7mm-08 vs .308

[m1aggie01]

In the market for a new bolt gun. Looking at either a Browning A-bolt Micro or a Remington Model 7 in either 7mm-08 or .308. Can't decide which caliber or manufacturer I want to go with as I like them both. Anyone with experience with either rifle or caliber? Please help.

TIA

 

[JD338]

What are you going to use the rifle for?

JD338

 

[m1aggie01]

What are you going to use the rifle for?

JD338

Mainly whitetail deer in the thick woods of Deep East Texas...that is why I am opting for a shorter 20" bbl. I guess really either would work but .308 would give me an option for bigger game...if I ever get a chance to hunt anything bigger than a whitetail!

 

[GB300wm]

I had a model 700 in .308 and loved it. Very accurate with a 22" barrel. Great woods gun, very short in overall length. I would opt for the 308 vs. the 708 personally. More bang for the buck.

 

[SakoSteve270wsm]

I owned a m7 in 7mm-08,was a very nice rifle and cartridge.I was young when I owned it and thought I needed some super magnum to hunt with so I didn't keep it very long (wish I had it back!)The a-bolt is one of the very few bolt action rifles I have never owned so I can't comment on it.

As far as the 308/7mm-08 take your pick one won't do anything the other won't.Personally I would get a 260 but I am odd.

 

[Big Squeeze]

In the market for a new bolt gun. Looking at either a Browning A-bolt Micro or a Remington Model 7 in either 7mm-08 or .308. Can't decide which caliber or manufacturer I want to go with as I like them both. Anyone with experience with either rifle or caliber? Please help.

TIA

...........................Flip a coin between those two rifles!! I have neither one, but you are certainly on track for a very nice, lighter and a more compact rifle, which certainly has advantages in the field vs. the full sized rifles. Having years and years of experience with a full sized rifle, the 300 WSM compact I bought last year was a refreshing change...........As for calibers? I`d go with the .308 for better bullet weight versatility. 110 gr. up to 200 gr. offers the reloader to virtually adapt to just about any N/A sized game........On the other hand a 7/08 would be a slightly better flatter shooter and better suited for smaller game! If you plan to hunt the broadest spectrum, from small varmits to moose, then I`d go with the .308!...............Since your choices in rifles have the shorter 20" barrels, don`t worry about too much velocity loss. With my compact 16.5" barrel, I`m losing about 4% to 4.5% vs. the 24" barrels! With the 20" tubes, your loss should be around half that!.................Along with a conventional scope mount, I also wanted a scout scope option as well. I use both types of scopes on my Ruger Frontier to virtually adapt to any possibility...............With the Remy 7 or the Micro Hunter, you`ll really like either one!...Decisions! Decisions!!!

 

[JD338]

Either the 7mm-08 or 308 would be an excellent choice. The 120 gr or 140 gr BT's in the 7mm-08 will kill WT deer like lighting but soo will a 150 gr BT in the 308. Flip a coin, both are great calibers.

As for rifles, I'm a Remington guy so I would go with the M7.

JD338

 

[6ppcar]

I have one more Remington SA 700 to build on an i can't decide the Cal.
308 win
7-08 Rem
260 Rem
This rifle will be a light weight hunting gun with 20 inch barrel an will be used mostly for deer. Now, put on the old thinking cap.
I do know one thing, the 308 that i have now is a pure pleasure to work with, very, very accurate with about anything you put down the barrel.

 

[Ol` Joe]

I`ve had both and settled on the 708 until the 260 came out. I never could tell the difference between any of the 3 on whitetail in my limited experiance.
The 308 will handle 180 gr bullets but you can drive 175 gr from the 708 to within 75 fps or so of the 180, 308 load, and the 7mm has a much better SD so it should penitrate as well if not better in game. (.310 vs .271)
I have read of the 708 being used on elk with good result and Craig Bodington (sp?) had his daughter use it in Africa on plains game up to as I remember Eland and was impressed by its performance.

 

[JungleJim]

As far as 308 or 7mm-08 I don't think you can go wrong with either. The 7mm-08 does seem a little picker about loads but none the less a fine round.

As far as a Model 7 with a 20" barrel I still own mine in 7mm-08 but no longer hunt with it. The reason is total lack of muzzle weight or poor balance. Makes it real hard to shoot well, standing and while breathing hard after hiking thru the hilly woods around here. It needs a heaver barrel IMO. I may do just that, a 338 Federal with a 20" heaver barrel contour on my model 7 action might be in my future.

My 308 is a 700 with 26" heavy barrel it shoots very well.

 

[Antelope_Sniper]

From the Factory, the Browning usually has a free floated barrel and a nice crisp trigger pull. From the factory many of the Remingtons has a trigger pull that only a lawyer could love, and the barrel may need a little help before it's free floated. Since I don't mind doing these things, the early investment in the Remington wouldn't bother me. Both the 7mm/08 and the .308 are fine cartriges. If I more likely to use the rifle for coyote's and other varmits, I'd opt for the 7mm/08. If I thought I was more likely to use it for elk/moose/bear, I'd probably opt for the .308.

If you were my friend, I'd take you down to the gun store and hand you both rifles. I'd watch and see which one you handled the most, which one you admired the most, which one you had a harder time putting down....and that's the one I would tell you to buy.

 

[Greg Nolan]

DITTO!!!

 

[Big Squeeze]

As far as 308 or 7mm-08 I don't think you can go wrong with either. The 7mm-08 does seem a little picker about loads but none the less a fine round.

As far as a Model 7 with a 20" barrel I still own mine in 7mm-08 but no longer hunt with it. The reason is total lack of muzzle weight or poor balance. Makes it real hard to shoot well, standing and while breathing hard after hiking thru the hilly woods around here. It needs a heaver barrel IMO. I may do just that, a 338 Federal with a 20" heaver barrel contour on my model 7 action might be in my future.

My 308 is a 700 with 26" heavy barrel it shoots very well.

..........................................JJ...................Having hunted using my conventionally mounted scope on my compact, I can relate somewhat to your lack of muzzle weight and poor balance while steadying yourself for a shot while still breathing hard! My alternative scout scope on my Ruger Frontier certainly solves that problem!.............If only Remy would offer that option on their Model 7 compacts????

 

[m1aggie01]

From the Factory, the Browning usually has a free floated barrel and a nice crisp trigger pull. From the factory many of the Remingtons has a trigger pull that only a lawyer could love, and the barrel may need a little help before it's free floated. Since I don't mind doing these things, the early investment in the Remington wouldn't bother me. Both the 7mm/08 and the .308 are fine cartriges. If I more likely to use the rifle for coyote's and other varmits, I'd opt for the 7mm/08. If I thought I was more likely to use it for elk/moose/bear, I'd probably opt for the .308.

If you were my friend, I'd take you down to the gun store and hand you both rifles. I'd watch and see which one you handled the most, which one you admired the most, which one you had a harder time putting down....and that's the one I would tell you to buy.

I like your way of thinking. Around here all we have is a Gander Mountain that would even come close to having one each of these rifles. Most of the smaller shops have to order just about everything other than pistols and shotguns.

Anyhow, I will keep this in mind. Thanks

 

[FOTIS]

7mm-08 all the way!

 

[Antelope_Sniper]

Thank-you for the compliment Aggie. Living here in Denver we can be a little spoiled. Two Gander Mountains, Two Sportsman's Warehouse, BassProshop, plus a dozen or so non-chain shops. I like looking at the big chains, but I still order most of my stuff from one of the small local dealers. For a couple of days wait, he will beat their price every time.

 

[FOTIS]

And we have NOTHING at all in Cheyenne! Not fair! :evil:

 

[m1aggie01]

Thank-you for the compliment Aggie. Living here in Denver we can be a little spoiled. Two Gander Mountains, Two Sportsman's Warehouse, BassProshop, plus a dozen or so non-chain shops. I like looking at the big chains, but I still order most of my stuff from one of the small local dealers. For a couple of days wait, he will beat their price every time.

The little shops around here, and there are only 2, have really good prices. One actually has a revolving credit plan that allows all purchases to be intrest free for 12 months. I bought a used Win 101 Field O/U using this plan about 2 years ago. I have never purchased anything since. I now go see the other little guy and have bought both of my last long guns from them.

Anyhow, I will be looking into one or the other. It will be a hard decision as I seem to be getting good feedback concerning both calibers...which is not unreasonable as they are both production calibers!!

 

[nodak7mm]

Hi Guys,

I think I have the bull by the gonads here in North Dakota tho.. First of all, Gander Mt prices suck.. #2 - Sportsman Warehouse kicks butt with prices on fishing stuff, but the guys behind the gun counter are a bunch of dumb a$$ punks... #3 - We got Scheels and the lay-a-way kicks butt!! Just go talk to Collin or Leon, they are the man!!!!

Rod

 

[russ808]

POP try buying stuff from Hawaii. We have nothing and eveything is farrrr away.