For West Texas Mule Deer hunt. I'm no rifle expert and have spent the last few years with a bow. Have always shot BAR .30-06 in South Texas but fathe just got a new 7mm-08 I was thinking about taking. Which is best for longer shots. 200-400 yards

I would take the 30 ca if that's what you've been shooting.

7mm-08 is a great flat shooting gun with 140/150 grain bullet! I have taken whitetail at 300+ yds.

I didn't know anything about the caliber till 4 years ago and someone talked me in to buying one and now it's my absolute favorite and just bought my son one last year.

Ballistics wise I'd say 7mm-08.

What glass is on each?

I'd say whatever you feel most comfortable with.

https://www.snipercountry.com/7mm-08-vs-30-06/

Good info in link

I shoot 7mm-08 . Very happy with it

Great link. Thanks.

7-08 is IMHO one of the most underrated cartridges. It has very mild recoil, shoots flat, and hits hard. We have everything from .222 to 300 wby and it's by far my favorite to take hunting.

Took my first deer with a .30-06 and very fond of the caliber but I'd go 7mm-08.

I usually go here for Bullet comparisons and ballistics etc

https://www.ballisticstudies.com/Knowledgebase/7mm-08+Remington.html?__utma=1.13223996.1538970188.1538970188.1543115796.2&__utmb=1.3.10.1543115796&__utmc=1&__utmx=-&__utmz=1.1538970188.1.1.utmcsr=google%7Cutmccn=(organic)%7Cutmcmd=organic%7Cutmctr=(not%20provided)&__utmv=-&__utmk=125426058

-06
Not 150gr coreloks, something heavy and premium
"Bring enough gun"

AnScAggie said:

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7-08 is IMHO one of the most underrated cartridges. It has very mild recoil, shoots flat, and hits hard. We have everything from .222 to 300 wby and it's by far my favorite to take hunting.

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With all the 7mm-08 talk you boys have just about talked me into picking one up. I've got a 7 yr old coming up the ranks, so make a rifle recommendation that we could start in youth but have a stock swap when he's older. Tikka, Savage, Browning? What's your advice. I'm a wood stock fan but would likely go synthetic for a starter rifle.

AnScAggie said:

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7-08 is IMHO one of the most underrated cartridges. It has very mild recoil, shoots flat, and hits hard. We have everything from .222 to 300 wby and it's by far my favorite to take hunting.

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Do you have a 308?
Then why get a 7-08?
You're wasting money....

dr_boogs said:

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AnScAggie said:

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7-08 is IMHO one of the most underrated cartridges. It has very mild recoil, shoots flat, and hits hard. We have everything from .222 to 300 wby and it's by far my favorite to take hunting.

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With all the 7mm-08 talk you boys have just about talked me into picking one up. I've got a 7 yr old coming up the ranks, so make a rifle recommendation that we could start in youth but have a stock swap when he's older. Tikka, Savage, Browning? What's your advice. I'm a wood stock fan but would likely go synthetic for a starter rifle.

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Choose any but I use the Hornady Reduced Recoil Rounds for my 10yos 7-08. I would not let him shoot beyond 150yds anyway and it kicks less than a .243. That really helps as you take him to the range and work on his marksmanship. He took 3 whitetail with it last year and loves his gun. As he grows up, I will upgrade his stock and his ammo and he will enjoy his gun for a long time!

dr_boogs said:

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AnScAggie said:

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7-08 is IMHO one of the most underrated cartridges. It has very mild recoil, shoots flat, and hits hard. We have everything from .222 to 300 wby and it's by far my favorite to take hunting.

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With all the 7mm-08 talk you boys have just about talked me into picking one up. I've got a 7 yr old coming up the ranks, so make a rifle recommendation that we could start in youth but have a stock swap when he's older. Tikka, Savage, Browning? What's your advice. I'm a wood stock fan but would likely go synthetic for a starter rifle.

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Interested in a Win Mod 70 FW in 7-08? I'll see if I can resurrect the ad with pics. Local to B-CS.
On pg 5 of thread.. https://texags.com/forums/34/topics/2990714/replies/52992641

I can't comment on the comparison but our family of a man, woman, and two girls have shot the 7mm-08 with great success. We kill between 3 and 6 whitetail per year. The kids have shot deer starting at 8.

This subject is essentially the classic .270 vs .30-06 debate...the 7mm-08 being the short action version of the .270 just as the .308 is the short action version of the .30-06.

I would take the 30-06.


But there is not a wrong answer.

Neches21 said:

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This subject is essentially the classic .270 vs .30-06 debate...the 7mm-08 being the short action version of the .270 just as the .308 is the short action version of the .30-06.

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They never commercially developed a 308 necked to 270 ( 6.8 mm).
If I were starting a kid off it'd be with a 6.5 CM, 260 Rem or 308.
I just biased against 7mm in general.

You'd start a kid off with a .308 and you didn't include .243 on your list?

Is the kid wearing shoulder pads?

I'd pick .30-06 over the 7mm-08 all day long. But you said you HAD the 7mm-08 and that changes my decision. If I had it, I'd use it. If I had to buy one of any caliber I wanted, it would not be in my top 3 because I have other preferences.

First no .308. Second, adding guns to your collection/arsenal is never a waste of money.

I grew up shooting a 243. To me all of the 308 conversions shoot nearly the same powder charge. If recoil is that big a deal put a break on it.

I own both 7mm-08 and 30-06. My wife shoots a custom shop Remington 700 VLS varmint in a 7mm-08 and loves it. .Less than .5 moa and no recoil. It is a great cartridge.
The 30-06 is a very versatile cartridge and has such a variety of bullet weights available ....from 100 grain to 220. Ammunition is available anywhere for it and if you handload, brass is very inexpensive to get.
I would never put a muzzle brake on a rifle due to noise increase to your ears......but that'sj just me.....I have bad ears that was directly related from shooting muzzle brake equipped .300 win mags .....And I had on good hearing protection......

Best thing to do is purchase one of each..........the one with the most toys wins.

dr_boogs said:

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AnScAggie said:

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7-08 is IMHO one of the most underrated cartridges. It has very mild recoil, shoots flat, and hits hard. We have everything from .222 to 300 wby and it's by far my favorite to take hunting.

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With all the 7mm-08 talk you boys have just about talked me into picking one up. I've got a 7 yr old coming up the ranks, so make a rifle recommendation that we could start in youth but have a stock swap when he's older. Tikka, Savage, Browning? What's your advice. I'm a wood stock fan but would likely go synthetic for a starter rifle.

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I purchased a Weatherby 7mm-08 with a convertible stock for my son when he was about that age. He shot it then, but felt more comfortable shooting a 222 until he was 9, or so. As he got older, we ditched the youth stock for the adult one. It is a great shooting gun.

Wanted to bump this thread - looking for GSS - interested in his 7mm-08 for my dad.

7/08 still has plenty recoil. Just not as much as a .30-06.

I like .30-06 because I am shooting it out of a Garand and that action takes a lot of the short impulse kick out of the cartridge and makes it into more of a shove. Much more pleasant to shoot than any large caliber bolt action.

Gunny456 said:

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I own both 7mm-08 and 30-06. My wife shoots a custom shop Remington 700 VLS varmint in a 7mm-08 and loves it. .Less than .5 moa and no recoil. It is a great cartridge.

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No recoil? Either you're a really tough guy or a masochist, don't know how you can say it has no recoil. My Ruger 10/22 has little to no recoil and I ain't never gonna mistake my 7mm-08 for the 10/22.

I'd opt for the 30-06 just because I know it will do the job at that distance.

I realize this thread is old, but I haven't been on a hunting trip in 15 years where I didn't take two rifles along. I'd bring 'em both. I'd hate to have a miss or have a scope damaged to a point that I lost confidence in a rifle, and have a backup gun left at home.

I'd probably have the 7-08 loaded with lighter bullets and the 30-06 zeroed with 180 gr so that I could match whatever conditions arose.

Bought my 10 year old son a youth 7mm-08 prior to last season. We hunt Mason county and shoot 100 yards or less with 139 grain rounds. He dropped every deer where it stood while the deer I shot with 270 Rem ran 10-15 yards. Never had heard of the 7mm-08 but lease friend who is dialed in on guns and ballistics recommended. My son took down several deer where they stood this year as well and is very accurate with little to no time at the range. It does not answer a West TX question but that is assuming you need or want to shoot long range. It's the Indian, not the arrow...

I want a .270, a 30-06, a 7mm-08 and a .308.

Doing typing on I phone. Low recoil. I handload for every rifle I own. I use a slow burning powder for her and a light grain bullet. Recoil is far less than a factory load .243 she used to shoot. Her words.

dr_boogs said:

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Wanted to bump this thread - looking for GSS - interested in his 7mm-08 for my dad.

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Replied in the Classified post. Contact info in profile.

I own a Tikka and a Savage. I love both but I feel embarrassed for my Savage after shooting my Tikka.

Tikka is just on a whole different level of awesome

RealTalk said:

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Gunny456 said:

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I own both 7mm-08 and 30-06. My wife shoots a custom shop Remington 700 VLS varmint in a 7mm-08 and loves it. .Less than .5 moa and no recoil. It is a great cartridge.

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No recoil? Either you're a really tough guy or a masochist, don't know how you can say it has no recoil. My Ruger 10/22 has little to no recoil and I ain't never gonna mistake my 7mm-08 for the 10/22.

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Yeah I've been told the 7mm kicks hard. I would say less than a 30-.06 but not by much