Another 308 vs 7mm Rem Mag Thread

[thinhorn_AK]

308 kicks ass. 137g hammer hunter or a 150g accubond/partition and you’re in business.

7mm mag??? Why bother? If you’re going that route just get a 300win mag.

 

[ZAK13]

Personally I'd choose the 308, I like to get as close as possible to the game I'm pursuing. Besides, don't need all that extra recoil that the 7RM provides.

 

[Gorp2007]

If you struggle to get close or are concerned about making a bad shot , go magnum. If you are comfortable getting close to game and confident in you marksmanship, shoot a ,308.

I’d argue that if he’s worried about making a bad shot, getting a heavier recoiling rifle will just make it worse.

OP, I’d recommend getting the 308 (actually, I’d get a 7mm-08 or a 6.5) and practice with it until you’re proficient enough to take advantage of the extra range a 7mm would give you.

 

[CoStick]

I’d argue that if he’s worried about making a bad shot, getting a heavier recoiling rifle will just make it worse.

OP, I’d recommend getting the 308 (actually, I’d get a 7mm-08 or a 6.5) and practice with it until you’re proficient enough to take advantage of the extra range a 7mm would give you.

No doubt, you just continually hear on here that a magnum is beneficial when you make a bad shot. I use a .270 now, a .308 previously. They seem to work.

 

[Sevens]

I can tell you a magnum does not make up for poor shot placement. Lost an impala hit too far forward with a 375. Not proud of that, but if a 375 didn’t make up for poor placement, doubt a 7mm or 300 mag would have.

Appreciate everyone’s input so far!

 

[menhaden_man]

I have a pile of long rifles... just bought a second 7RM last year (X bolt speed). My older 7 RM (inherited) kicks more than I’d like but the X bolt with the brake is a real pleasure to shoot. I put 50 rounds down range without thinking twice. I don’t necessarily notice the increased sound either. With 180 grain 0.284 bullets going over 3000 FPS under 1/2 MOA it’s hard to beat. The kick is probably the same or less than a 308 without a brake and definitely less than my 30-06.

You could just buy em both?

 

[MHWASH]

Before you make a decision, use a good ballistic calculator and form your own opinion. Killing has a lot more to it than energy. Personally I’d go 6.5CM or 7-08 before I’d by a 308. Again, run the #s.

 

[nobody]

I don’t think that’s a valid sample to draw any conclusions.

It took 4 shots to kill my cow buffalo at 150 yards with a .308.

A buddy shot and killed an elk with my 7 mm at 1000 yards and dropped it with one shot. I have dropped deer and caribou with one shot between 100 and 600 yards. Kid shot a Coues deer at 730 and killed it with one shot. I killed elk at 530 yards with three shots, but that is cause he stood still until he tipped over.

To those reading, there's lots more than cartridge choice going on here. A cartridge choice does not equal long range effectiveness, though it helps, and this gentleman here understands the capabilities of his combo. Bullet choice and shot placement are paramount at distance. I remember back in like '03, dad had drawn a once-in-a-lifetime moose tag in Utah. He was packing the Rem 700 chambered in 7 mag from the mid 80's that he got when he was a young lad. We ended up getting on a bull in the evening on opening day, and got to about 350 yards. Dad settled in, took a deep breath, and let 'er rip. That bull soaked up 7 rounds before he even reacted, 7 rounds of 175 grain Nosler Partitions. According to ballistics tables, that bull should've been doing backflips and just begging to die (about 2300 FPS impact velocity, and 2k foot pounds of energy). But he didn't even stop eating until shot 7, which dad finally got frustrated on and put it in his spine, put him down. When we got to cleaning him, we assumed dad had missed for several of the shots since the bull didn't react. But further inspection upon skinning him showed that dad had put all of the first 6 bullets into about a large grapefruit right smack in the center of the boiler room.

It's not all cartridge choice, it's bullet choice and shot placement. Energy on impact didn't matter, velocity didn't matter, dad's bullet choice was poor for his shot placement of behind the shoulder. That big ol' 7 mag didn't do any good until he took one to the spine.

Bottom line, whether you're shooting a .223 or a .338 Lapua, pick a bullet that will perform as desired relative to your shot distances and shot placement. Otherwise, nothing else matters.

To the OP, sorry to derail. But I feel it's important you remember and understand this stuff. There's lots of pieces to the puzzle, and just because you shoot a 7 rem mag or a 300 Ultra Mag doesn't give you a green light to take a poor shot. Study ballistics, determine what type of performance you need, make your purchase, pick up a few thousand rounds, and get to practicing.

 

[hereinaz]

To those reading, there's lots more than cartridge choice going on here. A cartridge choice does not equal long range effectiveness, though it helps, and this gentleman here understands the capabilities of his combo. Bullet choice and shot placement are paramount at distance. I remember back in like '03, dad had drawn a once-in-a-lifetime moose tag in Utah. He was packing the Rem 700 chambered in 7 mag from the mid 80's that he got when he was a young lad. We ended up getting on a bull in the evening on opening day, and got to about 350 yards. Dad settled in, took a deep breath, and let 'er rip. That bull soaked up 7 rounds before he even reacted, 7 rounds of 175 grain Nosler Partitions. According to ballistics tables, that bull should've been doing backflips and just begging to die (about 2300 FPS impact velocity, and 2k foot pounds of energy). But he didn't even stop eating until shot 7, which dad finally got frustrated on and put it in his spine, put him down. When we got to cleaning him, we assumed dad had missed for several of the shots since the bull didn't react. But further inspection upon skinning him showed that dad had put all of the first 6 bullets into about a large grapefruit right smack in the center of the boiler room.

It's not all cartridge choice, it's bullet choice and shot placement. Energy on impact didn't matter, velocity didn't matter, dad's bullet choice was poor for his shot placement of behind the shoulder. That big ol' 7 mag didn't do any good until he took one to the spine.

Bottom line, whether you're shooting a .223 or a .338 Lapua, pick a bullet that will perform as desired relative to your shot distances and shot placement. Otherwise, nothing else matters.

To the OP, sorry to derail. But I feel it's important you remember and understand this stuff. There's lots of pieces to the puzzle, and just because you shoot a 7 rem mag or a 300 Ultra Mag doesn't give you a green light to take a poor shot. Study ballistics, determine what type of performance you need, make your purchase, pick up a few thousand rounds, and get to practicing.

100%

The whole "cartridge selection" can be broken down with so much better data than it ever could in the past. It doesn't rely on wives tales of a relatively small group of hunters spread between friends, or a magazine writer who is just about as ignorant on the topic or needs to be controversial to get eyeballs.

 

[hunting1]

I am going to say 308 all day every time! Cheaper and easy to shoot, more range time, more efficient on components, handier package, etc. I have cleanly taken from coyotes to elk regularly here out west. My go to is a Kimber Montana and 168 NBT with Varget,

 

[longrangeprecision762]

Most guys aren't capable in true hunting conditions of making hits past 400 yards. With wind and positional shooting being factors that most don't train for at the range off a bench.
How many times have you seen a guy at the range shooting a hunting rifle from the prone or off a pack. I can safely say 0.
I would shoot a .308 as most shots at an animal will be within the max effective range of most people's abilities. With a .308 you can train all day from every position you may encounter while saving your shoulder and wallet in the process.

I shoot and hunt with many Mag. shooters who have yet to put 100 rounds down their barrels. All are very confident that they are long distance hunters
These are the same guys who won't shoot in the rain or anytime it's snowing.

Just my thoughts

- Jon

 

[Chuckybmd]

I love a good caliber battle! Always get a peppering of ballistics discussion, personal anecdote, and general bias. I guess the truth is somewhere in the middle and sometimes a little subjective.

Personally I love the 7 mag. Especially for western hunting. Prefer the ballistic efficiency and overall I just love the rifle that I have it chambered in.

I do also own a 7 mm 08 which is super fun but confers the ballistic benefits of the 7 mm bullet with the low recoil of the 308. It may be a little more favorable to load heavy ammo over the 6.5 IMHO.

That being said, I can see the benefits of the 308 being an overall well rounded cartridge. But if I had to choose from the guns in my safe, and I had to only choose one, it would be the 7 mag.