Long range gun: .308 or 7 rem mag

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texas chase

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Here's my dilemma... I'm starting over with my dedicated long range gun. I will be using this rifle for long range target shooting, i.e. mainly shooting paper and steel at known distances. i have a great range less than an hour away with a 250, 500, 750, and 1000 yd targets. I'll be going there mainly for fun but would also like to dabble in mid range comps (4-600 yds), practical long range comp's, etc. (My dad's got an AIAW in 300 win mag and I would love to do one of the practical long range comp's in NM or CO) I've decided on a remington 700 p. However, I can't decide to go with the good ol' .308 or push it a little harder with the 7mm rem mag. My previous long range gun was a 7 mag and it performed very well. However, I'd like a little less recoil - hence, the 308. My head is swimming with pro's and con's for both so... help me decide! Any input is welcome and yes, I do reload. Let the discussion begin!
 
260 Remington

300 Win Mag performance without the recoil.
It does not have the power, but it matches the paper ballistics.
Lots of info on using it for long range target work.
 
260 is an excellent choice also. I heard that savage is going to chamber some rifles in it this year. Remington dropped the ball and only has it in the short barreled model 7 same with Ruger in its compact. The Early 260 Remington moutain rifles are commanding a very nice price.
 
^ I'm with those guys, 7mm-08 or .260 Rem.

.308 recoil isn't really much different than 7RM esp with heavy match bullets

And if the competition is 400-600 yards, the .223 Rem might even be enough with even less recoil. (F-Class/Target Rifle?), or the .243 Win.
 
.308 - Cheap Factory Match ammo, lots of ammo choices, tons of reloading data, relatively inexpensive, and has great long range performance characteristics. More likely to buy another .308 gun in the future for your collection than anything else except bar a .223. It may not shoot as flat as other cartridges, but you have far more choices in ammo and price than you do any other cartridge on the market. Feel like 168 grainers today? Buy a box, 175 grainers? Buy a box, 155 grainers, buy a box. Not to mention great barrel life!

I like .308. It was a practical decision for me as I KNOW I'll be adding an M1A and some form of .308 AR to my collection in the future, might as well get all the reloading stuff for it now.
 
Since you mention the recoil factor, then 308 is the way to go. Ammo is plentiful and the caliber is competitive out to a 1000yds. But I agree with others here that a 260 Rem is a great alternative.
 
260 rem is great but... I don't have the money to buy a custom rifle. Same with the 7mm-08. Unless you guys know something I don't...
 
You can buy a 7mm-08 stainless Remmy 700 ADL synthetic with a 24" barrel for $479.00 at dicks sporting goods right now. See how it shoots maybe put it in a good rigid stock and you have a great start. I just bought one a few weeks ago but the Michigan weather has kept me from trying it out yet.Really like that it has a 24" barrel though and dont find the X-Mark trigger bad.
 
Get the 308. There are so many options for you in the 308 market that won't break the bank and the 308 really forces you to read wind and account for all conditions. Once you learn how to shoot a 308 with wind out to 800yds, then save up and get a 260, 6.5 swede ,6.5x47lap, etc.
 
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7mm's tend to beat you up if do alot of range timeand if you are firing strings you can eat a barrel up quickly. Look at the 6.5mm's in a reasonable case. 260 will get you there, I went 6.5x55 myself-
 
lets throw in another factor

let's say I'm going to put a muzzle brake on either one. And I've decided to get a rem 700 police model... in either .308 or 7 rem mag. no other calibers, no other rifles, period. now lets discuss. thanks
 
Savage Custom Shop will chamber about any model in any caliber they have barrel blanks and reamers for at not much extra cost. That would get you a .260 at no great expense.

But .308 is the easy way out. I shoot one because I do F-T/R which allows only .223 and .308. A good .223 is fine for at least 600 yards but 1000 is a real stretch. Not impossible, just a challenge to load and shoot even though paper ballistics look good.

I would not want a magnumb to shoot 100 rounds plus sighters in a weekend even at the 10 kg F-Open maximum. They don't allow muzzle brakes or suppressors, either. But if you are just centerfire plinking, that won't matter.
 
JRSpicer426

How would a 260 Rem be less of a barrel burner than a 7mm-08? They are both bases on the same case and the bore of the 260 being smaller it would seem it would be opposite. Less bore diameter similar powder charge wouldnt the 260 be more overbore? The 7MM Remington Mag has been accused of being overbore wouldnt the 264 Win Mag be more of an overbore cartridge? I didnt think either the 7-08 or 260 was a barrel burner.
 
I've never seem the M700 Police in 7m Rem Mag. To my knowledge, it is chambered in .223 Re, .308 Win and .300 Win Mag. Someone mentioned that the .338 Lapua had been added.

Regardless, given how my M700 Police in .308 Win shoots, I can't see the sense to look anywhere else.

Geno
 
Geno, its on the law enforcement series. However, this one is actually 5 yrs old. some guy bought it, had a kid, and it sat under the bed/in the safe for that long. I've had a LR gun in 7 mag before and they have great ballistics. it has 4 feet less drop at 1000yds, 2 feet less drift, and 250- 300 fps more.
 
I picked up a Rem 700 SPS LH Varmint in 308, not a M21, but Very happy with it. Nice companion to my M1A1.
 
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