Okay stubblejumper-I see you meant exactly what I tried to say, (I think).
The 7mm-08 is an adequate long range deer gun and very comfortable to shoot even in a light weight rifle. But for Elk, its best used at ranges less than or equal to 250 yards. That I will buy. You could almost say the same thing about the 308, it just does it with more authority on elk and doesnt shoot the lighter weight bullets as flat a the 7mm-08 (plus has more recoil). Therefore if you are primarily a deer hunter, the 7mm-08 is hard to beat. It has the inherent accuracy of its mother (308) and almost the same flatness as the 270 with 140 grain bullets (with less recoil). And though I have never been recoil sensitive, I have to say the lack of big recoil makes me a better shot. Especially at the range or when doing a lot of practicing. All the guns I've had in the last 30+ years have been magnums eg., 338WM,300Wm,7mm RM, 7mm WM, 270WSM and it has been extremely refreshing to meet the 7mm-08! My next gun will prolly be the venerable 30-06. That way I will have deer and Elk totally covered and no more magnums!!! Of corse i'd prolly be fine with just the 7mm-08 as I have never shot an Elk, nor had the opportunity at more than 200 Yards. Elk in Washington State just rarely inhabit any country that you can view them that far away. Its usually intermittent pine rimmed meadows that measure from 1/2 acre to 3 acres-or ambush trails and thick timber on the East side of the State and rain forest jungle on the west side.