Author Topic: School me on the 7-08 (Read 1927 times)

Spanky · « **on:** January 24, 2010, 08:01:29 PM »

I made a trade deal for a 7-08 Handi barrel and don't know anything about the 7-08. By all accounts it's a good deer cartridge and that's what I plan on using it for. Other than that I'm at a loss. What are the pros and cons of the 7-08? What ammo recommendations do you guys have? Like I said... I need some schooling on this one.

Spanky

dross80 · « **Reply #1 on:** January 24, 2010, 08:28:05 PM »

Great, great round. Low recoil, excellent downrange ballistics. Excellent inherent accuracy.

Great choice for a lightweight rifle. Excellent all around deer and antelope rifle.

Think, accuracy of the 308, almost as hard hitting as the 308, better ballistics after 300 yards, but with the recoil of the 243.

Spanky · « **Reply #2 on:** January 24, 2010, 09:24:06 PM »

Sounds good so far.

Spanky

IndianawantZme · « **Reply #3 on:** January 24, 2010, 09:26:08 PM »

Quote from: Spanky on January 24, 2010, 08:01:29 PM

What are the pros and cons of the 7mm-08?

What ammo recommendations do you guys have? Like I said... I need some schooling on this one.

Spanky

It's a great deer rifle cartridge !

You might consider it in between a .308 Win. & a .243 Win.they're all based on the same casing

139 Grain - .284" Dia. Hornady bullet at 2600 FPS-MV & 2087 FP-ME was the rage when it came out .

I didn't think much of the 7mm-08 when it first came out , but my friend has one and he likes it so I did a little research on it ; I've come to respect if as an efficient cartridge . His is a Remington Model Seven , when I shot it I thought it recoiled considerably more than what gun writers hyped about it . In fact I thought it was uncomfortable and I shoot a Remingtom 788 in . 308 Win. /165 Grain bullets , so gun weight could be a factor .

100 yard zero , .................-4.3"@200

200 yard zero , +2.2"@100 , -0-@200 , -4.8"@300

Energy.....................1742.........1447...........1195

-

Spanky · « **Reply #4 on:** January 24, 2010, 09:30:04 PM »

Is factory ammo readily available for it?

Spanky

Badnews Bob · « **Reply #5 on:** January 24, 2010, 10:46:19 PM »

It's a modern day 7X57, and yes ammo is available for it no problem.

dross80 · « **Reply #6 on:** January 25, 2010, 03:11:19 AM »

I'm actually strongly considering the caliber in an AR platform. I want an AR, but the 223 round is of limited usage for me, and I think of 308 in more of a tactical bolt action platform. The 7mm 08 (along with the 243) seem like the perfect AR rounds.

wreckhog · « **Reply #7 on:** January 25, 2010, 04:04:45 AM »

Real popular as a youth/ladies deer caliber. Ammo and brass are relatively pricey given that it is a plain jane .308 case necked down to shoot common 7mm bullets.

dross80 · « **Reply #8 on:** January 25, 2010, 04:15:30 AM »

Quote from: wreckhog on January 25, 2010, 04:04:45 AM

Real popular as a youth/ladies deer caliber.

Watcha' tryin' ta say!?

Daman · « **Reply #9 on:** January 25, 2010, 06:53:18 AM »

Yeah Wreckhog whatcha trying to say?

I have one in the Handi. Bought shells this morning on the way home from Doctor will be shooting in a couple of weeks. I bought Rem. CoreLokt 140 gr.

Daman

paul63 · « **Reply #10 on:** January 25, 2010, 08:19:50 AM »

My wife has a 7-08 Handi & it's a tack driver. It took about 20 rds before it got consistant in grouping. It seems to like Fusion 140gr the best. 3 shot groups @ 100yds covered with a quarter. My son used it last week & dropped a 235lb hog @ 170-180yds. Paul

mcwoodduck · « **Reply #11 on:** January 25, 2010, 08:40:38 AM »

Quote from: Badnews Bob on January 24, 2010, 10:46:19 PM

It's a modern day 7X57, and yes ammo is available for it no problem.

+1.
It is a 308 that can be mounted in a short action that has been necked to take advantage of the wide selection of 7mm .284 bullets that are out there and can be loaded from varmint to big game. he 284 bullet is a long for weight much like the 6.5's are and lighter bullets can be used for the same game proformance as heavier 308's giving you lighter recoils. and gives great proformance on game. By making the 7-08 they can use higher pressures and obtain the ballistics of hand loaded 7X57 with out haveing to worry about product liability of weaker 93 or 95 actions and having +P ammo going into them.
A deer will not know the difference between 7-08, 7X57, 308, or 30-06. All are efficient and can be loaded in a wide variety of ways to meet your deer hunting needs. Good luck.

IndianawantZme · « **Reply #12 on:** January 25, 2010, 11:45:53 AM »

Quote from: Spanky on January 24, 2010, 09:30:04 PM

Is factory ammo readily available for it? Spanky

0h H#ll YES !

Factory ammo for anything is a little difficult to find right now because of the present ammo shortage , but yes it's available as a factory offering and become very popular .

You might also think of it "like" , not the same as ; a short action .270 Win. which is actually .277" dia not .284"Dia. as a 7mm-o8 is ...... .....or "like" a .243 Win. on Steroids .

"7mm" is bullet diameter - the 08 come from ".308 Win" casing or "7mm - 08 " Developed by "Remington hence the "7mm -08 Rem. designation ". Hyped by writers of the time with the 130Gr. "Hornady" bullet and touted for low recoil with high accuracy , flat trajectory and plenty of omph .

"it originally came out in 1980 in Rem. 788's and 700's and has since been chambered by many manufacturers to become very popular especially in lightweight rifles .

The reason I shy away from new cartridges designs is because I think you can do just about anything with the .30-06 Sprg. that was developed 104 years ago . They all have their place though as the popularity od Handis show .

..... of course I'm also fond of the .308 Win. If you want to see a "Tiger" look at the ballistics of it with a 130 Grain bullet . Almost 3200 fps MV and 3412 fp ME only -6.9 @300yds when sighted dead on -0-@ 200yda and +1.4@100yds with 1921 fp left@300yds.

preventec47 · « **Reply #13 on:** January 25, 2010, 12:26:51 PM »

Assuming the SAAMI pressure specs are same as .308, you will
be developing magnum pressures of 65,000 psi. If that is
the situation, you can have some very respectable performance.
What you might not be aware of is that Barnes has some new
Tipped TSX copper bullets in .384 that are 110 grains.

That would provide incredible flat trajectory at sizzling velocities
while shooting a bullet that retains the same weight when hitting
solid bone as a much bigger nosler partition type premium bullet.

I speak from experience as that is what I am using in 7mm Rem Mag now
a days for big hogs and big deer. I believer it would also trim a bunch
of recoil like it did with my 7mm Rem Mag. Think about it like this,
I believe that 110 gr is the very upper end of 243 bullet weights but
you are shooting it instead in a 284 cal barrel which is more efficient
and give greater velocity.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #14 on:** January 25, 2010, 12:32:13 PM »

SAAMI limit for the 7mm-08 is 61kpsi, 308 is 62kpsi.

Tim

http://www.lasc.us/SAAMIMaxPressure.htm

mcwoodduck · « **Reply #15 on:** January 25, 2010, 01:27:30 PM »

Quote from: quickdtoo on January 25, 2010, 12:32:13 PM

SAAMI limit for the 7mm-08 is 61kpsi, 308 is 62kpsi.

Tim

http://www.lasc.us/SAAMIMaxPressure.htm

What book do you have that shows max pressure and what book do I get that shows case capacity?
Thanks,
Brian

quickdtoo · « **Reply #16 on:** January 25, 2010, 01:34:33 PM »

Hodgdon data online shows pressures, the Lee 2nd shows usable case capacity in cc as well as pressure on most chamberings. I get my case capacities on AmmoGuide, but it requires a subscription of $15 a year or so, the free version doesn't show it.

Tim

http://ammoguide.com

http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp

tykempster · « **Reply #17 on:** January 25, 2010, 01:41:53 PM »

It can drive comparable bullet weights almost the same as a 308, but with a higher BC. Thing 140 Bergers at 3000 fps, or 168 Bergers at 2700. Then look at the ballistics and smile.

JerryKo · « **Reply #18 on:** January 25, 2010, 01:51:59 PM »

A lot of great info here guys. Well spanky...how you feeling now. I think ya done good.

Jerry

MSP Ret · « **Reply #19 on:** January 25, 2010, 02:20:36 PM »

The 7mm-08 is a great cartridge with a vast array of bullets in the .284 diameter available to the handloader. I have a 7x57 Handi and have been watching for a 7mm-08 Handi barrel for a deer gun but have missed out so far. I will continue to watch, and congratulations, you have a great cartridge there....<><....

Swampman · « **Reply #20 on:** January 25, 2010, 02:21:58 PM »

I had really bad luck with the 7mm-08. I sold mine as soon as I got back from my PA hunt. In the Handi you really need a rim.

dpe.ahoy · « **Reply #21 on:** January 25, 2010, 03:02:08 PM »

What they all left out is, it's magic,

just like the 7X57. Swampy is the only person I have ever heard that didn't like the cartridge. (Swampman, it IS a 7mm-08 REM.)

DP

MSP Ret · « **Reply #22 on:** January 25, 2010, 03:06:06 PM »

Swampman, you have been saying and saying that a rim is NEEDED in a Handi for a long time now. I am sorry that none of your Handi barrels for rimless cartridges have ever worked out for you but that may because you dislike them so.
It's odd that all mine seem to work for me. Perhaps the Handi barrels for rimless cartridges you have had could detect your intense dislike for them in a Handi and just decided not to work well for someone that disliked them so intensely from the gitgo.
I seem to like the way mine work for me and they have always been reliable and always work well. Perhaps they could feel the LOVE and decided to work well.

So, just change your feelings towards rimless cartridges in Handis and perhaps they will decide to work for you the same way they work for the great majority of the rest of us. Love just could be the answer when it comes to rimless cartridges in Handis, and a clean, dry chamber as well....<><....

Swampman · « **Reply #23 on:** January 25, 2010, 03:09:23 PM »

It's probably just the bullet proof deer in PA. Everyone likes the 7mm-08 but I'll never own another even in a boltgun. It's got bad juju.

spikehorn · « **Reply #24 on:** January 25, 2010, 03:17:20 PM »

I tried just about every factory load I could lay my hands on and could get no better than 3 MOA at 100yds sold the barrel. and with the pallet wood stock recoil was more than my 308 ultra varmint.

Spanky · « **Reply #25 on:** January 25, 2010, 05:43:47 PM »

From what you guys are saying I think it's gonna be a good one. I'm looking forward to some range time with it.

If it shoots as well as my other Handi's I'll be a happy camper.

Spanky

briannmilewis · « **Reply #26 on:** January 25, 2010, 08:15:07 PM »

A friend of mine in Colorado who is a competition marksman, used his wifes 7mm-08 to take a doe elk at 385 yards last year. One shot, well placed, it was all over. 7mm-08 is a ballistic twin of the 25-06 when loaded with the same bullets. FWIW...

preventec47 · « **Reply #27 on:** January 25, 2010, 10:46:26 PM »

Quote from: briannmilewis on January 25, 2010, 08:15:07 PM

7mm-08 is a ballistic twin of the 25-06 when loaded with the same bullets. FWIW...

Now thats just crazy talk. The flattest shooting 25-06 will be much
better than the best shooting 7mm-08

What do you expect when you add more powder and reduce the
cross section area and drag. I like the 7mm-08 concept but
the 25-06 has same case capacity to bore ratio as the 7mm rem mag.

44 Man · « **Reply #28 on:** January 26, 2010, 07:29:36 AM »

I love my 7-08! I don't know if this is common or not, but mine will put 125/140/150 gr bullets so close to the same place at 100 yds, no sighting change is necessary when changing loads. I love it! 44 Man

dross80 · « **Reply #29 on:** January 26, 2010, 07:38:18 AM »

Quote from: preventec47 on January 25, 2010, 10:46:26 PM

Quote from: briannmilewis on January 25, 2010, 08:15:07 PM
7mm-08 is a ballistic twin of the 25-06 when loaded with the same bullets. FWIW...
Now thats just crazy talk. The flattest shooting 25-06 will be much
better than the best shooting 7mm-08
What do you expect when you add more powder and reduce the
cross section area and drag. I like the 7mm-08 concept but
the 25-06 has same case capacity to bore ratio as the 7mm rem mag.

He's right. With the same bullet, they're nearly identical.