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7mm 08 what are your experiences

4K views 20 replies 14 participants last post by  1911MOshooter 
#1 · (Edited)
I have never shot a 7mm 08, but I have been a admirer of the trajectory/ballistics. I am looking for a rifle cartridge that will minumize recoil.

The purpose of the rifle would be deer hunting in Alabama. Terrain will not often allow for a shot over 250 yards (max). Most shots much closer. Likely firing through brush. I hunt from a climbing tree stand.

Last year I shot a deer with a .270 at 35 yards. The shot was awkward and required all the flexibility I could muster. The recoil even shook the tree and I lost the deer in the scope. The deer was found less than 30 yards from PoI, but I could not find him for about an hour because I thought he had run in the opposite direction. Bottom line I am getting too old to fire my favorite .270 while wrapped around a tree. I want something that will not rattle me and allow me to watch the impact and aftermath of a deer being hit. I own several .30-30s and they are fine, but I don't always want to hunt with a lever.

Also curious about barrel length...I saw some handy 18" barreled semi made by Remington.

I am open to the platform but leaning to a M70 action or maybe a handy semi auto either of them woul be topped with a nice scope.

Do you have any experience that might help me make a decision? Would the semi auto minumize recoil more so than a bolt or would that even matter with the 7mm 08? I want to keep the cost of the total package under $1500.
 
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#2 ·
Saw this and had to reply. I made my first rifle in 7mm-08 off an obendorff mauser action. Went hunting with it before selling it off. I think its a wonderful deer round and any platform will do. I would go for an M-70 or a 700bdl if you want to keep price down. I would use a 20 inch barrel, a 7mm-08 has a much lighter kick than a 270 but if your worried about recoil use a .800 decelerator pad to absorb the kick of the rifle even further.
 
#3 ·
The Model 70 Extreme Weather SS and Ultimate Shadow are also available in 243 Winchester, which will deliver less recoil than the 7-08. As long as you stick with heavier weight bullets, it should be more than adequate for your purpose.
 
#4 ·
The 1:10 twist most commonly found in 243 will stabilize bullets up to about 100 grains. Faster twists might get you up to 115 grains.
7mm-08s will handle bullets ranging from 100 to 195 grains, making for a much more versitile rifle. IMHO, grain for grain a better performer than a 308.
 
#6 ·
My BLR lightweight in 7mm-08 is one of my favorite deer rifles. Ammo is readily available, components are readily available if you reload and it's a great performer with mild to moderate recoil. I think it's one of the best all around medium game cartridges available. I plan on building a bolt gun in 7mm-08 as one of my next projects.
 
#7 ·
I have never used one. But the are pretty highly thought of around here.

You likely know that it is a .308 case necked down to accept a 7mm bullet. I do not see much down side to that. I do not think that there are many deer out there that will not succumb to a well placed shot with a well constructed bullet in this round. Most people hunt over gunned anyway.

For your situation, I would take a good look at the BLRs. I do not know what all is out there in semi autos. But you could likely do well there as well. Recoil from that round should be way less than your 270 in any decently fitting rifle, I would have to think.
 
#9 ·
While I am still thinking about it.

I would say that you might want to take a look at the Remington model sevens. As you likely know this is a really compact bolt gun that Remington has been selling for a long time. There must be a reason for this. I have often looked at these guns for just the kind of thing that you are talking about. But I have never actually gotten around to actually picking one up.

But I see from Remington's web site that they do currently list one in 7mm 08 I would take a look at these as well.
 
#10 ·
#11 ·
Another option, far be it from me to try to talk someone out of a new gun or caliber, would be Managed Recoil ammo.
You right... I want a new gun. But I had never seen that ammo before...thanks

Update: I decided on a 7mm 08 in a Wichester M70 Featherweight, steel Leupold Rings, Vortex Scope (forget which model scope). I was gonna go stainless and composite stock. Then I looked at my other Featherwieght and decided to be boring...I can't get enough of blue and wood.

Look forward to a range report next week...if all goes well.
 
#13 ·
A bit harder to find ammo, but I prefer the .280 Remington.
 
#14 ·
I've had a couple, and it was probably just a coincidence, but both were pretty ho-hum in the accuracy department for some reason, as in I had trouble finding a handload that would do better than inch and a half groups, which is unusual in that most of my rifles with do 1/2" to 3/4" groups at least with a factory load or several, and I can almost alway dial in a super accurate handload. On the other hand, inch and a half is plenty good enough for deer, it was just somewhat of an annoyance. While it does have noticeably less recoil than a 270, it still has noticeably more than a 243, as someone else mentioned, and I would probably recommend that myself.

I could see ending up with another 7-08 someday, as I really want to like it...but if that one's a yawner too then THAT'S IT! Really, no more...:p
 
#19 ·
I like the 7-08 and have a few rifles in the caliber, my favorite is an older Remington 788 carbine. A great little carbine. There are other calibers such as the 260 Remington that will do just as well.

A semi rifle will soften recoil compared to a bolt, lever, single shot.

Just tossing out a suggestion - the Browning BAR (no, not the 1918 .... :eek:) in 243 Winchester. I'm not a 243 fan and prefer the 6mm Remington, but it seems to me a pretty good choice for deer.

You can pick up a BAR for anywhere from about used $600.00 to less than $1,000.00 new. Should leave enough for a good 2 to 7X or 3 to 9X scope.
 
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