Although the 7-08 is a great cartridge, I vote for the .308 Win too. You can easily find .308 ammo at most any store that sells ammo. The 7-08 not so much. So for ease of use and its general purpose capability the .308 Win wins.
Although the 7-08 is a great cartridge, I vote for the .308 Win too. You can easily find .308 ammo at most any store that sells ammo. The 7-08 not so much. So for ease of use and its general purpose capability the .308 Win wins.
Plus the variety of .30 calibre bullets that a handloader can utilize in a .308 is huge ... from 100 grain half jacket "plinkers" up to 220 grain round nose (although in a .308 with a short action magazine the practical weight range is really from 100 grains to about 180 grains.) I worked up a short range Grouse load for my lightweight .308 Remington 600 custom with the Speer or Hornady 100 grain "plinker" half jacket bullets. I slowly increased the powder charge (Unique) until the rifle shot on centre at about 20 yards when the rifle was sighted in 2" high at 100 yards with a 165 grain hunting bullet. Took about 6 grains in the end from memory and it would put those 100 grain plinkers right on centre of the crosshairs at typical Grouse ranges. I always carried a few in my pocket when I was out hunting ...
I may have passed my "Best Before" date, but I haven't reached my "Expiry" date!
6.5 CM is a light kicker and stays supersonic longer than any SA chambering. Simple best choice.
I have to ask, what do you think the average distance is that you will realistically shoot at something? Surely you are not planning to hunt with a 5 pound rifle in a place where a 300-400 yard shot is commonly needed. If so, you likely need to rethink the formula and go for accuracy and retained energy over anything else. Nothing wrong with any of the suggestion so far, but there is no substitute for using the correct tool for the job.
Currently casting and loading: .32 Auto, .380 Auto, .38 Special, 9X19, .357 Magnum, .257 Roberts, 6.5 Creedmoor, .30 WCF, .308 WCF, .45-70.
I have a Thompson Center Compass in 6.5CM. It shoots sub-MOA all day long and cost only $325. It comes in a variety of calibers, is light weight and deadly accurate with a sub-MOA guarantee.
Just to be different, I don't have one but really want a Remington Model 7 in 260 Remington.
BF
"The price good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men."--Plato
Saw a cooper add today and they have a fly weight model available at 5 3/4 pounds in calibers to 338 mag. Now that would be a tooth rattler.
The 7mm-08 mimics Euro spec 7mm Mauser. It'll do it. It always has.
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Another .338 Fed vote..... IT is what the .308 always wanted to be.
Might suggest the Mossberg Patriot in 300 Win Mag with a 12X variable mill dot scope
http://www.mossberg.com/category/ser...triot-hunting/
Regards
John
The 7mm 08 is basically a short 7x57 and will do fine with bullets up to 160 grains which will handle any critter you mentioned. Best results may be with the 140-145 grain bullets, It will be a good choice if you load your own. If you don't load and purchase hunting loads then go with the 308.
For a scope I would choose the Leopold 6X42. No fiddling with variable power, good clear optics, excellent low light visibility. Being a fixed power it will be lighter in weight than a variable
No average distance at all. Most shots are under 200 yards but my range goes out to 300
And I can shoot on my power lines up to 600 (practice from a wooden bench).
Reason I’m looking is cause I find the light rifles interesting. Plus I wouldn’t feel comfortable shooting at game longer than 400 yards or so and i already have heavier rigs for longer ranges.
Eventually I’ll get a hunt planned for out west. Just not in the cards this year or next.
For cast bullets, I agree. The 358 Winchester, hands down.
For j-bullets I don't think there's enough difference to argue between 6.5 CM, 260 Rem, 7mm-08, and 308.
My light rifle is a single shot CVA Hunter in 35 Remington. At 6 lbs, it carries light and shoots like a little laser beam.
could be the stock composition. I know my montana is Kevlar stocked. Also the action is trimmed up quite a bit and all excessive metal is removed. If one is cheaper then the other it could be why. I know my 22 inch montana 308 has a 22 inch barrel and is substantially lighter then my stainless model 7 is and its 20 inch barrel is even chopped to 18
Not only that but a bigger verity of ammo in bullet weight and can even buy reduced recoil ammo for it. If you want to shoot cast theres no doubt that a .30 cal is superior to a 7mm. Then in identical rifles the fact the bore is bored to 308 means more metal is taken off the weight of the gun compared to the same in 708. Nothing wrong with the 708 but it does nothing the 308 doesn't do better. Its like comparing the 06 to the 270. No doubt which is more powerful and which is more versatile.
10-4. I see no reason why a light rifle couldn't shoot well at long distance though probably not rapid shot strings. If I was going to do it and not go with a semi-custom marque like Kimber or Cooper, I would probably start with a basic Remington 700 or Savage and apply all the usual tricks. Better stock, bedding, trigger, maybe a better barrel. You could probably pull it off for less than a grand and all the cartridges mentioned are inherently quite accurate. If Elk are on the menu I would definitely go with a .308. In alot of places the 6.5's are not legal for elk, .270 is the legal minimum here.
Currently casting and loading: .32 Auto, .380 Auto, .38 Special, 9X19, .357 Magnum, .257 Roberts, 6.5 Creedmoor, .30 WCF, .308 WCF, .45-70.
I don't hunt elk. Deer and smaller, anywhere to 400. I have a Remington model 7 with a lighter 25" barrel to grasp as much velocity as I could. You can always shorten a long barrel, can't add length. 260 Remington. 3000 fps 120 grainers, 2800 140 grainers and around 3250 for 95 gr varmit pills. The gun with 3 rounds in the mag, scope and its mounting, studs, and sling runs around 8lbs
I vote 257 Roberts.
More "This is what happened when I,,,,," and less "What would happen if I,,,,"
Last of the original Group Buy Honcho's.
"Dueling should have never been made illegal in this country. It settled lots of issues between folks."- Char-Gar
Rides et Ratio
BP | Bronze Point | IMR | Improved Military Rifle | PTD | Pointed |
BR | Bench Rest | M | Magnum | RN | Round Nose |
BT | Boat Tail | PL | Power-Lokt | SP | Soft Point |
C | Compressed Charge | PR | Primer | SPCL | Soft Point "Core-Lokt" |
HP | Hollow Point | PSPCL | Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" | C.O.L. | Cartridge Overall Length |
PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
LRN | Lead Round Nose | LWC | Lead Wad Cutter | LSWC | Lead Semi Wad Cutter |
GC | Gas Check |