Why does it always seem like there is a conspiracy against the 7mm-08?

[Newtosavage]

It's nearly universally agreed that the 7mm-08, and it's highly revered ancestor the 7x57 Mauser, are about as close as you can get to the perfect all-around hunting round, especially when it comes to deer hunting. The 7mm-08 has repeatedly been identified in hunting magazines and online articles as one of, if not the best deer cartridge ever designed. More often than not, when I'm at the range and some random person asks me what caliber I'm shooting, my response of 7mm-08 is met with a hearty "that's a great round" reply. It would seem that even people who have never owned one, have heard of the round and heard great things about it.

So why on earth is ammo so hard to find and so expensive? Why do we see fewer rifles being chambered in this caliber? It's not like there is a shortage of 7mm bullets for ammo companies to choose from. I'd understand if it was an off-sized bore like the .311 bore 7.62x39, or even the .257 Roberts that doesn't use a popular bullet or fit in a common-length action. But it's neither of those things. It's a short action cartridge shooting a very common sized bullet that happens to be incredibly efficient and effective at taking down game while producing a modest amount of recoil. In other words, it's as close the the total package as any caliber can take credit for.

So why does it seem the popularity of the 7mm-08 has gone nowhere since the 1990's? I just don't get it. It's almost like the rifle and ammo manufacturers made a pact back in the 90's to never let this little gem outshine their grandpa's calibers.

 

[Silvereagle50]

Preach on brother. Love my Rem 700 Mt. Rifle in 7-08.


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[fightthenoise]

Brb going to hug my 7mm-08

 

[BRTreedogs]

Because at extended ranges a 6.5 bullet on average has a much higher bc and if they leave the muzzle at exactly the same speed at 500ish and beyond a 6.5 will have more retained velocity and less drop.

Pretty much simple as that.
7-08 is absolutely wonderful.
But a 6.5 is so much more efficient.
Alot off people do not need or want more the 300 yards.
But I would never limit myself with the newer offerings.

 

[tater]

My $0.02?
There is nothing that the 7mm-08 does better than the .308Win.

 

[264win]

Having a 7-08 that I run and love, I do understand why it’s not more popular. The 308 being a military round has far more rifles and ammo availability and the 6.5s can send a high BC bullet faster than the 7-08. It is right in the middle ( not a bad place to be)
Not quite able to pack the punch of the 308 or match the ballistics of the 260/6.5CM

 

[slick]

7-08 fanboy here
But also love the little extra oomph of the original short mag 284win


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[Werty]

Marketing. I shoot a 280, everything you said about the 7mm is true for the 280.

 

[wind gypsy]

They are a nice chambering but kind of fall in no mans land. If you want a light recoiling deer round, 6s and 6.5s will be flatter, lighter recoiling, maybe less wind drift, and kill deer just fine. For critters like elk a lot of folks want a little more ass.

 

[wind gypsy]

My $0.02?
There is nothing that the 7mm-08 does better than the .308Win.

Besides offer better ballistics with less recoil at least.

 

[seawolfxix]

My $0.02?
There is nothing that the 7mm-08 does better than the .308Win.

Recoil?

 

[BRTreedogs]

Recoil?

Yes some believe there is less felt recoil when shoving off a lighter weight bullet, 140 vs 170 let's say.
Since you're putting less in action theres less reaction.

I personally have my doubts. But I've never tested back to back.

 

[swehrman]

7-08 brass is plentiful. Take up reloading, and don't worry about buying factory ammo. I feel the same way about the .260 Rem as you do the 7-08. Thanks to the 6.5 Creedmoor I'll never see another factory rifle in .260 in my lifetime. That's ok, because I have plenty of brass, and I own a .260 chamber reamer. If 7-08 or 260 brass dries up in the future, it can always be made rather easily from the ever plentiful 308.

-- Scott

 

[tater]

Recoil?

Sorry. No help there.
If folks find the .308 to have too much recoil that's not my monkey and not my circus.

I cut my teeth as a 10 year old shooting max 200Gr hand loads out of a funky old remington 760 in 30-06 with a steel butt plate. All of the sensitivity (and common sense) was beat out of me by the time i was 12.

 

[Rob5589]

Love the 7/08, and .284's in general. I reload so ammo availability is moot for me. The 6.5 is the "darling" at the moment, which doesn't help things.

 

[hodgeman]

I love the 7-08. Remington is the reason it's not more popular. They've never created a cartridge they wouldn't strangle in its crib through crappy marketing or cursing one through poor bullet or twist rate choices.

The .260 and .280 ought to be way more popular than they are and the 8 Remington Mag should be the elk rifle of choice for much of the West. 6mm Remington is way better than the .243 in a right twisted barrel.

Inexplicable.

 

[Goatie]

I feel like it’s making a resurgence. Randy Newberg talks about them quite a bit and I think some are listening. I think as more ppl start shooting suppressed, calibers that don’t lose as much velocity in short barrels will become more prevalent.
I myself intend to build the perfect box blind MN deer rifle ever known to human kind. Manners stock, tenacity action, and a 17” shilen 1:9 with a Banish 30 hanging off the end of it.

 

[gbflyer]

I have 2 of them. Also a 6.5. One can’t have too many calibers. I believe the 6.5 has just been marketed better. There isn’t a dimes worth of difference for hunting ranges either should be used at.

 

[sljensen]

I own bigger magnums and smaller fireballs, but when its time to grab a rifle for the hunt its almost always the 7mm-08 that gets the nod. Ammo was even available on the shelf in Hanksville UT this week during the buffalo hunt.

 

[Catahoula]

Two 7mm-08’s here. Browning Xbolt and a Savage 11. The 6.5 Creedmoor has the credentials indeed but it sure has been marketed over and over.