What cal?

Bryan8

Bryan8

New member
I'm looking for a new deer rifle for next year. I don't have a real big game rilfe yet and I want one. I would use it for whitetails, hogs, and bear. What cal should I get? I want it to have good knockdown power out to about 300 yards with out ripping my arm off. Recoil isn't really that big of a issuse, but lighter would be better.

What cal do you recomend? I was thinking 7-08 or a 308

thanks guys

~Bryan
 
7mm-08 is never a bad choice and for deer it is a very good choice... At the level of (black) bear I might want something bigger like a .308.
 
Hows about a 25-06 Ackley?
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Thinking of selling this custom. It's been a safe king for afew years now.

A 25-06ai cal is very flat shooting with plenty of power. Choose bullets for your purpose as with any cal.

The 7-08 or 308 would certainly be adequate for what you want also.

I sure like the .25's though. JMO. D

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Personally, I think it would be hard to do better than a .30-06 for the game you state. It is very hard to beat the tried and true 06 for versatility and for a wide variety of factory ammo. A .308 would be fine too, it's just that I don't see any disadvantage in stepping up to the 06 and out at 300 I'd much prefer the 06 if you really do intend to shoot that far.

The other thing about the 06 is that there are dozens of them at every decent-sized gun shop. IME that makes it much more likely you'll find a decent price or be able to haggle. Dealers want to move stock, especially this time of year with big game seasons winding down in many areas.

One thing that's key to consider is where and how are you going to get ammo? The 7-08 is a fine gun, no doubt about it. However you are going to pay a preimum for your ammo and while everyplace from a small town hardware store to Walmart will have boxes of .30-06, the selection of 7-08 won't be nearly as big if they have it at all. How much this matters to you depends on where you live and hunt and if you happen to handload or intend to do so at some point.

Grouse
 
In this day and age, especially in the U.S., the lack of ammo argument is ridiculous, unless you're talking some real obscure cartridge, which the 7mm-08 isn't. I'll bet every ____-Mart in the country stocks just as much 7mm-08 as they do .30-06.

Seriously though, have you ever ran out of ammo on a hunt and had to run into town on a scavenger hunt? If so, that's a lack of preparation, not an ammo supply and demand issue.

And, who shoots factory ammo anyway?....
 
Originally Posted By: BusterIn this day and age, especially in the U.S., the lack of ammo argument is ridiculous, unless you're talking some real obscure cartridge, which the 7mm-08 isn't. I'll bet every ____-Mart in the country stocks just as much 7mm-08 as they do .30-06.

Seriously though, have you ever ran out of ammo on a hunt and had to run into town on a scavenger hunt? If so, that's a lack of preparation, not an ammo supply and demand issue.

And, who shoots factory ammo anyway?....

+1 here....glad I read thru that post. Basically it saved me from typing the same words. 45 years of hunting I never had the misfortune to have to run into the local ma and pa hardware store to buy ammo. I always take at least two rifle anyway. Now whats the odds I'd forget/lose/shoot up/give away/donate/leave in the wrong vehicle, ammo for two rifles. Wouldn't matter some of the stuff I shoot you won't find ammo for ever unless you go directly to my house.

Get the 7-08...great for your purposes.
 
I had a 7-08 one time and really liked it, took no time at all to cook up a load for it, light recoil, good accuracy, knock down power.
 
7mm/08 270win and 30/06 are all very capable of what you ask!

I love the .308 and the 270win just me but if I were to own just one it would be the .270win ground hogs to grizzly it can,will and has dome it all and it is legal here for coyote and ground hogs (.275cal or less)yes I realize that the 270win is actually .277 in dia. but the law states the it is allowed as the common person would not know this. ...good for me!
 
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7mm 08....accurate and kills way better than most people think.

some say the .308 is a step up, i disagree. yes in a .30 cal you can go up to 200-220 grain bullets....you will never shoot that heavy of a bullet in such a small case..

bullets of the same weight in 7mm vs .30 cal will be flatter shooting in the 7mm b/c of b.c.

in something based on the .308 case you will probably never shoot heavier than a 165 grain bullet. and with the bullets of today such as tsx's and such you probably won't ever need to go over 150 grains....and like i said they will have a higher b.c. and be flatter in the 7mm form.
 
I do shoot a .308 for as my big game rifle and there is not an
animal on the north American continent with the proper bullet selection and placement!

here is mine....Win M70 tactical with 26"h/b Leupold Mark 4 tactical 6.5-20 scope with TMR M1

I shoot 155gr palma for steel and coyotes I shoot 180gr speer hot cores over the baits for bear and 165gr pro hunters for deer and moose I also use 110gr V-max and 130gr TNT for g-hos

lots of versatility

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bryan8...ya live in NY & shoot a pump 12ga mag?...358 win...(disregarding ammo availability)...308 case necked out to .358.....and don't overlook a used savage 99 in 300sav...but 7/08 & 308 will work(boring)...
 
The 7/08 will do anything to a deer the other calibers will do and better than some. Make a good choice on bullets (Hornady Interlock) and you will be satisfied. I have gone from 243 to 300 Win Mag. The 7/08 gets the job done with benefits of being a light weight medium action in any style stock.
 
I bet a 7mm08 with a 140 Accubond or Partition will kill any deer or elk just as dead as a 308 with any 165 grain bullet. That's my theory and I'm sticking to it.
 
Our ____Mart barely got in '06, I'll bet 308 arrives sooner, as they hardly carried 7-08 even before Obama.
My son's 308 is just as effective as my '06 at any normal hunting range.
Mark
 
I own the 7-08, but would recommend the 308 if you don't reload, because there are many more types of ammo available. They will both get the job done.
 


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