Do I Really Need a 7-08

[roc1]

I just sold my 7-08 Ruger to one of my electricians who made an offer I could not pass up. It is a great round but since I now have a XCR Remington in 270 a Ruger #1 and CZ 550 in 243 both. I also have a Tanf safety Ruger in 30-06 besides a 308,22-250,223. I guess I was thinking I really do not need to replace the 7-08 as it was ainly for hunting and some plain old target shooting. Just wanted others ideas.
Thanks in advance
roc1

 

[nathan]

Im still confused whether to get a Remington 700 ADL in 7mm 08 or Marlin xs7 of the same caliber. I was at Carters Country and they have the Marlin on sale for $319 but have no 7 mm 08. THe way to get them is Budsgunshop or internet dealer.

 

[chrt396]

Buy it!! If you don't have a caliber...buy it! I'll cover for you. Between everyone on the forum we can come up with an excuse to tell your wife! You should have never sold your baby anyway!

 

[supercalvin56]

No. You don't need it.

 

[roc1]

It was a good caliber but the 270,243 or 30-06 I pretty well have it covered dont you think?
Thanks
roc1

 

[Sunray]

It isn't about a 'need'. It's about a 'want'.

 

[Water-Man]

I think you need a 6.5X55 SE. Why? Because!

 

[Dr T]

Do you really need:

A 22-250 and a 220 swift?
A 6 mm Rem and a 243?
A 7x57 and a 7-08?
A 270 Win and a 280 Rem?
A 308 and a 30-06?
A 300 Win and/or a 300 H&H and/or a 300 Weatherby?
A 7mm Rem Mag and a 30-06?
Anything other than one of the chamberings listed above?

Now you have to wonder just how many of us have some of the above listed pairs. Personally, I have two of the pairs, but at least one in each of the pairs.

As was stated: It is not a need, it is a want.

For me, the issue is the rifle configuration. I have different configurations for different purposes. In that sense, I NEED them all.

 

[joed]

Roc1, with the chamberings you have I see no need for a 7mm-08 at all. I wouldn't replace it.

I started to simplify my rifle collection over the past 2 years. It's now what I call a "Lean" collection that still accomplishes everything it did before.

Gone is the .223! Worthless cartridge in my opinion when you have a .22-250, it's more versatile. Hard decision but but after a season of varmint hunting I found the .223 sadly lacking for any long distance varminting.

Another one is the 7mm Rem Mag. It was a nice cartridge in a Win 70 XTR. But I also had a Rem 700 Classic in .300 H&H Mag. I swear the 7mm kicked worse then the .300 H&H. It's gone, the H&H has better bullet choices and seems like it will do more then the 7mm.

I kept the .308 Win, .25-06 Rem and .30-30 Win.

I could cut back more but don't want to just yet.

 

[Pacsd]

Roc, I did the same thing in Jan of '10. I've got the .243, .270 & 06 also but kinda wanted something in-between just for the heck of it. I used the 7mm-08 on whitetails this year and really like the way it performed. I didn't need it but I was thinking about a new caliber for 2 years so I took the plunge and never looked back. Had a lot of fun workin up loads in various bullet weights this past spring/summer.

 

[DeepSouth]

Do I Really Need a 7-08

Thats irrelevant. Do you want one, and can you afford one. Those two questions are what matters..... Not need, thats the wonderful thing about America.

 

[Maverick223]

Nope, the .270Win. has you covered. Me thinks you need a big boy gun to replace it with. I'm thinkin' .45-70Govt.!

 

[BikerRN]

Excluding the .22LR I'd say that all a guy really needs, if he wants to have a wide range of capability that exceeds just one rifle, is a 22-250, .308, and something larger. For larger I'm leaning towards the 9.3x62 for North America, but if I was anywhere else I'd opt for the .375 H&H.

The 22-250 can be replaced by a .223 easily enough and the 30-06 can take the place of the .308 if you desire. Those are just my choices, and my opinion is worth exactly what you paid for it. I'm not much of a fan of having a wide selection of rifles, but prefer having a limited few that can do multiple things, and take multiple game.

If I had to narrow it down to just two rifles it would be the .223 and the 9.3 or .375 H&H. 7mm-08 has never been one that I've liked, but that's just me. It doesn't do anything that the .308 doesn't already do.

FWIW: my first deer rifle was a 7mm-o8. Then I went with a .243 and even found it suitable for elk, as well as the .270. As I've gotten older I'd rather have three or four really good rifles than an assortment of calibers that replicate each other.

I base my selections on the game I may encounter. For me that's coyotes, mountain lion, antelope, deer, bear, bison, and hopefully moose, and the calibers ability to make a kill under less than optimal conditions. Except for the .375 H&H and handguns, I'm not much of a fan of magnum calibers, but that's just me.

BikerRN

 

[Picher]

It was a good caliber but the 270,243 or 30-06 I pretty well have it covered dont you think?
Thanks
roc1

You've covered it admirably!!!

I have a .223 Rem Tikka, a Custom .243 Win, and a .270 Win. That's all the centerfire rifle cartridges I need, since I've given up on getting a moose tag and don't choose to hunt bear, though the .270 with the right bullet and shot placement would do well on either.

 

[RX-178]

I've been seriously considering a Remington R-25 in 7mm-08.

I have no idea why. I guess just because it seems like such an oddball.

 

[Pacsd]

RX.....go for it, you are gonna love it. The only drawback as I see it is if you don't reload the factory rounds are spendy and limited. However. the bullet selection for handloaders is vast, 110 to 175. Powder weights are economical, ranging from 31 to 51. "Oddball" may be a misnomer. It's been around since 1980 and might well THE most underated caliber around.

 

[Clark]

It sounds like you could use a 7mmRemMag.
They can really put the power out there at long range.


Comparing cartridge performance with Quickload and Quicktarget at close to optimum powder choice and 65kpsi 162GR BIG GAME POLY CARB TIP 28452 :
7mmT/CU ........................26.1 gr H335 2330 fps -471 yards
7-30 Waters ........................30 gr W748 2456 fps -395 yards
7mmBR ...........................31.2 gr W748 2510 fps -360 yards
7mm IHMSA .......................40.2 gr Re17 2704 fps -247 yards
7mm-08 .......................40.6 gr IMR4895 2789 fps -198 yards
7mm-08AckleyImproved .........43.6 gr Re15 2833 fps -171 yards
7x57mm ...........................44.6 gr Re15 2843 fps -165 yards
7x57mmAckleyImproved .........46.4 gr Re15 2873 fps -150 yards
284Win .........................50.0 gr IMR4350 2890 fps -172 yards
280Rem ............................53.5 gr H414 2961 fps -152 yards
7mm Rem short action ultra mag 55.5 gr Re17 3015 fps -73 yards
280RemAckleyImproved ........57 gr IMR4350 3019 fps -71 yards
7mmRemMag ......................68.2 gr Re22 3129 fps -15 yards
7mmRem ultra mag ............83.3 gr IMR7828 3130 fps -15 yards
7mmWeathMag ....................71.8 gr Re22 3170 fps +7 yards
7mmSTW .............82.2 gr Ramshot Magnum 3158 fps 0 yards

 

[d2wing]

7mm-08 is so close to the .308 and .270 I don't see why you need one, but it's a great cartridge and can see why you want one. Good enough for me.

 

[RyeDaddy]

No, you need a 260 Remington!

As others have said, if you want one and can afford it, do it!

I do think a 45-70 would contribute more to versatility, but that's me.

 

[RX-178]

Well, when I said 'oddball' I was referring to the Remington R-25, not the caliber. A 7mm-08 AR-10 is an oddball in my book, although I suppose it's not the weirdest by a long shot.

 

[dodge]

Did I really need a 7mm-08. Not really as I already had a 308, 30-06,243 and a 223 but I bought one because I wanted one and for no other reason.

 

[spence]

CLARK; what is the meaning of the yardage on your list?

 

[Caliper_Mi]

Thats irrelevant. Do you want one, and can you afford one. Those two questions are what matters..... Not need, thats the wonderful thing about America.

I wholeheartedly agree with your sentiment about America, but I think roc1 is getting at something different. You can do anything you want, but not everything you want. Money and time spent on another 7-08 represents resources that you cannot spend on ammo, or a night out with the wife, or a nice scope for one of the other rifles, or a hunting trip.

With the .270, why do you need a 7-08? Hunting and target shooting you mention can be done just fine with the rest of your collection.

Perhaps you miss the 7-08 because you like that rifle more than one of your others? Was it more accurate or fit you better than others?

 

[Maverick223]

CLARK; what is the meaning of the yardage on your list?

I believe it takes the maximum effective range of the cartridge expected to perform the best (the 7mmSTW; which didn't in this example) and subtracts the deficit of yardage on the other cartridges...a pretty odd way to go about it as it doesn't give much useful information (like what the actual value for the range is).

 

[roc1]

No it was not any more accurate than any other rifle I have. The Remington XCR I got in its place is a lot nicer rifle, it is the 270. I thought I might replace it just because but now I think I might get a heavier caliber like th 300 mag or 300 WSM. I will think about it. My manuals show the 270 is better with light bullets and the 06 is better with heavier bullets so really the 7-08 is not filling any void. i might like one in a Remmy model 7 short barrel some day but not now.
Thanks for help
roc1