Well, the wife wants to buy me a new gun for out anniversary. I've settled on a Ruger American. They're both used in beautiful shape. Optics already installed. The 7mm-08 has a Bushnell scope and the .30-06 has a Nikon. I have a .30-06 already and 7mm-08 is a neat little round that doesn't get much love. I've shot it and its a great round. Although the .30-06 has the stickers on the gun still. Whether it's newer I'm not sure. Both are the same price so that's not a problem. On the other hand there's a .308 that's $70, it doesn't have a scope. Any one have an input on either three of these rifles? It will mostly be for target shooting at 200+ yards and at least 1 deer each fall. Thanks guys!
7mm-08 or .30-06?
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I meant to say the .308 is $70 cheaper. I'm thinking about it but it's another $100 for a decent scope. Hmmmm.
MolaKule
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If you have a 30=.06 already, like semi said, the choice seems clear, the .308.
Lots of good loads for the .308.
Lots of good loads for the .308.
OVERKILL
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Definitely the .308 as others have said.
Well, if I went the .308 way I'd need a scope. I don't have any optics on my rifles. Can anyone recommend one that won't break the bank?
If I were considering anything 7mm, I'd go 7 WSM. The 7mm-08 is going to be hard to find, and the 7 WSM is much more powerful, flatter shooting, and can really reach out far. Since that wasn't a choice then a .308 over the 7mm-08.
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
If I were considering anything 7mm, I'd go 7 WSM. The 7mm-08 is going to be hard to find, and the 7 WSM is much more powerful, flatter shooting, and can really reach out far. Since that wasn't a choice then a .308 over the 7mm-08.
No .280 love? Does anyone other than Winchester make a 7mm WSM these days?
Any 7mm besides 7mm WinMag is likely going to be hard to find at times. 7mm-08 is easy to find on the internet. It's really a great round that should have been more popular.
If I were considering anything 7mm, I'd go 7 WSM. The 7mm-08 is going to be hard to find, and the 7 WSM is much more powerful, flatter shooting, and can really reach out far. Since that wasn't a choice then a .308 over the 7mm-08.
No .280 love? Does anyone other than Winchester make a 7mm WSM these days?
Any 7mm besides 7mm WinMag is likely going to be hard to find at times. 7mm-08 is easy to find on the internet. It's really a great round that should have been more popular.
The American doesn't come in .280 unfortunately. I can find 7mm-08 at Walmart and both gun shops I frequent have it less than $23 a box. I wish that .308 had a scope. They have gotten silly expensive recently.
If you need a scope for your purchase, check out Vortex scopes. They are awesome and not super expensive. I have one on my 7mm Rem Mag. I will also be purchasing one for my .243 win.
If you already have a 30-06 that can do anything a .308 can and sometimes better when it comes to heavier bullets and hotter loads. Otherwise they are pretty interchangeable. I had a 7mm-08 over 10 years ago and it was a fantastic deer rifle. Ammo was not hard to find. Meat damage was minimal. Bullet went in the size of my finger and came out the size of a quarter. The deer dropped fine and it was accurate. Shoots faster than a .308. Mine was a Remington 700 that I traded for a video camera to record my 1st daughter. I like having the videos but wish I had never traded that gun. The guy who traded it hunted with it and never shot it before. He got a deer at over 150 yards with open sights. I shot plenty over 200 and some really close. I wanted the gun with open sights for in brushy areas when a scope was a problem. If I ever find one like that again I am buying it.
For any of these rifles, just sight dead on at 200 yards. The bullet will be between 1.5 and 2 inches high at 100 and 5 or 6 inches low at 300. You should be able to hold on the center of the target and be within 3 inches up or down out to around 250 yards (point blank range).
Find a .280. Best of both worlds! But beyond those two choices I'd go 7mm-08 just because I like oddballs. The deer will never be able to tell the difference between a 30-06, 308 or 7mm-08.
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