Looking for a deciding vote between these two .284 wonder dogs...

Hand loads welcome, accuracy differentiations, recoil.
What makes one better than the other.

Most load data does not show true significants. More than likely do to rifles ammo is produced for. Lawyers too...

Mauserkid

[ 06-22-2002, 04:11: Message edited by: Mauserkid ]

This is the same as the .308 vs .30-06. What ever the short round can do, the long round can do a bit better. The biggest difference is w/ bullets on the heavy for caliber side. THe 7-08 is best w/ 140-150gr bullets & the .280 w/ 150-160gr. I would think w/ handloads in each, the .280 will be up 150fps+ over it's little cousin. That's enough for me, I built my "mountain" rifle on a long action & the .280.
If you are looking for the smallest, lightest package for deer & sheep, a 7-08 in a Rem. M7 would be hard to beat. But then there is the 7mm SRUM?

[ 06-22-2002, 05:43: Message edited by: fredj338 ]

Yup, good comparison. In fact not enough difference to shake a fist at, although Id guess that the 7-08 may have a slight accuracy edge.

Like Fred said, its the same age old 308 vs 30-06 argument on a different scale.

it depends on what action you want.
if you want short action, blr, or savage 99.
it's a 7-08

if you want/have a long action, it's 280

but, here's the rub

if you have a short action, why not
(your flavor)
7 short mag? it's 200 fps faster than either, same gun length and weight?

I build 7-08's, but it's because I use mexican short actions.
jeffe

If you cannot afford both, get a 280 Rem. It can do anything a 7mm08 can and more. It is very easy to load the 280 down a bit to 7mm08 velocities. More important, get a 24" bbl with either choice.....LR

Is one more inherently accurate than the other?

How much more volocity is the 280 going to gain over the 08?

I am a big fan of the .280 Rem and have taken several good heads of large game with the standard, old 150 grain partition at 3000 fps. It has worked on impala, all the way up to elk. PLACEMENT is the key.

For a hunting rifle IMHO accuracy isn't all that big a deal. If a rifle can put three rds into a 2" circle, IN THE SAME SPOT, all day long thats all you need. Unless your doing 400 yd+ shots off a bench rest a reasonably acurate rifle is all you need when shooting from field positions.

FN

I have both actually have had the 7-08 longer my favorite whitetail rifle on a model 70 featherweight.For larger game and long ranges the 280 wins hands down.Read the comments on the 280 in the Hornady reloading manual among other good things they say it is the most accurate 7mm.