308 or 7mm-08 for mule deer?

[Rflshootr]

I'd keep tabs on the factory ammo situation near you. I'll bet a dollar to a donut that you'll find much much more 308 then 7-08 and at a cheaper price. If you were going to hand load, I'd say 7-08. But for factory ammo, 308 all day. Plus you'll find a wider selection of bullet weight choices in factory 308
then 7-08.

 

[nicholasjohn]

It sounds like you dont reload but if you do a 308 with some 175 grain pills are really great at longer ranges. On the 308 get a 1/10 twist. The tiki won't have a 1/10. Not sure about others. On the 708 I'm not sure but on both rifles I would get as long as barrel as I could find. I had a 308 that hand a 1/10 with a 26 inch barrel. It was a marlin. It shot the 168 Amax at 2800 FPS. This was a good consistent load for it. I never had an issue running the 168's and 175's out to 1000 yards. The 175's ran about 2780. Not allot of difference. I traded it off for a 6.5 creed and wish I didn't. The creed is just not giving me the velocity I thought it could produce unless you use RL 26 with 140s. I may try to get me a 260 or another 308 later on myself.

I've found that a long barrel gives more of a velocity boost than people say it does. I once had a 26" barrel on a 30-06 AI, and had it cut back to 24". The same loads were almost exactly 100 fps slower after the barrel was shortened. I know a guy who had the same experience with a 243. These are the only instances I know of where an apples-to-apples comparison can be made. I also know that everybody I know who has an exceptionally fast rifle ( other than guys who over-load them ) has a barrel at least 24" long. All that said, the animals never noticed that the bullets were 100 fps slower when I shot them - results were the same every time.

 

[dogz]

Peterson makes some awesome brass for the 284 FYI Probably easier to find loaded 284 Winchester right now than creedmoor or PRC ammo.

and then...there is this

and I am also looking mainly at Bergara, Weatherby and Browning.

 

[JD-ODINSON]

There's nothing wrong with that old 270 caliber.

My 270 was my dads that he passed down to me and its what I grew up hunting deer with. The barrel is starting to pit in places and the group sizes are continuously growing larger. I plan to rebarrel it soon, but for now I was looking for a new deer rifle that my girls can also use too.

 

[JD-ODINSON]

and then...there is this

and I am also looking mainly at Bergara, Weatherby and Browning.

My 300 is a bergara and its a tack driver. I'll most likely go with bergara again but I like to see what else is out there.

 

[dogz]

I am looking to buy either a 308 or 7mm-08 as a mule deer hunting rifle. The typical hunting ranges i encounter out west here are between 200-600 yards. Ive got a 300wm I use for elk and other large game and an old 270, but I am wanting something new dedicated for mule deer. My main concerns are ammo price and availability and I am also looking mainly at Bergara, Weatherby and Browning.

Either round will do just fine, one can micro mgt it many ways but basically what one will do the other will do.

The 308 isn't quite as sexy...but run a 155 Scenar in it and things get done quite well!

Life's basically easy, what's tough is to choose to keep it that way...

 

[One Hole]

Both are outstanding short to med range deer cartridges especially if you are looking for a light mountain rifle. 7-08 will shoot a bit flatter but 308 has more frontal area (knockdown power). Long heavy bullets will rob powder capacity in these cases so I'd start with 140s for 7mm and 150s for 308. Find a load that gives you about 2000fps and 1000ftlbs min at your max effective range. Good hunting!

 

[omgb01]

I am looking to buy either a 308 or 7mm-08 as a mule deer hunting rifle. The typical hunting ranges i encounter out west here are between 200-600 yards. Ive got a 300wm I use for elk and other large game and an old 270, but I am wanting something new dedicated for mule deer. My main concerns are ammo price and availability and I am also looking mainly at Bergara, Weatherby and Browning.

This debate reminds me of trapshooters debating 7 1/2 or 8 shot. The .308 is more common. During our perpetual ammo crises I'd go .308. Any difference in cartridge lethality exist only in a gun writers imagination

 

[omgb01]

ok, so with the 7mm-08, what barrel lengths are ideal? I've seen anywhere from 20" to 24" barrels. I'm personally fond of the 24" for the longer distances I hunt, but is that just unwanted weight at that length?

I like a gun that carries and handles well. That said, 20-22" barrel length is fine. Longer gets club-like very fast. The gain in velocity is not really that significant. Either cartridge is way more powerful than the 30-30 and that round has taken thousands of deer. Practice is more important than velocity. Learn how to place your bullet with confidence and either round in a short, light rifle will work fine.

 

[Rebellare]

Does anyone know of a currently mass-produced factory firearm in the caliber?

I believe that's none

 

[nicholasjohn]

My 270 was my dads that he passed down to me and its what I grew up hunting deer with. The barrel is starting to pit in places and the group sizes are continuously growing larger. I plan to rebarrel it soon, but for now I was looking for a new deer rifle that my girls can also use too.

Everybody seems to favor the heavier bullets in both 308 & 7-08, but your daughters may favor something lighter. Somebody in the bunch is bound to be recoil-sensitive. 120's in 7-08 should thump the shoulder significantly less hard than the heavier 308 bullets do, and 140's may be just fine, too. At the ranges you mentioned, these lighter 7mm bullets ought to do OK for you. I'm kind of sensitive to recoil, and in my old 308 I could tell the difference between 150-grain & 180's when I shot them. It was a pretty light rifle, and the heavier bullets recoiled noticeably more. The rifle weight and recoil factor would have me leaning toward the 7-08 in your situation, mainly because your daughters will be using it.

 

[RAGGED EDGE]

Bought my first and only 7-08 in 1988, a Browning A-bolt. Best buy I probably ever made. Got it for my daughter. She killed a deer with it that year. Gave it back to me. I've used it ever since. It is a very lethal, efficient round with very little recoil. I buy .308 brass by the bucket-full and load everything but the .338 federal out of the buckets. The .308 is a GREAT round, but IMO the 7-08 is a better all-round hunting round for everything up to grizzlies.

 

[Glenn Tullius]

Killed about 40 deer in three states with a Rem 700 in 308. It's my dedicated deer gun with a 3x9 Leupy. It's extremely effect with almost any bullet. 150 grain SST, Hornady Interlocks, and Sierra Game Kings are all one shot double lungers. IMHO

 

[Lonehunter]

I am looking to buy either a 308 or 7mm-08 as a mule deer hunting rifle. The typical hunting ranges i encounter out west here are between 200-600 yards. Ive got a 300wm I use for elk and other large game and an old 270, but I am wanting something new dedicated for mule deer. My main concerns are ammo price and availability and I am also looking mainly at Bergara, Weatherby and Browning.

I have had both and prefer the 7-08.