The .308 vs. 7RM is like a 71 Lincoln Continental to a 71 Mach 1 Mustang. The .308 works very well with bullets in the range of 125 to 200 grains, with the 150-, 165- and 180-grain choices being the most popular. I don't have a 7 mag, but i shot 260shooter's and found it fairly mild considering it was a [email protected] The reason the 7 mag needs more powder is due to case capacity, to get pressure which equals speed, means more powder. The tracking jobs were a little longer with a 308. We will be using a laser range finder to get the exact range readings as well so no guess work here. Mag. Links to YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and other services inserted in the comment text will be automatically embedded. However, the bullet diameter of the 7mm Rem Mag is smaller, at .284 compared to the .30-06 Springfields .308. Scopes, guns, boots and other tactical stuff in-between. On the other hand, the 7mm Rem Mag part of the name should give you a clue as to the main advantage of the 7mm Rem Mag over the .308. In general, the 308 Winchester will fire heavier bullets than the smaller 7mm-08 Remington. with a similarly-weighted bullet. To get an accurate comparison, its important to take a look at the velocity of both cartridges at 100 and 200 yards. This was built on a Surgeon XL action with a 308bolt face topped off with a Nightforce 8-3256 and later adding the Barrett BORS. Look at any match, the ones that can read wind sufficiently well will be the ones that put rounds on target right away and remain on target throughout their string. In some instances, a smaller bullet can be more powerful and effective than a larger one. I know the VLD shoots well in them but the Classic Hunter is more suited for the 1:9.5 twist. This is not the case when it comes to the 7mm-08 as it is a newcomer on the scene for the most part. The numerous hunting rifles chambered for it means its accessible off the shelf, so before you know, it becomes your next hunting rifle. Note: This information comes from the manufacturer and is for informational purposes only. Answer that question and youll know which rifle to take on your next hunt. The 308win probably being one of the first cartridges that many shooters picked up at some point perhaps due to the large number of rifles chambered in it, a natural choice for their first rifle. The wildcatters get to work. It also has a higher velocity and energy, making it Nevertheless even with a good rangefinder, if you dont read the distance precisely and range behind or infront of your intended target, with a loopy trajectory, you may easily find yourself low or high. 7mm is a good one. The 7mm-08 is simply a necked down 308 Winchester to accept a 7mm bullet. In general, 308 bullets will have a slightly higher BC than their 7mm-08 counterparts, but again we are splitting hairs here. The .308 is the more popular of the two cartridges, based on the availability of surplus ammunition, and its military background. This is not always the case, however. Its almost new, no wear on the bolt lugs or interior of the receiver. You can easily pick up a Savage Axis or a Ruger American chambered in 7mm-08 for under $500 at the time of publishing this article. The 308 Winchester is a light, flat-shooting round with excellent accuracy and minimal recoil. The difference between these two cartridges is going to come down to a couple of simple questions. That said, if I were shopping for a rifle and found one that fit me well, and I loved, but was chambered in 7mm-08 Remington instead of .308, Id be bringing it to the checkout counter without hesitation. I have been shooting both the .308 Win and 7mm RemMag for going on 15 years. Read on to see how the .308 Winchester and the 7mm Remington Magnum compare to each other in terms of ballistics. In terrain like that I'd say so. Like you I originally had a 2.5-10x44 Vortex, and found quickly that it just didn't have the magnification for longer shots. Both cartridges have been long-time favorites of rifle shooters, but how do their ballistics compare? For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. 300 mag just matches the 7 mag or adds a little more including recoil. As you can see, these two rifle cartridges are incredibly similar except for the bullet that they use. This is important to note because it means that the primary differences between the 7mm-08 Rem and the 308 Winchester will be centered around the bullet that each cartridge fires. Your email address will not be published. Now, you can make the argument that this could mean the difference between a hit and a miss, and you would be correct in this. You can see another example of this when you examine .243 vs .308. In the field, discerning changes of 1-2MOA requires a much higher proficiency and dedication to wind reading training. Whether setting sights on a distant trophy or ringing steel out to 4000 yards, the Vortex Razor HD 4000 GB ballistic laser rangefinder delivers all the range, ballistic, and environmental data needed for confident accuracy. Regarding the bullet diameter issue, the 7mm versus .308-inch debate has raged for over a century, with no apparent victor. Comparing the accuracy of two different cartridges is extremely difficult and often is more of a reflection of the person behind the rifle as opposed to the cartridge itself. The cartridge uses the same case as the venerable old .308 Win., but necks it up to accept a .338-caliber projectile. The British rebranded the 7x57mm to the 275 Rigby and it was used with extreme success by the Scottish big game hunter, W.D.M Bell. JavaScript is disabled. Looking for previous installments of our "Head to Head" series? Check out this story from contributor Mike Roux, for an excellent and educational anecdote highlighting the importance of a full quiver of calls. 7 rem mag gives you higher velocity, higher energy, flatter trajectory, and longer effective range. Picture taken on 30x mag. Large Caliber 30 caliber bullets have 26% more frontal area than a 6.5mm Holosun Hm3X Vs Juliet 3 Which Red Dot Sight is better? It really depends on the individual shooter and what they are used to. Lets start off by taking a look at the differences between each cartridge case and their SAAMI Specifications. I come from a family of serious hunters. Keep in mind that at that distance, you are not moving a 1inch group with your hunting rifle but a clay pigeon sized group if you have a well put together setup. Furthermore, talking about recoil is a touchy subject with some, suggesting that a low recoil caliber is somehow an affront to their manliness. The of the . 308 vs 7mm Remington Magnum ballistics chart shows that the .308 has a slightly flatter trajectory and less recoil. Mag., and cooks along about 200 fps faster than the .308 Win. If youve trained on 308 Winchester for years and you are looking to hunt big game like elk and caribou, then grab some ballistic tips and head into the woods to claim that trophy whitetail. At 700m, a 308win load as described above will drop a further 7 inches from 700-710m! First, the type of game you plan to hunt will dictate the type of bullet you need. The 7mm Rem Magis a better caliber that offers a lot of bullet weights and types. The 308 vs 7mm Rem Mag ballistics chart can help you decide which round is right for you, depending on the type of shooting youre doing. A higher BC means the bullet is more streamlined, can resist crosswinds more effectively, and are less susceptible to wind drift than bullets with a lower BC. I hope the above article has been of interest to you in finding out some of the differences between a 7mm mag vs 308 and whether its worth the upgrade for your needs. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. On the other hand, the 7mm Remington Magnum has a higher muzzle velocity, more energy, and more power, making it better suited to longer-range shots and larger game. With two tested calibers such as You are using an out of date browser. The differences in muzzle velocity, bullet weight, and barrel length can give you an idea of how each round will perform in the field. The .308s overall length is 2.800 inches, compared to the Springfields 3.340 inches; those two measurements have come to define our short- and long-action rifle receivers, respectively. However, this small differential in size does not affect the fact that they can both be used in standard / long-action rifles. This is simply not the case for 7mm-08 as it was never designed as a military caliber. However, as I mentioned earlier, this is more of a reflection on the shooter and not the cartridge itself. Shortening the H&H case to a length of 2.500 inches, and using a 25-degree shoulder, the 7mm Remington Magnum has an overall cartridge length of 3.290 inches. Whether youre a hunter, target shooter, or just a gun enthusiast, this information can help you make the best decision for your needs. Last time we discussed the specifics of the 33XC. For the most part, I do agree that the terminal ballistics of the 30 caliber is going to be more well suited for taking larger game. In truth, a 308 is a bit too much bullet for small game. Then again, a short and handy 308 with 165gr Accubonds makes for a great rifle in the timber. I just ordered a new Vortex Viper 6.5-20x44 with mildot reticle. I found that brass is running about $1 each But I found 5 boxes of 175 grain Federal Fusions for $99 so I will shoot through that and have my brass for reloading. The 7mm PRC is a new round designed for long-range shooting and big-game hunting. You must have JavaScript enabled in your browser to utilize the functionality of this website. Above: Not a surprise, during our hunt in the mountains, we encounter a French hunter sporting a Blaser R8 in 7 Rem mag! The ultimate decision is yours. I'm not recoil shy and own every one of those on my list. Using the same .473-inch case head diameter of the Springfield (which in turn was borrowed from the 8x57mm Mauser, the Patrone 88 design), the .308 Winchester uses a case measuring 2.015 inches, in comparison to the Springfields 2.494 inches. Is one cartridge superior to the other? For 7mm-08 Rem, your choices in factory ammo are a bit more limited. If you felt you needed a bit more, a premium 175-grain 7mm or 200-grain .30 would make serious medicine, albeit at a lesser velocity. To put it simply, ballistic coefficient (BC) is a mathematical representation of how aerodynamic a bullet is and how much it resists wind drift. However, it is rare that you would be shooting factory ammo at these extreme distances, and this is strictly in reload territory. If you want flat-shooting and velocity, then the 7mmRM with some Berger 168 VLD's will be a good option for you. Those that have had a hunting buddy on the magnum side of life was probably running a 7mm mag. With so many different cartridges, it can be hard to determine which one is the best. Compare that to 17 ft-lbs of felt recoil for the 7mm-08 Rem. It might be relevant to explain what a wildcatter is before we continue. That being said, there are still teams of military and police sharpshooters that utilize the tried-and-true cartridge in the line of duty to this day. Bell was the most prolific African big game hunter of his time, credited with harvesting over 1000 bull elephants for ivory (800+ of which he claimed with his 275 Rigby). Lets take a look at some of the differences between these two calibers and try to make a decision. The 7mm Rem mag cartridge like the 308 and 30-06is widely available. semi-auto vs. bolt-action) The .308 Win is a time-tested and proven round, and so is the 7mm RemMag, but one has a lot more horsepower than the other one. Sign up today. The price was too good to pass up. Whats interesting when you compare these two calibers is that there are certain points of intersection when it comes to sectional density. To illustrate this, consider the following chart which compares the two cartridges side-by-side. Following the Korean War, the U.S. Military was looking to upgrade their main battle rifle to keep pace with the Russian AK-47. The 7mm Rem Mag is capable of a flatter trajectory, higher muzzle velocity, and greater energy. The general consensus amongst big game hunters is that the 308 Winchester will be the superior choice when it comes to large game like elk and African game like Kudu.