25-06 vs. 7mm-08
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Powerstroke
Handloader
- Feb 24, 2006
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I'd have to say I have a biased opinion towards the 7-08. My Rem 700 will shoot .5 in groups all day long. Recoil from the 7-08 is very tolerable, and there are reduced recoil loads for this round as well to start the beginers out with. You have a little better selection of bullets, especially in the heavier weights with the 7-08 as well if your thinking elk.
With that said, my hunting buddy has used a 25-06 for years on elk with great sucess.
With that said, my hunting buddy has used a 25-06 for years on elk with great sucess.
- Oct 30, 2004
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If elk in on the menu 7mm-08.
IMO 8)
IMO 8)
honkeetonkin
Handloader
- Mar 8, 2006
- 279
- 0
Thats kind of a tough one I have both . What is kind of weird is that the best groups from both rifles come from 120 gr bullets. My 25 likes partitions and my little 0'8 likes bt's. 2506 shoots flatter and 708 can shoot heavier bullets. To me the recoil is the same for both rifles. Somewhere I have a recovered bt from the 08 but I cant ever remember finding a Partition from my 2506, I do however have a 115 bt that I broke a large hogs neck with.
If your thinking about Elk you better go for the 7mm08 you can load with heaver bullets then the 25 06. The 25 06 has killed alot of Elk but shoot placement is very critical not good for a beginer. The 7mm08 you can load bullets from 120, 140 bts for deer or 150 to 160 pts for Elk and recoil is about the same as the 25 06 with the lighter wieght bullets and a little bit more with the heavier bullets.
- Oct 30, 2004
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I have had both. They are both nice and useful cartridges.
Now, years later I have more wisdom than money so I would go with the 7mm-08.
With varget I can get 3100 fps from a Savage and a 120 Ballistic tip--same as a 25-06 with the same weight bullet with a minor difference in SD/BC. I have harvested antelope from 70 yards to 335 yards and never found a bullet.
The same will do 2600+ fps from a 160 AB or PT and makes a dandy 250 yard (or slightly longer) elk round.
All this for under $275 for the rifle.
A 100 gr bullet will do 2100 fps with Unique and the kid loves shooting targets with this load.
Now, years later I have more wisdom than money so I would go with the 7mm-08.
With varget I can get 3100 fps from a Savage and a 120 Ballistic tip--same as a 25-06 with the same weight bullet with a minor difference in SD/BC. I have harvested antelope from 70 yards to 335 yards and never found a bullet.
The same will do 2600+ fps from a 160 AB or PT and makes a dandy 250 yard (or slightly longer) elk round.
All this for under $275 for the rifle.
A 100 gr bullet will do 2100 fps with Unique and the kid loves shooting targets with this load.
Guy Miner
Master Loader
- Apr 6, 2006
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My .25-06 is a dandy deer rifle! :grin: Have considered it for elk too - but I have a bigger rifle for that purpose.
The 7-08 is a great cartridge, based on my favorite centerfire round, the .308 Winchester. Lots of accuracy potential, very flexible. Can be loaded for varmints and predators or it can handle those 160 - 175 gr bullets that penetrate well and work great on big game. I don't have one, yet, but have long considered it - the 7mm mags I've used worked great - primarily because of the excellent bullets avail for 'em I believe.
I'd be happy with either for deer sized game, but they're both on the small side for elk. Not that they won't work, it's just that a bigger rifle for elk is common. Doggone elk critters are big! :grin: There. I've danced all around the issue without giving you my choice, 'cause I just plain dunno. It seems to me that it's more about the rifleman than about the rifle anyway.
Regards, Guy
The 7-08 is a great cartridge, based on my favorite centerfire round, the .308 Winchester. Lots of accuracy potential, very flexible. Can be loaded for varmints and predators or it can handle those 160 - 175 gr bullets that penetrate well and work great on big game. I don't have one, yet, but have long considered it - the 7mm mags I've used worked great - primarily because of the excellent bullets avail for 'em I believe.
I'd be happy with either for deer sized game, but they're both on the small side for elk. Not that they won't work, it's just that a bigger rifle for elk is common. Doggone elk critters are big! :grin: There. I've danced all around the issue without giving you my choice, 'cause I just plain dunno. It seems to me that it's more about the rifleman than about the rifle anyway.
Regards, Guy
I'm a big fan of the 25-06 for deer size game and i guess it would do for elk with very careful shot placement with the right bullet (120) nosler pt and keep the range modest, but i have something bigger for elk. I have owned a 25-06 every since it was announced it 1969. Great caliber for its intended purpose. The one that i have now is a Remington 700 that is in 99% condition and was made April 1970.
- Oct 30, 2004
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The 25-06 will indeed work for elk but in my heart I truly belive it leaves little room for error so I deem it more of an expert's gun.
If I had to make a "bad" shot I would rather do it with a 160 7mm bullet than with a 120 25 caliber..both premiums of course.
Makes sense? :?:
If I had to make a "bad" shot I would rather do it with a 160 7mm bullet than with a 120 25 caliber..both premiums of course.
Makes sense? :?:
- Nov 4, 2004
- 25,436
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If deer and speed goats, 25-06. If elk too, go with the 7mm-08.
JD338
JD338
One question? does the .284 bullet selection for quite modest velocities of the 7mm-08 round justify going with the 7mm, or would a slightly larger and way more common round like the 308 be superior. I've shot 25-06, 7mm-08 & 308. the recoil of the 25-06 is negligably lighter, very slightly. Bullet selection for the 308 is excellent and covers 125BT's-200AB's or Partition bullets. I realize that the 308 is considered a bit diminitive compared to any 300 mag, ultra or either wby 30 cal. It is a great round, very accurate, a military round(good and bad thing), and you can get ammo almost anywhere for usually 30-40% less than the far less common 7mm-08. It will handle Elk inside of 250 yds alot better than either the 25-06 or 7mm-08. On the other hand, I have a beautiful 30-378 wby that was bought as an "elk rifle" and has only killed a WT deer. The deer was very dead :lol: , but a 25-06, 7mm-08 or 308 would all have been much better "deer rifles". Maybe get a optimum deer rifle, and then after you get used to hunting, and shooting with a lighter, low recoil, comfortable rifle, wiat till you need a specific "elk rifle, tailor it to where you will be hunting, if in a little bit of timber try say a 325WSM in a shorter style rifle (browning BLR or Rem 673 350 R.M.)or a 338RUM in a RMEF rem 700 for the westerner style of hunting. That is my humble opinion, fo whatever it is worth, CC
I've never hunted elk and our new 7mm-08 just came home yesterday, haven't had a chance to shoot it yet. My brothers have used 7MM Mag and .308 on elk successfully. I've used a Winchester 100 in .308 for a lot of deer when I was younger. I used my .25-06 on a whitetail doe over the weekend with devastating results. The doe was 100 yards up a steep hill, facing me, slight quartering. The 110 gr AB entered the rib cage just below the neck. Broke a rib going in and destroyed three ribs on the opposite site and buried in the far shoulder. Either bullet or bone fragment also damaged the spine. No exit but she dropped right there and slid halfway down the leaf covered hill. I was worried about the bullet with such a high impact velocity. Worry no more, it worked great!
I debated the .308 for my son but settled on the 7-08 as a step up from his .243. I love my .25-06 for coyotes, prairie dogs at 250 plus, ground hogs, and now deer. Hard to go wrong with that caliber, IMHO.
I debated the .308 for my son but settled on the 7-08 as a step up from his .243. I love my .25-06 for coyotes, prairie dogs at 250 plus, ground hogs, and now deer. Hard to go wrong with that caliber, IMHO.
Powerstroke
Handloader
- Feb 24, 2006
- 1,800
- 68
bsmith,
Congrats on the deer !
No reason to second guess yourself on the -08 either. Once you get to shooting it you'll love it.
Congrats on the deer !
No reason to second guess yourself on the -08 either. Once you get to shooting it you'll love it.
taylorce1
Handloader
- Jun 3, 2007
- 1,080
- 0
I've recommended several time the 7mm-08 to people looking for a light recoiling round for deer and elk. Most recently a friend of mine took the suggestion and bought one for his wife to hunt elk with. I can't seem to take my own advice though every 7mm rifle I've owned I've either gave away or sold in favor for my .270.
I don’t know what it is about the 7mm rifles, I had a .280 and two different times I’ve tried a 7mm Rem Mag. I guess my .270 just fits like a pair of broke in boots. Every 7mm I’ve owned has shot at least as good if not better than my .270, but the .270 just always found its way to my hands before the rest.
If I ever get my .25-06 from the gunsmith I might have something to report on that cartridge as well. As I already have calibers bigger than .257 this rifle will only be used on deer and smaller, I think an elk deserves better than 120 grains from any rifle. 150 grains is the lightest bullet I’d use on elk.
I don’t know what it is about the 7mm rifles, I had a .280 and two different times I’ve tried a 7mm Rem Mag. I guess my .270 just fits like a pair of broke in boots. Every 7mm I’ve owned has shot at least as good if not better than my .270, but the .270 just always found its way to my hands before the rest.
If I ever get my .25-06 from the gunsmith I might have something to report on that cartridge as well. As I already have calibers bigger than .257 this rifle will only be used on deer and smaller, I think an elk deserves better than 120 grains from any rifle. 150 grains is the lightest bullet I’d use on elk.
Powerstroke
Handloader
- Feb 24, 2006
- 1,800
- 68
taylor,
Hope you don't have the same Smith that I do, I've been waiting a few..."YEARS"....
It's mroe of a phonics thing, but the .270 I think may be my next purchase.
I have a hole between my .260 & my .280.
Hope you don't have the same Smith that I do, I've been waiting a few..."YEARS"....
It's mroe of a phonics thing, but the .270 I think may be my next purchase.
I have a hole between my .260 & my .280.
I apologize for my prior post, I failed to remember that the last light barreled 308 I had was my wife's, was ported, and had a pachmar pad. The one I currently have is a heavy barrel. The 7mm-08 I tried was a friend's gun that I was considering for my wife before the 308 and it was in a winchester 70 compact, it was near 6lbs and had a nasty recoil for such a light caliber(too much for her that is) . I have little experiance with the round, so sorry for spouting off.
CC
CC
I have a lot of experience with the .25-06 and very little with the 7mm-08. Although I love my .25-06, I'd start a newbie on something other than that. I really don't think it kicks any less than, say, a .270 Winchester. The 7mm-08 seems it maybe a better choice, plus the newbie won't be as prone to take the long shots that can be done with the .25-06. Not to mention the bullet weight thingy.
