I am 66 years old and have been hunting PA white tails since the age of 12. For the vast majority of that time I’ve used a trusty Remington 760 Carbine in 30-06 with good result. However, the muzzle blast and recoil from that firearm became increasingly annoying as I aged, not that I noticed it when harvesting deer, but certainly did when shooting at the range. I thought back to the rifles I started my children with; 7mm-08’s. Their performance in harvesting 50 - 75 yard white tails was indistinguishable from my 30-06 carbine. So, several years ago I treated myself to a retirement present of a stainless Tikka T3x in 7mm-08. I took it to the range with a variety of loads (I reload) to start load development “work”. I put “work” in quotes because the rifle shot multiple bullet/powder combinations at one moa without much work. I am guessing there were better loads to be had, but to differentiate them is beyond my ability as a shooter. I settled on a sane load of Reloader 15 under a 140 grain Nosler Accubond. I have harvested three white tails with that combination with great result. The caliber/Tikka combination is a pleasure to shoot. The only regret I have is sometimes feeling disloyal to my ‘06 carbine as its sits in the safe on opening day..... no doubt there are many caliber/firearm combinations that work wonderfully for 75 yard deer hunting. I can attest that the 7mm-08 Tikka combo is one of them.
You can use reduced loads to give the ol '06 some range time and honestly for deer hunting they're fine for most situations. I've been reloading since the early 90's and have read every bit of reference material from the past I could get my hands on and there was a time when "reduced loads for deer hunting" was a very common segment of most articles and columns...
I've hunted with the little 7mm-08 for nearly 30 years and had several different rifles chambered for it in various configurations and have never found it to be lacking in power/effectiveness for normal hunting ranges. I had all manner of other rifles in many other standard and magnum chamberings and still do but I am just about to build another 7mm-08 because it just works.
I’ve got 2 Iam on the edge of scaling back Iam thinking just 7 mm no more 6.5 there’s nothing there I have my 26” vls shooting 110 speer hp at 3350 500 yote buster bucks the wind one hole w xbr powder
I put away my 35 year old remington 700 bdl in 30-06 about 4 years ago. I purchased a 7mm-08 in a remington 700 mouintain rifle and with handloaded 140 grain nosler partions it is a very potent whitetail gun and in a much lighter rifle. Not knocking the old faithful 30-06 at all which has accounted for more deer than i can count. Less recoil and very accurate hard hitting caliber. Ive always liked 7mm .284 bore diameter as i own and old bdl in 7mm rem mag. 7mm-08 is no joke as a hunting cartridge . 4 years now and have taken 7 missouri whitetails with clean quick kills! Thanks for the great video!
I purchased my 7/08 in 1989.I chose it over the .270 because I wanted a short action rifle.My rifle is also a 700 mountain rifle that I plan to pass on to my granddaughter in the future.
Here in MO my son has bagged a few whitetail with an old surplus 7.62x39 in brush, the round even loaded that light does well in brush like we have here. A 7mm08 is so easy on a 700 barrel. I wonder how of those old junk SKS are still around, he got a double strike from his and it went to firearms heaven. Lol 😂 He is a great shot though. He has a .303 British that he taken a few bets with 220yds open sights and a whole stripper in the 10 ring. Btw we ascribe to the belief that you don’t have a good shot unless it’s one in and a big one out. 👍
I work at a gun store in Colorado. The 6.5cm has dropped off significantly in the last 3 years. Partly because of the 6.5 PRC, but I think people are figuring out that the creedmoor, really isn't the second coming of Christ. I absolutely love my 7mm08. Both my kids used it for their first hunting rifles and numerous other family and friends. ALWAYS the same results. One and done. Great video. Good luck.
The funny thing is the 6.5 creedmoor has never been marketed as the “second coming of Christ” or the ultimate end all be all cartridge. I’ve never heard anyone who owns one say it is either. So I don’t understand where this stereotype about 6.5 creedmoor owners comes from. 6.5 creedmoor is my favorite cartridge for target shooting. There really are no good or bad cartridges only trade offs. 6.5 creedmoor happens to fall into a bit of a sweet spot. Low recoil, low wind drift, high bc bullets.
I completely agree with you about the 6.5 Creedmore. I was going to buy one but after doing some research I found out it was just really good marketing. Other cartridges beat it and now the same guys who were head over heels in love with the Creedmore wished they had bought the PRC instead. Anyone who uses the 260 A.I. is still king
I really miss shooting. I am blind now, but I love these videos to listen to and everyone’s thoughts and stories. I miss stalking and setting up my nest. My last shot was a a range with a 22-250 what a sweet tack driver. You can see the projectile hit the target in the scope before hearing the report!
Thanks for a great clip. I’ve shot 2 red deer stags (weight around 360 pounds) in the Scottish highlands, with this round. Distance around 250 yards. Definately enough stopping power and energy. Both stags/bulls expired with a flight distance less than 15 yards from shot place. Shots were placed on or directly behind the shoulder. Recoil was very mild. Lovely caliber!
My favorite cartridge ❤️ I bought my first 7mm-08 in 2000.. and couldn't believe how well it shot! I tried nine different brands of factory ammo and it shot 1/4 to 1 and 1/2 inch groups with all of them! No kidding!!! Now.. I credit most of that to the rifle. It was a Remington 700 LSS.. and it looked as good as it shot! Regrettably I sold all my firearms back in 2007.. with the intention on replacing them one day. It took me until 2021 to get another 7mm-08.. which was a Tikka T3 Hunter. First 100 yard group.. no kidding .55 inches! That was with ammo I had on hand from the previous 7mm-08. The price on the box was $21.95 ( Winchester Ballistic silvertips ). Wish those prices were the same nowadays :)
@@craighooser6208 you'll love the 7mm-08 Remington! Try Norma Whitetail 150 grain loads For some reason.. a lot of people have been reporting exceptional accuracy! Mine grouped .67 inches at 100 yards and no kidding .82 inches at 200 yards! Best of luck to this season!
I inherited a Remington 7mm mag 30+ years ago and a life time supply of bullets. About 15 years ago I got whiplash from an auto accident and 9 shots from the 7mag I would have a headache but with the 7mm08 I can shoot it all day with no issues. Great video
Back in 1980, my wife started deer hunting with me using a Savage Model 99 in the .303 Savage caliber. She killed her first deer with it. The following year, I bought her a Remington Model 7 in the .243. Shorter, lighter, and less recoil than the Savage. But she always liked the lever action. So, around 1985 or so, I looked into the lever actions available and all were basically .30 cal....Except the Browning. It offered the 7mm-08 among it's range of deer calibers. Comparing it to the .243, I found it was less than 100 ft. per second slower, and had about 1/4 inch more drop in trajectory. However, the .243 was a 100 gr. bullet, and the 7mm-08 was a 120 gr. bullet which gave it more knock down. I traded her Remington for the Browning and she's been using it for 37 yrs. now. Great caliber and a great rifle.
My 2 favorite cartridges is the .280AI and 7mm-08. I hand load for both but since I primarily hunt whitetails in SE USA, it’s hard not to keep reaching for my ‘08. So efficient and impressive loads for size of case. Great video and great cartridge.
I’ve been hunting my whole life since I was a kid. This year will be 27 years hunting deer in Pennsylvania. Most years I’ve harvested at least one deer and the majority have been taken by the 7mm08. Stumbling across this video solidified what I’ve always said about the 7mm08, probably hands down the best deer cartridge you can use. I have a 270 I take out on occasion, but my core deer arsenal is a rotation of 3 different 7mm08. Kimber ultra lite only makes it out on the nicest of hunting days.
I thought I was the only guy who owned three of em... what a relief! Killed probably 50 deer 10 hogs and some rabbits. All clean kills. bear season opens for my region for the first time in decades, I think Ill carry dads Browning with the long barrel.
i am also a PA guy (66 years young) who owns 6 deer rifles and the rifle that usually use is my least expensive. A left handed Savage bolt action in 7mm08. I love using it, the PA deer population not so much! Always pack my Marlin 30-30 for backup.
I love my bergara b14 ridge in 7-08. Absolutely joy to shoot. I’ve taken whitetail, axis, blackbuck, mule deer, and a bunch of pigs with it. Going after my first elk next season. Going to use my 7-08.
@@jarrettkennedy3148 when you dont like something because its too good, you should really say that up front. also seems like a choice that would be painful to regret, tracking a weak blood trail in the dark comes to mind
I was moose hunting with my buddy in Alaska a few years ago and witnessed him take a bull with a 7/08 under 100 yards. I doubted him until I saw that. It got the job done. One shot! The most impressive thing I've seen.
THE MOST underrated cartridge in N.A. It's a stellar performer, I shoot a 120 gr. TTSX. That little bullet is insane in its killing ability. Took my moose with it last fall up here in BC. Through both lungs and out the otherside. Thanks for redeeming yourself by doing this video after not including the 7mm-08 in your previous best cartridge video.
That’s what I use in the Swede and 7x08 120 s to me 3 k fps does the job thanks to 7 mm mag making lighter bullets heavier jackets 120 nosler bt bt are thicker than the 140 s the juntion Texas special we call them that and the horn sst just works
I've been hunting for almost fifty years now. Granted, the topography varies greatly here in North America. I've hunted, and/or fished, in almost every state east of the Mississippi and a couple of times in Canada. That said, here in my home state of WV, I've never had to take a shot at any large game out past 100yds (the longest shots I've ever taken have been between 300-400yds varmint hunting). That's simply due to the majority of the areas I usually hunt. So, I've got a wide variety of large and medium calibers to choose from that will work very well. I've never owned or fired anything chambered in 7mm-08, but would have no qualms at all about owning one. The drop in performance mentioned here past 700yds would be pretty moot for me as far as hunting goes. Hell, I can't see anything out that far anyway lol...
@@stevennewman4778 I have never shot 162 or 165 in my 08 . It must shoot good in yours to reload that load. I don't reload just never got into it, should have years ago. I'm in Eastern Ky near Grayson Lake state park, been here a little over a year, we moved from Georgia which we moved from WV. Still checking out the area here. Hope you have a good season this fall.
Grew up in Kanawha County and did a lot of hunting at Dolly Sods about 20 yrs worth. Hunted Braxton to Putnam quite a bit before moving to GA for a few years now Ky lol good thing I have a lifetime license for WV and GA. I'm retired and still hunt both as while as Southern Ohio some. Good luck hunting this fall.
On average, you need 41% more powder by volume in a 7mm Rem Mag to get 9% more performance than in a standard load in 7mm-08. So, if you like the extra weight, recoil, and cost of your 7mm Rem Mag ... have at it. I switched from 7mm Rem Mag to 7mm-08 for hunting purposes and have found zero difference for what I consider ethical hunting ranges. The big difference though, is that my 7mm-08 is cheaper to reload and has significantly less recoil. The Elk and Deer I kill each year find no difference though.
@@willpack1658 I started my 13 year old on the 7’08. He is smaller and lanky. The recoil from the bench is sharp, but when off of the bench, it would be perfect for her, that or a 243😁
@@willpack1658 it's not completely obvious, but a .270 win will often have a more friendly recoil. It's spread out a bit more and can be less sharp feeling.
Then you need to shoot 7 Mauser. Faster then 7-08. Same velocity. You could literally turn a 7-08 into 7 Mauser with nothing more than a chamber reamer.
I have a Remington Model Seven in 7mm-08, blued with a brown laminated stock that I bought I believe over fifteen years ago, simply because it seemed so compact and gorgeous. I never put optics on it since it has the iron sights, and besides I've never shot it. I guess I should sell it to someone who will actually use it, but every time I pick it up I think not yet, lol.
I've got a lot of respect for the 7mm-08. My father inlaw has one and it's taken springbuck with 120grn heads and all the way to eland with the 160grn. Absolute brilliant round.
7mm-08 doesn't need to be defended. But here in SA I don't think it's as popular or as well known as it is in the states. Here in SA there's the very popular rounds. 270 the 308 30-06 300 win mag and 375. When you say 7mm-08 the people that don't know of it look at you funny and ask why not just get a 308.
@@stevensimpson5462 6.5 creedmoor can do everything a 7mm08 can do at hunting distances with less recoil and muzzle jump, then spanks it in long range shooting.
I was waiting for the 6.5 creedmoor statement ha ha ha. In the video Jim said that the creedmoor and the 7mm-08 are nearly identical out to 800 yards. He also said it's mainly a hunting cartridge at the moment. So regarding it as a hunting round and one would not be really be shooting further than 350 meters depending on personal preference and what is an ethical shot I'd go with the 7mm-08. I also recall Jim saying last time he visited this side of the world he did notice the 6.5 did battle a little on the "bigger" game like the black and blue wildebeest (poor man's buffalo) there for the 7mm-08 is a better hunting cartridge as an all rounder than the 6.5 creedmoor is. Creedmoor has its place and that's on the range punching paper and gongs at crazy distances. That's my opinion based on experience with the caliber on the shooting range in the bush and doing plains game hunting at distances. At the end of the day it's personal preference and what the shooter is comfortable with and shot placement. Imagine how boring life would be if we only had 1 caliber to choose. The TH-cam comments would be far more boring than they are.
@@stevensimpson5462 well creedmoor has its place. And that is in the hands of hunters who have brains. Same people who hate on the 6.5 creedmoor are the ones that love a 243 lol. I'm not saying someone should go hunt wildebeest at 500 yards with it, be pretty silly to hunt a wildebeest at 500 yards with either really. I think both are undergunned. For anything that an ethical hunter would use a 7mm08 for you can easily use a 6.5 creedmoor. That is a fact, not an opinion.
A little over a year ago I decided I wanted a 7mm-08 primarily for my wife and teenage kids to use, though I really enjoy shooting it too. I watched the stores, and when I saw the gun I wanted 6 months later, I grabbed one. During that time I also learned how to handload, and that had really been helpful with this cartridge. I was fortunate to already have a lot of 308 brass from shooting my father-in-laws 308, so I have been converting that to 7mm-08 brass and loading it up. It's a little extra fun cause I feel like I'm wildcatting, even if I'm not. Reloading is the real key to making this cartridge affordable. Looking forward to working up my 120gr ttsx load.
My son just added another buck to his total, another 3.5 year old Wisconsin 10 pt. This is #8 for him with his savage axis 7mm08. All with Hornady custom lite 120gr. All one shot. 50-212 yards. There's a ton of great calibers, and this one certainly can't be overlooked.
With the right handload, the 7-08 can push 150s up to 2800 fps. That gives a sectional density of just over .260. With the ELD-X, that comes with a fantastic BC of .574, so the bullet still carries over 1500 ftlb past 400 yd, and is still going over 2100 fps. 👌
Yeah, I’m pushing 2850fps with 162gr eld-m’s with no pressure signs on a custom built 28” match gun, loading long at 2.955” and about .060” free bore. I’m getting a 26” proof barrel next to swap for hunting and I imagine I can keep it above 2800fps with 162gr eld-x no problem. That puts me at 550 yds before I drop below 1500ft-lb and 2050fps.
40gr of imr4895, 2.92 coal 150gr eld x, avg of 2837 out of my dad's tc compass 22 inch barrel, this load has taken everything and they all dropped like a sack of rocks
Love Randy! When someone acts as if the .308 is obsolete for whatever dumb reason they have, I always send them his video, of his favorite elk cartridge…. .308!!! Good vid Jim!
I'm a big fan of the 7mm08 and have taken many game animals w/it. Also a fan of the .243 for young shooters if you're a white tailed hunter, or even wild hogs.
I actually built an AR10 with a 7mm-08 barrel. That thing shoots lights out to 400 yards with just about anything I feed it. Its a wonderful hunting rifle (in regions that allow it) and I've also used it a few times in the "tactical" division of PRS matches. My love for the .284 bullets comes from my 7mm Rem Mag which has been my go to hunting round for as long as I've been hunting.
@@userJohnSmith I kicked around a few options for a .284. Ended up with the -08 just because I have several hundred brass laying around from my 308 bolt gun that I eventually sold. So I spent an afternoon necking them all down and good to go. Mix of target and hunting loads.
It should be more popular. Everything the 6.5 Creed can do, the 7mm08 Rem can do better. Not opinion, fact. The 6.5 Creedmoor should be teetering on edge of obscurity while the 7mm08 is wildly popular. If Remington asked SAAMI to include an 8 twist or faster stipulation for the 7mm08, there would be no need for the 6.5 Creedmoor to exist at all.
That is a fact! Just cuz someone owns a particular caliber they troll around like it’s best, but deep down they know they fked up and shoulda got something else!
@@revolutionanarchy713 7mm08 and .284 Winchester will both smoke the 6.5 Creedmoor past 800 yards. Even with a 9 twist, the 7mms are capable of firing bullets in the 162 to 168 gr range that have similar BCs at similar velocities. Put a fast twist on the 7mms and they are capable of shooting bullets in the 175 to 180 gr range with far greater BCs. The 7mm08 won't shoot these heavier bullets at as high of velocities as the Creedmoor in the 147 to 160 gr bullet range, but the higher BCs of the 7mm bullets means that they eventually surpass the 6 5s, and past 800 yards, all the Creedmoor sees is the 7mm's ass. And the .284 Win has the capacity to shoot the 175 to 180s a good 150 to 200 fps faster than the 7mm08. So it has bullets with better BCs and similar velocities to the 6.5 Creedmoor, which means the Creedmoor can't keep up with the .284 Win at any range. And the .284 Win came out in 1962. Which means I can blow the Creedmoor out of the water with a cartridge as old as my dad. Watching the .284 Win bully the 6.5 Creedmoor is like watching prison rape.
😂😂😂 Close but wrong bring your rifle lets goto the store buy a box of $38 ammo and follow me to the range and with store bought ammo tag a 1,300 yard target with your 7-08 Last tulsa gun show we went to a buddies friend needed ammo for his 7-08 everything at the show was $75 plus and none of it was match ammo. 😂😂😂 In no way am i saying a 7-08 is a bad round. There is just no good decent priced factory ammo available for long range which is what the 6.5cm is so good at and it is very easy to take it out to 1,000 yds in a $500 gun with a $400 arken scope.
Hi from NZ. If ur into handloading 7mm 08 will provide some interesting options. I run 140gr Ballistic Tips & on a shoulder shot animals do not run. Ron Spoomer did an excellent video on a 308 -7mm 08 comparison with quite stunning results! Worth a look! The 162gr ELDX Hornady while not strictly a short action hand load will extend the range considerably & will suit shooters using a 2nd Focal plane scope with a BDC reticle. All round I have found this calibre a great tool for putting meat on the table!!
Finally a video about the 7mm-08. I was an early adopter of this cartridge. I got it to replace a 30-06 semi-auto. I wanted a deer rifle that was lighter, handier and no more punishing with recoil. Imagine my surprise when I found out past 200 yards, the little 7mm08 got really close in energy to the 150 grain 30-06 with better ballistics. I've since learned it can be used on moose under 300 yards with good bullets. Yes I reloaded some 160 grainers for those hunts. I've only shot 2 moose but they were both one shot kill and the furthest was over 200 yards and it fell right there. I would also like factories to load heavier premium bullets but have been told that copper bullets or bonded 140 grain bullets will do the trick on bigger game too. I'm now working up loads for the Federal Trophy Bonded Tip bullets. I have a 140 grain load ready and I'm waiting on powder to work up a load with the 160 grain bullets. I have a very accurate load now but its only doing 2550 fps. I'm hoping I can get maybe 50 fps or a little more with a different powder even though the present velocity would do the job. We'll see. It amazing to see the choices available now. When I got mine only Remington loaded it and they only shot about 3-4 inch groups in my rifle. I think I have tried 8 or 9 different factory loads and all of them shot 1.5 inches or less in the same rifle with the Hornady Superformance 139 SST's shooting better than I can shoot. Easy to reload, enough effective range for most hunters, easy to shoot accurately, light recoiling for easier practice, what more could you want?
I lengthened the throat on my 7mm-08 rifle. I can now seat the longer heavier bullets out further so they do not affect the powder capacity of the case as much. I am getting close to 2700 fps now with a 160gr partition. Obviously, this will not work with all rifles as you will be limited by magazine length.
I just got a 7-08 from an Army cpt I know. He used it with 140gr Barnes copper on elk with success. Handloaded it a little hot and it smashed the bull.
@@eddyplant7079 My magazine won't allow it. I have to try a different powder like maybe StaBall 6.5. If I could reach 2600 with good accuracy I'd be happy.
@@C2welder In '88. Early for these parts. Here 308 was just starting to displace 30-06 and a lot of 303 Brit was still being used. That 7mm-08 was a girly gun Ha Ha.
Thank you for doing a review on one of the most effective- but overlooked short action calibers . Unfortunately slick marketing to sell bullets has led to this result. For the vast majority of hunters-- especially in the east-- the 7mm 08 is an excellent choice. I've been shooting one since the 1990's and wouldn't swap for a 6.5 if you paid me.
I love my good old .308, I love my good old .243, and I love my relatively new 7mm-08. Didn't mean to end up with only .308 parent cartridge guns, it just happened, but it's actually been a dang good set to have. Only other rifles I own are a .30-30 lever, and a couple of .22's.
I've been shooting 7mm08 for years and I handload for it. I've used it on Whitetail deer, Mule deer, pronghorn antelope and elk. I'm starting to use 28 nosler for shots that are way out there but I dont use the hottest charges with the fastest velocities to save from burning out the throat of my rifle, plus I find my best accuracy when I'm using milder charges.
I remember when the 7mm-08 came out. I was impressed. My brother-in-law was a fan of the .270 Winchester at that time. I saw a Remington 788 in 7mm-08 and it was for $135 (this was around 1981) so I bought it for his birthday. He never looked back. He liked the 18" barrel and it shot great. That said, in watching your video I would be more tempted to get the .280 Remington (if the ammo was more available). I know the .280 AI is a bit better but the .280 Remington will cause the barrels to last just a bit longer. Great video!
There ya go !! That’s my GoTo cartridge right there ! .280 Remington… you’ll never need anything more . The best 7mm cartridge ever designed in my opinion. Too bad it was never marketed properly by the knuckleheads at Remington . Probably the most overlooked and underrated cartridge in existence. And a hand loaders dream as well !
I bought my Remington 788 in the early eighties. Love the gun as much as the 7-08 load. Back in the 80s, I was shooting at least 20 rounds a week and made clean kills on White-tailed at 300 yds. I don’t shoot the rounds now that I did then, so I don’t try the long shots anymore but 150-200 yds are still dead deer walking.
If i recall correctly, the 7mm-08 was designed to replicate the performance of the 7x57 Mauser in a short-action rifle. I think the 7x57 edges it out just a little bit, but they did a mighty fine job achieving that goal (I hunt with a 7x57). It is one heck of a hunting cartridge.
If you hand load the 7x57, yes. Unfortunately, factory ammo for the 7x57 is fairly anemic compared to the 7-08 since there are so many old military rifles chambered in the old 7MM Mauser.
@@anthonykaiser974 anthony, I have been wanting a 7x57 for a long time and I'm not finding load data showing hotter rounds (not saying they aren't out there) guessing I would have to pretty much work the data up myself and watch the brass and primer. I have the 7-08 and 7 Rem Mag. but was looking for something in between and was thinking since the 7x57 has more case capacity I could get it out of it but haven't found load data showing it. I have since figured I would give a 280AI a shot at it and see but for some unknown reason I have never owned a 7x57 but always wanted one.
@@MegaLostOne you won't likely find 7x57 data published by bullet or powder companies hotter than 7mm-08. That's strictly in the realm of the experienced private individual. Most guys doing that safely are using Quickload or some other program to estimate velocities and pressure to get start and potential safe endpoints.
I’ve taken probably 50 Whitetails with 7mm-08 and all but a handful dropped in their tracks. The others only ran 40-50 yards. I have a Remington model 7 from the custom shop with an 18 inch barrel. It’s like carrying a BB gun and is an awesome tree stand rifle. I think it is an ideal Whitetail cartridge.
7mm.-08 is an efficient, versatile cartridge that performs well on most game animals up to the size of Elk at reasonable ranges. It's light recoiling and inherently accurate. Well worth considering as a medium to large game rifle in the United States. If I didn't already have a "Do it all" rifle, I'd be looking hard at it.
There’s a guy TH-cam that has done EXTENSIVE research on the 7-08 vs just about everything and no doubt the 7-08 is extremely underrated! But this guy is using a Weatherby Vanguard with a 24” barrel and that little bit of extra length really makes the 7-08 very shiny in the numbers department. But truthfully at normal hunting ranges you’d be hard pressed to tell any difference in field performance between the 7-08 and a 308. I witnessed this myself during deer season here in Texas this past season. I have 7 mag that I’ve been getting outstanding accuracy from with colder loads. Very compatible to the 7-08. It performed identical to my 308 on two different deer with broadside shoulder shots this past season.
Thanks for your post. I just happen to like and enjoy shooting the 7mm 08 round. Flat trajectory, ample energy and mild recoil combined with a good MPBR meets my needs.
I had a 7mm-08 in a Browning BLR 81 for almost 30 years. I've taken Moose, Deer, Bear, Elk, Predator's and everything in between. The 140gr Nosler Partition was what I found to be the best performance and accuracy. After my last draw moose tag I was successful on, I retired it for a Browning X-Bolt Stalker LR in 6.5PRC. Really enjoy your videos
Love my 7-08. Was hesitant at first but found a Ruger American on sale and wanted to try it out. Mine runs best with the Hornady SuperPerformance 139gr SST and it is a tack driver with more than enough power for Midwest hunting.
7-08 is fantastic for whitetail around me. I had one of the Remington mod 7s when it first came out. A Short barrel - light, Super light. With a Leupold 3-9,4-12 it weighed less than 7 pounds with the ammo in it. Hated selling it. -Remington screwed up marketing that and compounded it by lengthening the barrel. The weight went up and the sales went down. Now weight wise I would be curious what they could do with todays polymer stocks and mags to make carrying spare rounds easier than carrying a whole box along. There was virtually NO RECOIL. Less than a .270 Easily a fast shooter. But at that time like now AMMUNITION availability and bullet weights were extremely limited. Only ones available were 120 hp and 140 SP. The latter being awesome for whitetail. Went in 7mm. Came out nearly three fingers wide on a clean chest shot(double lung). What more could you ask for. Finances made me sell mine or I never would have. Good for anything short of Brown Bears and the like. None of those around me, but Black bear and Elk are. I was good to go.
7mm-08 is my favorite overall round. .280 AI is probably a close second favorite of mine other than the fact it’s so hard to find. Truly underrated rounds
For nearly a decade of wanting an AR-10, I’ve always thought 7-08 would be an awesome cartridge for it. I don’t have it in bolt action either, so maybe I should do that first. Either way, I’m glad that it rates so highly in more experienced shooters’ books.
I have been thinking about getting a 7mm-08 rifle for a couple of years now. Each time I was dissuaded by the fact that the ballistic profile is so similar to the many 308 win rifles I already own. Of late I have become more picky about what rifles and calibers I allow into my gun safe so given the fact that I already own several 308 Win rifles I will be selling a couple of those to make room for the newly purchased Weatherby Vanguard 2 Sporter in 7mm-08. It's a nice looking rifle and it's a chambering I don't already own. So there you have it. Thanks for posting.
The 7mm-08 very well could be the best choice for any deer hunter which could also be used for a possible elk or black bear hunt under 300 yds. It has so many attributes. I would like to see this video played every week. Excellent presentation.
I have had very good luck with my 7-08 hunting whitetails. I did let one of my best friends borrow this gun on two separate occasions and his then teenage Sons used it to harvest their first-ever rifle deer. Perfect for a youth shooter
I think if I wanted to make an ultralight short rifle for hunting in the mountains I'd have it built in 7mm08. I don't hunt long range what so ever if it's outside 400ish yards I either have to get closer or pass. Great video as always keepem coming brother!!!
I think of all of the African game taken with a .303 Enfield or 7mm Mauser. The 7-08 is a significantly better cartridge and is an excellent medium weight for almost all North American game except Moose or large bears, though it would take both down in a pinch. People spend too much time looking at charts and graphs and not enough time actually shooting. Those great magnums with magic numbers start to wear on you fast. A quick follow up shot ability can be decisive. I remember seeing a bloodshot, bruised and shredded deer carcass because my buddy just knew he needed a .300 Weatherby because it shot like the hand of God. One of the most successful deer hunters I know uses a .257 Roberts. Power is often overrated when it comes to average hunting. Many deer have fallen to a .22LR with proper shot placement.
I don't know if it's better than the 7x57 (in a small ring mauser, maybe. But not in a Large Ring or new rifle that can handle it at its top end), but it is definitely equal to it. I believe it was actually designed with the intention to replicate the performance of the 7x57 but out of a short action rifle.
7mm-08 is probably one of the best balanced cartridges. Often overlooked but it can do it all. I did look on ammofinder and everything is $2.00 a round and higher. That's why my new build is going to be a.308. Unless you're regularly going out past 600 yards the 308 is just fine and there's tons of good ammo for less than a buck a round.
This is where I'm at as well. The rifle I'm going to get is a Tikka .308. I love the 7mm-08 and it's my preference but the ammo availability just isn't there unless you reload.
I just added a new rifle in 308 for the same reason. Fortunately, I already have a Tikka lightweight stainless in 7mm 08 and it is a great accurate rifle. I think the 6.5cm is cutting into the 7mm 08 market and the prices and availability reflect that.
7mm-08 with superformance by hornady... Best load you can buy. The ballistics put it around a 7 mag.. Not a fan of this video the 7mm-08 will out perform a 308. Dumped whitetails at 250yrds
Just bought a mint safe queen Remington Mountain Rifle with the Detachable Box Magazine in 7mm-08.Ready to mount the scope an start tinkering with it.Told the fiancé I had to get it because “she” needed a deer rifle too 😉😉
Thank you for your endorsement of the 7mm-08. I recently purchased a used Weatherby Vanguard rifle in 7mm-08 and took a deer at 100 yards with a Nosler BT 120 gr, bullet. It was a one shot kill. The deer walked about 10 feet and flopped over dead. Its a perfect "Goldie Locks" cartridge for deer. Virtually no bullet drop out to 300 yards or so. A little recoil, but not too much. Powerful enough without meat loss. Just right!. I do agree though, if I were to consider a new cartridge for Elk, I would buy a 280 AI, which is slightly more powerful, about a 170 +- fps faster. All things considered, the 7mm-08 is cheaper to shoot and ammo is more available than the 280 or 280AI.
@@matthewkyle6939do you realize shots over 100 yds can be rare east of the Mississippi? Not every comment about range needs to be taken as if the writer intended it as an accomplishment.
Had a 7mm08 as a youth and loved it. Last few years have been using a Ruger 308 with great results but will definitely rebarrel to 7mm08 when its time. Excellent round for PRS too with very similar ballistics to the 6.5
I like the idea that the 7-08 is a 308 lite. My round is the 308. I have a handful of rifles in 308. My reason came from studying military history, specifically that of Marine Scout Snipers. They would train on the M40 in 7.62X51 mm NATO (.308 Winchester_ because a 165 or 175 gr bullet would put enough stopping power in a 200 pound target out to 600 yards. I hunt on public land and the longest sight line I have ranged is 225 yards, so, I am within the successful parameters. But I could definitely see this 7mm-08 as cartridge good for youth or even first times hunting big game. You could use this for whitetail, blacktail, mule deer, probably an elk with a slightly farther terminal energy than a .308. The round my TC Compass II .308 Win likes best is the Federal Fusion 165 gr that carries 1,000 ft-lbs at 600 yards. Whitetail bucks in my area may get as big as 140 pounds.
I agree that the 7-08 is a great cartridge on paper and probably in real life too, but I already own two 6.5 cm’s and three .308 win’s. I just don’t think there’s that much of a gap between them that I feel the need to fill it. Thanks for a good video.
I shot a 30-06 for 20+ years before I got tired of needing to train myself not to flinch. I switched to a 7mm-08 and wish I did 20+ years sooner. I've killed several elk with both cartridges and I can't tell a difference between the two in terminal performance, but my shoulder definitely feels the difference!
Jim you shedded some great information on the 7MM-08, like you said it was once used in competition circles. By it being a over bore the med weight bullets would give it the most consistency. Being a target shooter a 24 inch barrel with a 140 Gr BT, would be just what the doctor ordered.
7/08 and similar cartridges work very well on Remington 700 long actions. Also, on the Short Action Rem 700, A wyatt's extended Length magazine box is simply fantastic for use with the VLD bullets Seating the bullets out, really gives you the room in the case for slower burning powders with the 162g eldm &X bullets, R#26 with cci 250 primer with barrels that have had their throats extended. My family has used the 130g speer btsp and Hot core on hogs and deer for 20+ years, 42g of IMR 4895, Rem brass, Rem 9 1/2 primer is 3000 fps and hammers deer and hogs HARD! 140g Sierra btsp and flat base work very well on large white tails with a Hot load of Win 760. Winchester 760 gives fantastic barrel life as leade growth is much less than using Varget, R#15, 8208, IMR 4064, consult a Heat Index chart which is much different than the Burning rate chart. AA2700 is one of the coolest burning powders made and it is in the burning rate of the 4350's and Win 760. Few consider the 150g Sierra btsp in this case but it just hammers deer and large hogs very well. As the throat gets worn on your 7/08, this bullet picks up the accuracy due to design and increased bearing surface.
I don't have a 7/08, but researching, I see Hornady charts show you can shoot a 139gr bullet at a muzzle velocity of only 2400 fps muzzle velocity with only 34gr of IMR 4064 (2800fps with 41gr). This is cool because reduced loads and recoil make it a lot easier to shoot 15-20 rounds at the range. And this load STILL gives 200 yd performance of 2000 fps and 1250 ft-lb of energy. I think I'd trade my 30-06 for one of these.
I have a 7mm08 with a 26 inch ER Shaw barrel and it has taken everything from prairie dogs to 400 lb hogs at 300 yards. I love my 243, 25/06, 270, 30/06 and 7mm rem mag but the 7mm08 has mild recoil easy on barrels and is a very efficient cartridge.
Less recoil is the biggest myth for the 7mm-08. I can't tell any difference in the 7mm-08 and 308 win. only difference I can tell between them is the lack of factory ammo for the 7mm-08 in my area.
I’ve been reloading for over 50 years now. Bought a Ruger 77 7x57 in 73’. 7-08’s weren’t out yet at least to my knowledge. We were in a gun shop in Hollister CA and going from a dove hunt to deer back in 73’ and that rifle was hanging on the rack. I traded my Browning light weight 20 ga mag for it. Best deal I ever made. Most factory loads for the 7x57 aren’t loaded to the same pressures as the 7-08’ or 6mm etc. I load for best groups not highest velocity. I had a load that was very accurate (1.75” @ 300yds in a stiff wind) using Speer 145 spbt bullets. Every animal went down one shot. Bullet placement is key and where accuracy builds confidence. Yes it’s a 350 yard rifle but I could shoot 50 rounds of workup loads with the 7x57. Can only shoot maybe 5 with a 7mag I had for a while twenty years ago. I could never get comfortable with that rifle. I’m a small guy & old now. The 7x57 doesn’t give up much to the -08 if hand loading. My current 7x57 is a Rem 700 Mountain rifle. ( try to find one ) I was swapping barrels from the 7x57 in the Ruger to a Shilen 6mm heavy barrel with the slow 1-12” twist (.244 Rem) if I was just getting a new rifle today and didn’t own any the 7-08’ would be my first choice. Rem .280 my second choice. Long action, short action doesn’t make much difference to me as I’m not a competition shooter. Talk to guys that reload the 7x57 and get their thoughts. Great cartridge. I’ve loaded up to 175’s with it and they thump me pretty good. I’ve tried down to 120 gr but back in the day those Speer 145’s were my bullet of choice. Thirty years ago I went on a pig hunt and didn’t have time to reload and a sporting goods store had a box of Norma 150’s. They performed very close to my 145’s as far as poi and accuracy.
Great information definitely something to think about. I do like the fact of more power than the 6.5 creedmore and anything over 400 yards I would not shoot at
I have watched your channel for a little while. I enjoy your presentation and reasoning with a concise explanation. Since I do enjoy your detailed reasoning, I have subscribed. Keep up the good work.
7mm-08 is actually pretty common in the north Maine woods and takes moose every year. Under 100 yards it penetrates a lot due to high sectional densities and modern bullets. Out to 250 yards though it’s more of a deer elk and caribou rifle. 7-08 is also available in TC encore 15” pistol barrels ;) Now that’s a lightweight mountain “rifle”.
I've hunted with a TC Contender for years, 30-30 AI, 14" barrel. It will push 125s at a little over 2700 fps. Talk about an short ultralight rifle!!!! Your 15" 7mm-08 barrel will be a real deer slayer.
I have hunted with the 7mm-08 since 1981. Local gun store owner and my dad were hunting buddies. Store owner had a brand new 700 BDL which he topped with a Redfield Widefield 2x7. He gave me the gun for a wedding present. In 1985 when the Mountain 7mm-08 came out, He traded me a Mountain for the BDL. He even re-sighted the scope for free. Scope lasted until 2017. Rifle still shoots 1" or better with a Nikon Buckmaster.
Great review. I’ve been hunting/shooting for over 50 yrs and have owned dozens of guns in various calibers. My glass bedded 7mm-08 Remington CDL is the gun I’ve had the longest. It has taken a number of deer, black bear, elk, moose, coyotes, wolves, one head shot Blue Grouse and 3 Spruce Grouse. Everyone who I have let shoot it have offered to buy it. It is THE most accurate caliber/rifle combination I have ever owned so far.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge as I knew very little about the 7mm-08. My arthritic shoulder's could use a break, I'll have to get a Ruger American for my son and I. I like hunting with a lever action rifle, but I'm a Ruger fanboy.
If your willing to spend a little more money the Bergara b14 Hunter is well worth it. I have one in 7-08 and absolutely love it. I have a ruger American in 243 and the bergara is far above better quality.
Our family has used 7mm-08 since mid 1990's in light mountain rifle with 20 inch barrel. We reload and can get 2850 with H4350 and 139-140 bullets and 2750 with 154 grain bullets. They have taken many Mule Deer and Antalope out to 400 yards. Great gun.
I built my own 7-08 bench gun from an old Savage 308 that finally got the throat shot out of it. Put a threaded 26" Shilen barrel on it, dropped it in an XLR chassis with a Bushnell DMR and my SilencerCo SpecWar, and that thing is absolutely wicked. Running Hornady 162gr ELD-X on top of IMR 4064 at about 2580fps, and you're right... you don't NEED barn-burner velocities because the BC on the bullets are so good that it just keeps on cruising. This set-up consistently has about a 50% effective range advantage over my 308 loads with 168gr SMK, which start off about 250fps faster.
When my conservation unit first opened to rifles in living memoiry I went shopping for a 7mm-08 rifle. I was late. None available. So, .308? None available. Not even a .30-06. So, as I said "well what do you have?' The shop pulled out a dusty box off a Savage .260 Rem M11. Huh? I went to the reloading manual rack and looked up this unknown and said . . . huh?" Not bad. Went home with it and have not looked back. No wapiti or moose in NY and for whitetail this is the bomb. A Swift Scirocco II 130 gr is grim death.
Bought my youngest son a Ruger All Weather 7mm-08 with a 22 inch long barrel. Got a aftermarket Bell and Carlson stock with an aluminum trigger guard included. Topped it off with a 2 x 7 Luepold scope and he loves it.
I've owned a 7mm-08 since They came on the market. Truly a joy to shoot. I recently Purchased a 6.5 Creedmoor Simply because ammo is So easy to get. Walmart has At least 6 different loads . Finding 7-08 is pricey and Not readily available where I live. Long love the 7mm-08😊
I shoot three bolt action hunting calibers. 308 Win, 6.5 Creedmoor and 7mm-08 Rem. I have been wanting my one do it all rifle in a custom build. Between this and the Backfire video a few days ago listing the 7mm-08 as one of the cartridges the young man said he had never seen an elk lost with, I chose the 7mm-08. Just ordered my barrel today.
I love the caliber. But lately its hard to come by. My kids did like it when they were younger….now they prefer bigger hotter calibers. But I still take mine out on occasion….i tend to rotate my rifles during season so they dont get left out and lonely in the safe LOL.
7MM-08 is an absolutely AWESOME hunting round. I've got rifles in chamberings across the spectrum, but the 7MM-08 is always my go-to. I just killed a deer with it two nights ago, and that makes 60 or 70 with this round. Most all have dropped like they were hit by lightning. I killed a nice PA bear with it, too. Can't say enough good about it.
I love my Remington model seven in 7-08. If I didn’t also have a 7 SAUM in the same gun, I’d have no qualms using it for elk. Just stay within 300 yards. I sometimes picked the 7-08 over my 300 win mag before I got the SAUM just for the fact it is so fun to carry
My wife loves her Remington 708. She has gotten several deer with it. I would really love to see you do a review on the old 6.5 × 55 sweedish mouser which is the rifle I use (sporterized) in open country and a Henry 45-70 in wooded areas. I know there are videos by others but you seem to do more research on the rifle you are talking about. Just plain out better videos. Thank you.
I started my 4'8" wife on a .243. The rifle i bought her i never could find a load it liked. One time in the deer blind, she "just wanted to look" at a buck with my 30-06 @165 yds.. BANG and it was dead. I sold the .243 and bought her a Savage in 7mm-08. Far more accurate and she shoots it like a champ. We're not going back.
In my years using my Remington model 7 7MM-08 one thing I have found is in the ammo. I always for years used Remington corlock ammo. Then I tried the Winchester ballistic silvertip ammo. Big game changer. I believe the reason is the corlock ammo has a soft lead tip with a copper jacket. The ballistic silvertip has a polymer tip that when chambering the round slides in may smoother and has less deformation to the tip creating lest turbulence and wind drag to the bullet in flight.
Bought my Rem. 700 7mm-08 a few years back. Dropped it into a Magpul hunter stock and topped it off with a Vortex 4-16 power scope. I prefer to reload and push 140 Sierra game kings at about 2800 fps. Awesome accuracy. My go to rifle.
I have a Browning 7mm-08 great little gun. I hated it at first because every factory ammo that I shot had very poor accuracy, but my handloads improved things dramatically. Very well balanced cartradge, shoots flat enough, fast enough, hit hard enough and does so without a huge muzzle blast or recoil. It ranks as my second favorite deer hunting cartridge only behind the superb 6.5x55 and just ahead of the 270 Win and 308. I have a 7mm Rem mag as well, and while that is fine it only makes 150fps more speed at the cost of significanly higher weight, recoil, noise, and cost, if I had to pick just one the 7mm-08 is an easy choice.
We have 2 of them, my son is taking his on first elk hunt with me this fall. The hornady super 150 grain sst holds 1500lb energy out to 400 yards. That's our elk loads. Deer loads are the barnes 120s. His is mossberg patriot, I have the Browning bar camo, it's a tack driver with those 120s.
I picked up an 80 s stainless Ruger in 223 with the cool stock . Hardly see these rifles anywhere anymore . This sucker is solid for a Ruger . Picked up a long long barrel remingrom ..22 from the 70 s . Looked at it , was clean a f , didn’t ask questions , sign the paper here’s the money thank you , I ll take care of it .
I have a 7mm-08 and it is extremely difficult to find ammo right now. Great cartridge with low recoil but ammo selection is slim. I missed my chance on an elk last year, but hopefully will get another one this year
@@Mountain-Man27 that’s not been my experience. I’ve even tried looking while traveling and haven’t managed to find any. Not saying there isn’t places that it can be found, I just haven’t found them yet.
It is because everybody looks at the same places at the same time! Try buying during them during the summer or from a pawn shop the specializes in firearms. It takes some effort but I can always find a box within a few days. Affording the box is another question all together. Y'all think the more expensive ammo makes a difference in dense forests?
The greatest secret of the 7mm-08 is the versatility with 120 gr class bullets. The 120 Nosler Ballistic Tip, 120 Hornady V-Max, and 120 Barnes TTSX are a holy trinity of efficiency and application. I get just under 3100 fps with each out of a 22" barrel and aggregately shoot to the same POI. There are significant diminishing marginal returns burning more powder behind these light bullets making the 7mm-08 and 120 class bullets a perfect "sweet spot".
I am 66 years old and have been hunting PA white tails since the age of 12. For the vast majority of that time I’ve used a trusty Remington 760 Carbine in 30-06 with good result. However, the muzzle blast and recoil from that firearm became increasingly annoying as I aged, not that I noticed it when harvesting deer, but certainly did when shooting at the range. I thought back to the rifles I started my children with; 7mm-08’s. Their performance in harvesting 50 - 75 yard white tails was indistinguishable from my 30-06 carbine. So, several years ago I treated myself to a retirement present of a stainless Tikka T3x in 7mm-08. I took it to the range with a variety of loads (I reload) to start load development “work”. I put “work” in quotes because the rifle shot multiple bullet/powder combinations at one moa without much work. I am guessing there were better loads to be had, but to differentiate them is beyond my ability as a shooter. I settled on a sane load of Reloader 15 under a 140 grain Nosler Accubond. I have harvested three white tails with that combination with great result. The caliber/Tikka combination is a pleasure to shoot. The only regret I have is sometimes feeling disloyal to my ‘06 carbine as its sits in the safe on opening day..... no doubt there are many caliber/firearm combinations that work wonderfully for 75 yard deer hunting. I can attest that the 7mm-08 Tikka combo is one of them.
7mm 08 hand loaded that rounds a rocket.
You can use reduced loads to give the ol '06 some range time and honestly for deer hunting they're fine for most situations. I've been reloading since the early 90's and have read every bit of reference material from the past I could get my hands on and there was a time when "reduced loads for deer hunting" was a very common segment of most articles and columns...
I've hunted with the little 7mm-08 for nearly 30 years and had several different rifles chambered for it in various configurations and have never found it to be lacking in power/effectiveness for normal hunting ranges. I had all manner of other rifles in many other standard and magnum chamberings and still do but I am just about to build another 7mm-08 because it just works.
I’ve got 2 Iam on the edge of scaling back Iam thinking just 7 mm no more 6.5 there’s nothing there I have my 26” vls shooting 110 speer hp at 3350 500 yote buster bucks the wind one hole w xbr powder
I put away my 35 year old remington 700 bdl in 30-06 about 4 years ago. I purchased a 7mm-08 in a remington 700 mouintain rifle and with handloaded 140 grain nosler partions it is a very potent whitetail gun and in a much lighter rifle. Not knocking the old faithful 30-06 at all which has accounted for more deer than i can count. Less recoil and very accurate hard hitting caliber. Ive always liked 7mm .284 bore diameter as i own and old bdl in 7mm rem mag. 7mm-08 is no joke as a hunting cartridge . 4 years now and have taken 7 missouri whitetails with clean quick kills! Thanks for the great video!
I purchased my 7/08 in 1989.I chose it over the .270 because I wanted a short action rifle.My rifle is also a 700 mountain rifle that I plan to pass on to my granddaughter in the future.
The kick to me is very similar to a .270. The short action of the 700 in 7mm 08 is so much better, less weight but better balance to me.
Here in MO my son has bagged a few whitetail with an old surplus 7.62x39 in brush, the round even loaded that light does well in brush like we have here. A 7mm08 is so easy on a 700 barrel. I wonder how of those old junk SKS are still around, he got a double strike from his and it went to firearms heaven. Lol 😂 He is a great shot though. He has a .303 British that he taken a few bets with 220yds open sights and a whole stripper in the 10 ring. Btw we ascribe to the belief that you don’t have a good shot unless it’s one in and a big one out. 👍
I work at a gun store in Colorado. The 6.5cm has dropped off significantly in the last 3 years. Partly because of the 6.5 PRC, but I think people are figuring out that the creedmoor, really isn't the second coming of Christ. I absolutely love my 7mm08. Both my kids used it for their first hunting rifles and numerous other family and friends. ALWAYS the same results. One and done. Great video. Good luck.
The funny thing is the 6.5 creedmoor has never been marketed as the “second coming of Christ” or the ultimate end all be all cartridge. I’ve never heard anyone who owns one say it is either. So I don’t understand where this stereotype about 6.5 creedmoor owners comes from.
6.5 creedmoor is my favorite cartridge for target shooting. There really are no good or bad cartridges only trade offs. 6.5 creedmoor happens to fall into a bit of a sweet spot. Low recoil, low wind drift, high bc bullets.
@@3421958 comes from blatant lies and stories spread very wide.
@@keithprinn720 can you name any specifically? A link to a video full of lies? A link to a false advertisement by Hornady? Never heard any myself.
I completely agree with you about the 6.5 Creedmore. I was going to buy one but after doing some research I found out it was just really good marketing. Other cartridges beat it and now the same guys who were head over heels in love with the Creedmore wished they had bought the PRC instead. Anyone who uses the 260 A.I. is still king
@Nick-wn1xwSwede is nice but an absolute SOB to find ammo for sometimes.
I really miss shooting. I am blind now, but I love these videos to listen to and everyone’s thoughts and stories. I miss stalking and setting up my nest. My last shot was a a range with a 22-250 what a sweet tack driver. You can see the projectile hit the target in the scope before hearing the report!
How did you go blind?
Blind and wrote a comment😎 Ballin
@@NjG1 Show some respect.
Sorry to hear that.Keep doing what you can my man.
Thanks for a great clip. I’ve shot 2 red deer stags (weight around 360 pounds) in the Scottish highlands, with this round. Distance around 250 yards. Definately enough stopping power and energy. Both stags/bulls expired with a flight distance less than 15 yards from shot place. Shots were placed on or directly behind the shoulder. Recoil was very mild. Lovely caliber!
My favorite cartridge ❤️
I bought my first 7mm-08 in 2000.. and couldn't believe how well it shot! I tried nine different brands of factory ammo and it shot 1/4 to 1 and 1/2 inch groups with all of them! No kidding!!!
Now.. I credit most of that to the rifle. It was a Remington 700 LSS.. and it looked as good as it shot! Regrettably I sold all my firearms back in 2007.. with the intention on replacing them one day.
It took me until 2021 to get another 7mm-08.. which was a Tikka T3 Hunter. First 100 yard group.. no kidding .55 inches! That was with ammo I had on hand from the previous 7mm-08. The price on the box was $21.95 ( Winchester Ballistic silvertips ).
Wish those prices were the same nowadays :)
just mounted a scope on my first 7mm 08 tikka
@@craighooser6208 you'll love the 7mm-08 Remington!
Try Norma Whitetail 150 grain loads
For some reason.. a lot of people have been reporting exceptional accuracy! Mine grouped .67 inches at 100 yards and no kidding .82 inches at 200 yards!
Best of luck to this season!
I inherited a Remington 7mm mag 30+ years ago and a life time supply of bullets. About 15 years ago I got whiplash from an auto accident and 9 shots from the 7mag I would have a headache but with the 7mm08 I can shoot it all day with no issues. Great video
Back in 1980, my wife started deer hunting with me using a Savage Model 99 in the .303 Savage caliber. She killed her first deer with it. The following year, I bought her a Remington Model 7 in the .243. Shorter, lighter, and less recoil than the Savage. But she always liked the lever action. So, around 1985 or so, I looked into the lever actions available and all were basically .30 cal....Except the Browning. It offered the 7mm-08 among it's range of deer calibers. Comparing it to the .243, I found it was less than 100 ft. per second slower, and had about 1/4 inch more drop in trajectory. However, the .243 was a 100 gr. bullet, and the 7mm-08 was a 120 gr. bullet which gave it more knock down. I traded her Remington for the Browning and she's been using it for 37 yrs. now. Great caliber and a great rifle.
My 2 favorite cartridges is the .280AI and 7mm-08. I hand load for both but since I primarily hunt whitetails in SE USA, it’s hard not to keep reaching for my ‘08. So efficient and impressive loads for size of case. Great video and great cartridge.
I’ve been hunting my whole life since I was a kid. This year will be 27 years hunting deer in Pennsylvania. Most years I’ve harvested at least one deer and the majority have been taken by the 7mm08. Stumbling across this video solidified what I’ve always said about the 7mm08, probably hands down the best deer cartridge you can use. I have a 270 I take out on occasion, but my core deer arsenal is a rotation of 3 different 7mm08. Kimber ultra lite only makes it out on the nicest of hunting days.
I love the Remington 7600 in 7mm-08
I thought I was the only guy who owned three of em... what a relief! Killed probably 50 deer 10 hogs and some rabbits. All clean kills. bear season opens for my region for the first time in decades, I think Ill carry dads Browning with the long barrel.
i am also a PA guy (66 years young) who owns 6 deer rifles and the rifle that usually use is my least expensive. A left handed Savage bolt action in 7mm08. I love using it, the PA deer population not so much! Always pack my Marlin 30-30 for backup.
@@markg117 I also shoot a left hand bolt Savage 7mm-08. I love it! I put a Boyd's laminate stock on it and it shoots 1/2" groups at 100 yards.
I shoot a browning a bolt 7mm08😊
I love my bergara b14 ridge in 7-08. Absolutely joy to shoot. I’ve taken whitetail, axis, blackbuck, mule deer, and a bunch of pigs with it. Going after my first elk next season. Going to use my 7-08.
I have a b14 in the same. Love it makes the 6.5 creed redundant.
@@drdes9609 I had a 6.5 for a month. Can’t stand it. Yes it’s great for long range shooting.
@@jarrettkennedy3148 what about it cant you stand after a month of owning it
@@hotramen5952 I didn’t like it for hunting. Made shooting long range to easy. I like a challenge. It just didn’t do it for me.
@@jarrettkennedy3148 when you dont like something because its too good, you should really say that up front. also seems like a choice that would be painful to regret, tracking a weak blood trail in the dark comes to mind
I love the 7mm-08, FANTASTIC deer round
I was moose hunting with my buddy in Alaska a few years ago and witnessed him take a bull with a 7/08 under 100 yards. I doubted him until I saw that. It got the job done. One shot! The most impressive thing I've seen.
THE MOST underrated cartridge in N.A. It's a stellar performer, I shoot a 120 gr. TTSX. That little bullet is insane in its killing ability. Took my moose with it last fall up here in BC. Through both lungs and out the otherside. Thanks for redeeming yourself by doing this video after not including the 7mm-08 in your previous best cartridge video.
@Nick Cuz all I hear about is how it’s a great kids/ladies cartridge. But apparently the 6.5 CM is a man’s round. Lol
That’s what I use in the Swede and 7x08 120 s to me 3 k fps does the job thanks to 7 mm mag making lighter bullets heavier jackets 120 nosler bt bt are thicker than the 140 s the juntion Texas special we call them that and the horn sst just works
I've been hunting for almost fifty years now. Granted, the topography varies greatly here in North America. I've hunted, and/or fished, in almost every state east of the Mississippi and a couple of times in Canada. That said, here in my home state of WV, I've never had to take a shot at any large game out past 100yds (the longest shots I've ever taken have been between 300-400yds varmint hunting). That's simply due to the majority of the areas I usually hunt. So, I've got a wide variety of large and medium calibers to choose from that will work very well. I've never owned or fired anything chambered in 7mm-08, but would have no qualms at all about owning one. The drop in performance mentioned here past 700yds would be pretty moot for me as far as hunting goes. Hell, I can't see anything out that far anyway lol...
From WV myself now in Ky and I also have 7mm08 in a Rem. Model 7 and love it. It's a good all around light weight rifle. Hard to beat.
I’m in western KY and 7mm-08 is the perfect rifle cartridge for this part of the state. I load 162 and 165gr projectiles.
@@stevennewman4778 I have never shot 162 or 165 in my 08 . It must shoot good in yours to reload that load. I don't reload just never got into it, should have years ago. I'm in Eastern Ky near Grayson Lake state park, been here a little over a year, we moved from Georgia which we moved from WV. Still checking out the area here. Hope you have a good season this fall.
Grew up in Kanawha County and did a lot of hunting at Dolly Sods about 20 yrs worth. Hunted Braxton to Putnam quite a bit before moving to GA for a few years now Ky lol good thing I have a lifetime license for WV and GA. I'm retired and still hunt both as while as Southern Ohio some. Good luck hunting this fall.
I'm with you on this topic.
On average, you need 41% more powder by volume in a 7mm Rem Mag to get 9% more performance than in a standard load in 7mm-08. So, if you like the extra weight, recoil, and cost of your 7mm Rem Mag ... have at it. I switched from 7mm Rem Mag to 7mm-08 for hunting purposes and have found zero difference for what I consider ethical hunting ranges. The big difference though, is that my 7mm-08 is cheaper to reload and has significantly less recoil. The Elk and Deer I kill each year find no difference though.
Someone been whatching the fellas over at Vortex? Lol
I shoot a 7mm rem mag but the 7mm-08 has significantly less recoil. Been looking for the 7-08 for my wife. Shes a little soft shouldered
@@willpack1658 I started my 13 year old on the 7’08. He is smaller and lanky. The recoil from the bench is sharp, but when off of the bench, it would be perfect for her, that or a 243😁
My answer to the 7mm Rem Mag AND the 7mm-08 is the .280 Remington 😁
@@willpack1658 it's not completely obvious, but a .270 win will often have a more friendly recoil. It's spread out a bit more and can be less sharp feeling.
Faster twist barrel in 7 08 than 308. I'd take the 7 08 over 6.5 creedmoor. Heavier bullet options
Im running 156gr Norma bullets in my creedmoor. They arent the only company to offer a 150+gr 6.5 bullet
@@veteranironoutdoors8320 Can you shoot a 175 grain bullet for closer range big game/penetration in your Creedmoor?
@@johnganshow5536 dont need to, thats where the oryx shines.
Then you need to shoot 7 Mauser. Faster then 7-08. Same velocity. You could literally turn a 7-08 into 7 Mauser with nothing more than a chamber reamer.
@@veteranironoutdoors8320 thinking of trying hammerdown. There a solid copper ron spomer just interviewed the developer
I have a Remington Model Seven in 7mm-08, blued with a brown laminated stock that I bought I believe over fifteen years ago, simply because it seemed so compact and gorgeous. I never put optics on it since it has the iron sights, and besides I've never shot it. I guess I should sell it to someone who will actually use it, but every time I pick it up I think not yet, lol.
I've got a lot of respect for the 7mm-08. My father inlaw has one and it's taken springbuck with 120grn heads and all the way to eland with the 160grn. Absolute brilliant round.
Why hunt with a round you have to defend. Hunt with one that speaks for itself. 7mm, rem mag. 30 cal 300 prc, rum, nosler,
7mm-08 doesn't need to be defended. But here in SA I don't think it's as popular or as well known as it is in the states. Here in SA there's the very popular rounds. 270 the 308 30-06 300 win mag and 375. When you say 7mm-08 the people that don't know of it look at you funny and ask why not just get a 308.
@@stevensimpson5462 6.5 creedmoor can do everything a 7mm08 can do at hunting distances with less recoil and muzzle jump, then spanks it in long range shooting.
I was waiting for the 6.5 creedmoor statement ha ha ha. In the video Jim said that the creedmoor and the 7mm-08 are nearly identical out to 800 yards. He also said it's mainly a hunting cartridge at the moment. So regarding it as a hunting round and one would not be really be shooting further than 350 meters depending on personal preference and what is an ethical shot I'd go with the 7mm-08. I also recall Jim saying last time he visited this side of the world he did notice the 6.5 did battle a little on the "bigger" game like the black and blue wildebeest (poor man's buffalo) there for the 7mm-08 is a better hunting cartridge as an all rounder than the 6.5 creedmoor is. Creedmoor has its place and that's on the range punching paper and gongs at crazy distances. That's my opinion based on experience with the caliber on the shooting range in the bush and doing plains game hunting at distances. At the end of the day it's personal preference and what the shooter is comfortable with and shot placement. Imagine how boring life would be if we only had 1 caliber to choose. The TH-cam comments would be far more boring than they are.
@@stevensimpson5462 well creedmoor has its place. And that is in the hands of hunters who have brains. Same people who hate on the 6.5 creedmoor are the ones that love a 243 lol. I'm not saying someone should go hunt wildebeest at 500 yards with it, be pretty silly to hunt a wildebeest at 500 yards with either really. I think both are undergunned. For anything that an ethical hunter would use a 7mm08 for you can easily use a 6.5 creedmoor. That is a fact, not an opinion.
A little over a year ago I decided I wanted a 7mm-08 primarily for my wife and teenage kids to use, though I really enjoy shooting it too. I watched the stores, and when I saw the gun I wanted 6 months later, I grabbed one. During that time I also learned how to handload, and that had really been helpful with this cartridge. I was fortunate to already have a lot of 308 brass from shooting my father-in-laws 308, so I have been converting that to 7mm-08 brass and loading it up. It's a little extra fun cause I feel like I'm wildcatting, even if I'm not. Reloading is the real key to making this cartridge affordable. Looking forward to working up my 120gr ttsx load.
My son just added another buck to his total, another 3.5 year old Wisconsin 10 pt. This is #8 for him with his savage axis 7mm08. All with Hornady custom lite 120gr. All one shot. 50-212 yards. There's a ton of great calibers, and this one certainly can't be overlooked.
With the right handload, the 7-08 can push 150s up to 2800 fps. That gives a sectional density of just over .260. With the ELD-X, that comes with a fantastic BC of .574, so the bullet still carries over 1500 ftlb past 400 yd, and is still going over 2100 fps. 👌
Yeah, I’m pushing 2850fps with 162gr eld-m’s with no pressure signs on a custom built 28” match gun, loading long at 2.955” and about .060” free bore. I’m getting a 26” proof barrel next to swap for hunting and I imagine I can keep it above 2800fps with 162gr eld-x no problem. That puts me at 550 yds before I drop below 1500ft-lb and 2050fps.
This is exactly what I want to do for my next build. I think it's about as efficient as you can get for 400y and in. I'm kind of in love with it lol
You guys are letting the cat out of the bag.
40gr of imr4895, 2.92 coal 150gr eld x, avg of 2837 out of my dad's tc compass 22 inch barrel, this load has taken everything and they all dropped like a sack of rocks
Love Randy! When someone acts as if the .308 is obsolete for whatever dumb reason they have, I always send them his video, of his favorite elk cartridge…. .308!!! Good vid Jim!
I have a 7mm-08 in a custom rifle with a 18 inch barrel. I love the thing. Great on Texas deer and fine on elk within decent reason.
I'm a big fan of the 7mm08 and have taken many game animals w/it. Also a fan of the .243 for young shooters if you're a white tailed hunter, or even wild hogs.
I actually built an AR10 with a 7mm-08 barrel. That thing shoots lights out to 400 yards with just about anything I feed it. Its a wonderful hunting rifle (in regions that allow it) and I've also used it a few times in the "tactical" division of PRS matches. My love for the .284 bullets comes from my 7mm Rem Mag which has been my go to hunting round for as long as I've been hunting.
@@userJohnSmith I kicked around a few options for a .284. Ended up with the -08 just because I have several hundred brass laying around from my 308 bolt gun that I eventually sold. So I spent an afternoon necking them all down and good to go. Mix of target and hunting loads.
Good call out on Randy! Great show and info on his 7mm-08.
It should be more popular. Everything the 6.5 Creed can do, the 7mm08 Rem can do better. Not opinion, fact. The 6.5 Creedmoor should be teetering on edge of obscurity while the 7mm08 is wildly popular. If Remington asked SAAMI to include an 8 twist or faster stipulation for the 7mm08, there would be no need for the 6.5 Creedmoor to exist at all.
That is a fact! Just cuz someone owns a particular caliber they troll around like it’s best, but deep down they know they fked up and shoulda got something else!
Haha! Ok grandpa! Laughes in 6.5 Creedmoor past 800 yards
@@ronlowney4700 watch it again buddy. And it’s Creedmoor, fyi, lol!
@@revolutionanarchy713 7mm08 and .284 Winchester will both smoke the 6.5 Creedmoor past 800 yards. Even with a 9 twist, the 7mms are capable of firing bullets in the 162 to 168 gr range that have similar BCs at similar velocities. Put a fast twist on the 7mms and they are capable of shooting bullets in the 175 to 180 gr range with far greater BCs. The 7mm08 won't shoot these heavier bullets at as high of velocities as the Creedmoor in the 147 to 160 gr bullet range, but the higher BCs of the 7mm bullets means that they eventually surpass the 6 5s, and past 800 yards, all the Creedmoor sees is the 7mm's ass. And the .284 Win has the capacity to shoot the 175 to 180s a good 150 to 200 fps faster than the 7mm08. So it has bullets with better BCs and similar velocities to the 6.5 Creedmoor, which means the Creedmoor can't keep up with the .284 Win at any range. And the .284 Win came out in 1962. Which means I can blow the Creedmoor out of the water with a cartridge as old as my dad. Watching the .284 Win bully the 6.5 Creedmoor is like watching prison rape.
😂😂😂
Close but wrong bring your rifle lets goto the store buy a box of $38 ammo and follow me to the range and with store bought ammo tag a 1,300 yard target with your 7-08
Last tulsa gun show we went to a buddies friend needed ammo for his 7-08 everything at the show was $75 plus and none of it was match ammo. 😂😂😂
In no way am i saying a 7-08 is a bad round. There is just no good decent priced factory ammo available for long range which is what the 6.5cm is so good at and it is very easy to take it out to 1,000 yds in a $500 gun with a $400 arken scope.
Hi from NZ. If ur into handloading 7mm 08 will provide some interesting options. I run 140gr Ballistic Tips & on a shoulder shot animals do not run. Ron Spoomer did an excellent video on a 308 -7mm 08 comparison with quite stunning results! Worth a look!
The 162gr ELDX Hornady while not strictly a short action hand load will extend the range considerably & will suit shooters using a 2nd Focal plane scope with a BDC reticle. All round I have found this calibre a great tool for putting meat on the table!!
...and the120gr Vmax for the 'extra pop' on smaller ferals.
NSW
Finally a video about the 7mm-08. I was an early adopter of this cartridge. I got it to replace a 30-06 semi-auto. I wanted a deer rifle that was lighter, handier and no more punishing with recoil. Imagine my surprise when I found out past 200 yards, the little 7mm08 got really close in energy to the 150 grain 30-06 with better ballistics. I've since learned it can be used on moose under 300 yards with good bullets. Yes I reloaded some 160 grainers for those hunts. I've only shot 2 moose but they were both one shot kill and the furthest was over 200 yards and it fell right there. I would also like factories to load heavier premium bullets but have been told that copper bullets or bonded 140 grain bullets will do the trick on bigger game too. I'm now working up loads for the Federal Trophy Bonded Tip bullets. I have a 140 grain load ready and I'm waiting on powder to work up a load with the 160 grain bullets. I have a very accurate load now but its only doing 2550 fps. I'm hoping I can get maybe 50 fps or a little more with a different powder even though the present velocity would do the job. We'll see. It amazing to see the choices available now. When I got mine only Remington loaded it and they only shot about 3-4 inch groups in my rifle. I think I have tried 8 or 9 different factory loads and all of them shot 1.5 inches or less in the same rifle with the Hornady Superformance 139 SST's shooting better than I can shoot. Easy to reload, enough effective range for most hunters, easy to shoot accurately, light recoiling for easier practice, what more could you want?
I lengthened the throat on my 7mm-08 rifle. I can now seat the longer heavier bullets out further so they do not affect the powder capacity of the case as much. I am getting close to 2700 fps now with a 160gr partition. Obviously, this will not work with all rifles as you will be limited by magazine length.
When did you first get a 7-08?
I just got a 7-08 from an Army cpt I know. He used it with 140gr Barnes copper on elk with success. Handloaded it a little hot and it smashed the bull.
@@eddyplant7079 My magazine won't allow it. I have to try a different powder like maybe StaBall 6.5. If I could reach 2600 with good accuracy I'd be happy.
@@C2welder In '88. Early for these parts. Here 308 was just starting to displace 30-06 and a lot of 303 Brit was still being used. That 7mm-08 was a girly gun Ha Ha.
Thank you for doing a review on one of the most effective- but overlooked short action calibers . Unfortunately slick marketing to sell bullets has led to this result. For the vast majority of hunters-- especially in the east-- the 7mm 08 is an excellent choice. I've been shooting one since the 1990's and wouldn't swap for a 6.5 if you paid me.
The 7mm-08 is wicked on deer with Hornady SST's. Bang flop! The shock wave is brutal through the vitals.😁
I love my good old .308, I love my good old .243, and I love my relatively new 7mm-08.
Didn't mean to end up with only .308 parent cartridge guns, it just happened, but it's actually been a dang good set to have. Only other rifles I own are a .30-30 lever, and a couple of .22's.
I've been shooting 7mm08 for years and I handload for it. I've used it on Whitetail deer, Mule deer, pronghorn antelope and elk. I'm starting to use 28 nosler for shots that are way out there but I dont use the hottest charges with the fastest velocities to save from burning out the throat of my rifle, plus I find my best accuracy when I'm using milder charges.
I remember when the 7mm-08 came out. I was impressed. My brother-in-law was a fan of the .270 Winchester at that time. I saw a Remington 788 in 7mm-08 and it was for $135 (this was around 1981) so I bought it for his birthday. He never looked back. He liked the 18" barrel and it shot great. That said, in watching your video I would be more tempted to get the .280 Remington (if the ammo was more available). I know the .280 AI is a bit better but the .280 Remington will cause the barrels to last just a bit longer. Great video!
The 280ai isn’t hard on barrels at all.
.280 REM is great!
I'll stick with my 7mm Magnum if I need something bigger.
There ya go !! That’s my GoTo cartridge right there ! .280 Remington… you’ll never need anything more . The best 7mm cartridge ever designed in my opinion. Too bad it was never marketed properly by the knuckleheads at Remington . Probably the most overlooked and underrated cartridge in existence. And a hand loaders dream as well !
I bought my Remington 788 in the early eighties. Love the gun as much as the 7-08 load. Back in the 80s, I was shooting at least 20 rounds a week and made clean kills on White-tailed at 300 yds. I don’t shoot the rounds now that I did then, so I don’t try the long shots anymore but 150-200 yds are still dead deer walking.
If i recall correctly, the 7mm-08 was designed to replicate the performance of the 7x57 Mauser in a short-action rifle. I think the 7x57 edges it out just a little bit, but they did a mighty fine job achieving that goal (I hunt with a 7x57). It is one heck of a hunting cartridge.
If you hand load the 7x57, yes. Unfortunately, factory ammo for the 7x57 is fairly anemic compared to the 7-08 since there are so many old military rifles chambered in the old 7MM Mauser.
@@demetriuscooksey7147certainly true with most US factory ammo. European loads are typically a bit more realistic for modern rifles.
@@anthonykaiser974 anthony, I have been wanting a 7x57 for a long time and I'm not finding load data showing hotter rounds (not saying they aren't out there) guessing I would have to pretty much work the data up myself and watch the brass and primer. I have the 7-08 and 7 Rem Mag. but was looking for something in between and was thinking since the 7x57 has more case capacity I could get it out of it but haven't found load data showing it.
I have since figured I would give a 280AI a shot at it and see but for some unknown reason I have never owned a 7x57 but always wanted one.
@@MegaLostOne you won't likely find 7x57 data published by bullet or powder companies hotter than 7mm-08. That's strictly in the realm of the experienced private individual. Most guys doing that safely are using Quickload or some other program to estimate velocities and pressure to get start and potential safe endpoints.
I’ve taken probably 50 Whitetails with 7mm-08 and all but a handful dropped in their tracks. The others only ran 40-50 yards. I have a Remington model 7 from the custom shop with an 18 inch barrel. It’s like carrying a BB gun and is an awesome tree stand rifle. I think it is an ideal Whitetail cartridge.
The 7mm-08 is a fantastic cartridge. Truly a pussycat to shoot in a light rifle and a very tame recoil impulse. I love it!
7mm.-08 is an efficient, versatile cartridge that performs well on most game animals up to the size of Elk at reasonable ranges. It's light recoiling and inherently accurate. Well worth considering as a medium to large game rifle in the United States. If I didn't already have a "Do it all" rifle, I'd be looking hard at it.
There’s a guy TH-cam that has done EXTENSIVE research on the 7-08 vs just about everything and no doubt the 7-08 is extremely underrated! But this guy is using a Weatherby Vanguard with a 24” barrel and that little bit of extra length really makes the 7-08 very shiny in the numbers department. But truthfully at normal hunting ranges you’d be hard pressed to tell any difference in field performance between the 7-08 and a 308. I witnessed this myself during deer season here in Texas this past season. I have 7 mag that I’ve been getting outstanding accuracy from with colder loads. Very compatible to the 7-08. It performed identical to my 308 on two different deer with broadside shoulder shots this past season.
Thanks for your post. I just happen to like and enjoy shooting the 7mm 08 round. Flat trajectory, ample energy and mild recoil combined with a good MPBR meets my needs.
I had a 7mm-08 in a Browning BLR 81 for almost 30 years. I've taken Moose, Deer, Bear, Elk, Predator's and everything in between. The 140gr Nosler Partition was what I found to be the best performance and accuracy. After my last draw moose tag I was successful on, I retired it for a Browning X-Bolt Stalker LR in 6.5PRC. Really enjoy your videos
Gotta handload it. Has so much more potential than what you get out of factory ammo.
Love my 7-08. Was hesitant at first but found a Ruger American on sale and wanted to try it out. Mine runs best with the Hornady SuperPerformance 139gr SST and it is a tack driver with more than enough power for Midwest hunting.
I have a 7mm rem mag, and thought of buying a .308, but sometime ago, changed my mind to the 7-08. Love you videos, keep em comming!
7-08 is fantastic for whitetail around me. I had one of the Remington mod 7s when it first came out. A Short barrel - light, Super light. With a Leupold 3-9,4-12 it weighed less than 7 pounds with the ammo in it. Hated selling it. -Remington screwed up marketing that and compounded it by lengthening the barrel. The weight went up and the sales went down. Now weight wise I would be curious what they could do with todays polymer stocks and mags to make carrying spare rounds easier than carrying a whole box along. There was virtually NO RECOIL. Less than a .270 Easily a fast shooter. But at that time like now AMMUNITION availability and bullet weights were extremely limited. Only ones available were 120 hp and 140 SP. The latter being awesome for whitetail. Went in 7mm. Came out nearly three fingers wide on a clean chest shot(double lung). What more could you ask for. Finances made me sell mine or I never would have. Good for anything short of Brown Bears and the like. None of those around me, but Black bear and Elk are. I was good to go.
This is the cartridge review I’ve been waiting for.
7mm-08 is my favorite overall round. .280 AI is probably a close second favorite of mine other than the fact it’s so hard to find. Truly underrated rounds
The 7mm-08 works brilliantly out of the Browning BLR. Light weight woods gun that packs a punch on down range and carries all day in the big woods.
For nearly a decade of wanting an AR-10, I’ve always thought 7-08 would be an awesome cartridge for it. I don’t have it in bolt action either, so maybe I should do that first. Either way, I’m glad that it rates so highly in more experienced shooters’ books.
I have been thinking about getting a 7mm-08 rifle for a couple of years now. Each time I was dissuaded by the fact that the ballistic profile is so similar to the many 308 win rifles I already own. Of late I have become more picky about what rifles and calibers I allow into my gun safe so given the fact that I already own several 308 Win rifles I will be selling a couple of those to make room for the newly purchased Weatherby Vanguard 2 Sporter in 7mm-08. It's a nice looking rifle and it's a chambering I don't already own. So there you have it. Thanks for posting.
The 7mm-08 very well could be the best choice for any deer hunter which could also be used for a possible elk or black bear hunt under 300 yds. It has so many attributes. I would like to see this video played every week. Excellent presentation.
I have had very good luck with my 7-08 hunting whitetails. I did let one of my best friends borrow this gun on two separate occasions and his then teenage Sons used it to harvest their first-ever rifle deer. Perfect for a youth shooter
I love 308 and 7mm08 favorite short action cartridges
I’m getting 2600+fps out of my 17.5” 7mm-08. It’s a fantastic round.
Kimber Adirondack?
Good info. I'm looking at cutting an SPS Youth barrel down for threading for a can. Most of my shots would be inside 100 yds anyway.
I am just getting into hunting and really enjoyed this video and the comments of the viewers. Great job.
I think if I wanted to make an ultralight short rifle for hunting in the mountains I'd have it built in 7mm08. I don't hunt long range what so ever if it's outside 400ish yards I either have to get closer or pass. Great video as always keepem coming brother!!!
I think of all of the African game taken with a .303 Enfield or 7mm Mauser. The 7-08 is a significantly better cartridge and is an excellent medium weight for almost all North American game except Moose or large bears, though it would take both down in a pinch. People spend too much time looking at charts and graphs and not enough time actually shooting. Those great magnums with magic numbers start to wear on you fast. A quick follow up shot ability can be decisive. I remember seeing a bloodshot, bruised and shredded deer carcass because my buddy just knew he needed a .300 Weatherby because it shot like the hand of God. One of the most successful deer hunters I know uses a .257 Roberts. Power is often overrated when it comes to average hunting. Many deer have fallen to a .22LR with proper shot placement.
7x57!!!!!!!!
Meat damage is a result of poor bullet choice not the cartridge.
I don't know if it's better than the 7x57 (in a small ring mauser, maybe. But not in a Large Ring or new rifle that can handle it at its top end), but it is definitely equal to it. I believe it was actually designed with the intention to replicate the performance of the 7x57 but out of a short action rifle.
7mm-08 is probably one of the best balanced cartridges. Often overlooked but it can do it all. I did look on ammofinder and everything is $2.00 a round and higher. That's why my new build is going to be a.308. Unless you're regularly going out past 600 yards the 308 is just fine and there's tons of good ammo for less than a buck a round.
This is where I'm at as well. The rifle I'm going to get is a Tikka .308. I love the 7mm-08 and it's my preference but the ammo availability just isn't there unless you reload.
I just added a new rifle in 308 for the same reason. Fortunately, I already have a Tikka lightweight stainless in 7mm 08 and it is a great accurate rifle. I think the 6.5cm is cutting into the 7mm 08 market and the prices and availability reflect that.
7mm-08 with superformance by hornady... Best load you can buy. The ballistics put it around a 7 mag.. Not a fan of this video the 7mm-08 will out perform a 308. Dumped whitetails at 250yrds
@@robertnelson4830 it puts close to a .280 Remington but the 7 mag is going around 150 fps faster.
I got one for my wife in a winchester xpr. Loading with 120 ballistics and it shoots very well!
Just bought a mint safe queen Remington Mountain Rifle with the Detachable Box Magazine in 7mm-08.Ready to mount the scope an start tinkering with it.Told the fiancé I had to get it because “she” needed a deer rifle too 😉😉
Thank you for your endorsement of the 7mm-08. I recently purchased a used Weatherby Vanguard rifle in 7mm-08 and took a deer at 100 yards with a Nosler BT 120 gr, bullet. It was a one shot kill. The deer walked about 10 feet and flopped over dead. Its a perfect "Goldie Locks" cartridge for deer. Virtually no bullet drop out to 300 yards or so. A little recoil, but not too much. Powerful enough without meat loss. Just right!. I do agree though, if I were to consider a new cartridge for Elk, I would buy a 280 AI, which is slightly more powerful, about a 170 +- fps faster. All things considered, the 7mm-08 is cheaper to shoot and ammo is more available than the 280 or 280AI.
You can kill a deer at 100 yards with a 17hmr.
@@matthewkyle6939 yes but is that an ideal choice.
@@matthewkyle6939do you realize shots over 100 yds can be rare east of the Mississippi? Not every comment about range needs to be taken as if the writer intended it as an accomplishment.
@@anthonykaiser974 what’s your point? Is my comment wrong? No.
@@matthewkyle6939 your comment is based on faulty assumptions, scooter.
Had a 7mm08 as a youth and loved it. Last few years have been using a Ruger 308 with great results but will definitely rebarrel to 7mm08 when its time. Excellent round for PRS too with very similar ballistics to the 6.5
Ruger 308 what I shoot
I like the idea that the 7-08 is a 308 lite. My round is the 308. I have a handful of rifles in 308. My reason came from studying military history, specifically that of Marine Scout Snipers. They would train on the M40 in 7.62X51 mm NATO (.308 Winchester_ because a 165 or 175 gr bullet would put enough stopping power in a 200 pound target out to 600 yards. I hunt on public land and the longest sight line I have ranged is 225 yards, so, I am within the successful parameters.
But I could definitely see this 7mm-08 as cartridge good for youth or even first times hunting big game. You could use this for whitetail, blacktail, mule deer, probably an elk with a slightly farther terminal energy than a .308. The round my TC Compass II .308 Win likes best is the Federal Fusion 165 gr that carries 1,000 ft-lbs at 600 yards. Whitetail bucks in my area may get as big as 140 pounds.
I agree that the 7-08 is a great cartridge on paper and probably in real life too, but I already own two 6.5 cm’s and three .308 win’s. I just don’t think there’s that much of a gap between them that I feel the need to fill it. Thanks for a good video.
I shot a 30-06 for 20+ years before I got tired of needing to train myself not to flinch. I switched to a 7mm-08 and wish I did 20+ years sooner. I've killed several elk with both cartridges and I can't tell a difference between the two in terminal performance, but my shoulder definitely feels the difference!
Virtually no difference in the two.
Jim you shedded some great information on the 7MM-08, like you said it was once used in competition circles. By it being a over bore the med weight bullets would give it the most consistency. Being a target shooter a 24 inch barrel with a 140 Gr BT, would be just what the doctor ordered.
I think everybody loves the 7mm-08. I do. You touched on all the positives and really very few negatives.
7/08 and similar cartridges work very well on Remington 700 long actions. Also, on the Short Action Rem 700, A wyatt's extended Length magazine box is simply fantastic for use with the VLD bullets Seating the bullets out, really gives you the room in the case for slower burning powders with the 162g eldm &X bullets, R#26 with cci 250 primer with barrels that have had their throats extended.
My family has used the 130g speer btsp and Hot core on hogs and deer for 20+ years, 42g of IMR 4895, Rem brass, Rem 9 1/2 primer is 3000 fps and hammers deer and hogs HARD! 140g Sierra btsp and flat base work very well on large white tails with a Hot load of Win 760. Winchester 760 gives fantastic barrel life as leade growth is much less than using Varget, R#15, 8208, IMR 4064, consult a Heat Index chart which is much different than the Burning rate chart. AA2700 is one of the coolest burning powders made and it is in the burning rate of the 4350's and Win 760.
Few consider the 150g Sierra btsp in this case but it just hammers deer and large hogs very well. As the throat gets worn on your 7/08, this bullet picks up the accuracy due to design and increased bearing surface.
I don't have a 7/08, but researching, I see Hornady charts show you can shoot a 139gr bullet at a muzzle velocity of only 2400 fps muzzle velocity with only 34gr of IMR 4064 (2800fps with 41gr). This is cool because reduced loads and recoil make it a lot easier to shoot 15-20 rounds at the range. And this load STILL gives 200 yd performance of 2000 fps and 1250 ft-lb of energy.
I think I'd trade my 30-06 for one of these.
I have a 7mm08 with a 26 inch ER Shaw barrel and it has taken everything from prairie dogs to 400 lb hogs at 300 yards. I love my 243, 25/06, 270, 30/06 and 7mm rem mag but the 7mm08 has mild recoil easy on barrels and is a very efficient cartridge.
Agree completely. Excellent for less recoil, at reasonable range, depending on the animal your after.
Less recoil is the biggest myth for the 7mm-08. I can't tell any difference in the 7mm-08 and 308 win. only difference I can tell between them is the lack of factory ammo for the 7mm-08 in my area.
so right /
I’ve been reloading for over 50 years now. Bought a Ruger 77 7x57 in 73’. 7-08’s weren’t out yet at least to my knowledge. We were in a gun shop in Hollister CA and going from a dove hunt to deer back in 73’ and that rifle was hanging on the rack. I traded my Browning light weight 20 ga mag for it. Best deal I ever made. Most factory loads for the 7x57 aren’t loaded to the same pressures as the 7-08’ or 6mm etc. I load for best groups not highest velocity. I had a load that was very accurate (1.75” @ 300yds in a stiff wind) using Speer 145 spbt bullets. Every animal went down one shot. Bullet placement is key and where accuracy builds confidence. Yes it’s a 350 yard rifle but I could shoot 50 rounds of workup loads with the 7x57. Can only shoot maybe 5 with a 7mag I had for a while twenty years ago. I could never get comfortable with that rifle. I’m a small guy & old now. The 7x57 doesn’t give up much to the -08 if hand loading. My current 7x57 is a Rem 700 Mountain rifle. ( try to find one ) I was swapping barrels from the 7x57 in the Ruger to a Shilen 6mm heavy barrel with the slow 1-12” twist (.244 Rem) if I was just getting a new rifle today and didn’t own any the
7-08’ would be my first choice. Rem .280 my second choice. Long action, short action doesn’t make much difference to me as I’m not a competition shooter. Talk to guys that reload the 7x57 and get their thoughts. Great cartridge. I’ve loaded up to 175’s with it and they thump me pretty good. I’ve tried down to 120 gr but back in the day those Speer 145’s were my bullet of choice. Thirty years ago I went on a pig hunt and didn’t have time to reload and a sporting goods store had a box of Norma 150’s. They performed very close to my 145’s as far as poi and accuracy.
Great information definitely something to think about. I do like the fact of more power than the 6.5 creedmore and anything over 400 yards I would not shoot at
I have watched your channel for a little while. I enjoy your presentation and reasoning with a concise explanation. Since I do enjoy your detailed reasoning, I have subscribed. Keep up the good work.
7mm-08 is actually pretty common in the north Maine woods and takes moose every year. Under 100 yards it penetrates a lot due to high sectional densities and modern bullets. Out to 250 yards though it’s more of a deer elk and caribou rifle. 7-08 is also available in TC encore 15” pistol barrels ;) Now that’s a lightweight mountain “rifle”.
I've hunted with a TC Contender for years, 30-30 AI, 14" barrel. It will push 125s at a little over 2700 fps. Talk about an short ultralight rifle!!!! Your 15" 7mm-08 barrel will be a real deer slayer.
I have hunted with the 7mm-08 since 1981. Local gun store owner and my dad were hunting buddies. Store owner had a brand new 700 BDL which he topped with a Redfield Widefield 2x7. He gave me the gun for a wedding present.
In 1985 when the Mountain 7mm-08 came out, He traded me a Mountain for the BDL. He even re-sighted the scope for free. Scope lasted until 2017. Rifle still shoots 1" or better with a Nikon Buckmaster.
Great review. I’ve been hunting/shooting for over 50 yrs and have owned dozens of guns in various calibers. My glass bedded 7mm-08 Remington CDL is the gun I’ve had the longest. It has taken a number of deer, black bear, elk, moose, coyotes, wolves, one head shot Blue Grouse and 3 Spruce Grouse. Everyone who I have let shoot it have offered to buy it. It is THE most accurate caliber/rifle combination I have ever owned so far.
I saw my first box of 7mm-08 on a shelf yesterday for the first time in months. It definitely isn't easy to find in my area of Louisiana.
I haven’t located any in 2 years.
Buy the ammo when you don't need it.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge as I knew very little about the 7mm-08. My arthritic shoulder's could use a break, I'll have to get a Ruger American for my son and I. I like hunting with a lever action rifle, but I'm a Ruger fanboy.
If your willing to spend a little more money the Bergara b14 Hunter is well worth it. I have one in 7-08 and absolutely love it. I have a ruger American in 243 and the bergara is far above better quality.
Ruger owns the Marlin line now.
Ruger makes the American predator in 7mm-08 😮
The browning Lever action is just the perfect gun for the 7mm-08. Fantastic gun
The hornady super performance’s shoot fantastic through my sons BLR.
Our family has used 7mm-08 since mid 1990's in light mountain rifle with 20 inch barrel. We reload and can get 2850 with H4350 and 139-140 bullets and 2750 with 154 grain bullets. They have taken many Mule Deer and Antalope out to 400 yards. Great gun.
I built my own 7-08 bench gun from an old Savage 308 that finally got the throat shot out of it. Put a threaded 26" Shilen barrel on it, dropped it in an XLR chassis with a Bushnell DMR and my SilencerCo SpecWar, and that thing is absolutely wicked. Running Hornady 162gr ELD-X on top of IMR 4064 at about 2580fps, and you're right... you don't NEED barn-burner velocities because the BC on the bullets are so good that it just keeps on cruising. This set-up consistently has about a 50% effective range advantage over my 308 loads with 168gr SMK, which start off about 250fps faster.
When my conservation unit first opened to rifles in living memoiry I went shopping for a 7mm-08 rifle. I was late. None available. So, .308? None available. Not even a .30-06. So, as I said "well what do you have?' The shop pulled out a dusty box off a Savage .260 Rem M11. Huh? I went to the reloading manual rack and looked up this unknown and said . . . huh?" Not bad. Went home with it and have not looked back. No wapiti or moose in NY and for whitetail this is the bomb. A Swift Scirocco II 130 gr is grim death.
Bought my youngest son a Ruger All Weather 7mm-08 with a 22 inch long barrel. Got a aftermarket Bell and Carlson stock with an aluminum trigger guard included. Topped it off with a 2 x 7 Luepold scope and he loves it.
I've owned a 7mm-08 since
They came on the market.
Truly a joy to shoot. I recently
Purchased a 6.5 Creedmoor
Simply because ammo is
So easy to get. Walmart has
At least 6 different loads .
Finding 7-08 is pricey and
Not readily available where
I live. Long love the 7mm-08😊
I shoot three bolt action hunting calibers. 308 Win, 6.5 Creedmoor and 7mm-08 Rem. I have been wanting my one do it all rifle in a custom build. Between this and the Backfire video a few days ago listing the 7mm-08 as one of the cartridges the young man said he had never seen an elk lost with, I chose the 7mm-08. Just ordered my barrel today.
I love the caliber. But lately its hard to come by. My kids did like it when they were younger….now they prefer bigger hotter calibers. But I still take mine out on occasion….i tend to rotate my rifles during season so they dont get left out and lonely in the safe LOL.
7MM-08 is an absolutely AWESOME hunting round.
I've got rifles in chamberings across the spectrum, but the 7MM-08 is always my go-to.
I just killed a deer with it two nights ago, and that makes 60 or 70 with this round.
Most all have dropped like they were hit by lightning.
I killed a nice PA bear with it, too.
Can't say enough good about it.
Could not help but notice you said 2 nights ago , I like the night shift myself , "on occasion" !
@@TheYeti308
Absolutely.
I'm doing my crop-damage program hunting right now, & that last hour before dark is the magic hour 😎👍.
@@kosmicsurfer7886 eie . !
I love my Remington model seven in 7-08. If I didn’t also have a 7 SAUM in the same gun, I’d have no qualms using it for elk. Just stay within 300 yards. I sometimes picked the 7-08 over my 300 win mag before I got the SAUM just for the fact it is so fun to carry
My wife loves her Remington 708. She has gotten several deer with it.
I would really love to see you do a review on the old 6.5 × 55 sweedish mouser which is the rifle I use (sporterized) in open country and a Henry 45-70 in wooded areas.
I know there are videos by others but you seem to do more research on the rifle you are talking about. Just plain out better videos. Thank you.
I started my 4'8" wife on a .243. The rifle i bought her i never could find a load it liked. One time in the deer blind, she "just wanted to look" at a buck with my 30-06 @165 yds.. BANG and it was dead. I sold the .243 and bought her a Savage in 7mm-08. Far more accurate and she shoots it like a champ. We're not going back.
In my years using my Remington model 7 7MM-08 one thing I have found is in the ammo. I always for years used Remington corlock ammo. Then I tried the Winchester ballistic silvertip ammo. Big game changer. I believe the reason is the corlock ammo has a soft lead tip with a copper jacket. The ballistic silvertip has a polymer tip that when chambering the round slides in may smoother and has less deformation to the tip creating lest turbulence and wind drag to the bullet in flight.
Very outstanding video. Great job. Clean language too. Keep up the great work. Thanks a lot friend. SC Navy vet.
7mm-08 has been my favorite cartridge for many years. I’ve ended up with more rifles in .308 due to availability of ammunition.
Bought my Rem. 700 7mm-08 a few years back. Dropped it into a Magpul hunter stock and topped it off with a Vortex 4-16 power scope. I prefer to reload and push 140 Sierra game kings at about 2800 fps. Awesome accuracy. My go to rifle.
How u like the vortex scope ,
@@chuckydubree1925 My first Vortex and I love it. Couldn't find flip open covers, notified Vortex and they sent me a set for free.
I have a Browning 7mm-08 great little gun. I hated it at first because every factory ammo that I shot had very poor accuracy, but my handloads improved things dramatically. Very well balanced cartradge, shoots flat enough, fast enough, hit hard enough and does so without a huge muzzle blast or recoil. It ranks as my second favorite deer hunting cartridge only behind the superb 6.5x55 and just ahead of the 270 Win and 308. I have a 7mm Rem mag as well, and while that is fine it only makes 150fps more speed at the cost of significanly higher weight, recoil, noise, and cost, if I had to pick just one the 7mm-08 is an easy choice.
We have 2 of them, my son is taking his on first elk hunt with me this fall. The hornady super 150 grain sst holds 1500lb energy out to 400 yards. That's our elk loads. Deer loads are the barnes 120s. His is mossberg patriot, I have the Browning bar camo, it's a tack driver with those 120s.
I picked up an 80 s stainless Ruger in 223 with the cool stock . Hardly see these rifles anywhere anymore . This sucker is solid for a Ruger . Picked up a long long barrel remingrom ..22 from the 70 s . Looked at it , was clean a f , didn’t ask questions , sign the paper here’s the money thank you , I ll take care of it .
I have a 7mm-08 and it is extremely difficult to find ammo right now. Great cartridge with low recoil but ammo selection is slim. I missed my chance on an elk last year, but hopefully will get another one this year
My experience is exactly the same. I can't find 7mm-08 anywhere.
@@jonuldrick really? Hasn’t been too difficult for me, not as easy as 308 but still pretty common
@@Mountain-Man27 that’s not been my experience. I’ve even tried looking while traveling and haven’t managed to find any. Not saying there isn’t places that it can be found, I just haven’t found them yet.
It is because everybody looks at the same places at the same time! Try buying during them during the summer or from a pawn shop the specializes in firearms. It takes some effort but I can always find a box within a few days. Affording the box is another question all together. Y'all think the more expensive ammo makes a difference in dense forests?
The greatest secret of the 7mm-08 is the versatility with 120 gr class bullets. The 120 Nosler Ballistic Tip, 120 Hornady V-Max, and 120 Barnes TTSX are a holy trinity of efficiency and application. I get just under 3100 fps with each out of a 22" barrel and aggregately shoot to the same POI. There are significant diminishing marginal returns burning more powder behind these light bullets making the 7mm-08 and 120 class bullets a perfect "sweet spot".