James B

With bigger game in mind I would go with the 308 but really inside of 300 yards either will do with good shot selection and placment.

canine

Thanks for the opinions guys. I am not trying to under caliber for big game, just wondering what you guys thought. I have a 300 WSM that I can use if I ever decide to go for the bigger stuff. It is just a bit heavy as it was built as a long range target gun, weighing in at about 14 lbs.
Thanks again

beech18

Food for thought. If you ever want to go after anything larger, I couldnt be paid enough to carry a 14 pound rifle around in elk country for example, or any country for that matter unless it was hunting via a stand, or a "truck" gun.

Buckshot

With both cartridges loaded to 2,800fps and the bullets being the same make and style, the 7mm-08 pass's a .308 at right around 200 yards in both muzzle vel and energy.

7mm-08 140gr 200 yards fps.- 2,440 fpe1851, 300 yards fps271 fpe1603, 400 yards fps2109fpe1382

.308 150gr 200 yards fps2360 fpe1854, 300 yards 2156 fpe1547, 400 yards fps 1961 fpe 1281

If you use a 150 gr bullet in the 7mm-08 the difference is even more so, to the tune of 300 more fpe at 400 yards.

fpsfeet per second, fpe foot pounds of energy.

cjwink

I got a 7mm-08 Ruger Bolt action.. But couldn't resist getting an Encore in 308.. They are the same casing.. Just different selection with a 7-08 going from 120 - 150 grain bullet and the 308 going from 110-200 grain..

ShatoDavis

Never been a fan of the 308 (no particular reason). The 7-08 is a sweet round. I'm reminded of a saying: "anything a 30 cal bullet can do a 7mm can do with less recoil.

My vote is the 7mm-08.

spd522

Both are extremely accurate calibers and very well suited for game up to deer, sheep, and antelope. It's when you start hunting larger boned game that the differences start to show up.
The 7mm-08 will limit your choice of bullets best suited for large game unless you handload. I could not find a factory load over 140 gr. Winchester factory ammo does not list arecommended 7mm-08load for large game. Federal loads 140 gr Nosler Partitions and Barnes TSX bullet thatwould work better for large game, although still a bit on the light side. But with the .308, you can get factory ammo with 180 gr bullets of stout construction that are better for big boned critters like elk.

Also,in factory loads, the 308 will outperform the 7mm-08 when comparingsimilar bullets and weights.The two have very few common weight bullets. Unless you handload, a 7mm-08 will most likely only have a 140 gr bullet max. And .308 will usually start at 150 and go up to 180 or more.

Below is ballistic info from the Federal and Winchester websites The higher velocities and energys are in BOLD.

Federal load using Nosler Ballistic Tip:
7mm-08 has a muzzle velocity of 2800 and energy of 2437 for the 140 gr load.At 400 yards, it is at 2094 fps and 1368 lbs ME.
.308 has a muzzle velocity of 2820 and energy of 2648 for the 150 gr load.At 400 yards, it is at 2037 fps and 1382 lbs ME.

Winchester load using the Ballistic Silvertip:
7mm-08 with 140 gr: Muzzle velocity 2770 Muzzle energy 2386 400 yards- MV 2026 ME 1276
.308 with 150 gr: Muzzle velocity 2810 Muzzle energy 2629400 yards- MV 2028 ME 1370

So in both cases at the muzzle, the .308 has higher velocity and more energy with a slightly heavier bullet.At 400 yards,down rangevelocity issplit but the .308 still retains more energy.

(I just used these two loads as examples and not as suggested bullets for hunting elk as they are too lightly constructed bullets.However, the Nosler Ballistic Tip in 150 gr is my favorite for both my 30.06 and my 300 Win Mag for deer and antelope. For Elk, I use handloaded Barnes XBT in 180 gr with my 300 mag and factory Winchester 180 gr Fail Safe in my 30.06.)

Both calibers will kill elk with proper shot placement and a good bullet. I would still go for the .308 for afew other reasons.
1)Recoil difference isn't enough to make a difference in your ability to shoot it well.You will never tell the difference in the field.
2).308 ammo is always easier to find. And it is more often on sale.
3).308 will let you go with a 180 gr bullet that is better suited for game the size of elk.
4) If you start reloading, there isn't a caliber out there with a wider range of bullet weights, designs, and purposes than for the .30 cal. Bullets from 100 gr to 220 gr are available.
5) Both rifles, if of the same make, model, and features other than caliber will weigh the same.

Just my opinion and you know what they say about those....

Craig

wyotimberghost

Another vote for the 7mm-08. It's a great round. I've seen several elk taken with it, and know of many more. It may not be as good an elk gun as say a 7mm Rem Mag, but it's definately not under-powered by any means (assuming you are shooting at typical ranges).

goosehunter3492

I use a remington 30-06 and it is a great all around gun and it never failed me.

bugle freak

I say .308, i have killed several deer with it and also killed elk with it and havent had to track anything farher than 30 yrds. (i dropped the elk in its tracks)