Favorite .243 or 7mm-08 Rifle
12-15-2008 | 08:22 AM
#21
Boone & Crockett
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 12,365
Likes: 5
From: The Republic of Texas
RE: Favorite .243 Caliber Rifle
ORIGINAL: stalkingbear
Ok,I'll take that butt chewing for misinterpeting the post BUT if you HONESTLY THINK the 7mm08 actually kicks 50% more than the .243 with same size case and amount of powder-you need to go back and read more because you OBVIOUSLY havn't fired them side by side-it's an phtical impossibility for the 7mm08 with 140 gr bullet to kick 50% more than a .243 with the usual 100 gr bullet so go back to the book or wherever YOU got THAT misinformation and check again. ESPECIALLY since you made a personal agenda of correcting "people".
Ok,I'll take that butt chewing for misinterpeting the post BUT if you HONESTLY THINK the 7mm08 actually kicks 50% more than the .243 with same size case and amount of powder-you need to go back and read more because you OBVIOUSLY havn't fired them side by side-it's an phtical impossibility for the 7mm08 with 140 gr bullet to kick 50% more than a .243 with the usual 100 gr bullet so go back to the book or wherever YOU got THAT misinformation and check again. ESPECIALLY since you made a personal agenda of correcting "people".
According to the Chuck Hawks recoil tables, the 7mm-08 has 12.6 ft lbs of recoil energy in an 8 lb. rifle, whereas the .243 has only 8.8 ft lbs of energy in a 7.5 lb. rifle. An increase from 8.8 to 12.6 in a heavier rifle is pretty darn close to a 50% increase in recoil. Please note that I didn't use my calculator last night, which is why I qualified my statement by saying "about" 50%. Adding 3.8 to 8.8 is a 43% increase, and I guessed that the half pound difference in the rifles might account for the difference.
7mm-08 Rem. (140 at 2860) 8.0 12.6 10.1
243 Win. (100 at 2960) 7.5 8.8 8.7
243 Win. (100 at 2960) 7.5 8.8 8.7
Sorry if I came off a bit harshly last night. Long day. Long drive home from the deer lease, and it seemed like 2/3rds of the responses were off point, and I was feeling a little froggy.... I didn't really mean to focus on you specifically. Again, sorry.
Edit: Back to the original question...
The guy two offices down from mine had a Winchester M70 Featherweight 7mm-08, with a Zeiss 3-9X, that he really, really loved. He'd used it for over 20 years. It got stolen a week ago, and he's replacing it with a Remington M700 CDL with a Leupold VX-L 4.5-14X. I think the switch from the M70 to the M700 was dictated largely by what the gun stores had available in the middle of deer season. He couldn't find an M70 Featherweight in 7mm-08, and he wanted that cartridge moreso than the specific model of rifle it came in.
12-15-2008 | 08:43 AM
#22
Nontypical Buck
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 2,695
Likes: 0
From: Texas
RE: Favorite .243 Caliber Rifle
The 7-08 has only become somewhat popular the last couple of years here in Texas. I have shot 2 different ones, a browning, I belive it was a micro medalion, and that sucka kicked like a mule, the other a rem 700 sps I believe, hardly any recoil.I am sure the 7-08 is a great deer rifle but a bit excessive for varmints, I think the .243 is excessive for varmints as well. To me the .243 is a deer rifle, never thought of it as a varmint rig.
The only problem with the 7-08 around here is shells, you can find the rem 140 gr corelocks pretty easily but thats it, no selection to try different ammo, might be different where your at. I would go to the stores and see what you can find on the shelves first then make your decision. But for a deer and varmint rig the .243 would be hard to beat, maybe a .223 would be a choice also.
The only problem with the 7-08 around here is shells, you can find the rem 140 gr corelocks pretty easily but thats it, no selection to try different ammo, might be different where your at. I would go to the stores and see what you can find on the shelves first then make your decision. But for a deer and varmint rig the .243 would be hard to beat, maybe a .223 would be a choice also.
12-15-2008 | 09:50 AM
#23
Nontypical Buck
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 2,867
Likes: 0
From: central Ky
RE: Favorite .243 Caliber Rifle
Np,I got my hackles up a bit as well. We'll just agree to disagree. We're cool. Neil
ORIGINAL: ipscshooter
You're right, I haven't shot a 7mm-08, but, I use the MR rounds in my 7mm Rem Mag, which are a little milder than the 7mm-08, and the recoil is very noticeably different. I'm rather recoil averse, so it's hard to quantify by precise percentages. The 7mm MR's kick noticeably more than the .243, but, noticeably less than my .30-06 with 150's, or my friend's .270 with 130's.
According to the Chuck Hawks recoil tables, the 7mm-08 has 12.6 ft lbs of recoil energy in an 8 lb. rifle, whereas the .243 has only 8.8 ft lbs of energy in a 7.5 lb. rifle. An increase from 8.8 to 12.6 in a heavier rifle is pretty darn close to a 50% increase in recoil. Please note that I didn't use my calculator last night, which is why I qualified my statement by saying "about" 50%. Adding 3.8 to 8.8 is a 43% increase, and I guessed that the half pound difference in the rifles might account for the difference.
Also, compare their respective muzzle energy. The ME of a 100 gr. .243 is 1945 ft lbs. and the ME of a 140 gr. 7mm-08 is 2542 ft lbs. Considering that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction, the differences in ME would indicate that the 7mm has at least 30% of additional recoil. Also, logically, it would seem that propelling a 40% larger bullet at roughly the same speed would account for roughly a 40% increase in recoil. Although... it's been a LLLLOOOOONNNNNNNNNGGGGG time since I had a physics class.
Sorry if I came off a bit harshly last night. Long day. Long drive home from the deer lease, and it seemed like 2/3rds of the responses were off point, and I was feeling a little froggy.... I didn't really mean to focus on you specifically. Again, sorry.
Edit: Back to the original question...
The guy two offices down from mine had a Winchester M70 Featherweight 7mm-08, with a Zeiss 3-9X, that he really, really loved. He'd used it for over 20 years. It got stolen a week ago, and he's replacing it with a Remington M700 CDL with a Leupold VX-L 4.5-14X. I think the switch from the M70 to the M700 was dictated largely by what the gun stores had available in the middle of deer season. He couldn't find an M70 Featherweight in 7mm-08, and he wanted that cartridge moreso than the specific model of rifle it came in.
ORIGINAL: stalkingbear
Ok,I'll take that butt chewing for misinterpeting the post BUT if you HONESTLY THINK the 7mm08 actually kicks 50% more than the .243 with same size case and amount of powder-you need to go back and read more because you OBVIOUSLY havn't fired them side by side-it's an phtical impossibility for the 7mm08 with 140 gr bullet to kick 50% more than a .243 with the usual 100 gr bullet so go back to the book or wherever YOU got THAT misinformation and check again. ESPECIALLY since you made a personal agenda of correcting "people".
Ok,I'll take that butt chewing for misinterpeting the post BUT if you HONESTLY THINK the 7mm08 actually kicks 50% more than the .243 with same size case and amount of powder-you need to go back and read more because you OBVIOUSLY havn't fired them side by side-it's an phtical impossibility for the 7mm08 with 140 gr bullet to kick 50% more than a .243 with the usual 100 gr bullet so go back to the book or wherever YOU got THAT misinformation and check again. ESPECIALLY since you made a personal agenda of correcting "people".
According to the Chuck Hawks recoil tables, the 7mm-08 has 12.6 ft lbs of recoil energy in an 8 lb. rifle, whereas the .243 has only 8.8 ft lbs of energy in a 7.5 lb. rifle. An increase from 8.8 to 12.6 in a heavier rifle is pretty darn close to a 50% increase in recoil. Please note that I didn't use my calculator last night, which is why I qualified my statement by saying "about" 50%. Adding 3.8 to 8.8 is a 43% increase, and I guessed that the half pound difference in the rifles might account for the difference.
7mm-08 Rem. (140 at 2860) 8.0 12.6 10.1
243 Win. (100 at 2960) 7.5 8.8 8.7
243 Win. (100 at 2960) 7.5 8.8 8.7
Sorry if I came off a bit harshly last night. Long day. Long drive home from the deer lease, and it seemed like 2/3rds of the responses were off point, and I was feeling a little froggy.... I didn't really mean to focus on you specifically. Again, sorry.
Edit: Back to the original question...
The guy two offices down from mine had a Winchester M70 Featherweight 7mm-08, with a Zeiss 3-9X, that he really, really loved. He'd used it for over 20 years. It got stolen a week ago, and he's replacing it with a Remington M700 CDL with a Leupold VX-L 4.5-14X. I think the switch from the M70 to the M700 was dictated largely by what the gun stores had available in the middle of deer season. He couldn't find an M70 Featherweight in 7mm-08, and he wanted that cartridge moreso than the specific model of rifle it came in.
12-15-2008 | 08:03 PM
#25
Typical Buck
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 585
Likes: 0
From:
RE: Favorite .243 or 7mm-08 Rifle
I bought a Remington Model 700 SS Mountain Rifle in .243 win with a Zeiss Conquest 4.5 x 14 x 44mm scope. It only weights 6lbs (just over 7 with scope). My son (12 yrs old)loves shooting it. He can consistently explodemilk jugs with it at 250 yards. It shoots 1 MOA with Remington core-lockts, which is what I use for deer.
I'm sure I can get better groupsonce I try some different ammo, which I plan to do for next years pronghorn hunt.
I'm sure I can get better groupsonce I try some different ammo, which I plan to do for next years pronghorn hunt.
12-17-2008 | 02:52 PM
#27
Boone & Crockett
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 12,823
Likes: 5
From: Eastern PA
RE: Favorite .243 or 7mm-08 Rifle
Actually I have 2 favorites - both 7-08s. One is the aforementioned Browning Micro Hunter. The other is a Savage 11FYCAK. The Savage is a youth model with detachable magazine and muzzle brake. And consistantly outshoots the more costly Browning but not by much. If I had to choose between the 2 it would be a tough decision.
12-19-2008 | 03:08 PM
#28
Typical Buck
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 823
Likes: 0
From: From Texas but now reside in MS
RE: Favorite .243 or 7mm-08 Rifle
I have two 243's a Weatherby Vangard VGL and a Rem Model7.. Both are fine shooting guns.. The Model 7 is better IMO than the Weatherby.. I also have a 7mm-08 in a Ruger Compact and after a trigger job this will go toe to toe with the Model 7. And while I am not comparing apples to apples because they are diferent guns the recoil on the Ruger is not 50% more than the Model 7.. But I did have a Rem Model 7 in 7mm-08 several years ago. Then thing reached up and busted my nose the first two times I shot it.. THe recoil on that one sure felt about 50% more than the 243 Model 7.. But I just got the 243 Model 7 in 06 while I got had the 7mm-08 Model 7 back in 2000..
The gun will make a big difference in felt recoil.. Both rounds are great for deer. If your only gonna do varmits and deer, then the 243 is the way to go.. If you think you will go out west for Elk or Mule deer then the 7mm-08.. I subsbribe to the logic that I get a gun exactly for what I am going to use it for. Then if I decided to go after something else.. I get a new gun..
The gun will make a big difference in felt recoil.. Both rounds are great for deer. If your only gonna do varmits and deer, then the 243 is the way to go.. If you think you will go out west for Elk or Mule deer then the 7mm-08.. I subsbribe to the logic that I get a gun exactly for what I am going to use it for. Then if I decided to go after something else.. I get a new gun..
12-19-2008 | 06:13 PM
#29
Nontypical Buck
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,143
Likes: 0
RE: Favorite .243 or 7mm-08 Rifle
ORIGINAL: stalkingbear
Since WHEN is an 7mm08 a cannon and heavy recoiler???Have you ever even shot a 7mm08? I've shot AND used both and prefer the 7mm08. If he's SURE he'll NEVER decide to hunt elk,then perhaps the .243may be better-with heavy eye on varmits. But the 7mm08 IS better on deer than the .243 is-based on 1sthand experience and that of others I actually watched shot.
Since WHEN is an 7mm08 a cannon and heavy recoiler???
Have you ever even shot a 7mm08? I've shot AND used both and prefer the 7mm08. If he's SURE he'll NEVER decide to hunt elk,then perhaps the .243may be better-with heavy eye on varmits. But the 7mm08 IS better on deer than the .243 is-based on 1sthand experience and that of others I actually watched shot.
ORIGINAL: mr.mc54
YOU DON'T NEED A CANNON TO KILL A DEER
My choice is the .243 They will kill anything up to but NOT INCLUDING AN ELK
I have taken many deer with my model 70 light weight.
SHOT PLACE-MENTIS MORE IMPORTANT THAN CALIBER!
LONG RANGE AND LESS RECOIL ARE MOST IMPORTANT TO ME!
YOU DON'T NEED A CANNON TO KILL A DEER
My choice is the .243 They will kill anything up to but NOT INCLUDING AN ELK
I have taken many deer with my model 70 light weight.
SHOT PLACE-MENTIS MORE IMPORTANT THAN CALIBER!
LONG RANGE AND LESS RECOIL ARE MOST IMPORTANT TO ME!
could you take an elk with a 7mm08?