Whitehorn

Dumb Question.

After reviewing ballistics tables time and time again, I really don’t see any appreciable difference between the 308 and 7mm-08.. With reloading and the right bullet selection I, can’t see what one can do where the other can’t… I am trying to decide between the two calibers for my next hunting rifle, and performance wise I don’t see any real difference. I also plan to invest in reloading ammo as well.

I already have and love my 270 and I am leaning towards something in an 08 casing and want to know why I should consider the 7mm over the 7.62mm.. I hunt in the Alberta foothills primarily for moose, elk, deer and antelope and I am not into bear..

I know people will suggest other calibers like mags and the 30/06 but with my experience and the experience of my peers and their extended family, I really don’t need or want a magnum and I feel that the 30/06 is so close to the 270, for the size of bullets I prefer.

Thanks in advance.

Ought Six

Both the 7mm08 and 308 are great cartridges. The 7mm08 is probably slightly flatter shooting, but realistically I doubt you will notice much difference in the field. Either one will kill anything that walks in North America with the proper bullet.


I would probably choose the 7mm08, since I have a 30-06 and dont own a 7mm of any type.

bronko22000

Your 270 should work fine for everything you're heading for. But I would be real picky about my shots for moose or elk. Also, IMO, you're not going to gain much by going to the 7-08 over the 270 for what you are hunting. (I have both by the way). And, your friends are correct in telling you to use a 30-06 or similar - like maybe a 300 WM or 300WSM if you want a short action. The 308 tends to loose some of its "oomph" when loaded with the heavier bullets you would need for moose because of the case capacity. Even though the 06 and the 270 are pretty equal performance wise, the old 06 has the capability of pushing heavier bullets (180s for elk and up to 220s for moose). Personally I would get a 300WSM in a Savage 16 or 12

Whitehorn

Bronko, my friends are not telling me to get a 03/06 or a 300 Win Mag or 300 WSM... Almost everyone I know in my hunting circle hunts with a 270 and one guy has a7mm Rem Mag.. All of the 270 hunters us 130 grains bullets (two generations of which) and have take elk and moose with the 130 grains bulletsevery year, successfully..Their experience is extensive, and I'm the odd ball with 150 grain bullets. Everyone I hunt with is super picky about shot placement and has never felt under gunned with their 270or the need for a magnum..

Roskoe

The 7MM-08 shoots a little flatter than the .308, with the same bullet weight, and also has a little better sectional density. I find the recoil on the 7MM-08 to be extremely pleasant as well. It's close, but I would lean towards the 7MM.

Ought Six

Critters have gotten tougher to kill over the years. These days you need a magnum, while years ago the venerable 7x57 killed a thousand elephants in the hands of a superior shot.


Lets crunch some numbers. A 308 will push a 180 grain bullet at 2500 fps. A 30-06 will drive a 180 grain bullet at 2700 fps using a very moderate pressure load. A 300 WM will drive the same bullet at 3000 fps.

What does this really mean? Obviously the 300 WM has more energy and a flatter trajectory. The 308 developes 2498 ft-lbs. The 30-06 driven bullet has 2913 ft-lbs of energy at the muzzle. The 300 WM driven bullet has 3597 ft-lbs of energy at the muzzle. Basically, the 300 WM has as much energy at 100 yds as the '06 has at the muzzle and about the same as a 308 has at the muzzle at 250 yards.

How much flatter trajectory? Lets assume the rifles are zeroed at 200 yds. The 308 bullet will drop 10.2" at 300 yds. The 30-06 bullet will drop close to 8.5" at 300 yards. The 300 WM bullet will drop 6.7". At 400 yds the bullets will drop 29.4",24.7", and 19.4" respectively.

What does this data really mean? If your using either a 308, 30-06, or a 300 WM and it is sighted in at 200 yads.....You better have a range finder and know your drops if your shooting at anything much past 250yds. If you dont, your risking a wounded critter instead of a clean kill.

Briman

There isn't enough difference between the 7-08 and the .308 to make buying the 7-08 a logical choice.

rjhans53

Just cause I'm strange, necking down 308 to 7 08 takes nothing and although the case ends up a hair short it shoots fine, the 708 necked up to a 308 needs to be trimmed, I"ve got both, I've hunted with both because I like the feel of the sako (7mm 08) better that my 308 I've tended to hunt with it more the last couple of years, 2 nickels or a dime both amount to about the same thing

hobie11

either should do the job well. On elk just shoot bullets such as the accubond or failsafe for that deep penetratio and when hunting antelope use a lighter fast bullet such as the ballistic tip. The .308 may drop more with a heavier bullet but look at it this way, the cartridge is capable, snipers take shots with the cartrige at well over a thousand yards.

James B

308. This will give you the option of heavier bullets than either the 270 or 7mm-08. You already have the 270 for flat shooting lighter bullet. JMO.