What a great year! First my 18 yr old daughter graduates 6th of 400 from her high school. Then she moves "home" to Utah from Texas where she's been with my ex for the past 12+ years. Then, I shoot a 62" bull moose in Alaska w/ my Ruger BH in 45 LC. Now my daughter wants to learn to hunt. The man upstairs is treating me well this year!

So, I'm thinking 260 Rem or 7mm-08. She and I both like like the stainless/laminate Rem 700's and Model 7's. Is their any inherent differences when it comes to reloading. As long as I'm around, I'm only 50 and in good health, I'll reload for her. What are the OAL/magazine limitation differences?

Anything else you can think of?

Alan

both are great rounds, and both great guns. I would consider the model 7 if she is smaller, since they will fit a smaller person a little better. If an avg size girl, I would go with the 700 in a mountain gun. Little longer barrel, but great balance.

IMHO

IIRC, the length of pull for the Model 7 is less than for full-sized rifles. It would be a strong determinant in my evaluation.
.

Have your daughter handle both and choose the one with which she is the most comfortable. That said, for the two cartridges you have chosen the extra barrel length of the 700 will give greater opportunity to realize the potential of either.
GOOD LUCK and GOOD SHOOTING to you both!!

I got my son a mdl 700 sps .243, I would have liked to have gotten him a 7-08 but they didn't have any in stock. It's a youth model and has a shortened stock and 20" barrel. Another reason I'd prefer the 7-08 is the muzzle blast isn't so bad in a 20" tube.

quote:

So, I'm thinking 260 Rem or 7mm-08. She and I both like like the stainless/laminate Rem 700's and Model 7's. Is their any inherent differences when it comes to reloading. As long as I'm around, I'm only 50 and in good health, I'll reload for her. What are the OAL/magazine limitation differences?

What kind of game will she be hunting? that would probably be the deciding factor for either caliber. The 7-08 has way more factory ammo available and it can be had in a lot of places. I have a 260 in a 700 Mountian and love it to death it has served me very well and is quite accurate with handloads. Factory ammo is a bit hard to find in 260. I reload for all my centerfire rifles but it is nice to know you can purchase ammo in out of the way places if something happens and you wind up without your ammo with you. In either caliber you can look to the 4350's H-414 or RL-19 as good powders for the most popular bullet weights shot out of either. You can burn slower powder in the 260 if you like a bit more velocity and a close to full case with 120-130 grain bullets. You are also in pretty good shape with both if you have RL-15 or IMR 4064.

In any event either would be an excellent choice and with the right bullet and proper shot placement at reasonable ranges they both will fill a freezer in due course.

GSSP

I am a big fan of the Rem Mod 7.

My wife and I have had them in 223, 243 308 and 350 Rem Mag. Several friends haved also had them in 6mm Rem, 7mm-08, and several in 308.

I have probably shot around 20 in 308.

I have shot most of them to 300 yards with excellent accuracy, and a couple of 308's to 600 yards on paper, and to 800 yards on steel, with excellent accuracy.

I am also a big fan of the 308. Remington and Federal both load low recoil loads with bullets designed for deer sized game. These loads are easily reproduced by a handloader.

I have never shot a Mod 7 that was not accurate, especially the 308's.

Not only is the Model 7 a great choice for a wife or a youngster, it is one of my favorite hunting rifles as well.

I have had my Model 7 stainless steel in 7mm-08 since the mid 90's and shot one elk and several deer in Montana plus several more deer in PA. Can't tell you the load off hand but I do know the bullet is the Hornady 139 gr Interlock flat base. Three years ago I changed the factory synthetic stock and installed a H-S Precision stock. I am very happy with this rifle and the way it handles and shoots. Don't think you can go wrong with a model 7 in 7mm-08.

Chief

Like others I would say it depends on your daughters size. My wife is only 5'1" and any "full size" rifle has to much LOP. I bought her a model 7 in 7mm-08. It is much lighter than the push feed Winchester 70 it replaced. She just loves the rifle. With handloads it will shoot under MOA. She took a nice doe last year with this one and thought it has more power then the old 243.

I've got a Sako Finnlite 75 in a 260 NIB if your intrested.

Ed

It is my personal experience that the adult Model 7 and 700 have the same length of pull. Depending on the different adult versions of 700 and 7 you are comparing in the Remington catalog, the LOP is 13 3/8 or 13 1/2. I have several models of both and the LOP is practically the same on all of them.

The main difference that I see is that the length of the action of the 7 is about 1/2" shorter than the short action 700. In addition, the stocks are slimmer and shorter in overall length. The barrels of the Model 7 are also generally shorter and of slimmer contour than the 700. So the 7 makes for a shorter and lighter rifle with roughly the same LOP. The magazines of both are 2.8".

Personally, and I have both, I'd go with a Model 700, because as said above, the Model 7 has a little more muzzle blast, so it will be easier on her ears (especially when hunting). I also think the Model 700 balances and feels a little better, but that's purely opinion. If you get a light weight Model 700 I don't think she should have any problem handling that over a Model 7, so the weight shouldn't be too much of an issue. I would also go with the 7mm-08, not only for ammo availability...but also because I like more frontal area!

I'm a small sized person, so the M-7 fits me just fine, the M-7 (MS) versions in particular, although I've owned standard versions of the M-7 as well. Meanwhile I am sold on the M-7 (MS), I have two, a 7mm-08 and a .260 Rem. Both have slapped down deer with perfect performance, although I must give the tip of the hat to the .260 for overall performance on Texas deer. I've found the little M-7 a perfect fit for me, and a perfect clone of the old Mannlicher-Schoenauer. The folks at Rmington knew what they were doing with this model. Sure, one might call the M-7 an underfed M-700, but each model has its own use, and for me, that use is putting down deer in the quickest and most efficient way possible.

LLS

model 7 in 7-08. Because you carry a gun alot more then you shoot them while hunting. My favorite gun and I have tryed lots of them. BB2

It's easy to say that the 260 is better than the 7mm-8 or t'other way round, but in all honesty I can't say which is better. I have taken deer with both of them, they both did very well. It' happens to be the case that the animal which ran was shot with the 7mm-08 but that was only about 30 yards. Would the 260 have performed better or worse? It can't be said, but I very much doubt it.
One advantage the 260 has is recoil, it's less than the 7-08. My favoured load in the 260 is with the Nosler 125 grain partitions. It's shoots and kills very well and recoil is moderate in a light rifle
If you like Remingtons the 260 in a model 7 is a fine choice, as is the 7mm-08.
For a young woman of medium build? my recommendation,FWIW, is the Model 7 S/L in 260, with a Leupy 1.75-6x she will be set for life.
Happy hunting.

There is a wider selection of bullets in 7mm. Other than that, flip a coin. What feels the best for her? Buy that one.

My Nephew and I have both killed deer and wild pigs with Remingtons Managed Recoil 308, 125gr load.

It works great and recoils less than a 243.

First off let me say, thank you all! The responses have been great. So many good pieces of advice; does not make my job easier!

My daughter is of average build, 5'6", 120-125 lbs. She has shot my 7.5 lb Rem 700 in 30-06 w/ 125 gr Sierras at 2500 fps and consistenly hits 10" rocks @ 200 yds, prone with no prob lems.

Primarily she will hunt Utah elk, mulies and antelope at typical distances. Scope will be a VX II, 2-7 w/ LR reticle. I'll give her my old Bushnell LRF, Nikon binocs and Bushnell Trophy spotting scope.

I'm a fiberglass man but she likes the laminated stocks. She's too big for the youth and just too small for a full size. Should be easy to cut down a laminate for her.

The argument that the 7mm has a slightly larger bullet selection is good but I doubt she'll ever get into the 160-175 gr class; ya think?
Alan

Go over and see Westpac and have him chamber someting in a serious cartridge like a 6.5 x 55 or 7 x 57. roger

Bartsche,

As a typical guy, thinking if my daughter ever gave up hunting, I'd like to have it in something like 6.5x55 or 6.5x57, but she says she is going to keep it forever. Oh Well!

I didn't know Westpac also did chambering.

GSSP, For a reloader lots of 7mm options. I know you reload but, if you go 7mm08 she would have the Remington low-recoil/Managed recoil option in factory ammo. I tried it this year in my Ti 700 and it shoots better than anything else and has plenty of poke for the deer I'm shooting.

quote:

Primarily she will hunt Utah elk, mulies and antelope at typical distances.

With elk in the mix I would use the 140 partition in the 260 over either H-4831 or IMR-7228. In the 7-08 I would be happy with the 150 partition over one of the 4350's or RL-19. You probably would not be able to tell much difference with either in killing power.

Or you could do as Bartsche suggests and have something chambered for one of the a bit too long for a short action/ a bit to short for a long action. Both are fine rounds to bad you can't get a rifle with the orignal length action for those cartridges anymore. You can get the 6.5x55 in a tikka if you like it is a long action with the mag blocked for the cartridge length IIRC I think they make one in a stainless lam as well.

I recommend the model 7 for a smaller shooter. I bought my daughter a 7CDL chambered in 7MM08 and like it so well wish I had one for myself. I wanted to get her the same rifle in 260Rem but the rifling rate of twist is too slow in this caliber for any bullet weight above 125 grain. With the 139 grain Hornady IL over IMR4064 that little 7/08 overlapped three shots at 100 yds. IMO, the model 700 is just too large for most female shooters, and BTW my daughter stands about 5'8" but the full size rifle was just too much bulk for her.

For elk I like the sound of a 308 with a 165 to 180gr premium bullet.

I have the M7 in 300 SAUM and laminated stock.I had it bedded and put in a Shilen trigger. What a sweet handling little gem.
Lyle

Ahha! With the possibilty of having a pop at an Elk then I would go for the 7mm-08 over the 260. A nice 150 grain partition should have any elk in 'Merica quaking at the knees.
What ever you choose, good luck, to you and your daughter

You are a truly blessed Man!

As for the choice in guns... what I think I'd do is let her feel the fit on both, possibly shooting them if you can let her.

My wife is using a Ruger M77 that has been shortened 3/4" and my 13 yo son loves his M7. I can shoot either and I'm just over 6'. It's cramped up for me but not a huge deal. I'd rather have one a bit short but "handier" feeling. Nate