I'm looking to add to my collection and I don't own a 7mm-08. I will use the rifle and will probably get a night vision scope. Because I like my Tikka I will probably go with that brand again.

Who owns a 7mm-08 and what are your thoughts on this round? How well does it do "long range"? I wont be using it long range at night but day light hours I will be.

Superb all-around cartridge for Texas and beyond. My primary choice for 20+ years. Never understood those that claim "low recoil", as physics says otherwise. Of several 7-08's I have or have had, the favorite is a Rem 788...an overachiever.

For a change of pace, find an old custom rifle in 7x57. The 7mm-08 is just a .308 derived approximation of the old spanish Mauser round... except you will find a lot more variation in loads as the 7x57 has been used for all kinds of hunting since the late 1800's.

Either are great rounds. I don't get the "kid" gun/low recoil stigma... people used to hunt big game with 7x57.

One of the greatest elephant hunters of all time used the 7x57 Mauser. Great gun.

C Loves..............I have two. One in a Sako Varmint barrel and one out of Remingtons custom shop that is a 700 VLS. We have to do a lot of whitetail management on our ranches and lots of shooting because of that. I have a 6.5 CM,.308 Win, 280 Rem and others.
I built these two rifles up with handloads and they have become our "go to" rifles now. My wife has shot competitively ( Her dad was a armorer with the AMU and gunsmith, yes I was blessed.) and the 7mm-08 has become her favorite rifle.
The way I handload it with 120 grain bullet and slow burning powder it has really mild recoil to her, not as loud a report as some others in its class. and it will hold .5 MOA.
We have used them on Elk Cows, Addax, Axis, Feral Hogs, Fallow and Auodad and they never go anywhere. (Albeit, correct shot placement)
I got all hyped up and just had to have a 6.5 Creedmore but all in all I like the 7mm-08 better for what we do.
In fact both of them hold better groups than my 6.5 bolt rifle that I also handload for.
No doubt the 6.5 is a great long range cartridge but I am not ethically going to try shots on our ranch or anybody else's at 500+ yards for a whitetail or exotic.
I really like the 7mm-08 but that is just my opinion and everybody has one.

In '84 I wanted to buy one in the BLR and went to Bailey's House of Guns to get one. The Old Man Bailey told me to stick with the .308 as the 7mm-08 was a wildcat, flash-in-the-pan cartridge and would soon not be supported. I believed him and killed a butt-load of deer with that .308 but always wanted the 7mm version.

Thanks guys! Looks like the 7mm-08 will be my next rifle

I keep one in my pickup during calving season here in the panhandle. Nice truck gun to roll coyotes up when they get too close to the cattle. Now that I think about it, it's time to stick it back in the pickup as we dropped our first calf Saturday.

Have shot several pigs in the past with it. It shoots really well and tends to drop the target in their tracks.

Bought a Tikka 7mm-08 a few months ago (left handed). Currently sitting in my safe waiting for glass. Plan is to have it up and rolling for deer season next fall. There is a poster on this board who has a good looking used 7mm-08 for sale. I almost bought it but didn't pull the trigger. Maybe he'll come post some pics for you.

7-08 is a great all purpose round and as others have said a truly underrated hunting caliber. It'll be suitable for most N American game and definitely for any in Texas. Dave Petzal has a pretty decent review of the 7-08 you can find online if you have any doubts.

So one thing I didn't see mentioned... and I may have skipped over it because I'm loopy on meds right now... but OP mentioned night vision. One thing to keep in mind, if talking about actual night vision, you'll be looking at having to do either digital or gen 4/gen 3 filmless (pretty much the same thing) if putting on a 7mm-08. A gen 2 or regular gen 3+ tube will have a very key part shatter internally with a 7mm-08

TheEyeGuy said:

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So one thing I didn't see mentioned... and I may have skipped over it because I'm loopy on meds right now... but OP mentioned night vision. One thing to keep in mind, if talking about actual night vision, you'll be looking at having to do either digital or gen 4/gen 3 filmless (pretty much the same thing) if putting on a 7mm-08. A gen 2 or regular gen 3+ tube will have a very key part shatter internally with a 7mm-08

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Any recommendations? Under $1,000 preferably

C Loves L said:

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TheEyeGuy said:

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So one thing I didn't see mentioned... and I may have skipped over it because I'm loopy on meds right now... but OP mentioned night vision. One thing to keep in mind, if talking about actual night vision, you'll be looking at having to do either digital or gen 4/gen 3 filmless (pretty much the same thing) if putting on a 7mm-08. A gen 2 or regular gen 3+ tube will have a very key part shatter internally with a 7mm-08

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Any recommendations? Under $1,000 preferably

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Dedicated night use? Photon. Day/night use? X-Sight 4k

Thank you. The ATN x sight was the one I was looking at on Academy's website.

Now if the guy selling his rifle would show up we can wrap up this thread

C Loves L said:

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Thank you. The ATN x sight was the one I was looking at on Academy's website.

Now if the guy selling his rifle would show up we can wrap up this thread

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Psst... cheaper here after coupon TEXAGS ... https://www.texianblackmarket.com/products/accessories-atn-dgwsxs5204kp-658175115069-2290

What's a good way to contact you outside texags? I have some questions

C Loves L said:

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What's a good way to contact you outside texags? I have some questions

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Cell. 346-775-8363

Bought my sons 7-08 from Eyeguy. He absolutely loves it!! Dropped his first buck last year with it. 100 yards at live weight of 189lbs. Big bodied STX buck.

It is currently on the compact frame but when he gets bigger we will swap it to the full size.

I bought one for my son as his first real deer rifle and he dropped 2 does with it this fall. He loves it. First one didn't run over 75 yards, and Stevie Wonder coulda blood trailed it. Second one dropped in its tracks at 65 yd. Zeroed at 150 is good out to 200 using reduced recoil (120 gr?) Hornady. It was fun to site in, and the recoil is pretty light even on a small frame gun w synthetic stock. Great gun and round.

Not a Tikka, but a nice 7mm-08...

https://texags.com/forums/50/topics/2965139/replies/53582668

GSS said:

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Not a Tikka, but a nice 7mm-08...

https://texags.com/forums/50/topics/2965139/replies/53582668

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That's about 100 times better than a Tikka. Maybe just 90 times.

Man I need to stop by and take a look at this rifle. I'm out of town this weekend, but perhaps next weekend?

agsalaska said:

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GSS said:

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Not a Tikka, but a nice 7mm-08...

https://texags.com/forums/50/topics/2965139/replies/53582668

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That's about 100 times better than a Tikka. Maybe just 90 times.

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Have you ever owned or shot a Tikka? His rifle is beautiful but I don't want my next rifle to have that much potential mileage on it. Best of luck

Micropterus said:

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I bought one for my son as his first real deer rifle

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Same here. My son (age 21 years) has had the Savage Model 16 in stainless/synthetic for a few years now. We put a Burris scope on it. It shoots very nicely. He has harvested white-tailed deer, feral hogs and coyotes with it. I bought the Axis model and it's a decent rifle for the money.

I bought a Sako 7mm - 08 in 2005. It's become my go to gun for anything I hunt in Texas. It was the first high powered rifle all 3 of my children shot and later killed animals with. With only slight trigger adjustment it has been the most reliable and accurate hunting rifle I own. I highly recommend the round/rifle.

C Loves L said:

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agsalaska said:

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GSS said:

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Not a Tikka, but a nice 7mm-08...

https://texags.com/forums/50/topics/2965139/replies/53582668

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That's about 100 times better than a Tikka. Maybe just 90 times.

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Have you ever owned or shot a Tikka? His rifle is beautiful but I don't want my next rifle to have that much potential mileage on it. Best of luck

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I've handled hundreds of Tikkas. They are not in any way comparable to a 1997 Model 70, assuming that gun is in the condition he says it's in. Not even close.

But that's just me.

C Loves L,

I feel like I **** on this thread and didn't mean too. The 7mm-08 is a slamming cartridge and if you like your Tikka, as do a lot of people, then go for it. A Tikka in 7mm-08 is a great gun.

agsalaska said:

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C Loves L,

I feel like I **** on this thread and didn't mean too. The 7mm-08 is a slamming cartridge and if you like your Tikka, as do a lot of people, then go for it. A Tikka in 7mm-08 is a great gun.

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Man, you're good so no worries. I'm not familiar with his rifle so I appreciate the insight

dr_boogs said:

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Man I need to stop by and take a look at this rifle. I'm out of town this weekend, but perhaps next weekend?

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Looks like a featherlite M70, so if I recalll that will have a shorter barrel by a couple inches than the regular beefy standard grade m70. Is that correct or am I full of *****

Whole family uses them and has for a long time. Best all around Texas Cartridge in my opinion.

True, the Featherweight Mod 70 has a 22" barrel, which these days is common on a lot of rifles.

Born Maroon said:

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I bought a Sako 7mm - 08 in 2005. It's become my go to gun for anything I hunt in Texas. It was the first high powered rifle all 3 of my children shot and later killed animals with. With only slight trigger adjustment it has been the most reliable and accurate hunting rifle I own. I highly recommend the round/rifle.

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My wife has had a Sako 7-08 for 8 years and it's my favorite as well. She recently bought me a matching Sako 270 but I prefer the 7-08.

C.......I was looking for some handloading info today and ran across a old article written by Craig Boddington in the October 2017 Issue of the American Rifleman. He did an excellent article on the 7mm-08 and the 7x57 Mauser (.275 Rigby by some.)
If you can find it it was a great and informative read on those two cartridges. I could try to scan and e-mail to you if you can't access it.
Gig'em.

Grew up shooting a Sako .308. Gun is a tack driver. So she. I wanted to get a 7-07, I was looking for a Sako 7-08 NIB, but left handed, wood stock and stainless barrel. It was a unicorn in the States even though the company makes them. It was hard enough finding a Tikka with the same specs (blued barrel).

Bought a 7mm-08 thirty years ago in a Remington Model Seven to hunt elk horseback. It's my favorite rifle thirty years later. You'll never regret getting it!