 30.06 and a 140gr 7mm-08.

Can't change the law of physics.... unless you are Stephen Hawking:D .
 
The 7mm-08 is a modern version of the old 7mmMauser .That cartridge has a 100 year history as a very fine one for many types of game .The 7mm-08 is very accurate ,moderate recoil and fine performance .It's a winner !!
 
Im always looking for a reason to get a new rifle but doesnt Remington make some reduced recoil loads for the 30-06? Just another option.
 
You might want to take a look at the 120 gr loading. I haven`t personally tried them but I have heard very good reports on the 120 gr Nosler BT out of a 708 on deer. I use the 139 Hornady @ 2700 fps in my hand loads. The recoil is noticably lighter then my `06 with 150s, and like hits on deer give the same result.
 
My father-in-law's 7mm-08 is set up like Art's above. It recoils a touch softer than my .308WIN but probably not enough to notice (unless you plan on a lot of range time).
If you do spend a lot of time at the range add a Limbsaver butt pad to the rifle and a PAST pad under your coat or sweater and you can shoot any caliber all day that doesn't have an "M" after the numbers. :D
 
My best friend has a beautful Browning bolt action in 7MM/08 with a Leupold 3X9 scope on it. It is a fine, flat shooting, tack driver!

A couple of years ago his wife used it to drop an 800 pound moose. Thanks to her excellent rifle skills that bull dropped right in its tracks!

The 7MM/08 is a great cartridge and definitely has less percieved recoil than the .30/06. With good shot placement it will stop anything your mom wants to hunt with it.

Good luck to her!
 
Yes,
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Winchester Compact Classic, Leupold Compact scope 3x9-33 Weighs just a bit more than Arts titanium Remington.
 
Thanks for ALL the help on this thread. I've got a lot of options out there for the "ole gal." :)

Now, I'm a little closer to making a sound decision.

Thanks again guys,


John
 
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