7mm08 -vs- 7mm magnum

[oldcars]

I have a bunch of 145 grain 7mm bullets and dies for a 7mm08, and I think I will use that as an excuse to buy a gun!!!! I am considering two options right now:a friends used Winchester mod. 70 in 7mm mag. it has a factory fiberglass greyish stock, and a heavy barrel with a BOSS on it. It is a modern gun but it has the old "pre-64" style claw extractor. It comes with a cheap scope and dies for $400. My other choice is a New Ruger Hawkeye 7mm08 for about $570
What I am aiming for is a semi-long range varmint/deer/antilope/target gun that won't kick like a mule and fills the void between my .223 and 30-06. I like the Idea of the 7mm mag range, but not the noise(with the Boss) or the recoil (without the boss) but its also about $170 cheaper than the New Ruger
Is the range and flat-shooting abilty that different between the 7mm mag and 7mm08?
The reason I am thinking about the Hawkeye is I like a claw extractor and controlled feed, also I like the wrap around checkering, drop out bottom plate, good trigger, etc. HELP

 

[Brad Clodfelter]

Both are good choices. Hard to try and give you advice on this one. If you could, just buy both. That's a very good deal on the model 70 especially with a BOSS and if it hasn't been shot a whole heck of a lot. The 7mm-08 Ruger probably will be the one you will enjoy shooting the most. I'm a big 7mm Rem Mag fan, but the 7mm-08 will do what most anyone will want the gun to do for deer sized game.

It's your money dude. But sounds like the better deal is the Win. But I believe you sound like you want the Ruger.

Sleep on it. Dream about what one to get. Then make your choice.

 

[jmr40]

I like the Ruger better but that is an excellent price on a classic Winchester. I do not like the BOSS either. Tough call but if it were for me the Ruger would suit my style of hunting better.

 

[guntotin_fool]

buy the winchester and send it to shaw and have them put a normal barrel on. Boss's work for the purpose, but they look uggo and put weight on a gun.

 

[Scope Bite]

If it were me, I would choose the Hawkeye. Not knowing the history of the Winchester would leave me a bit uneasy. Knowing the over-built nature of the Ruger... I wouldn't hesitate to shoot that rifle until it couldn't shoot any more. (Probably my great-great grandkids' job, but I can dream...)

 

[jonutarr]

if you eventually want to use heavy bullets, get the 7mm mag

 

[bobn]

this spring i just purchased a new hawkeye in 257 roberts. it shot a 6 inch horizontal strung group. rugers response is they dont guarantee group sizes. hopefully the one you want is not a turkey. bobn

 

[oneounceload]

I have both the 7-08 and a 7mag. The difference is in distance ability - what the 7-08 will do at 200, the 7mag will easily do at 3-400

here's a chart from Remington comparing the same bullet, factory-loaded in both calibers:
http://www.remington.com/products/a...ive_ballistics_results.aspx?data=R7MM4*R7M081

hope that helps

 

[Art Eatman]

A 7mm08 is basically a .308 with ten grains less bullet weight. As far as Bambi is concerned, there's no difference that he'll ever notice. Since the practical limit of most folks' skill is around 300 yards, the 7mm08 is as good as a 7mmRemMag or .308 or whatever.

I quite happily kill prairie dogs to 300 yards with my .223, and but for wind could easily do Bad Things quite regularly at 400.

I used to varmint hunt for jackrabbits and coyotes with a 110-grain from my '06--when all I had was an '06--and it worked fine. So, I'd figure that a 90- or 100-grain bullet from a 7mm08 would do quite nicely to the limit of the shooter's skill.

I've messed with the 7mm RemMag a bit. It just seems like more shoulder thump than I like, and doesn't do enough more than an '06 to care about.

 

[spruilldog]

if you want "semi-long range"...

Go with with Winchester M70. Ruger is known for being solid, but not super accurate. At short ranges, under 300 yds, they are plenty accurate. Of course there are exceptions and since you are handloading you might be able to get better groups but generally they are not accurate enough for long distance shooting. After a new trigger and free floated barrel my M77 in 30.06 goes something like this..

100 yds---2 inches
200 yds---4 inches
300 yds---8 inches
> 300--- who knows, could be anywhere

Before the trigger work and floated barrel it was worse. Unless you can shoot before you buy I would go with the Winchester

 

[taylorce1]

I have both the 7-08 and a 7mag. The difference is in distance ability - what the 7-08 will do at 200, the 7mag will easily do at 3-400

The difference is more shooter ability than cartridge ability. Both cartridges would be potent on every animal he mentioned out to 400 yards. If he learns to shoot either cartridge they both have more than enough power to bring down the intended target. In fact they both have enough energy to bring down game at 500 yards. Any difference in trajectory can be overcome by a little range time.

 

[Magnum Wheel Man]

I'm also in the market for a 7mm... & what you guys have said makes sense... even though I really like what I've seen from the 7-08... I want a 6.5 X 55, & was thinking a 7mm mag since the 6.5 X 55 is so close to the 7-08... but feel you guys are probably right as far as effective distances... hmmm... maybe I don't need a 7mm at all with the 6.5 X 55 ???

anyway... I do have 2 BOSS rifles ( mine are Browning Stainless Stalkers ), one in 338 Win Mag, the other in 375 H&H, & they greatly reduce recoil... I'd bet the 7mm mag doesn't kick any more than the 7-08... the noise level of the large magnum rounds should be used with hearing protection anyway, so I have no issues with either of my BOSS equiped rifles... I'm sure with the BOSS, that the 7mm mag rile will outshoot the new Ruger in 7-08 ( provided the Winchester is not worn out )

I guess since the 7mm mag is cheaper, & purchased from somone you know... if it's still in good shape... I guess I'd probably buy that one... but agree that all things equal... the 7-08 would be cheaper to shoot, just as accurate, & plenty powerfull for any normal use...

 

[oldcars]

Lots of good advise here, I still havn't made up my mind!

 

[thinkingman]

I am a big fan of 7-08 (Tikka)
Not a fan of Ruger rifles.
Too much work to get them where I think they should be.
$.02.
You're welcome.

 

[SimpleIsGood229]

For that price, I say go for the Winchester M70. If I were to bet on one being more accurate than the other, I'd go on the M70. It is splitting hairs, of course.

The 7mm Rem. Mag. does do very well with 175 gr. pills, which are good for long range work. The 7mm-08 is a great round, too. It's not like you can wrong with either.

 

[sc928porsche]

Comparing the 7-08 with the 7mm mag. is about the same as comparing the 308 to the 300WM. The magnums are a bit flatter shooting and have more power down range. They do make a lot more noise and the difference in recoil is easily noticed. If you are not into recoil or high noise level, then stay away from the magnums.

 

[Dearhunter61]

I have both

I have both of these calibers and I am a little partial to the 7 mag. It was the third rifle I ever bought and it was the most accurate of any of them...The gun put 3 rounds into the same exact hole one of the first times I ever took it to the range. It did this with Hornady factory ammo! I have taken more deer with it than any of my other rifles combined. I know that if I miss a deer hunting with it it is all me. That being said it kicks like a mule and over the last year I have been looking for a rifle to replace it...I have bought the following...270, 280, 7mm-08 and now finally a 6.5 Swede. I think I have finally found the replacement with the 6.5. The others shoot ok but for whatever the reason when hunting time came they just did not get out of the safe to go with me...I think the 7mag just bullied them out of the way so it could go...

The 280 is a Ruger...beautiful gun...but it kicks like a mule too! and it took me forever to find a good powder bullet combo that it liked...Its funny...it is the gun I wanted to hunt with but just have not been able to bring myself to do so...I think it has to do with the fact that it just does not shoot or has not shot as well as the other calibers. Now like I said I did just find a good round for it... .44 at a 100 yards but I am still going to hunt with the 6.5 this year with the 7mag as the back up.

Good luck on your choice.

 

[Buzzcook]

That's a tough choice. The Model 70 is my favorite rifle, much more so than the Ruger. But I would go with the 6.5x55 or the 7mm-08 before the 7mmMag. All three are great and will do the job. The magnum will, imho, tire your shoulder out faster than you'll want it to.
Someone mentioned buying the 70 and getting it re-barreled, if you have the funds go with that.

 

[oldcars]

I thought about re-barreling the m70, but it's a magnum so I would need to change the bolt as well, and that just gets expensive . My other option is to sell the 7mm bullets, buy more in .30cal for my 30-06's and that would be the end of my problem. Then again what fun would that be? I wonder if I could down load the 7mm magnum and still keep it accurate? What do you guys think, I already have a good scoped .223, and 2 30-06's, so am I looking for a problem to fit a cure? I want to have a good long range gun that can buck a little wind, be accurate, and not have a painfull recoil. should I just load some 130-150g 30-06?

 

[Magnum Wheel Man]

hmmm... wild cat...

shorten that chamber & cartridge to about short magnum length... should be able to trimm a bit off the back of the barrel & refit pretty cheaply...

if you're even thinking about what you just typed...