Why is my brain doing this to me?

[chains1240]

I have gotten a lot of good advise when I asked about hunting rifles. After pouring over thousands of posts on various forums I decided that the .243 with 85-100 grain bullets was just the ticket for a whitetail rifle. Also, liked the Weatherby Vanguard over the Savage Stevens. Then I hear marching in the back of my head.......heading towards the front. 7mm-08.....7mm-08....7mm-08 louder and louder. Ammo is about 50% more and the only thing I can find on the shelf is 140 grain Core-Loct, a good round though. But I just cannot seem to get this round out of my head. Anyone else experience this?

 

[The Sarge]

It's Human nature to doubt your decisions.....the internet doesnt help at all.
.243 is a great deer round. Go out with confidence.

 

[Rembrandt]

.....Then I hear marching in the back of my head.......heading towards the front. 7mm-08.....7mm-08....7mm-08 louder and louder......But I just cannot seem to get this round out of my head.

Vewry vewry interesting......how long have you been hearing this?

 

[chains1240]

Thank you. And especially for the cartoon. It's the only one I would read in the newspaper.

 

[tango2echo]

.243 is fine with heavy bullets. I like the 100gr Partitions and the Hornaday 95gr SST.

I love the 7mm-08, which will allow you to step up to larger game later.

.243/7mm-08/.308 ammo is all about the same price in my area. The Winchester silver box stuff at Wal-Mart is all about $19 per box.

 

[Uncle Mike]

Listen to the voices in your head....get the 7mm-08!

 

[solvability]

I have a 243 and plan to go to a 260 - 6.5-08 - has a nice ring to it. Listen to voice.

If you like to shoot and like to practice the 243 has a shot barrel life -famous for throat erosion - the 260 and 7-08 and 308 do not have this issue.

 

[chevyforlife21]

sarge i like your quote

 

[chains1240]

The only place I have seen 7mm08 ammo here is at Dunhams. They have the Core-loct only. $30 a box. Will have to look around at wally world. Stinkin' voices. I am sure recoil won't be an issue. I despise my friends 30-06 but I can shoot my grandfathers .35 rem with 200 grain bullets all day long. It has a plastic buttplate instead of a recoil pad. The 7mm-08 and .35 are supposed to have similar recoil from what I read on the recoil charts.

 

[cal74]

Add another vote for the 7mm-08, I've got two 7mm-08's and one .243.

If you re-load (doesn't sound like you do) there's quite a few good bullets available for the .243 for deer sized game. Personally I'm not a big fan of the 100g plain jane factory stuff, even though I've taken quite a few deer with it. Seldom will get a pass through and I'm in the crowd that likes two holes.

My Rem M7 7mm-08 shoots most factory stuff pretty well, really likes the Federal Premium 140 Ballistic Tip

My Remington 700 Gander Mountain (Mountain Rifle) Ti Stock/Mtn. Rifle HATES most of the factory stuff, but really likes the 140 Ballistic Tip.

 

[Mr_Pale_Horse]

The 7mm-08 is superior. Just bite the bullet, so to speak, and plan on reloading, rather than off the shelf ammo supplies.

 

[Uncle Mike]

Core-loct only. $30 a box

and and

I despise my friends 30-06

Why....?

The 7mm-08 and .35 are supposed to have similar recoil from what I read on the recoil charts.

The 7mm-08 is a pussycat! My daughters all have shot little, light model 7's form age 12.

 

[ArmedBear]

Why in hell would you get a 7mm-08 in a Vanguard?

I have a Vanguard Sporter in .30-06, and the recoil is not a problem, for one thing. And for another, the only negative thing I can say for the rifle, especially at its price point, is that it's heavy. The only great reason I can see for getting a 7mm-08 is for a light short-action (think Remington Model 7, Winchester Featherweight, etc.). IMO that's a very good reason, but, much as I do like the rifle, a Vanguard wouldn't be my choice to go light.

There's sure nothing wrong with a .270 for whitetail. You can sight it in for MPBR over 300 yards, and pretty much ignore your range.

I wouldn't touch a 7mm-08 if I didn't already handload, either. My Vanguard shoots 3/4" groups at 100 yards with my decent loads. It shoots > 2" groups with the cheap Remington hunting ammo. You sure don't want to be "Loct" into using that stuff!

(My accurate handloads are a lot cheaper to shoot than even cheap box ammo, BTW. And I even use a regular hunting load, with good bullets, for practice.)

 

[Uncle Mike]

Yeah, I think the Vanguards use the same barrel blank from 458 on down to 22 caliber stuff!
Just kidding, but they are heavy for the caliber, you'll get a upper, and lower body workout packing that thing very far!

Listen to ol' Armedbear, a 7mm-08 is best served in a light weight guise if for a hunting rifle.

Now, I don't mean it is best to go to hunt with a 2lb rifle, get what you like, but if weight is a concern, think something else such as a model 7, can't believe I'm recommending a overpriced, less than accurate rifle, but I did, so there! or a Winchester Featherweight or even the Savage line isn't bad as for weight.

 

[ArmedBear]

The short-action Featherweight is about the same weight as a Model 7, and it has 2" more barrel. It's also cheaper than a 7 CDL, despite it being a better rifle in every way I can think of to compare them.

Why recommend a Model 7?

 

[shootr]

Unless I just wanted another caliber - and was going to handload - I'd pass on the 7mm -08 solely on "hassle factor."

Hassle = cost of ammo + limited availability and selection.

While I have wildcats and rifles that I run handloads in, ammo availability in out-of-the-way places, and these days cost - are always considerations in hunting rifles I buy. Nice to know I can go about anywhere and buy a resonably-priced box of ammo.

.243 fits the bill nicely and will reliably drop whitetail if you do your part.

 

[Uncle Mike]

Unless I just wanted another caliber - and was going to handload - I'd pass on the 7mm -08 solely on "hassle factor."

They have to bucket in sunlight were you are!?!

Where on earth is the 7mm-08 NOT? I know it will never crowd the 308, 30-30 or 30-06 off the self, but....

And selection....for hunting, why use anything but the 140gr stuff...because I want too!

That is a good enough answer! So if the availability of 120gr or otherwise ammo is a problem, and you don't reload, think something else, but the 140gr will do it all, pretty much!

 

[Walkalong]

Might as well do it. The voices won't quit until you do.

 

[Art Eatman]

No flies on a .243, for sure. I've tagged twenty-some bucks with mine, and a fair number of coyotes. Works real good.

I popped for a Rem 700 Ti in 7mm08, mostly because I wanted a really light-weight critter after my legs went and got old. Why 7mm08? Because it's a .308 with ten grains less bullet, is why, and I also find the dimensions of the cartridge to be more aesthetically pleasing.

I've found that the factory CoreLokt groups quite nicely, right along with my handloads. Just under one MOA, which is plenty good for hunting.

 

[chains1240]

I was thinking the Weatherby Vanguard over the Savage Stevens because the weatherby has: Buttstock cheek pad, blade safety for use with heavy gloves, and a hinged floorplate. Also, Savage changed the twist rate of their 7mm-08 barrels, don't know how that is going to shake out. The only other round I was looking at besides the .243 and the 7mm08 was the .270 with 130 grain rounds. Heavier rifle like the Vanguard with a Simms and recoil should be a non-issue.

I hated my friends 30-06 because it had a door stop for a "recoil" and kicked too hard. After 17 rounds I was done at the range. And with 2 piece mounts I could not mount the scope far enough back to see through the scope like I needed to.

 

[cal74]

And with 2 piece mounts I could not mount the scope far enough back to see through the scope like I needed to.

I'm guessing that was more of a scope related issue, rather than how it was mounted on the rifle. It's called "Eye Relief", just find something with 4" or so and you should be fine.

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

The ONLY reasonable course of action is to split the difference right down the middle and get a .260 Rem (fka 6.5mm-08) - same case and exactly half way between 6.0mm and 7.0mm. Gives you the best of all worlds - low recoil of the .243 and hard hit of the 7mm-08.

http://www.chuckhawks.com/26cal.htm

http://www.google.com/search?q=.260...=UTF-8&startIndex=&startPage=1&rlz=1I7GPEA_en

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=487273&highlight=coming


But IF it's a *dedicated* whitetail rifle, and I had to pick one of your two choices, I'd go with the venerable, tried-and-true .243 Winchester.

Now, let's get to the important subject of what rifle (which is tied in, however, since not many are chambered in .260).

Why recommend a Model 7?

Because you can't get a Win 70 featherweight in .260.

The 7mm-08 is superior.

Superior how? The .243 bullet has a better trajectory within all normal hunting distances (out to 350 yards) - less wind drift and more MPBR, with 80, 85, or 90 grainers. And plenty of power to do what you want. So it's just as correct, if not much more say, to say the .243 is superior for the very specific use of whitetail deer hunting. It is and it isn't. Neither one is and neither one isn't 'superior'. Just depends on what you're trying to do. And for neck shots, the .243 is a better choice in any bullet weight. And recoil is a lot less. So there's 3 ways the .243 is superior. Yes, the 7mm-08 is superior in other areas for whitetail hunting (texas heart shot penetration being one of the few).

 

[Martyk]

After pouring over thousands of posts on various forums I decided that the .243 with 85-100 grain bullets was just the ticket

No..No..No.. not the .243... anything but the .243... LOL

 

[desidog]

Well, you'll regret not getting the .243 and eventually get one.....

so why not just get one first, and then decide if you need to step up to a 7-08?

 

[chains1240]

Desidog, sounds like a plan. I think the stevens and vanguard are still the most economical choices? Maybe Marlin? I am currently only shooting 200 yards, limiting myself to shots I know I can make. I am sure the .243 has enough energy with 85-100 grain bullets.