I have no experience with the 7mm-08 myself, nor do I know anyone that shoots one.

It seems to me that with the popularity the .308win enjoys that a slightly faster, albeit lighter version should be equally popular.

It may just be that I have never encountered it and the 7mm-08 is much more populare than I imagine.

Aside from the narrower range of bullet weights availiable, what are the reasones this cartridge has not been a great success?

[ 11-26-2003, 01:48: Message edited by: EXPRESS ]

express,
the current version, which remington legitmized in the 80s, i think, was due to so many metalic shooters using this old wildcat for the long range targets, off hand. It offers great SD in bullet weight, with even better BC, and next to zero recoil...

just like the 7x57 that preceeded it by 50 years.

this is the perfect all around rifle cartidge, for north america, for the handloader... it cna loaded with 100 gr HP's for varmits and turkeys, and 175 grains for elk and moose.

I have 2 of them, one is my wife's mexican mauser, and the other is my savage 510 pistol. I have 5 friends that shoot this round for hunting, and these guns are, at worst, subinch.. evne the factory savage 10 that jr has.

Tom has taken everything, except eland, with it, from kudu to osterich, to bear, deer and proghorn. Jr's as taken any number of hogs and deer... spence's has taken a slam of deer, my wife's, when loaned, has taken ram, hogs, deer, and polecats.....

it's a light fast round, accurate enough and lot of power.

jeffe

[QUOTE]Originally posted by bartsche:
"HYPE!!!!!!!!" [/qb]
You see there are people who were lead to believe and do that the 7-08 has definite advantages over the 7mmX57.

The only present day advantage,if that's what you want to all it, it has is that it can be built on an action that is a 1/4" shorter.

However because of this "advantage" it can not come near the 7mmX57's ability to handle heavier bullets.

The 7-08 like other short necked cartridges are gun companies marketing tool in an effort to SELL the fire arms officianatos something new, warm and wonderful. You ask why it's popular---

The marketeers found and easy group to make a sale. Once aquired do you think those in possesion are going to be objective? I don't thhhink so. Roger

I believe the 7mm-08 is an excellent deer round. If I want anything heavier than a 140 grain bullet, then I'll use my 7x57....oops--wait a minute...I gave my 7mm-08 to my brother! Guess I'll get my "275 Rigby" every time I want to shoot something with a 7mm!

Good Hunting,

I prefer the 7x57 it fit's the M98 better, which is my favorite action.

Hi Joe. I answered your question on the other thread but have had a few more thoughts (I know, be gentle with them, they're in a strange place). Ballistically speaking in the real world, the 7mm-08 and the 7 X 57 (275 Rigby) are the same. It really is a great cartridge, I know there's alot of hype out there, but for 99.9% of North American hunting, it will work extremely well. Oh, and you do know someone who has one and hunts with it; me. - Dan

When I came here, this was a sprawling civilization. But with my bare hands I made it into a wilderness." - Dan Needles
Dan now that you did so well in Alberta please come to LA and apply your talent . We need you.

Underrated? I didn't know anybody was giving the 7-08 bad marks. It's a great little cartridge. It will cleanly take medium game out to 300 yards easily, and can be loaded up to 175 grain bullets for bigger game, as well. Ballistically, it's very similar to the 7x57. If you have a Mauser action, the 7x57 is a perfect fit. If not, the 7-08 fits in the more common short actions available today without much restriction on seating depth. For silhouette shooting, it is a low recoil round with enough oomph to knock down the ram. If you already have a 3-06 length action in hand and want a 7mm, you may as well go with the 280 Remington. It offers a tad more than the 7-08 can with heavier bullets. However, if you shoot 140gr bullets with 22" barrels, you won't find enough difference between the 280 and 7-08 to notice.

Interesting thread,
I shot the 7-308 out of an XP100 in sillywets before it got Legitimate..comparing the 7mm-08 to the 7x57 is not worth the time to argue, they are both great rounds, the real heart of the issue lies with the fact that you can handily buy 7mm-08 ammo that is factory loaded to the ballistics that you can handload a 7x57 to, but couldn't buy factory ammo loaded that hot given the old actions that the Mauser or Rigby round were chambered in. Of course there are short actions that the 7x57 won't fit into also, but that arguement is already covered above.
Generally gun makers don't chamber new rounds to make reloaders happy, they do it to help sell more guns and thier own factory ammo.

regards,
Graycg

Hi Bartsche, last time I was in LA I got lost in Commerce, looking for the BNSF shop (turns out it's just east of the dildo factory, I kid you not). You're right, if I had just brought enough trees with me, I could of fixed it. Throw in a few grizzly bears, wolves, elk, deer, moose, cougers, sheep (the four legged kind, not the two) and goats and we'ed be off to a good start. 'Course, we'll have to get rid of all that urban blight, which is pretty much everything east of the ocean, but that's a small detail. - Dan

7MM-08 is a good cartridge. I had one in a handy 700 Mountain Rifle, while I loved the gun, I wasn't so hot on the cartridge. I wasn't hunting elk, mainly deer and the occational varmint. The varmints were the reason I wasn't too fond of it, I just couldn't get any velocity out of varmint bullets. If you want a good crossover deer/varmint gun the 257(with handloading), 25-06, 6MM Rem, 243Win, 243WSSM or the soon to be released 25WSSM are better cartridges. If you are varmint/deer/elk hunting the 7MM-08 would be a good choice.

Guns (and cartridges) are tools, get the one that works the best for YOUR needs. It just wasn't the best for my needs. I am happy now with my 257AI because it fits my needs. I will reach out to deer with the appropriate bullet and it will positively whack ground squirrels.

Aaron