7mm-08

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CT.HNTR
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Re: 7mm-08

Post by CT.HNTR »

https://www.chuckhawks.com/7mm-08_zinn.html
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Re: 7mm-08

Post by janesy »

Boo wrote:
Fri Aug 27, 2021 11:48 am
I don't own one but was once fascinated with calibers and what they capable of. When I first looked for a big game gun the 270 was on the list for consideration. The 270 in 130 grain form is considered magic on medium game. I have seen the 130 grain in action on mulies and antelope and it is impressive! The 7mm 08 is however very similar in ballistics. So I would look at whatever is close to 130 grain and a 140 grain is probably it.
I ended up buying a 300 Win Mag which I regret every time I shoot it on the bench. I do not regret it when ever I shoot something with it. It is an amazing round with true authority! I owned a 280 Remington which is also close to the 7mm 08. I don't have a clue why I sold it. Every mulie and antelpe fell dead in it's tracks with Core Lokt. As soon as I bumped it up to 7mm mag speeds, the animals would run off on a square lung hit.
If I were to do it again, I would buy a 7mm 08 and shoot factory 140 grain Core Lokts and I would not be afraid to shoot moose and elk with it.
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Re: 7mm-08

Post by Driftless hunter »

janesy wrote:
Thu Aug 26, 2021 4:24 pm
I should mention the 7mm-08 is not a 7rem-mag and is often fitted with a barrel that prefers 140 and under. Not to say a heavier bullet won't work, but they were designed for siloette shooting with specific grains in mind. Of the top of my head it's goes like this due to speed capabilities.

7x57 =1:7
7mm-08 =1:8
7 remmag = 1:9.25

7mm bullets are long, so the bigger bullets really start to eat into case capacity quickly on the 7mm-08.
Chances are, you'll have best luck with a 140
I wasn't suggesting a 7mm-08 is the same as the 7mm Mag, but they can use similar bullets. A 7mm-08 is a really nice round for anyone, but especially a youth. Recoil is important!

Our local "Learn to Hunt" program learned this quite quickly (first year). They had an evening of classroom instruction and another evening of shooting shotguns along with a cook out afterwards. All the mentors had their youth shoot various turkey targets (they put clay pigeons to blow up in the kill zone). The first year they used turkey loads for this. The following morning when several mentors called in Toms, none of the kids would pull the trigger on the bird. They had become afraid of the gun. I am not talking one or two kids, but several! Not one kid killed a bird!

The following year & ever since, they used light rounds to practice (20 gauge semi-auto if available). The tide instantly turned. Toms were shot and none of the kids were even aware they shot a much harder recoiling turkey load when the moment of truth came.

My point - You don't want to start out a youth with too much gun. For some kids, a 7mm-08 (140 grain) or .308 (150 grain) may still be too much gun. I would rather borrow a .243 or 6mm than scare them off to young. Not every kid is the same, and one just needs to be sensitive to that. A .243 is not my first choice, but it has killed many whitetails, too.

The 7mm-08 Remington, .308 Winchester, .30-30 Winchester, & .270 Winchester are all great guns for a good size youth or tough kid. I am full grown man, & these would be my preferred rounds for whitetails. If a kid is shy/new to guns a .243 or 6mm may be a better choice. I am not one to jump on the new 6.5 Creedmoor bandwagon, but it would be a good choice for a youth, too!

Ear protection is critical, too! A young person's ears is much more sensitive to the blast of a rifle.
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janesy
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Re: 7mm-08

Post by janesy »

Driftless hunter wrote:
Fri Aug 27, 2021 3:31 pm
janesy wrote:
Thu Aug 26, 2021 4:24 pm
I should mention the 7mm-08 is not a 7rem-mag and is often fitted with a barrel that prefers 140 and under. Not to say a heavier bullet won't work, but they were designed for siloette shooting with specific grains in mind. Of the top of my head it's goes like this due to speed capabilities.

7x57 =1:7
7mm-08 =1:8
7 remmag = 1:9.25

7mm bullets are long, so the bigger bullets really start to eat into case capacity quickly on the 7mm-08.
Chances are, you'll have best luck with a 140
I wasn't suggesting a 7mm-08 is the same as the 7mm Mag, but they can use similar bullets. A 7mm-08 is a really nice round for anyone, but especially a youth. Recoil is important!

Our local "Learn to Hunt" program learned this quite quickly (first year). They had an evening of classroom instruction and another evening of shooting shotguns along with a cook out afterwards. All the mentors had their youth shoot various turkey targets (they put clay pigeons to blow up in the kill zone). The first year they used turkey loads for this. The following morning when several mentors called in Toms, none of the kids would pull the trigger on the bird. They had become afraid of the gun. I am not talking one or two kids, but several! Not one kid killed a bird!

The following year & ever since, they used light rounds to practice (20 gauge semi-auto if available). The tide instantly turned. Toms were shot and none of the kids were even aware they shot a much harder recoiling turkey load when the moment of truth came.

My point - You don't want to start out a youth with too much gun. For some kids, a 7mm-08 (140 grain) or .308 (150 grain) may still be too much gun. I would rather borrow a .243 or 6mm than scare them off to young. Not every kid is the same, and one just needs to be sensitive to that. A .243 is not my first choice, but it has killed many whitetails, too.

The 7mm-08 Remington, .308 Winchester, .30-30 Winchester, & .270 Winchester are all great guns for a good size youth or tough kid. I am full grown man, & these would be my preferred rounds for whitetails. If a kid is shy/new to guns a .243 or 6mm may be a better choice. I am not one to jump on the new 6.5 Creedmoor bandwagon, but it would be a good choice for a youth, too!

Ear protection is critical, too! A young person's ears is much more sensitive to the blast of a rifle.
No worries ,I was just commenting blindly. Not about nothing in particular. I agree with all your points
When I was researching the crap out of the 7mm-08 during my load development there are a great many people who expect more from it. Like bullets larger than 140 as common. But simply put, it's not designed to so that. Doesn't mean it can't do it. I found people often compared them to the ultra common 180 offering for the 308/30-06 and thought they needed bigger. But physic suggest a 140 7mm would actually work better in almost all situations to 300.
But that's how ballistic conversations go, if people didn't try to push the envelope it wouldn't get done. The 300 winmag shoots the same bullets physically as the 308. Doesn't mean they should.

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Re: 7mm-08

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I wanted a Marlin 30-30 but i Can't find any around here. I guess I have to wait until Ruger makes some. So I went to 7mm-08. Now I have a gun and can't find any ammo! might have to buty the first one I find. Thanks again for everybodies thoughts on the subject.
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Re: 7mm-08

Post by Goose52 »

Have always been intrigued by the 08 but when looking for one for the grandson last xmas it was easier to find a savage chambered in 6.5 creedmoor. Easier, not easy. Found one in a mom and pop hardware store. Then my son had the more difficult job of finding ammo for it. Like the driftless hunter said, it's a matter of settling for whatever you can find to shoot out of it.
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Re: 7mm-08

Post by grouse »

A few years ago I was at a charity event and they were raffling off some guns by selling half of a playing card and putting the other half into a bowl to be drawn for a winner. My card was drawn and I had my choice of a .270 Winchester without a scope or a Savage 6.5 Creedmoor with a cheap Weaver on it. Since I already had a .270 (Tikka T3X), I took the 6.5, replaced the Weaver with a low end Leupold. The rifle is sitting in my gun cabinet having been bore sighted but never fired. I found a box of shells for it but just haven't been motivated to sight it in.

When I bought the .270 several years ago I considered several calibers including the 7mm-08. There isn't much difference and either of them will work perfectly well on anything I will ever hunt. The .270 seemed to have a couple of slight advantages, specifically, a little more speed and more widespread availability of ammo. When I bought the .270, it was in February and the dealer didn't have one with a stainless barrel in stock. He offered me a 7mm mag that was in stock, at the same price (the 7mm mag was more expensive). I declined, I didn't need the more expensive ammo, heavier recoil, heavier rifle and louder noise of the magnum. My .270 seems to shoot like a laser beam and is plenty powerful for me.
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Re: 7mm-08

Post by AJ01 »

I bought a 7mm-08 in about 1985-86 when they first hit the scene in mass produced rifles. Got it for my oldest son. Like Boo said, the standard 140gr Remington Core-Lokt ammo was about it, unless you were a handloader.
I CANNOT begin to count the number of Whitetails, Mule Deer and Pronghorn that have fallen to that round. It has also been used to kill numerous hogs, javelina and a few Exotics.
And since he is in the Overseas, it stays at the house with me. If I grab a rifle to go hunting, it's either that old gun or my OLD .270. :lol: :lol:

The 7mm-08 or the .260 Remington are great rounds for deer sized game. It's just finding ammo if you ain't a handloader. I have owned and used both of these rounds. But the 7mm-08 gets the nod!! :thumbup:
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Re: 7mm-08

Post by Driftless hunter »

Robinsons Rebel wrote:
Fri Aug 27, 2021 11:08 pm
I wanted a Marlin 30-30 but i Can't find any around here. I guess I have to wait until Ruger makes some. So I went to 7mm-08. Now I have a gun and can't find any ammo! might have to buty the first one I find. Thanks again for everybodies thoughts on the subject.
When this topic came up, I noticed the lack of available ammo for the 7mm-08. Other calibers are a challenge to find, too!

My dad bought me a .30-30 Marlin 336 for Christmas (1977). It's the original style (doesn't have the extra safety feature). If my house was burning down, & I could only save one gun it would be that one. It's not my most expensive gun, but it comes with the most memories. They are solid guns! I hope Ruger does the brand justice in the years to come!

As far as a youth gun, however, a bolt action is a nicer choice. I've cringed @ few times teaching others to put a hammer down slowly to half-cocked (safety) position.

True story - A friend was hunting on some land many years ago that the farmer allowed others to also hunt on. He was in his spot well before light. About a half hour before opening morning, he heard two other hunters split up & set up somewhat near him. A few minutes later, he heard the cocking of a lever action rifle & then a rifle blast. A few second later it happened a second time. After the second blast of the rifle, a lady shouts out, "honey - how do you let that thing back down again?" I don't think anyone shot a deer that morning, & I don't think my friend stayed there very long after that. We taught hunter's safety together for years, and he always told our classes that story.

If I was taking a youth out deer hunting this fall, I would have them use my .308 Tikka T3 (bolt action with a clip), and I would deal with loading the magazine tube & letting down the hammer of my trusty old Marlin 336.

I typically hunt opening weekend with a party of four. None of us shoot the same caliber - brother (Savage/.30-06), Dad (Browning A-Bolt/.270), 1st cousin (Glenfield(Marlin)/.30-30), & my (Tikka/.308). We all harvest deer, but we can't steal each other shells!
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Re: 7mm-08

Post by vpsaline »

If you're hunting in the woods a 120GR TTSX or GMX bullet will do all that you expect. If you're shooting 400 yards+ then maybe a 140GR is a better choice.
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Re: 7mm-08

Post by Tichound »

I have shot this 7-08 since they came out. Shot NRA silhouette with it, 140gr is king. For hunting 140gr Sierra boat tail game king. I load reduced loads for the wife.......if you buy loaded ammo good luck...
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Re: 7mm-08

Post by Robinsons Rebel »

I was able to get some 139 gr Hornady American Whitetail ammo when I picked up the gun. Sighted it in today and its really accuate. Very low recoil. My 10 year old grandson loved it. He'll be using it come Oct. 8th for his youth hunt. His mother shot it and looks like I'll be taking her around Thanksgiving.
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Re: 7mm-08

Post by AJ01 »

Robinsons Rebel wrote:
Sat Sep 25, 2021 1:15 am
I was able to get some 139 gr Hornady American Whitetail ammo when I picked up the gun. Sighted it in today and its really accuate. Very low recoil. My 10 year old grandson loved it. He'll be using it come Oct. 8th for his youth hunt. His mother shot it and looks like I'll be taking her around Thanksgiving.
That's GREAT news!!! I hope both of them score!! :thumbup:

Y'all try to stay dry down there for a change!! :wink:

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Re: 7mm-08

Post by XB I GO »

I was just getting back to talking to my Dad about this. I inherited a custom 25-06 Rem from my Uncle Richard that I was going to use this year. There's no ammo around here right now, so back to the 7mm-08. My Dad said Swift Bullet company was a sponsor and Brittany Boddington (Craig Boddington's daughter) used it for a month in Africa and the rest of the year throughout the world on like 12 more trips. They loaded the 150 grain Scirocco bullet at 2700 FPS. Maybe a coincidence or lucky but she dropped every animal from Springbok to Eland with just one good shot with the 7mm-08 with that round. My Dad was a PH in RSA during that time and he was so impressed he had this rifle made and specifically loaded those bullets to that velocity. The first time I ever saw it used, my Dad shot a pronghorn at 442 yards and it dropped and rolled down the hill. I was about 10-years old and I just knew I had to have that rifle. I've been there when a lot of game went down. Last year I finally got to use it all by myself. I dropped a deer at 190 something yards and never expected anything less. If you can reload, or get custom ammo I would definitely try this out. I think it brings the most out of this caliber.
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