7mm-08 vs .308 in Handi platform?

[Dr.Pepper]

 To date, I only have one H&R .45-70 that is hardly a month old. I did not realize how badly I had been bitten by the single shot bug until I walked into a local shop today and experienced pure disdain at the balance and squared off feel of every bolt rifle I picked up. This does not even consider that they were typically a little more than twice the price.  The  Handi .30-06 and .308 I was handling simply felt more like something I would actually carry. I have never loaded any rifle, bolt or lever to full magazine capacity so I hardly care about the single shot feature and I am very realistic about field accuracy vs benchwork.
 
I do want another Handi to use as my general beater and go to outdoor rifle to include targets, groundhogs, coyotes, deer, and hopefully hogs, and the sheer joy of dragging a rifle around with me.
 
I already have a bolt .270 and .30-06  (would also kick quite a bit in this rifle, yes?) and a lever .30-30 and .35. I think the muzzle blast on a .25-06 would bother me and I already have a .45-70 handi. Additionally,  I feel .243 is a bit light for me. To my mind, this leaves the 7mm-08 and the .308.
 
Which does better in the Handi platform? Performance vs pressure, more nearly optimal barrel twist, accuracy, blast, recoil?  I know the difference between the ballistics quite well and I have decided that either will suit me well enough. I am merely curious which one you experienced guys think does better in the Handi platform for general beater use and low shooter stress. Accuracy is always appreciated though.
 
I guess I am inclined to go with the 7mm-08 since I would feel a tad funny about having a .308 and a .30-06 both. The catch is, I thought I read somewhere (here) that the 7mm-08 is one of the harder ones to get to shoot well in a Handi. True or crap?
 
I reload, so commercial ammo does not factor in. Is the .308 somehow sweet enough in a Handi to get one and not a .30-06 even considering I already have bulk brass and dies for the 06?
 
I don't have dies for the 7mm-08 yet but I do have some brass already.
 
Is either one known for having a short chamber like the .45-70?
 
 
 
Help me think on this, please
Thanks!
 
 

[mo_bio]

I have a 7mm-08 handi and don't think you can go wrong with it.  It shoots about 1 1/4-1/1/2" at 100yrds with factory. I can't speak to all handis in this caliber but mine shoots just fine. I can get handloads a tad bit better.  I think 7mm-08 is one of the most underappreciated rounds out there.  I also have a savage bolt in it.  You can load a fairly wide range of ammo and recoil is modest. 

[tjf76]

7mm-08 is one of the harder ones to get to shoot well in a Handi. True or crap?

I say crap to that. I was in the same spot and went with 7mm08. Mine shoots good. The 308 will have better factory ammo choices and be easier to find at your local ma and pa shops. Just something about the 7mm08 that grabs you.

[thejanitor]

Not sure who here has both except Petemi, I only have the 7-08s, I have 2 and my daughter has 1. We like them very much. I know people will argue how the 308 is all this and all that but I have had 2 .308 rifles and sold both. It is just a personal preference. Either gun will serve you well once you learn how it shoots. My 7-08 is my "go to", or "truck gun" if any of mine were a truck gun. I believe you will like either one if you know you like handis already.
My 1st 7-08 had an ejector and stuck cases semi often, second one and daughters are extractors and they are better for the sticking case problem but do reload slower as long as the ejector doesn't malfunction. I sent my old 7-08 off to a friend who converted it to extractor and it is no longer an issue. I bet you will like either one. Since you are a reloader it makes the 7-08 more practical than if you were not reloading.
So I lean my .02 toward the 7-08.  thejanitor

[petemi]

As thejanitor said, I do have both.  My .308 is a standard contour 22 inch and the 7mm is the 20 inch light weight.  A short time ago we (my wife and I) had three standard Handi 7mm-08s.  Then, through the mysterious workings of the denizens of this website they magically turned into two light weights and a .356.  I was always a big fan of the .308.  I called my Ruger 77 "the magic rifle".  Since I got the first Handi 7mm-08, the Ruger became a dust collector.  Like thejanitor, Brent, there's just something about the Handi 7 that just feels and works right.  Both the .308 and the 7mm are extractors and are dependable and accurate.  I really can't tell any difference between the two.  We use the sevens for just about anything you could use a .223 up to an '06 for in the lower 48.  To say I like the caliber would be a gross understatement    If I had to choose one or the other, I'd sweat a bit, but I think the 7mm would win.  I know for a fact I'd give up my .30-06 before I parted with either.

Pete

[thejanitor]

For the record my first 7-08 did not shoot a less than 1.5 inch group for the first 6 years I owned it. ( all hand loads, still killed more deer than any other gun I have ever owned...) Until about a year ago here GBO posters shared some info and I tried H4350 all three of our Handi 7-08s shoot sub MOA with the same load. The old barrel is 22 inch standard and the 2 new barrels are the 20 inch light contour. Figured I better not sugar coat it too much and you wanted the accuracy facts, these are just my findings.  thejanitor

[cjrjck]

I have two Handi 308 rifles now and had a 7mm08 Handi lite. Ballistics wise, I doubt you or what you shoot will be able to tell the difference. Recoil wise too assuming the rifles are the same. I liked the handling characteristics of the skinny 20 inch 708 lite but with the camo synthetic stock it had noticeable muzzle jump and flash at the range. In the field, you would never notice. Of course the same would be true if the 308 came in a skinny 20 inch barrel 5.5 pound package. The 308 is a classic. The 7mm08 may actually be a better cartridge and that is saying something. The 308-based cartridges like the 708, 243, and 358 are excellent fits for the Handi.

[44 Man]

I dearly love my 7-08 Handi!  I do not have a .308, (yet) but I'm sure I will at some point.  But my 7-08 will do anything I will ever need of it.  It is fun to shoot and easy to reload for.  It would be my first choice.  Now the thing about Handi's is that you cannot just buy ones that make sense to fill gaps in your cartridge line up.  You will find yourself buying more just for the fun of it.  First on that 'next purchase' list will have to be a 30-30.  You may say you don't need one because you already have a 30-30, but when you get one, you will ask yourself what took you so long.  So buy your 7-08, then you need to buy a 30-30.  Then you can buy what every the opportunity affords, as long as it is a Handi.  (like a .223)    As you just said, you are already bitten!  44 Man
 
My-08
 
My 30-30

 

[Dr.Pepper]

Thanks all,
I spent most of Sunday thinking I needed to just skip these two and get an .06 to keep my bolt gun company. But an honest evaluation says that I can appreciate the reduced recoil of my .270 bolt over the .30-06 which means that I would probably not enjoy a .30-06 handi at all.  I can't make myself see very much interest in a .308 since I would forever be trying to max it out and get it to do what the .30-06 does easily.
The 7mm-08 does seem the way to go. 1.5" is a funny number in that it will never please you on the bench, but it will still not be a problem for deer within the round's ability.   A good 120 grain bullet would be pretty sweet for the small stuff and lung shots on my smallish deer and easy on the shoulder too. A warm 160 should ventilate a pig very well.
 
This thread has changed my mind completely to the 7mm-08.  The .30-30 idea is interesting,  I bet with the Hornady Gummy 160 and that longer barrel that I could have a Very pleasing 200 yard deer gun.  I guess I will still have more all around "use  " for the 7, so I will wait a bit on the .30-30
44 Man, what is the deal with the stock on your .30-30? I like it very much!
I already have a butt stock cartridge carrier, limbsaver pad (I LOVE the extra inch of LOP and the reduced recoil is gravy,  just about my favorite $20 product anywhere) and a decent 2-7X32 scope, and high rings with extension all sitting in a pile.
 
Probably going to start with Hornady 120 HP for light work and the 154 spire interlock for the deer/pig combo
 

[44 Man]

Dr Pepper, that stock is off a Buffalo Classic with the curved buttplate cut off and the pad installed.  But just the opposite of your needs, I took an 1" off this one for a shorter pull.  As for loads, my favorite for the 7-08 is a 120 BT over a starting load of H4350.  She good on deer out to a couple hundred yards and shoots under an inch.  I also load 150 core locks over a max load of the same powder and both shoot real close to the same POA.  44 Man

[kennyd]

I have a .25-06 and the muzzle blast is no different to me than the .243.  It has the 26 inch barrel, which helps.  Either the 708 or 308 would make a good every day shooter.

[cjrjck]

I
Probably going to start with Hornady 120 HP for light work and the 154 spire interlock for the deer/pig combo

I Have used the 120 grain Barnes TSX and TTSX at about 3000 fps out a Remington Model 7 and my Handi for several years. Will handle small and large game. One bullet for all.

[Deerhunter#1]

Just a thought before you totally decide. you have said that the 30-30 is something you would eventually like to get. The 308 as i am loading it is shooting 130 grain hornody sp at 2400-2500 ft second. The recoil is light and the higher bc of this bullets gives me a gun the is capable to 250 yards on deer with less recoil than a .243 and enjoyable to shoot. On the other hand the 308 handi with its 1-10 twist should handle your heavier bullets pretty well. Also if you have a 30-06 already and are reloading you can use one bullet and potentially just reduce load it in the 308 and not have to deal with a bunch of different components. 

[44 Man]

Ok, so I'll jump back in here once more.  I don't want to get off topic, but I have to agree with Deerhunter on the 30-30 level loads.  Of course I use a 30-30 for those loads.    I'm shooting 125 Sierra Pro Hunter bullets over a max load of H4895 in the 30-30.  I have not chrono'd them yet, but they sure do shoot sweet, so I'm sure Deerhunter's load does also. (both guns 1/10 twist)  You can judge for yourself how it shoots!  44 Man
 
My old Topper 30-30 on Sierra's!

[Dr.Pepper]

Wow,  Great shooting ! Somehow I never quite thought about a .308 down to high .30-30 levels. Brain Fart from having too many options. I was too worried about trying to make it match the -06.  Both of those loads seem simply sweet.

It is too late for this round, as I have already ordered a 7mm-08 on Monday.  No worries, most likely I will have even another Handi before deer season gets here again. If not, I bet it will still effectively shoot 120 grainers in a fashion that is still a new level of comfort for me. Maybe I can down load the 7mm-08 to mimic a 7-30 Waters. I know that is supposed to be a sweetheart as well.

     Too many options, not enough critters, time or money.  The daydreaming is always good though.

[44 Man]

Dr Pepper, you CAN download the 7-08 nicely.  I mentioned that I load the 120 gr Nosler BT's with a minimum load of H4350, but it shows in the Hodgdon website using H4895 and loading a  120 bullet to 2600 fps.  They show a Hornady 120 gr with that, but I'd use BT's as Nosler shows their performance envelope as low as 1700 fps. Hodgdon says you can take the max load shown for H4895 in your caliber and load all the way down to 60 % of that.  I enjoy my slighly 'reduced' loads very much the way they are, but next time I will try the H4895.  Now another idea one member mentioned is his use of flat point bullets in his reduced loads.  That does two things.  You can quickly tell the loads visually.  And you know that the flat point bullets are designed specifically for velocities used by the 30-30 and 7-30 Waters.  Just another idea to kick around.  44 Man

[Dr.Pepper]

This thread has pretty much run its course. But I wanted to update everyone that was kind enough to post here.
 
I ordered a 7mm-08. I put a 2-7x32 on it and a limbsaver and tried it out this weekend. I was shooting winchester 140 grain power points at about 85 yards. After sort of dialing it up on paper I was able to make two consecutive large triangle patterns that ran 1 1/8" and 1 3/8".  I guess at 100 yards it would be around 1.5" like what everyone else seems to be getting. The barrel was warm and purely stock, first trip out of the box. Recoil was mild enough that I only used my right hand on the gun.
Last night I scrubbed it out well and went ahead and did the rubber washer trick to float the barrel (which I confirmed with a piece of paper).
I picked up a can of H4895 and will load up some 120 gn Hornady HP and see what happens next.  I know the advice is to use ballistic tips and I will. But since I can't send the HPs back, I might as well send them downrange. They are rated for varmints AND medium game anyway.
Thanks!