I agree with pretty much everyone elses consensus. Both are nearly identical.

Advantages for 7mm-08 -

Slightly less recoil, very tiny bit of a flatter trajectory

Advantages for 308 -

Huge selection of factory ammo and it is cheaper than pretty much any other big game ammo, even if you handload, the .30 caliber has the largest selection of bullets to choose from

For me, I choose the .308, I have 3 rifles chambered in it and I dearly love them all. The availability of ammo is the deciding factor for me. Most people that I know that use the 7mm-08, all handload for it.

I was also on Remingtons Ballistic site comparing the 7-08 w/ 140g psp corelocs too .270 w/ 130g psp corelocs. The velocity,energy & drop are very similar also.

My reason for this post is I'm looking to get another rifle.I own a Rem. 700 in .243 & a Marlin 336 in .35. So I'm giving the marlin to my son and I just want another rifle.

While it will be be used for mainly deer who knows,I just might want too elk hunt before I get too damn old !

The recoil energy {according to Chuck Hawks table} is for the 7-08 12.6,about 3lbs less than the .308 w/ a 150g bullet & 4lbs less than a .270 w/ a 130g bullet.

If the performance of the 7-08 is close too the .308 & .270 I'm all for less recoil !!

Thank you guys for your input.

I think the performance is there, but with only a couple factory loads out there, what if the load you want to use doesn't pan out well in your rifle. I've seen rifles just not like certain factory loads before. The .270 and .308 have many good factory loads to choose from and at least one of them is going to shoot good through your rifle. Thing is you are comparing the 140 (7mm) to 130 (270) and 150 (308) bullets. These are on the low side of the sectional density ranges for the calibers. When and if you get into larger game like say an elk, you are going to want to step up the sectional density on the bullets a bit, which is where the 7mm-08 starts lacking. Almost no one loads anything bigger than a 140 grain bullet. The 150 grain bullet is loaded by several manufacturers in the .270, this thing has a high sectional density and will penetrate deep. You can't even find factory loadings in that weight really in 7mm-08 which is a wider bullet, meaning even less sectional density. You can find good 180 grain loadings for the .308 which come out to about the same as a 140 (270).

As I mentioned in previous post, the 7mm-08 is real nice, but there aren't any real heavy factory loads out there, it is best suited for handloaders.

All true AJ but if you load your own different ballgame.

Jerry_d, I bought my wife a 7mm-08 Marlin XS-7 in a youth stock because of what I read about the 7mm-08 kicking less than the .308 or .270.

My bad, I know gun weight has a lot to do with it, but my rem 700 .308 kicks less than her 7mm-08 and my rem .270 kicks about the same. I was shocked. I'm gonna add weight to her stock and maybe a simms recoil pad- if that doesn't work she'll be forced to use managed recoil rounds (which my son used this year on a doe).
If that is the case I will be selling this gun for something that kicks less with full power rounds. (like the savage youth with muzzle break).

I wish I would have just stuck to the .308 since I already own 2 and could have kept bullet stock on hand simpler.

When I shop for my next rifle the 7mm-08 is one that I look at, along with the .270 & .308. I'm not sure which way I'll go.
Lighter recoil will not be a deciding factor, since I didn't find it to exist on the one gun I've shot in it.

Wow Dave,I guess the wife isn't to happy with that.Does her rifle wiegh less than your .270 & .308? I know rifle wieght does play a part in felt recoil. I just look @ Hawks recoil table again,the 7-08 is 12.6 foot lbs of recoil energy in an 8lb rifle and the .308 is 15.8 in a 7 1/2 lb rifle.

I recommend a Sims recoil pad to reduce recoil, it helps a lot. I have one on several of my guns, including two .308's and one on my 12 gauge pump shotgun set up for home defense. Twelve gauge buckshot feel like nothing out of that shotgun and the rifles recoil is very manageable. I recommend the Sims as a solution to your recoil problem.

Yes it is "lighter" but not by much. I haven't put any on a scale, but the rem .270 is an ADL and is a fairly light gun. The .308 is a heavier gun with a 26" bull barrel- that gun is enjoyable to shoot because of the lack of recoil, butI don't care for the 26" barrel.

The recoil pad that came on her Marlin is soft & gushy, so I don't know how much better a Simms will be. If not much I'll be swapping that gun out for the Savage youth with the muzzle break. I'd do it already, but I've got the wants for a new rifle as well :s4:.

If I remember correctly my Rem.700 wieghs 8lbs scoped & thats got a 24" barrel