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Investing in a new rifle and seem to be very torn between the 7mm08 and the 7mm rem mag. Currently do mostly deer hunting with a 243 for the meat, but want a bit more stopping power and range for the bigger stags I have come across as well as having a crack at Tahr some stage soon. Was set on the 7mm08 until i shot a 260 rem and now I cant make my mind up. Any advice/ your views or experience would be much appreciated.
If you are keeping 243 then get 7mm mag. If not get the 7mm08.
What sort of range are you hoping to shoot out to.
I use a .260 and talked@Beenupto into getting a .260 as well shooting 143ELDX and his shooting has come such a long way. They are an easy Cal to shoot at longer ranges and more hitting power and less drop than the 7mm08.
My best stag was a big 10 shot at 500yards.
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Buy both
What Dama dama said and also what 250/08 IMP said too.
If you don't like the extra recoil from the 7mm Rem Mag you could always load some lighter loads that would bring it down to 7mm08 speed and recoil.
The full load 7mm rem mag will have plenty of poke for bigger stags at range but will certainly boot more than the .243.
.260rem for the win man such an awesome cal as 25/08imp mentioned. Ive shot reds out 635 yards with mine which is fucking far a fluke tbh. Most recently shot a fallow hind at 470yards dropped on the spot. Would highly recommend it.
7mm rem mag. can load it up or down. 7mm 08 is more limited.
7mm mag for sure. Fantastic cartridge. If the recoil is a bit much then suppress or brake it.
Best in between option is a 280 ,more grunt than the 708 and not that far behind the 7mm mag without the boot.
Its a big jump from .243 to 7mmMag .
How much shooting have you done and how recoil sensitive are you ( be honest with yourself , most people aren’t )
I have been down the 7mmMag road and regrettably had to admit it rattled my teeth to much and was detrimental to accurate shooting.
6.5 is where its at for me , but everyone is different.
If you have to ask this question then the answer is probably 7mm08.
AS Stug said, the 7mm Mag is a great long ranger.
Rem mag with a brake will be the go,recoil will be less than your 243,you’ll also have all Nz size animals covered with the magnum.
Keep the 243 for the bush and buy the 7rm for out long put a suppressor or brake on it.
I would go with the Rem Mag based on its ability to stretch out much further, but if you want less kick then the 08 would suit
7mm Rem Mag, carry ear plugs and don't shoot long shot strings at the range. Let her cool, and let your shoulder cool.
I used a Tikka T3 lite 7mm Rem Mag and I love it, it does have a bit of recoil but you don't notice it much while in the moment of shooting an animal. My boy went for a 7mm Rem Mag for his first riffle but in a Sako A7 and although a lot heavier it doesn't have the same recoil and my boy has no trouble knocking over deer. Neither riffle has a suppressor or a muzzle brake on it.
If keeping the 243 and want a rifle effectively make longer shots then go the rem mag.
7mm rem mag and reloading then you have both :)
7mm Saum or Wsm in between the 7/08 and 7mm rem mag, go well in shorter 22inch barrel and be great combo with the .243. If just one rifle the .260 with the 143 eldx would be hard to beat (or 6.5 cm or 6.5 prc)
I got both, but the 7-08 had a sex change and is now a .284 Win.
I’m taking it for walk this weekend.
7mm rem mag if you are reloading, 7-08 if using factory ammo (use decent stuff like precision hunter).
I’m keen on the .260 honestly but now we’re getting into personal preferences also. Especially after chatting to @Been Upto and the capabilities of his set up.
But between the 08 and the RM for what I intend to do the 08 would probably suit me more. More bush stalking and closer range shots stretching out to 350 yards max.
Luckily I have the king of the Calibers already so have it all covered with the 308, unmatched in its capabilities
I think you will find the 7mm 08 is a big step up in killing power from the 243.
The rem mag, other things being equal, will have a longer action, bigger barrel, bigger suppressor and likely a bigger scope too. All of which you won't make use of on 90% of trips.
On one fly in trip we were really pushed for total weight and agreed my mates could take 10 rounds of 7mm RemMag and 300 WSM but I was allowed 15 of 7mm 08.
I would sell the 243 and get a 708 chopped and supressed along with a 7RM.
As mentioned both the 260 and 708 are a big step up in smack than a 243.
I've just got 7RM myself and hope it will make a difference when conditions are a bit difficult on the tops.
7 08. I bet you will shoot it better off hand than a rem mag and a lot of your hunting will still be inside 100 yards. It’s lighter - more rounds in the mag etc. Haven’t seen a red stag inside 400 yards (or further) than can stand up to 140 grainer out of a 7mm08.
If your reloading you can get quite a bit out of 708 with the heavier projectiles
Have you had the chance to shoot both cals? Cheap to pay for ammo, expensive to buy a gun and find out you don't like it. I personally like 7mm08 but I don't have any experience with 7mm Rem Mag.
What is this list of bullets that don't exist for?Quote:
Originally Posted by Max Headroom
There's quite a difference to the calibres your looking at so I'll give you my take on it as I use/used all three.
.243
Great calibre which I've used a fair bot on both Sika & Fallow but haven't shot any reds with it. I even have a mate who uses the calibre for ALL of his hunting through NZ which includes Thar hunting. He simply uses Barnes projectiles in his and said the killing power is even better just with the Barnes projectiles alone. I never tried Barnes projectiles in the .243, only in my .223 which I couldn't get them to group in but I always used Targex 95 gr projectiles which are made her in NZ and proved to be lethal and very effective on the game I shot them with all the way out to 230 mtrs.
People also swear by the Federal Blue box .243 which I've never used & "Federal Fusion" I hear is also good ammo from all accounts.
Even one well know hunter who ran the water taxi in Fiordland who's name I can't recollect told me he just used his trusty .243 for Wapiti and Reds.
7mm Rem Mag
"Rules with authority" which was what an old American friend of mine once told me and sure enough it does but it also comes at a bit of a price in form of cost. One thing I don't know is whether or not you reload and this has an impact on you and your budget. A mate of mine has a stunning 7mm Rem Mag rifle but he's paying just under $100 per packet of 20 cartridges and if your going to shoot long range then you need to practice.
Reloading for any calibre makes it far more affordable but also enjoyable especially being able to tailor loads to your rifle and your shooting.
Because it's a big calibre it's also going to recoil more so I'm not sure if your recoil sensitive. I'm a bit of a sook with recoil so I ran 150 gr projectiles in my magnum and later played with heavier 162 projectiles but also added a muzzle break to tame recoil where it felt like a .243 or less but you need ear protection and other people who you shoot with will just hate that rifle due to the muzzle brake! You could also put on a suppressor as another option.
Because of recoil prior to muzzle brake I have a nice scar on my nose from the scope due to shooting the rifle at an angle upwards at some Thar in a set of bluffs. It hurt but also reminded me to take more care while shooting a larger calibre.
Because it's a magnum typically the barrels are 24-26 inches long so their not always the nicest dragging through the bush.
7mm-08
Great round where I have a nice Kimber Montana in 7mm-08 and also load for two mates 7mm-08's where we were using 140 gr projectiles but dropped drown to 120 gr Sierra projectiles which are flatter shooting and have been used to shoot some big bodied red stags, mate took a nice 14 point red last year that was just a monster and a few months later he was chasing Thar shooting two nice bulls.
Great thing about the 7mm-08 is that it will certainly take anything we have here in NZ and the ammunition is cheaper to buy than say the magnum ammo.
You can also cut the barrel down if you like to the "Bush Pig" 16 inches with over barrel suppressor or as my 2 mates have done, they have theirs at 18 inches making their rifles portable for both the bush and open country.
A few years ago I bought a Tikka T3 in 7mm-08 and as another member on another thread put it, it underwent a sex change to a .284 Winchester which is roughly in between the 7mm Mag & 7mm-08 and I've found that a great calibre for both compactness as it sports a 16 inch barrel with over barrel suppressor.
Recoil is fine even my 13 year old uses it. I've used it mostly bush hunting sika and shooting some big Reds out the back of National Park out to 330 mtrs but since moving south I've shot a bull thar at 400 mtrs and the other week a nice red hind at 345 mtrs.
Anyway... good luck and hot barrels whatever you may do.
Just get a .338 - as you sound like your just starting the journey you will get one at some point so just skip the foreplay and do it. Then sell most of your guns between .243 and .338 and get a 7rm
But seriously .7m08 will be fine for a next step - then if you choose later opt bigger. I reccomend graduating as you can seriously cock up your shooting. You can always cut the 708 down later or onsell
