Thinking of buying a 7mm-08

homesick · March 10, 2011, 09:30 AM

I've researched the caliber and think i'll give it a try, just not sure which manufacturer to use. I need to keep it light weight and compact as my daughter may use it for deer. I've looked at the Rem. and Browning so far.

bhshaman · March 10, 2011, 09:35 AM

Remington Model Seven is always a good bet.
But, it has less scope mount options.

I'm looking for a short barrel 7mm-08 in Model 700 but having trouble figuring out what to get now that they discontinued the Mountain.

kraigwy · March 10, 2011, 09:55 AM

Might give the Model 70 Winchester a look see. The Featherweight version I believe comes in 7-08.

Its light, smooth, ACCURATE, easy to shoot and carry.

I like the 7-08, good bullet selection and good for any animal you'd expect to hunt in the Lower 48.

I can't justify the 7-08 since I have two Featherweights in (257 Rbts & 270 Win).

In search for a rifle that fits you criteria, I would defiantly recommend checking out the Model 70 Featherweight.

BIGR · March 10, 2011, 10:05 AM

Model 70 Featherweights are sweet. I handled a Stainless Model 70 Featherweight (.308 Caliber) yesterday at Gander Mountain. Nice rifle, I wanted to take it home to my other Model 70's, but I just can't swing it right now due to hard economic times. I would say that one in
7MM-08 would be a fine rifle.

homesick · March 10, 2011, 10:07 AM

Kraigwy it's interesting you bring up the Win 70 featherweights as my wife has a 243 and my son a 270 both shoot fairly good.

Doyle · March 10, 2011, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Remington Model Seven is always a good bet.
But, it has less scope mount options.

My understanding is that it depends on what year the Model 7 was produced. Early models (like mine) have 3 mount holes. That requires a 1-piece base. I have heard (but not personally seen) that the newer production guns have 4 holes which would allow 2-piece bases.

TChase · March 10, 2011, 03:00 PM

Not sure if there is Academy sports and outdoors where you are located, but I picked up a Stevens model 200 (made by savage) for $179. They only had 7-08mm and .270win.

precision_shooter · March 10, 2011, 04:56 PM

Look at the Savage Edge (called something else now) and the Tikka T3's...

jwilson48 · March 10, 2011, 08:03 PM

look up a marlin xs7 in 7mm-08. just over 300 bucks and a real good shooter. will out shoot 95% remington 700s. they are made with the pressure points in the front like the 700, and they are pillar bedded. have the pro fire trigger, very nice soft tec recoil pad, and most shoot less than moa out of the box. trigger is adjustable to a very light weight, and is pretty creep free. the fluted bolt is very smooth, and has a target style muzzle crown. glass bed it and it will shoot with guns costing many times what it does. also GREAT choice on the 7mm-08. recoil is about as mild as a .243 +maybe a lb and knockdown power is nearly identical to a .308. and beyond 150 yards it actually has more knockdown power due to the high bc.

gak · March 10, 2011, 08:54 PM

All good choices mentioned for a great, classic round....but especially +1 on the Win 70 Featherweight and discontinued.Rem 700 Mt. Rifle. Look for a gently used 700 Mt Rifle DM (detachable mag)--blued and walnut. If your mention of daughter--or other of smaller stature-- is predominant use, the current Model 7 CDL is very nice too. IIRC, the 7's are 20" barrels (and shorter LOP) vs the 22" for the 70 and 700 models mentioned. Ballistically, the 7-08 does great with shorter (20-22) barrels.

lefteyedom · March 11, 2011, 12:19 AM

I converted my 18" 308 to a 20" 7-08. Swapping barrels on Savage is cost effected.

7x57 performance is a just the ticket for most game.

youp · March 11, 2011, 02:52 AM

I own a Model 7 CDL in that caliber. It is the 'rifle we call you Mom's'. It is easy on the eyes and fairly accurate for two shots, the thin barrel heats up and starts to wander at 3. Not really an issue for a bolt gun in the woods. It wears a Luepold vx3 2.5-8. Really a nice trim rifle. I like the Barnes TSX and the barrel does copper foul.

Until this year, it was my favorite rifle to carry in the woods. (The Mrs does not hunt but a couple of times a year.) I am 55 years old and could not hold the light rifle steady this year. Guess I am destined to lug full size rifles about.

StrongSideArmsInc · March 11, 2011, 03:22 AM

I have a LNIB Marlin XL7, in camo with a new Leupold/Redfield 4-12x40 Scope on it. It is in 7mm-08 and has had 1 box of shells through it. Very light and has the Accu Type adjustable trigger on it. You can have the whole kit and kaboodle for $375.00 shipped or if your in Florida, you could stop in. Don't worry, I am an FFL Dealer. PM and I can send you a pic. Shop number is 352-568-0017

BTW the Marlin xl7 won Entry gun of the year, through American Rifle man, and they have an accuracy gurantee out of the box.

trg42wraglefragle · March 11, 2011, 04:24 AM

It largely depends on your price range.
If you don't have a budget the a Weatherby mark V Ultra lightweight.
If you do have a budget a Tikka T3 or a Howa M1500

Art Eatman · March 11, 2011, 09:18 AM

My 700 Ti in 7mm08 is sub-MOA and is 6.5 pounds all dressed out to go hunting.

oneoldsap · March 11, 2011, 11:36 AM

You will not regret buying either Caliber . The gun you choose however , may be a different story !

Saltydog235 · March 11, 2011, 12:17 PM

I have a Sako 75 in 7mm-08 and love it. Other than the Savage Predator .243, its by far my favorite gun to shoot. From experience I don't think there is a better round out there for whitetail deer at least to 300yds or so.

viking499 · March 11, 2011, 06:55 PM

I recently bought my wife a Tikka 7mm-08, but have not had a chance to shoot it yet.

big al hunter · March 12, 2011, 08:43 PM

I purchased a weatherby vangaurd youth several years ago for my daughter in 7mm-08. Very accurate sub moa, and it also came with an adult length stock to put on when she grows up. All for a few dollars less than the remington model 7 I was looking at. Thankfully my gun store owner and good friend steered me in the right direction. Kicked like a mule though so I added a muzzle brake. My daughter was 10 years old at the time and she loved the gun. Light and accurate she could shoot it all day long.

the blur · March 13, 2011, 10:27 PM

they make reduced recoil loads in 7-08. nice combination

paul84043 · March 14, 2011, 07:45 AM

7mm-08 is an excellent round for any normal game, you should easily be able to find an ergonomic package chambered in it. If you have the cash, I highly recommend Christensen Arms for some of the lightest, yet well built rifles you will ever pick up, they're works of art.
The tradeoff will be in the noticeable kick....lighter=harder....
There's a happy medium there somewhere.

March 10, 2011, 09:30 AM	#1
homesick Senior Member Join Date: February 11, 2011 Location: Central Florida Posts: 378	Thinking of buying a 7mm-08 I've researched the caliber and think i'll give it a try, just not sure which manufacturer to use. I need to keep it light weight and compact as my daughter may use it for deer. I've looked at the Rem. and Browning so far.

March 10, 2011, 09:55 AM	#3
kraigwy Senior Member Join Date: June 16, 2008 Location: Wyoming Posts: 11,061	Might give the Model 70 Winchester a look see. The Featherweight version I believe comes in 7-08. Its light, smooth, ACCURATE, easy to shoot and carry. I like the 7-08, good bullet selection and good for any animal you'd expect to hunt in the Lower 48. I can't justify the 7-08 since I have two Featherweights in (257 Rbts & 270 Win). In search for a rifle that fits you criteria, I would defiantly recommend checking out the Model 70 Featherweight. __________________ Kraig Stuart CPT USAR Ret USAMU Sniper School Distinguished Rifle Badge 1071

March 10, 2011, 04:56 PM	#8
precision_shooter Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: DFW, Texas Posts: 2,475	Look at the Savage Edge (called something else now) and the Tikka T3's... __________________ "Laws that forbid the carrying of arms...disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes...Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man." - Thomas Jefferson, 1776

March 11, 2011, 12:19 AM	#11
lefteyedom Senior Member Join Date: September 7, 2010 Location: Virginia Posts: 333	7-08 I converted my 18" 308 to a 20" 7-08. Swapping barrels on Savage is cost effected. 7x57 performance is a just the ticket for most game. __________________ Superman, you are a mean drunk

March 11, 2011, 02:52 AM	#12
youp Senior Member Join Date: December 15, 2005 Location: south of Canada, eh? Posts: 438	I own a Model 7 CDL in that caliber. It is the 'rifle we call you Mom's'. It is easy on the eyes and fairly accurate for two shots, the thin barrel heats up and starts to wander at 3. Not really an issue for a bolt gun in the woods. It wears a Luepold vx3 2.5-8. Really a nice trim rifle. I like the Barnes TSX and the barrel does copper foul. Until this year, it was my favorite rifle to carry in the woods. (The Mrs does not hunt but a couple of times a year.) I am 55 years old and could not hold the light rifle steady this year. Guess I am destined to lug full size rifles about. __________________ Use enough gun.

March 10, 2011, 09:35 AM	#2
bhshaman Junior Member Join Date: June 9, 2008 Posts: 3	Remington Model Seven is always a good bet. But, it has less scope mount options. I'm looking for a short barrel 7mm-08 in Model 700 but having trouble figuring out what to get now that they discontinued the Mountain.

March 10, 2011, 10:05 AM	#4
BIGR Senior Member Join Date: June 13, 2000 Location: Mountains Posts: 1,385	Model 70 Featherweights are sweet. I handled a Stainless Model 70 Featherweight (.308 Caliber) yesterday at Gander Mountain. Nice rifle, I wanted to take it home to my other Model 70's, but I just can't swing it right now due to hard economic times. I would say that one in 7MM-08 would be a fine rifle.

March 10, 2011, 10:07 AM	#5
homesick Senior Member Join Date: February 11, 2011 Location: Central Florida Posts: 378	Kraigwy it's interesting you bring up the Win 70 featherweights as my wife has a 243 and my son a 270 both shoot fairly good.

March 10, 2011, 03:00 PM	#7
TChase Member Join Date: December 6, 2010 Posts: 36	Not sure if there is Academy sports and outdoors where you are located, but I picked up a Stevens model 200 (made by savage) for $179. They only had 7-08mm and .270win.

March 10, 2011, 08:03 PM	#9
jwilson48 Senior Member Join Date: February 17, 2011 Posts: 105	look up a marlin xs7 in 7mm-08. just over 300 bucks and a real good shooter. will out shoot 95% remington 700s. they are made with the pressure points in the front like the 700, and they are pillar bedded. have the pro fire trigger, very nice soft tec recoil pad, and most shoot less than moa out of the box. trigger is adjustable to a very light weight, and is pretty creep free. the fluted bolt is very smooth, and has a target style muzzle crown. glass bed it and it will shoot with guns costing many times what it does. also GREAT choice on the 7mm-08. recoil is about as mild as a .243 +maybe a lb and knockdown power is nearly identical to a .308. and beyond 150 yards it actually has more knockdown power due to the high bc.

March 10, 2011, 08:54 PM	#10
gak Senior Member Join Date: February 28, 2005 Location: Aridzona Posts: 2,767	All good choices mentioned for a great, classic round....but especially +1 on the Win 70 Featherweight and discontinued.Rem 700 Mt. Rifle. Look for a gently used 700 Mt Rifle DM (detachable mag)--blued and walnut. If your mention of daughter--or other of smaller stature-- is predominant use, the current Model 7 CDL is very nice too. IIRC, the 7's are 20" barrels (and shorter LOP) vs the 22" for the 70 and 700 models mentioned. Ballistically, the 7-08 does great with shorter (20-22) barrels.

March 11, 2011, 03:22 AM	#13
StrongSideArmsInc Senior Member Join Date: January 26, 2011 Location: Florida Posts: 238	I have a LNIB Marlin XL7, in camo with a new Leupold/Redfield 4-12x40 Scope on it. It is in 7mm-08 and has had 1 box of shells through it. Very light and has the Accu Type adjustable trigger on it. You can have the whole kit and kaboodle for $375.00 shipped or if your in Florida, you could stop in. Don't worry, I am an FFL Dealer. PM and I can send you a pic. Shop number is 352-568-0017 BTW the Marlin xl7 won Entry gun of the year, through American Rifle man, and they have an accuracy gurantee out of the box. __________________ I never saw a wild thing sorry for itself. A small bird will drop frozen dead from a bough. Without ever having felt sorry for itself. -- D.H. Lawrence

March 11, 2011, 04:24 AM	#14
trg42wraglefragle Senior Member Join Date: April 21, 2008 Location: new zealand Posts: 856	It largely depends on your price range. If you don't have a budget the a Weatherby mark V Ultra lightweight. If you do have a budget a Tikka T3 or a Howa M1500

March 11, 2011, 09:18 AM	#15
Art Eatman Staff in Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA Posts: 24,798	My 700 Ti in 7mm08 is sub-MOA and is 6.5 pounds all dressed out to go hunting.

March 11, 2011, 11:36 AM	#16
oneoldsap Senior Member Join Date: September 16, 2009 Location: I live in the foot of the Green Mountains of Vermont Posts: 1,602	Cant Go Wrong You will not regret buying either Caliber . The gun you choose however , may be a different story !

March 11, 2011, 12:17 PM	#17
Saltydog235 Senior Member Join Date: October 20, 2010 Location: Pawleys Island Posts: 1,563	I have a Sako 75 in 7mm-08 and love it. Other than the Savage Predator .243, its by far my favorite gun to shoot. From experience I don't think there is a better round out there for whitetail deer at least to 300yds or so.

March 11, 2011, 06:55 PM	#18
viking499 Senior Member Join Date: October 29, 2008 Posts: 206	I recently bought my wife a Tikka 7mm-08, but have not had a chance to shoot it yet.

March 12, 2011, 08:43 PM	#19
big al hunter Senior Member Join Date: March 12, 2011 Location: Washington state Posts: 1,558	I purchased a weatherby vangaurd youth several years ago for my daughter in 7mm-08. Very accurate sub moa, and it also came with an adult length stock to put on when she grows up. All for a few dollars less than the remington model 7 I was looking at. Thankfully my gun store owner and good friend steered me in the right direction. Kicked like a mule though so I added a muzzle brake. My daughter was 10 years old at the time and she loved the gun. Light and accurate she could shoot it all day long.

March 13, 2011, 10:27 PM	#20
the blur Senior Member Join Date: October 3, 2010 Posts: 243	they make reduced recoil loads in 7-08. nice combination

March 14, 2011, 07:45 AM	#21
paul84043 Member Join Date: April 20, 2010 Location: Lehi, Utah Posts: 30	7mm-08 is an excellent round for any normal game, you should easily be able to find an ergonomic package chambered in it. If you have the cash, I highly recommend Christensen Arms for some of the lightest, yet well built rifles you will ever pick up, they're works of art. The tradeoff will be in the noticeable kick....lighter=harder.... There's a happy medium there somewhere.