.308 or 7mm-08 advice

[HokieMattDude]

Hi all, first post Have been lurking here for a few days checking it out.

Anyone have a particular opinion on a .308 or 7mm-08 target rifle? I mostly do 300 yard to 700 yard target shooting, things like 2-liter soda bottles and motor oil bottle sized stuff and paper at times (we shoot out on a friend's farm). With the random groundhog thrown in whenever the chance occurs. The 500+ yard targets tend to be some uphill shots at our place though, so some compensation is necessary.

I'm somewhat experienced with the 7mm, as I have a 7mm Magnum that I inheirted and a 7mm RUM that I purchased myself. Both of them are pretty nice shooters but punishing to shoot more than a dozen times or so (and the RUM needs to cool off ever 2 or 3 shots). Plus I just want something different From what I can tell, these two rounds are nearly identical and it's pretty much a coin toss as to which is better, is this much true?

I'm thinking a Rem Model 700 SPS varmint, or maybe the VLS (bull barreled varmint gun). Is the money on the VLS worth the upgrade over the SPS varmint? That fluted barrel CDL SF sure looks pretty though, but I'd hate to scratch it

Thanks for any opinions guys!

 

[James Jones]

The two guns your have chosen are a good choice but I would also throw in the new Savage heavy barreled guns , I've seen them shoot better right out of the box than the Remingtons.

As for the rounds , well if you reload the 7mm-08 would be my choice as their are some great LR high BC bullets for the 7mm's but if your shooting factory ammo , I'd choose the 308 as their are alot of great factory loads out their.

as for as balistics the 7-08 might have a slight advantage but I think it woulden't ammount to enough to bother worrying about.


A third option would be to build a gun on a better caliber , I know right now you can get a Stevens action (Savage) in a Duramax stock which is a pretty decient stock for $300 then get a prefit barrel in 260 rem for another $300 and you'll have a gun that balisticaly will spanmk both the 7-08 and 308 out to how ever far you can shoot and will likely be more accurate than any out of the box rifle.

 

[BountyHunter]

Savage F/TR is 308 with 30" barrel for $925 on Savage Shooters from Northlander. That is a first class rig with top quality barrel, stock and trigger.

The longer barrel is allowing the use of the 155 SMK and Scenar with amazing accuracy. Well under .5 MOA.

That is out of the box with nothing to be done in a top notch rig that is shooting rings around the Remingtons that have to be tuned and tweaked to equal that .

I have a savage LRPV Long Range prec Varminter in 1-7 twist 223 that is a great gun also as it can shoot the 75-80 gr bullets to 1000. Northlander has those for $725.

remember all the savages, you can change barrels yourself for under $300 and if you buy a new bolt ($100) you can change head size also.

BH

 

[HokieMattDude]

Hmm, never really considered Savage before. A couple other people have mentioned that to me. Remington 700 is like a staple in my family going back to my grandfather, we have a natural bias against anything else

I do reload, which is what makes the 7mm-08 a tempting round over the .308. I'm still in a toss up over the two--I almost feel illegitimate not having a .308 since it's such a classic. I've never really considered a 260 or a 243 though, wouldn't the smaller bullet weights make it more sensitive to wind conditions? It's pretty windy on the ridge we shoot at, all times of the year.

Thanks for the thoughts guys.

 

[James Jones]

the 260 shooting a 140 A-max at 2800fps closely matches a 300 win mag loaded with a 190gr Sierra match King !!!

wind drif and bullet drop at long range comes down to higher BC and the 6.5mm bullet have some of the highest until you get into the heavy 7mm's

so balisticaly the 260 would be on top of the heap between the 3 their and the 140 gr bullet hits harder at 1000yds than a 175gr Sierra match King out of a 308 !!!

 

[linksmechanic]

I have a sps varmint that shoots in the .4's with the crappy plastic stock. Not bad for the $480.00 I spent on it. The savage I have copper fouls so badly that I'm gonna get a different barrel. Kind of a bummer considering it has only 200 rounds through it.

 

[Dead Beat]

i have the VLS in 243 and the savage 12BVSS in 308 both 26 heavy barrels the vls is a tack driver the savage is a very small tack drive and was $ 250 cheaper the savage is going in a joel russo A5L laminate stock it will get pillars and bedded this weekend

JIM

 

[BountyHunter]

I have a sps varmint that shoots in the .4's with the crappy plastic stock. Not bad for the $480.00 I spent on it. The savage I have copper fouls so badly that I'm gonna get a different barrel. Kind of a bummer considering it has only 200 rounds through it.

Buy a fire lapping kit, use half the recommended bullets and see if that improves it.

Also, bobby hart at www.rwhart.com does after market barrel lapping real economical. Normally I am not a big fan of that but seeing his background he can do it if anyone can.

BH

 

[Ernie]

Cartridge wise if you are staying in the 308 family I would go with either the 260 rem or the 7-08.

 

[HokieMattDude]

Hadn't considered a 260 rem really either, looks interesting. Would that have enough oomph to kill a fat groundhog about 250-300 yards away?

I'm leaning towards the 7-08 I guess, but looking at the 260 rem there seems to be a lot of bullet types and loads available for it, moreso than the 7-08. The bullets seem to have very similar BCs when looking at hornady's website.

I've never customized a rifle beyond tweaking the trigger some in the garage and swapping optics. Would a cheapo SPS and replacing the stock and maybe the barrel be a sensible alternative to buying a CDL SF for like 900 bucks? Remington has that $50 rebate and it's burning my wallet to spend

Thanks again!

 

[rotorhead]

The 260 is definatly the superior cartridge in my opinion and it will distroy any critter up to at least mule deer size not to mention its great range capabilities. I feel the ackley improved 260 is the most versitial cartridge a man could have.

Just my two cents worth.

 

[James Jones]

The 260 will run a 140 gr A-max bullet out at 2800fps , that has enough "oomph" to kill deer at 1000yds. Now if ground hogs at 300yds in the objective that I'd load a 95gr Hornady V-max , these can be run out at 3300fps easly , that bullet at that speed would make one hell of a mess out of a ground hog.

Now that Nosler has started making the 130gr Accu-Bond , I think that this makes the 260 a very formadable big game round , I would not hesitate shoot big deer maybe even elk if the position is decient with this round.

And like you have seen , ballisticly its hard to beat it. The 260 Ai would offer about another 100fps but in my oppinion its not worth the hassel of fire forming loads and wasting barrel life.

I'm a die hard fan of the 308 and still think its an awsome round for accuracy and even some long range work and personaly feel that anybody that starts out shooting LR with a 308 has alot better respect for accurate range and wind estimation. Now that I have this 260 up and running it making my 308's take a back seat , its just to hard to argue with accuracy in the .3's consistanly that shoots way flatter and hit harder than the 308 at 1000yds and does it with less recoil.

 

[Ernie]

Hadn't considered a 260 rem really either, looks interesting. Would that have enough oomph to kill a fat groundhog about 250-300 yards away?

Thanks again!

How about triple that distance and then some.

 

[HokieMattDude]

Ok, so I'm really wanting to check out this .260 Remington. Handloading offers plenty of combinations, good groundhog stomping fun, good 600 yard target shooter. Ok, you've sold me, I'm considering it over a 7-08 now.

Problem: I can't find anyone who makes one now after checking a few of the more popular manufacturers. Remingtom makes a crapping looking Model 7 CDL with a 20" barrel. I'd figure this thing would easily deserve a 22 or 24" barrel. And what's with this Model 7 stuff, no Model 700 BDL? What gives? Am I totally missing something here?