Thread: 308 vs 7mm08 all rounder?

Originally Posted by ChrisW

The 20" 7mm will do that, and be slightly better ballistically.
It'l probably be shorter or at least comparable in length to a 16" + suppressor as well.

Personally ill take a couple extra inches of barrel over a suppressor. Sure you could shoot the 16" with no suppressor to equal or better the handyness of the 20" 7mm, but then you are left with something that is brutally loud and still not as efficient ballistically.
Whatever floats your boat. Everything is a trade off.

So you have had to drop the suppressor off to make it comparable, doesn't sound like much of an all rounder to me, be loud af and unbalanced imo The terminal performance to 500 between your 20" 7mm and my 16" 308 spitting 165s at 2650 will be slim to f all and perhaps even in my favor

how about a 6.5x55 and wheres that popcorn gone

Originally Posted by Gibo

So you have had to drop the suppressor off to make it comparable, doesn't sound like much of an all rounder to me, be loud af and unbalanced imo The terminal performance to 500 between your 20" 7mm and my 16" 308 spitting 165s at 2650 will be slim to f all and perhaps even in my favor

I didnt realise that the 7mm also had a suppressor.
In that case id still use the 20" 7mm without a suppressor, for ballistic superiority, while keeping the rifle a comparable overall length to the suppressed 16".

Im not really in the mood to run numbers, but I would think that the .308 would indeed carry more energy (terminal performance) to 500, but I have no doubt the 7mm will have better external ballistics which may aid with actually hitting the target as distance increases.

I think there is nothing in it at closer ranges. The .308s energy advantage will not be of much benefit, just as the 7mm's improved ballistics also will not be of much benefit.
But as you start to stretch it out a little the 7mm will pull away in terms of energy and ballistics - making it the better all rounder in this scenario.

Is the deer going to know the difference between a 30 cal pill hitting it at 2000fps vs a 7mm hitting the same target at 2200fps? Probably not.
Will the 7mm allow a little more margin for error ballistically for longer shots? Yes, probably. And that's why a 20" 7mm will make a better all rounder than a 16" .308

Basically, they do the same thing at closer ranges, and at longer ranges the 7mm has slightly better external ballistics = better all rounder.

PS I don't own a 7mm-08 but I do own a .308

Originally Posted by Gibo

my 16" 308 spitting 165s at 2650

How do you manage that? That’s what my 20” .308 does with 168 ELDMs and 2206H. I’m loading slightly under max, so a nice mildish load, but all the same, wow. You must be well over max? Different powder?

Who gives a toss, get off your arse and just go hunting!

He was using dundees chrono

Originally Posted by WillB

How do you manage that? That’s what my 20” .308 does with 168 ELDMs and 2206H. I’m loading slightly under max, so a nice mildish load, but all the same, wow. You must be well over max? Different powder?

1 grain over adi max. 2206h. No pressure signs
Not chronied, just validated

Originally Posted by Max Headroom

Oh. right.

Like you didn't know...

Originally Posted by northdude

how about a 6.5x55 and wheres that popcorn gone

Huh. If you really need larger gonads...go 25/303. With a 24" barrel, you could start an international incident with OZ. The ditch isn't that wide. A good back stop takes on a new meaning.

My Tikka 7mm08 with 20" barrel and dpt suppressor was fine in the bush. Spent many hours dragging it through the scrub without complaint.

Rifle zero video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFwUiDn1ZRA&t=1s

Dragging it through the bush for a week
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPRwfue1LTs

Originally Posted by outlander

Like you didn't know...

Shhhh.

Just been looking at the 7mm08 load data using 150gr projectiles and RE17.... could be a very interesting step up if the accuracy and claimed velocity gains are true.

Yip very under estimated, Can be a bit tricky to get accurate they are quite sensitive to seating depth. One tip I can offer is when you find a load that looks reasonably accurate at 100 (but not quite there), check it at 300 or more if you can you might be surprised.

Well this has generated a lot of pages rather quickly.
Because it's such an absurd argument.

I shoot a 22" 7mm08 and a 16" something else.
I know the pain of carrying a standard length barrel plus suppressor and dialup scope through the bush.
For hunting on your own, the suppressor is dispensable. For range use and with mates its essential.

The 20" 7mm08 unsuppressed with a modest dialing scope would be a real allrounder, not just OK , but GOOD for all sorts from goats, wallabies, to pigs in the scrub, sika in the Kaweka kanuka, fallow on farms, reds from the Rakaia to the Kaimais, chamois, nanny tahr (big bulls at a pinch) and even wapiti if you're careful.

A 16" 308 is a special solution for bailed pigs and tight short range bush hunting. It trades away most of the potential of the 308 cartridge. Sure the 308 can be used to hunt at 400m (or 800m on targets) but it's best out of a 24" or 26" barrel. As said, the report is brutal without a suppressor. I'd be interested if anyone here could estimate with quickload how much unburnt powder comes out the end of a 16" barrel with some of those stout loads quoted earlier in the thread. It will never be a elegant rifle for dialling at 300m. Best suited to a 2-8×32 capped scope. It would be an excellent pairing with a 7mm mag of some sort for more open country.

Originally Posted by Hunty1

@Dama dama 7mm08 load was 139 SST with full load of 2208 (unknown velocity), 308 was the 150 BT's with 2206H. Both stupidly accurate!

Im thinking as an all rounder for my needs the 7mm08 wins, main plus's being:

-Significantly quieter than the 16" 308 (gotta be better for me and the dog) Really noticed it at the range at the weekend.
-Easier on the suppressor, full loads of fast powder will be working it pretty hard
-on paper fractionally better ballistics (tho i doubt any difference in the real world)
-can use factory ammo if needs be without really leaving any performance on the table
-I'm a terrible for tinkering.... 7mm barrel opens up options of .284win down the line if someone will re-chamber the tikka barrel....

will give some thought for a few days yet, no need to rush these things eh!

You’ve made the right decision in the end. A 308 with a barrel around 20in is a fantastic all rounder. But as soon as the hacksaw came out and it got lopped to 16in, it morphed from being something that was highly versatile into a specialist bush rifle. So the 7mm08 makes more sense.

If I were you I would be listing the 280 as well. I don’t think there is enough of a difference between a 280 and 7mm08 to justify owning both. Bit like owning a 30/06 and a 308, pretty pointless...But each to there own