ORIGINAL: rem 700
IMO, shoot what you have be it 308 or 7mm-08. ANYONE who shoots the short action 308 should NOT be bragging about a huge energy deposit. Really you have to shoot H.E. loads to get that performance in the 1st place
Big whoop, 2000ftlb @ 300. Why stop there? The 30-06 can get around 2300ft lb at that distance compared to 2000 from the 308 at my elevation. Wow, another 300 ft/lbs. Why stop there? The 300 win gets nearly 2600ft lb at 300yds. Why stop there? The 300RUM gets over 2900ft lb @ 300yds. I'm just getting started. The 338 RUM steps up to over 3300 ft/lbs at 300yds. The point is, we can keep on going on with ballistics and slight improvements. But you know what? Why get beaten up too much for the job? Maybe you like the lighter recoiling 7mm-08, which to some shooters the difference is great. Get over it! These cartridges are so similar its useless to argue over, it's what the shooter needs; the 7mm-08 shooter might prefer the trajectory, wind drift, recoil etc. and maybe the 308 shooter prefers the cheap and great variety of ammo, and doesn't care about kick.
Was I bragging? Even if I wasn't I should be. That's good numbers from a .308. I used to shoot the 300s but when your at the range as much as I am it just doesn't work.
For an all around cartridge the .308 is probably the best choice when you consider everything: energy, ammo cost/availability, recoil, rifle offerings, accuracy.
If your only shooting 50 rounds a year at the range and at game then maybe a larger cartridge is for you. Not for someone that shoots hundreds of rounds a year.
Also the .308 isn't a long range elk gun (niether is a 7mm-08) and I never presented it as such. I compare everything at 300 yards because that is what I feel is the max range that the normal person should be shooting at.