7mm-08 to .243 or .308?

[brsnow]

I have kimber Montana 7mm-08, I also have a subalpine.280 AI, so I was considering getting a new barrel and changing the 7mm-08 to something else. Any suggestions? Also any barrel makers to look at? Thanks

 

[N2TRKYS]

Do you just not like the 7-08?

 

[brsnow]

Do you just not like the 7-08?

I like it, shoots great. There is just a lot of overlap with the .280 AI

 

[DangerRanger]

Any niche you’d like to fill/use the montana for compared to the subalpine?

 

[brsnow]

Was thinking about deer/antelope, also have a couple young daughters that might use it at some point.

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

I'd go a 6.5mm cal with all the solid bullets offered in that caliber these days. 6.5 creed if you want cheap ammo, but 260rem, etc. are also options.

 

[brsnow]

I'd go a 6.5mm cal with all the solid bullets offered in that caliber these days. 6.5 creed if you want cheap ammo, but 260rem, etc. are also options.

Would that require more than just a barrel change? I

 

[N2TRKYS]

I like it, shoots great. There is just a lot of overlap with the .280 AI

You could shoot 160 grainers in the 280 AI and 120 grainers in the 7-08. I tried the 120 grain NBTs in my 7-08 last season. I shot 3 bucks with them last year and was impressed.

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

Would that require more than just a barrel change? I

No those are both short action calibers. The 260rem is the 6.5cal version of the -08 casing IE think of it as “6.5-08” if that helps in context. The 6.5creed is also short action and has lots of commercial rounds of you don’t reload. There are some others too.

 

[hodgeman]

Honestly...changing your 7-08 to 6.5CM, 260Rem, or 308 isn't going to gain you anything in terms of overlap.

For what it's worth- your .280AI is far more different from your 7-08 than either of the 6.5s or a .308.

 

[Myronman3]

The only way you are going to gain flexibility is to go to 243....if you have a use for it. The raw truth is, you already have the best short action chambering in the 7-08. The ONLY thing the 243 is going to do is give you more of a varmint option via lighter bullets

 

[browning2480]

.243 All of my kids have started on it and it drops deer dead.

.308 will be to big for kids to start on, especially girls. Just my .02

 

[Tbuckus]

Either keep the ‘08 and shoot 120’s or a 6.5 CM

 

[deadwolf]

6 creedmoor would be sweet


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[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

6 creedmoor would be sweet


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Why vs 243 with way more factory ammo options and if a reloader can be loaded with high BC bullets also (presuming the barrel is the right twist rate)?

 

[Mike 338]

Chances are that if you didn't have a 7-08, you'd change it to that.

 

[wind gypsy]

Why vs 243 with way more factory ammo options and if a reloader can be loaded with high BC bullets also (presuming the barrel is the right twist rate)?

If shooting factory ammo the 6 creedmoor is an even better choice IMO because it has optimal bullets for best performance with a 6mm. I don’t think that’s the case with 243. Hell you can get Berger ammo for less than $30/box for 6 creed. If handloading it’s more of a toss up but you’re still less mag length constrained with a creedmoor.

I agree with leaving as a 7 or going down to 6. A 6 with the right twist will rival the ballistics of your 280ai with less recoil, something you can’t get out of a 7/08.

 

[deadwolf]

Windgypsy answered the question as to why a 6 creedmoor, yeah there’s a plethora of ammo out there available for the .243, but a lot of it is ammo that a guy would just overlook. Good .243 ammo options are there, but more so for the 6 creed. The 6 creed has really good factory hunting and match ammo for around $26 a box, high quality components for the reloader, and is gonna be able to shoot the higher bc bullets. And they just seem kinda cool. But don’t go for a 25 Creed, that’s just weird.


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[deerkiller]

.243 All of my kids have started on it and it drops deer dead.

.308 will be to big for kids to start on, especially girls. Just my .02

why would a .308 launching 125 Accubonds be any more abusive under recoil than a 7mm-08 sending 120's or 140's ?? and I chuckle in disbelief every time I read about a "real kicker" and then read that there hasn't been a Limbsaver recoil pad put on it …..

 

[browning2480]

why would a .308 launching 125 Accubonds be any more abusive under recoil than a 7mm-08 sending 120's or 140's ?? and I chuckle in disbelief every time I read about a "real kicker" and then read that there hasn't been a Limbsaver recoil pad put on it …..

That is why I like the .243 with reduced recoil loads for target shooting and then hunting with a 95 grain Hornady. I can tell you first hand the problems that come with starting a kid off with something that kicks too hard. Takes a while to get them straightned back out.