7mm-o8 vs. 260

[highwayman]

is one any better then the other??

[mannyrock]

Depends on what you mean by better.

    They are both cartridges made from the .308 Winchester case.  The 7mm-08 is just the .308 Winchester necked down to 7mm, and the .260 Remington is just the .308 Winchester necked down to 6.5 mm.   


    If you mean which cartrdige is somewhat more powerful, with ammo that can be readily found, that is a fairly popular cartridge, that has been around for 15 years, that has been referred to by some knowledgeable gunwriters as the "perfect deer cartridge", for which many makes and models of rifles are still manufactured every year, then the answer is the 7mm-08.

    If you mean the cartridge that is slightly less powerful, has slightly less recoil, uses a slightly lighter bullet, is slightly flatter shooting, was only introduced about 10 years ago and is already a total commercial failure, for which ammo is hard to find,  and for which almost no rifles are made any more, then that would be the .260 Remington.   

   I'm not saying that the .260 is not, standing alone, a pretty good cartridge.  (It is basically a souped up 6.5 Swedish Mauser).  But, stacked up against the 7mm-08, that's how it stands.

Regards,

Mannyrock

[Noreaster]

7mm-08 is very popular in Maine and NH. Buddy of mine has one and loves it, (recoil is like a 30/30.) If you go on the NH Fish & Game web sight and look up the Moose hunts, a couple of Moose have been taken with the 7mm-08.

[flintlock]

Yep...7mm-08 because you can find factory loadings for it..Now...

My brother has had one since the early 80s...A good hunting buddy bought the .260 the first year they came out...On one trip with me he fell and knocked his scope off...He had only brought a half a box of bullets with him...It took most of them to resight the gun in so the next morning we went looking for bullets...We lost a mornings hunt during the rut and drove over a hundred miles round trip...

I don't care for a .260...Now, he shoots a .243 so he always has plenty of shells...I don't leave on a trip without several boxes...

If you reload and are more organized than my hunting buddy them a .260 is fine, it just wasn't for him...

btw...His was a Model 7 as is my brothers...His never would shoot 140grs worth a hoot...I don't know if it's the twist or what...My brother on the other hand has killed better than a hundred deer with the 140gr CoreLokts...

I believe the 7mm-08 came out in 1980 and it seems that the last 10 years or so it has been gaining in popularity...

Also...Nothing wrong with a .308 as well...

[GameHauler]

I love the performance of the 7MM-08 in my Daughters gun.
They have taken Javelina, Antelope, Coues WT, Mule Deer and Elk with it.
It has preformed flawlessly with them behind the trigger
Now that I own a Encore I will own one or two barrels for sure.
No experience with the 6.5 so can't compare.

[Hopalong7]

     I assume your question means in an Encore Pistol.  I have had both standard factory 15" pistols barrels for a long time, but to be honest have used neither very much at all.  I just can't seem to put down my Contender when it's time to hunt.  My favorite Contender barrel is a 6.5JDJ, so I'm already favoring 6.5's.  As an all around varmit & deer round the 260 would be hard to beat.  For purely deer hunting maybe a slight edge for the 7mm.  For anything larger than deer a definate advantage to the 7mm.  The only problem I could see with either would be the aforementioned lack of factory ammo for the 260.  I've had no problem finding brass and the selection of 6.5 bullets for pistol use is excellent.  I wish that I had gotten an Encore rifle barrel in 260 while they were still making them.  One good sign for the 260 is that of all the pistol and rifle barrels TC made, you hardly ever see a used one for sale .  Walt

[Graybeard]

The 7-08 has been around for over 25 years, just how much longer I'm not sure but I have one of the first few Remington Model Seven rifles chambered for it I've had for more than 20 years perhaps longer. I remember taking several deer with it in '88.

[mannyrock]

  The 7mm-08 is very popular in central and western Virginia, as well as west Tennessee, and continues to grow in popularity.  A very common story is that the husband buys one for his wife to deer hunt with, and then after sighting it in, and seeing how she dumps her first deer with it, he wants to keep it for himself.

   I think one of the keys to its sucess is that with its ordinary factory loaded 145 grain ammunition (such as Core-Lokt), it is just a perfect medium game rifle.  No muss, no fuss. 

Mannyrock

[mcwoodduck]

7-08 is 7X57 in more popular rilfes.  Great round
260 is 6.5X55 Sweed in More popular rifles-  Also a Great round.
With the 308 case they can be factory loaded to higher pressures. (the weak 93, 94, 95, and 96 Mauser Actions keep 6.5X55 and 7X57 from being fully loaded here in the US.  Same with 8X57 they load it to the weak 88 action as well as the original 8's used a .318 bullet now use a 323.
Either will take any and all game in N America.
The difference between them is .02 inches.  .284-.264=.02

[David D.]

Being a big 6.5 fan, I would choose the .260. I personally do not think the 7MM-08 is going to kill anything the .260 will not kill, or the other way around. My experience with the 7MM-08 hasn't been good, maybe poor bullet selection or other reasons, but not good!! Now the ole 280Rem. I love. On the other hand my experience with 6.5's like the 6.5X55, 6.5X284Win., 6.5JDJ, have been more to my liking. So that is what I'm basing my opinion on. On deer size game the 6.5JDJ kills beyond imagination.

Bullet selection for my 7MM-08 was Hornady 139SST and my results on deer out to 100yds just wasn't there, out further like 200 yds yes. Like I say maybe bullet selection, because my 280Rem. with Speer 140gr really performs under 100yds out to my fustiest confirmed distance of 310 yds.

Bullet selection for my 6.5's have been 120gr. Nosler B-Tip for the 6.5JDJ and 129grSST Hornady for the 6.5X55 and the same for the 6.5X284 with great results.

[Lone Star]

The 7-08 has been around for over 25 years, just how much longer I'm not sure but I have one of the first few Remington Model Seven rifles chambered for it I've had for more than 20 years perhaps longer. I remember taking several deer with it in '88.

The 7-08 was introduced in 1980 - COTW.  That has a lot to do with its current popularity.  It certainly didn't set the world on fire in its first decade.  I've owned both, still own an M700 VLS in .260 and love it.  If you want the option of using the rifle for varmints, the .260 is a little better.  For other uses - no practical difference between the two in the field.





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[mannyrock]

Hey TC Dave,

   Why did you go with the 139 grain ammo in the 7mm-08?  You may have "out-thunk" yourself.  The 145 grain Remington Core-Lokt is a wonderful round, and is devastating on deer at 200 yards.   Try a box.  :-)

Mannyrock

[David D.]

Hey TC Dave,

   Why did you go with the 139 grain ammo in the 7mm-08?  You may have "out-thunk" yourself.  The 145 grain Remington Core-Lokt is a wonderful round, and is devastating on deer at 200 yards.   Try a box.  :-)

Mannyrock

No longer have the 7MM-08, the 6.5's are more to my liking!!!!

[Graybeard]

Hey TC Dave,

   Why did you go with the 139 grain ammo in the 7mm-08?  You may have "out-thunk" yourself.  The 145 grain Remington Core-Lokt is a wonderful round, and is devastating on deer at 200 yards.   Try a box.  :-)

Mannyrock

Me thinks only Speer makes a 7mm 145 grain bullet. Remington loads a 140 not a 145. I've shot a LOT of them and they do work well. So do Hornady 139s.

[David D.]

Hey TC Dave,

   Why did you go with the 139 grain ammo in the 7mm-08?  You may have "out-thunk" yourself.  The 145 grain Remington Core-Lokt is a wonderful round, and is devastating on deer at 200 yards.   Try a box.  :-)

Mannyrock

Why not 139gr., not a lot of difference there than 140 or 145gr. According to Hornadys site it should perform well, also they load ammo with it. I will say the 139 gr.SST performed very well over 100 yds. I never have been a fan of the Rem. Core-Lokt. For the reloader I think there are a lot better choice in bullets.

[Ken ONeill]

The 7mm-08, introduced in 1980 as others have said, is a bit more powerful than the .260. I personally prefer it and the .308 to the .260. In my experience, they can shoot heavier bullets, or can be made to run equivalent weight bullets faster.
The 7mm/308 was a wildcat for a few years before the 7mm-08 was announced. My experience with it goes to late 1978, when David Armstrong built my 1st XP for Unlimited Metallic Silhouette competition. Since then, I've owned another Custom Shop XP and 3 rifles chambered in 7-08. All shot extremely well. The rifles are gone, but the XP's remain.
I'm also a fan of 6.5's, particularly the JDJ, but in this case, I'll take the 7 or the .308.