Thread: 7-08 or 308

ive always shot 308 but due to a pretty major injury gave up on things that kick hard. post surgery i would like a decent deer/pig gun and wonder if i should go for one of these calibers or something else.
any advice would be welcome.

6.5 55 is pretty soft shooting and good on game with the right pill.

What gibo said. Or if your looking for a modern gun/calibre look 260rem or 6.5 creedmoor
I have a 6.5x55 tikka ive used for years, chopped to 18.5" with a DPT can (same OAL as factory rifle) that I'm looking at possibly selling.
Big or small Drops em like a sack of spuds

I would look at the 6.5x55 as well in your situation. The subtle differences between 7mm08 and 308 mean that recoil will be close enough to the same on both. The 6.5 doesn't give much away on performance in camparison to the other two calibres but the felt recoil is much more manageable for those that need less recoil. A good suppressor will help to.

My 308 boots harder than my 7Remmag

Rifle Recoil Table

7mm08 and 308 are similar enough that you will probably find more difference from other factors like weight of rifle, weight of projectile choice, shape and fit of rifle.

For what its worth I have a ~7lb (+suppressor) 308 and a ~7.5lb unsuppressed 7mm08, subjectively the recoil feels very similar between the suppressed 308 and unsuppressed 7mm08. 150gr in the 308 but used to use 125gr, and currently 120gr in the 7mm08.

If you want to manage recoil better then don't worry about buying the lightest fashionable plastic rifle , get something a bit heavier that fits you well.

or load down . . . less speed is less recoil

my reduced load i made up for my son in .308W is a gem . .. 150grn. Sierra ProHunter at 2345fps, 1100lbs of energy still on hand at 300yds, accurate and pleasant to use.

Originally Posted by rossi.45

or load down . . . less speed is less recoil

my reduced load i made up for my son in .308W is a gem . .. 150grn. Sierra ProHunter at 2345fps, 1100lbs of energy still on hand at 300yds, accurate and pleasant to use.

Best idea right there

Originally Posted by Timmay

What gibo said. Or if your looking for a modern gun/calibre look 260rem or 6.5 creedmoor
I have a 6.5x55 tikka ive used for years, chopped to 18.5" with a DPT can (same OAL as factory rifle) that I'm looking at possibly selling.
Big or small Drops em like a sack of spuds

Attachment 52336
Attachment 52335

Is it just the picture angle or is that last one a three wheeler?

Originally Posted by rossi.45

or load down . . . less speed is less recoil

my reduced load i made up for my son in .308W is a gem . .. 150grn. Sierra ProHunter at 2345fps, 1100lbs of energy still on hand at 300yds, accurate and pleasant to use.

Indeed. This would work very well too. And far more cost effective.

Originally Posted by Ryan_Songhurst

Is it just the picture angle or is that last one a three wheeler?

Ol' tripod.

Nice, amazing what they can recover from, shot a chamois buck up the Top Waitaha last year and he was getting round fine, he was in long tussocky stuff so didn't realise till he was on the ground he was missing half a back wheel, wound had healed up fine and he had probably been like that for a good few years, looking at it I think some cowboy had taken a pot shot at him in the past.

Originally Posted by Tahr

Rifle Recoil Table

I forgot about this table, cheers Tahr

For what it's worth - Shows theres not much in it really, but if your guna run a 600NE for a gong shoot, put a Terminator brake on it

Originally Posted by Philipo

I forgot about this table, cheers Tahr

For what it's worth - Shows theres not much in it really, but if your guna run a 600NE for a gong shoot, put a Terminator brake on it

yeah, i scrolled all the way down as well, OUCH! AFL padded jersey that sucker