7mm-08 or 6.5

[jbo829]

Here you go: https://forum.snipershide.com/threads/winchester-m70-compact-243-7mm-08.6902892/#post-7250481

Thanks for the link kimber man she has made the choice already and I'm pleased she made it on her on after some info provided on all 3 calibers

 

[jimbires]

I'll tell you the rest of my story . I started my son out with a 243 . he did well with it . he got a deer just about every year . most involved some tracking , some way more than others . I kept switching bullets trying to get something better . I ended up trying nosler 100 gr partitions . that sure was the answer for us . I don't think a deer ever got out of sight shooting that bullet . during all of this I kind of had my mind made up I should have bought a bigger caliber for him , like a 7mm-08 . I have a 7mm-08 and it works well with just regular cup and core bullets for whitetails . now I have a 5 year old grandson . about 2 years ago I ran into a killer deal on a 260 rem , I just couldn't pass it up . trued up 700 action , shilen barrel , B&C aluminum bedding block stock that I have bedded with devcon , priced not much more than a new factory rifle . I thought this would make Carter a nice deer hunting rifle . so when he gets a little older , I'll find out how it does . Buddy I hope this 6.5 works out well for you .

 

[Mach 1]

Her rifle, her choice. Caliber make model the whole package. Picking a rifle is a personal thing. lots of quality 6mm bullets out there these days.

Her choice my hind end. I think whoever is paying for the gun and the ammunition gets the say.

 

[Viking264]

I hunt with 6.5x55mm and .284 Win, exclusively. In many ways, these are long action versions of the two cartridges that you're between. I have hunted with a .243 Win, however the 6.5- and 7-mm cartridges are far better all-purpose hunting tools, pragmatically. Seems that the .243 is eliminated from the pool anyway.

I live in northeastern PA, and hunt in our forests and mountains for whitetail; additionally, my wife and I have a hobby farm, where we raise heritage breeds of waterfowl, and we deal with predators and pests, from coyotes to rats and critters of all sizes in between. Due to the forested conditions, shots are rarely more than 50-yds unless I'm scanning a field, where the shots can be out to 700-yds.

If I had to choose from the 6.5 or the 7 for all-purpose in my own use, then the 6.5 would be the better choice. If I had to pick one of the two for my wife to hunt with, then again it would be the 6.5. I load with 100-grain through 160-grain projectiles, subsonic and supersonic depending on the purpose. For the 7-mm, there are plenty of great projectiles available for hunting anything from predators through moose, but I can do everything that the 7 is capable of with the 6.5, just 100-yds closer.

If you're not loading your own rounds, then availability of factory-loaded hunting ammo is a factor. In terms of recoil, I have owned 7x57mm rifles of moderate weight (8 - 9-lbs.), and the recoil is a bit more than a hot Swede round with a projectile of equivalent mass. The 7x57 is a pretty fair comparison with the 7mm-08. My .284 Win is long action, and is more of a light 7mm Magnum. My Swede loads are considerably faster than a factory 6.5CM, and I still find the recoil light on a 9-lb. rifle with a 127-gr LRX.

Hope this is helpful.

 

[HARPERC]

.....Her choice my hind end. I think whoever is paying for the gun and the ammunition gets the say......

By definition wife = half in no matter what you buy, but I've been divorced a long time
so no advice on domestic tranquility from me.

I have brought along a few new shooters though, and the more involved beginning to end seems to work best in the long run.

 

[HARPERC]

....The rifle itself might be more important than the chambering. While I prefer the 7mm-08 for deer I would still rather carry a well-fitting rifle in 6.5 CM than a 7-08 that feels awkward.....

100% agree.

We've used a few Ruger Hawkeye Compact Rifles, with good success.

 

[Mach 1]

By definition wife = half in no matter what you buy, but I've been divorced a long time
so no advice on domestic tranquility from me.

I have brought along a few new shooters though, and the more involved beginning to end seems to work best in the long run.

In my experience my wife doesn't really care about anything but the color and in the end, sits a purple or pink camo gun that doesn't get used but takes up safe space. Might as well get what caliber you want. My wife has nice guns but uses a dam old rem 600 in 308 since she doesn't want to scratch up her good looking guns. If you already load for one of the mentioned calibers I'd go that route.

 

[jbo829]

Thanks for all the advice fellas I don't load for ether but have plenty of ammo for the 6.5 since I was lucky enough to win it on a drawing all in the end she picked the 6.5 so I'll be getting her the remmy 700 she also has purple camo guns and says pretty look good
I told her that pretty guns can get the job done but so do ugly guns
Now the look for some good glass for it

 

[cynicrit]

7mm-08.

 

[jbmarshtx]

For Texas whitetail hunting I've used both. I sold my 7-08 and am using a 6.5 creedmoor the past 3 years, and I can't tell a bit of difference between the 2. You can get 120s and 140s for the 7-08. If you look you can find 100s for the 6.5 with 120s and 140s also being popular. At most distances, they're basically the same. 6.5 creedmoor ammo does seem to be more available and better priced.

 

[Jayjay]

7/08 hand's down

 

[Jed2925]

My 12-year-old daughter has shot a Browning A-bolt in 7mm-08 since she was 9. I started loading 120gr Barnes TTSX and they have been lighter recoiling and deadly on deer. Now that she is 12 I am loading a 168gr Berger Classic Hunter at 2555fps for Elk. She has no issue handling the extra recoil of the 168gr and I like the extra hit a heavy bullet delivers for elk. Not saying 6.5 Creed would be a bad choice, I ran numbers on the 140gr 6.5 creed and they outperform the 7mm-08 140gr in drop and windage but I can't get a 6.5 creed to have the energy I can get with the 7mm-08.

 

[Prairie Dog Assasin]

I have Rem. Model 7 in 7-08. Only 2 deer out of 20 or so took more than one step. 140 gr. Partitions, Fed case and primers, Rel-19, shoots moa. Rifle has a brake but doesn't really need it. Wife and son both got 1st deer with it.

 

[17Fireball]

7mm-08 for big game, .243 Win. for low recoil, .260 Rem. or 6.5 for long range target shooting.