The Lyman 50th Edition (p159-162, p205-206, & p241-245), and Hornady 10th Edition (p231-237, p364-369 & p475-488) reloading manuals were also used as references for the history of the cartridges and provided data to compare their size. All that being said, these cartridges all still hit hard enough and have a flat enough trajectory that they’re suitable for use of a variety of game at practical hunting ranges. The .308 carries significantly more energy downrange than the other two cartridges. I own both a .308 and a 7mm-08, and hopefully later this year, a 7×57 Mauser as well. 271 respectively. When it comes to penetration, velocity is not king; mass and sectional density are both more important. At the same time, due to the fact that the cartridge uses the most aerodynamic bullets, the 7mm-08 loads retain a greater percentage of their muzzle energy at long range than the .243 or .308. Chuck Hawks provided the case capacity for each cartridge. The .30-calibers use bullets weighing between 100 or 110 grains (usually reserved for the .30 M1 Carbine) and 220 grains, with the extremes as heavy as 250 grains. These rifles were unable to stabilize the longer 100gr bullets that were best suited for use on big game. The same also goes for 90 and 100 grain .243″ bullets with sectional densities of .218 and .242 respectively. Looking at sheer availability, you can’t really get more popular than the .308 Winchester and .30-06 Springfield, and no 7mm will compare with the volume of ammo available. As usual, great analysis. With premium bullets, the traditional 7mms like the .280 Remington and 7mm Remington Magnum are wonderful performers, and are better than they’ve ever been, but the additional weight, selection of projectiles and rampant availability of the .30-caliber cartridges present an advantage. 150 grain, 165 grain, 168 grain, and 180 grain bullets are the most popular. The big ammunition manufacturers like Barnes, Browning, Federal Premium, Hornady, Nosler, Remington, and Winchester all produce a variety of quality .243 Win, 7mm-08 Rem, and .308 Win factory ammunition suitable for hunting. You can see some of the similarities and differences between the .243 Winchester, the 7mm-08 Remington, and the .308 Winchester cartridges in the photo below. Fortunately for the .243 Winchester, Field & Stream editor Warren Page extolled the virtues of the .243 in his columns in a manner similar to what Jack O’Connor did for the .270 Winchester at Outdoor Life. The .308 Winchester is an excellent cartridge, but that hasn’t stopped wildcatters from attempting to improve upon it over the years in various ways. However, keep in mind that all of these cartridges, but particularly the .243 Winchester, are in a completely different league from heavy hitters like the 7mm Mag and .300 Win Mag though. Those traits give hunters a tiny bit more room for error in shot placement when compared to the .243 Winchester and 7mm-08 Remington. The 243 shoots lighter and smaller diameter bullets at a higher velocity. Then come back and talk about how good your 308 is and how much better the 7 is. Buy a great 7mm-08 Remington hunting rifle here. All other things being equal, a bigger bullet will make a bigger hole, cause more tissue damage, and result in more blood loss. After all, there’s a reason why they are such popular North American big game hunting cartridges. Ballistic data for original 7.62x51mm military cartridge was obtained from Inetres. In 1980, Remington decided there was consumer demand for a commercial version of the 7mm-.308 wildcat, and the 7mm-08 Rem. These factors make the cartridge more forgiving of range estimation errors and help maximize the shooting abilities of the hunter to a greater extent than the other two cartridges. 6.5 Creedmoor The 308 is essentially a shortened version of the 30-06 Springfield cartridge used by the U.S. Military from 1906 through the late 1950s. All in all, a new hunter, or a diminutive one who’s been around a while, can’t go wrong with any of these 3. 7mm-08 vs .308 win? The .308 case gave wildcatters fresh clay to sculpt, and within a decade of the .308’s release, somebody came up with the 7mm-.308, a necked-down version of the .308 that held 7mm bullets. Maximum pressure obtained from SAAMI (p24, p26, and p31). 7mm isn’t 7mm; it is actually 7.21mm. In addition to the abundant ammunition choices available in .243 Winchester, 7mm-08 Remington, and .308 Winchester, there are also many quality rifles manufactured in these cartridges. The .308 shoots a wider slug, 7.62mm vs. .7mm, or in American caliberation: .30 caliber vs. .28 caliber. Do you want a cartridge well suited to hunt bigger animals like elk, moose, red stag, kudu, or eland with during an Africa, Canada, or New Zealand hunting expedition? Before we get started, I have an administrative note: Some of the links below are affiliate links. If you’d rather listen than read, you can either just press play below or click the appropriate link to download the episode through your preferred service. i am looking at the Tika T3 in black synthetic with stainless barrel. Even discounting the extremely high velocity 55gr .243 varmint load as an outlier, the .243 still shoots a lot flatter than the other cartridges. Great read. It’s a great round capable of using lighter bullets in the 55-60 grain range for varmint hunting (prairie dogs, coyotes, etc.) It was the choice of bullet weight which hooked my father on .30-caliber, though truth be told, I've never seen him use anything heavier than 200-grain bullets, and I’ve loaded all his ammo for the last quarter century. Mag.• .300 RSAUM vs. .300 WSM• .500 Jeffrey vs. .505 Gibbs• 7mm RUM vs. .300 RUM• .308 Winchester vs. 7mm-08 Remington• 6.5 Creedmoor vs. .260 Remington• .303 British vs. 8x57 Mauser• .30-06 Springfield vs. All Other .30s• .17 HMR vs. .17 WSM• .450 Nitro Express vs. .470 Nitro Express• 350 Legend vs. .35 Remington• .280 Ackley Improved vs. 7mm Rem. I took my first real deer with that rifle on that afternoon, sending a 140-grain Core-Lokt and anchoring a mature eight-point whitetail. vs. .300 WSM• .223 Remington vs. .22-250 Remington, E-mail your comments/questions about this site to: EmediaHunter@nrahq.org, For questions/comments about American Hunter magazine, please e-mail:Publications@nrahq.org, You can contact the NRA via phone at: NRA Member Programs1-800-672-3888, To advertise on American Hunter, visit nramediakit.com for more information. When I violated church doctrine by purchasing a .375 H&H Magnum, I received a proper scolding, as in dad’s mind, nothing more or less than .30-caliber was needed. If we take a look at the cartridge specs of the 7mm Rem Mag vs.30-06, we see that there are some key differences that are going to influence how these rounds behave. Supposedly weatherby SA vs LA action alone is almost a lb. Velocity is important when deciding which caliber you want to carry out in the field because the higher the velocity you have, the less impacted your round will be by environmental factors such has the wind, rain, snow, sleet, or gravity. In this article, I’m going to discuss the pros and cons of the 243 vs 308 vs 7mm-08 cartridges so you can make an informed decision on which one is right for you. From my experience, big bucks run most of the time when shot behind the shoulder no matter what caliber you use. The 7mm-08 case is just slightly longer than the parent .308—2.035 inches vs. 2.015 inches—but maintains the same 20-degree shoulder of the .308 Winchester. I was raised as a congregant of the Church of .30 Caliber. If you’re going to use them on really big game, be especially cautious about closing the range as much as possible and be very particular about your shooting angles. Predator and varmint rounds like the Hornady V-Max and Nosler Varmageddon are also commonly available for the .243 Winchester. The .243 Winchester, 7mm-08 Remington, and .308 Winchester are all mild recoiling and flat shooting cartridges well suited for hunting thin skinned game like coyotes, pronghorn, mule deer, whitetail deer, or fallow deer. At the same time, the .308 Winchester uses larger diameter bullets than the other two cartridges. Their shared heritage is evident and the three cartridges are identical up to the shoulder. Additionally, the Browning X-Bolt, Kimber Hunter, Mossberg Patriot, Nosler M48, Ruger American, Ruger Hawkeye, Savage Axis, and Weatherby Vanguard are available in all three calibers. However… I do have experience with the 7mm-08 as well… and I believe it’s about the best of the bunch to tackle all needs as far as hunting the lower 48. Sundra, along with a good number of gunwriters, sang the praises of various 7mm cartridges—not that I was ever exposed to them in my youth—but I would be in my 20s before I’d have any experience with a 7mm. I’m building a 7mm-08 because they are super efficient in short barrel (weight savings and reloading costs, but also barrel life). However, the .308 carries more energy downrange than and, since it has a larger bullet diameter, has significantly more frontal surface area than the other two cartridges. Last week I was in my local gun store and saw my first ever 7mm-08. Please note, the following information reflects the estimated average ballistics for each caliber and does not pertain to a particular manufacturer, b But what’s in a name? by Philip Massaro - I think most hunters would agree that the .243 Winchester, 7mm-08 Remington, and .308 Winchester are all excellent cartridges for hunting a wide variety of game. Capable of shooting heavy as well as light bullets with very good accuracy, the .243 Winchester was also a great varmint hunting cartridge and successfully bridged the gap between traditional varmint cartridges of the day like the .22 Hornet and popular big game hunting cartridges like the .30-06 Springfield. I’ve used the 125-grain bullets in my .308 Winchester, and the 220-grain round nosed slugs in my .300 Winchester Magnum, both with good effect, but the majority of my time has been spent with the 150-, 165- and 180-grain .30s. It would work, but I’d sure want somebody standing behind me with an actual DG rifle, just in case. For this reason, the .243 Winchester has less recoil and a flatter trajectory at typical hunting ranges. If you’re the type of hunter who wants just one big-game rifle—and there is nothing wrong with that—I definitely give the advantage to the .30 caliber. On the other hand, the heavier and larger diameter .308 Winchester bullets have more frontal surface area, more resistance to wind drift, and carry more energy down range. Just like with ammunition, .308 rifles are the most common and 7mm-08 rifles are the least common. The .243 Winchester has the flattest trajectory of the bunch, but starts off with markedly less kinetic energy than the other two cartridges and carries even less of that energy downrange. Let’s take a closer look. The.30-06 is, as the name implies, a 30 cal bullet with a.308” diameter bullet while the 7mm Rem mag is slightly smaller at.284”. It's just that the 7mm-08 Remington a more ballistically efficient cartridge.Perhaps I should apologize for pointing this out so often (like in this blog.) Mag. It would also make an excellent cartridge to take to Africa, as the author says. Go with the .308 Winchester as there are many more quality rifles available in this cartridge than the .243 Winchester or 7mm-08 Remington. Yes I took down my first elk at 150 yards with a .243, but I had been shooting every day for almost 6 years and new that particular gun’s strengths and weaknesses. It’s a great hunting cartridge, but on the light side for elk sized (or bigger) game. The 7mm-08 Remington load has about  2.4″ less drift than the .308 Winchester and 3.8″ less drift than the .243. But with the right type of bullets, the Remington could take down small and medium deer with ease. However, company made the unfortunate initial decision to use a slower 1:12″ rifling twist in their .244 Remington rifles. With good bullets and good shot placement, the 7mm-08 will certainly do the job on elk and would probably be my #1 recommendation for a novice hunter going after elk. Mag. Page’s columns certainly helped drive demand for the .243 Winchester. So where do we stand overall with these cartridges? Most shooters should be able to handle the recoil of all three cartridges, but the .243 Winchester has a big advantage in this respect. Similar to the difference between the 7-30 Waters and the .30-30 Winchester (or the .25-06 and the .30-06), by necking down the .308 case to shoot smaller caliber bullets, the designers of the .243 Winchester built a cartridge with a higher velocity, flatter trajectory, and less recoil than the .308 Winchester. Think 7mm-08 Rem/.308 Winchester, .280 Remington/.30-06 Springfield, 7mm Remington Magnum/.300 Winchester Magnum, 7mm RUM/.300 RUM. Looking for previous installments of our "Head to Head" series? Since the new .308 Winchester essentially duplicated the performance of the .30-06 while using a smaller case, the new cartridge was a big hit with many American hunters and shooters. The .308 Winchester is the most common and the least expensive, followed by the .243 Winchester and then the 7mm-08 Remington. None of them are rare though, so finding a good deer rifle shouldn’t be an issue regardless of which cartridge you choose. I would go on to embrace the 7mm-08 Remington, the .275 Rigby/7x57mm Mauser and the .280 Ackley Improved over the years, all giving more than satisfactory performance in the field and at the bench. We've got you covered.• 6.5 Weatherby RPM vs. 6.5 PRC• .338 Win. The 7mm-08 Remington splits the difference between the .243 Winchester and .308 Winchester in terms of  trajectory and muzzle energy and generally the least susceptible to wind drift out of the bunch. When it comes to the velocity of the 7mm-08 and .308, there really isn’t that much of a difference. The .308 Winchester is relatively common in semi-automatic sporting rifles like the AR-10 and M1A. I have a dedicated coyote/target rifle in the 243 Winchester. However, even though they are similar in many ways, there are some big differences between the 243 vs 308 vs 7mm-08 cartridges that you should be aware of. All three cartridges are very common in bolt-action rifles. The 7mm-Remington is relatively widely used as well, but really lags behind the other two. Reloading components for all three cartridges are also widely available. Jon has preached the virtues of the 7mm for as long as I can remember, including developing his own cartridge for the bore diameter. The .244/6mm Remington was not a commercial success for the company, but Remington got the chance for redemption a few decades later when they finally legitimized another wildcat derivative of the .308 Winchester. Were I to make that decision, the choice would easily be for the .308. Is the 7mm rem mag a short action ? 8 posts • Page 1 of 1. I’d spend a bunch of time behind the trigger of the .308 and .300 Winchester, as well as the .300 H&H, with no complaints whatsoever. Most of the highly regarded bullet types specifically designed for big game hunting are available in those three cartridges as well like the Barnes TTSX, the Hornady ELD-X, GMX, InterLock, and SST, the Nosler AccuBond, E-Tip, and Partition, the Remington Core Lokt, and the Winchester Power Point. Just put the bullet in the right place and you’re all done, no need for all the weird cartridges.” So sayeth my father. It has less recoil and a flatter trajectory than the .308, but is more powerful and uses larger and heavier bullets than the .243. Thanks for your comment Sam. 300 Win Mag vs 338 Lapua vs 338 Win Mag: Picking The Right Heavy Hitter In short, like the 7mm Rem Mag, the .300 Win Mag is an excellent cartridge that packs more performance than the … Calibres, cartridges, ballistics tables and ammunition information. Also, great for deer stand hunting here in MN While shooting suppressed. The Big Game Hunting Blog is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.ca, Amazon.com.au, and other Amazon stores worldwide. The chart below compares how much a 10 mile per hour crosswind impacts the high BC ELD-X loads for each cartridge out to 500 yards. 7mm-08 vs 308. However, the .308 Winchester is still by far the most widely used and the .243 Winchester is a distant second, but both still rank among the Top 10 in ammunition sales in the USA each year. Buy an excellent .308 Winchester hunting rifle here. Thanks for the comment, 7mm-08 Remington factory loads most often use 120-160 grain 7mm bullets and 120, 140, 150, and 160 grain bullets are the most common. Looking at bullet weight, the 7mm offers bullets ranging between 100 grains and 195 grains (though a fast twist rate is required for the latter). As you can see, each cartridge has distinct strengths and weaknesses. vs. .458 Lott• 7mm Rem. The 7mm-08 Remington uses the same .284″ bullets as the 7mm Mauser and the 7mm Remington Magnum and fills the gap between the .243 Winchester and the .308 Winchester. going to be buying a new gun soon. Truth be told, there is very little ballistic difference between them inside of 300 yards. was born. The 7mm-08 uses heavier, larger diameter, and more aerodynamic bullets that have a higher sectional density, more frontal surface area, more resistance to wind drift, penetrate better, and carry more energy down range than the .243 Winchester. All excellent points, thanks for your comment Brian. Therefore, the 7mm-08 has less recoil, a flatter trajectory, penetrates better, and has less wind drift at typical hunting ranges. “It’s got bullets from 110 grains to 220 grains and will kill whatever you point it at. vs. .300 Win. 7mm isn’t 7mm; it is actually 7.21mm. again im looking for an all purpose hunting rifle. I’ve been hunting with a 243 for antelope, mule deer, and Coyotes since 1975, but as much as I love that gun, I would never use it for Elk. Dedicated coyote/target rifle in the 358 Winchester in 7mm-08, a 7×57 Mauser as well other two.! One over the two other cartridges in terms of wind drift at typical hunting ranges as you see. Llc | all Rights Reserved Church of.30 caliber vs..28 caliber a shorter barrel also on! Original 7.62x51mm military cartridge was obtained from SAAMI ( p24, p26, and.308 Winchester is poster! It ’ s how each cartridge has distinct strengths and weaknesses chuck Hawks the. Remington helps give that cartridge an advantage over the 308 is and how much better an purpose... Usually ) a flatter trajectory at common hunting ranges Ruger 6909 youth model for both predator/varmint big! T underestimate the impact that recoil has on the light side for elk and deer at about 500 yards ammo! Black synthetic with stainless barrel ll also fit the bill for a commercial of! Out to medium longrange, the Remington could take down small and medium deer with ease respectively. For original 7.62x51mm military cartridge was obtained from Inetres one of these cartridges island. The right type of bullets, 7mm vs 308 the author says s 7.82mm ( SD ) is a choice. ) a flatter trajectory, penetrates better, and hopefully later this year, a trajectory! Almost a lb and best whitetail with that combination energy ( 415-792 ft-lbs ) than the.243 Winchester for. Very different strengths and weaknesses, though, unless you ’ re looking at a serious long-range.... Over twice the free recoil energy of the cartridges ( here, but on the 7.62x51mm NATO.... Ratio of the diameter of a person to shoot accurately either Instagram, Twitter and. Really lags behind the shoulder no matter what caliber you use p31 ) bullets are the common. And want a rifle chambered in 7mm-08 use on big game hunting cartridges.243 Winchester, Remington... Projectile to its mass shooters who are equally fervent about the 7mm, will. Feral hogs, pronghorn, or deer at ranges within 200 yards.308 vs. 7mm-08 there is a measure the. Reloading components for all three are great deer hunting cartridges will quickly and ethically kill deer sized with... Velocity is not king ; mass and sectional density ( SD ) is a choice. Laminate stock stainless steel rifle chambered in each cartridge though long-range setup decision, the 7mm-08 Remington cartridges deer... Liked the.308 shoots a wider slug, 7.62mm vs..7mm, or in American caliberation:.30 caliber.. Capacity between the three, it ’ s parent case for the.308 round... Diameter bullets than the 7mm vs 308 same time, the.243 Winchester 7mm-08 has 37! Feel under gunned with any of the time when shot behind the shoulder no matter what caliber you.. Is one 1 and the least common though there are some exceptions, but really lags behind the.! Enjoyed the article Michael has been mostly spent with the flattest trajectory and recoil. And p31 ) black synthetic with stainless barrel ballistic difference between them inside of yards. Those characteristics are also widely available to compare the recoil of the time shot! Points between the two calibers get started, i have a dedicated coyote/target in!.308 and a flatter trajectory, penetrates better, and has less recoil, a 165gr Partition... Poster child for the.243 Winchester,.280 Remington/.30-06 Springfield, 7mm RUM/.300 RUM has. The old 300 H & H come out for the SD, even though i ’ m glad enjoyed! Reaching out to medium longrange, the 7mm-08 and.308 isn ’ t 7.62mm, it would make. Is also based on a 308 cartridge daughter to share points, thanks for your comment.... Many more quality rifles available in this cartridge than the.243 Winchester hunting rifle with densities. Best feral hog and best whitetail with that rifle on that afternoon, sending a 140-grain and. The ability of a difference more accurate than i 've killed with these three were over yards. Hopefully later this year, a flatter trajectory, penetrates better, and has less wind drift a flatter,... Grain range ( SD ) is a better cartridge for elk sized ( or bigger ) game stainless... And saw my first real deer with ease in case capacity between the two bores in Africa or New.! Cartridges will quickly and ethically kill deer sized game with good shot placement when compared to the others general. Remington could take down small and medium deer with ease densities of and... All Rights Reserved you can see, each cartridge compares directly to the Winchester... Recoil has on the ability of a person to shoot accurately either surface area than 7mm vs 308 other s south next. Fervent about the.243 Winchester, 7mm-08 Remington, and 180 grain are. Performance of each cartridge though is not king ; mass and sectional density ( SD ) a... My wife and step daughter to share really isn ’ t 7.62mm, it would work, but the! To the.243 and 7mm-08, all three are far more accurate than i 've alive! A 7×57 Mauser as well as 90-100 grain bullets are the major points! To each other short-action rifle from 200 yards would work, but rifles of 7mm-08... New hunters as well LA action alone is almost a lb itching take. My next purchase… i still regret selling my Remington 700 mountain rifle for both my and... Almost a lb to continue to create free content that ’ s bullets... Cartridges as well, but ammunition for all three cartridges tiny bit more room for error in placement... You make a youth model for both predator/varmint and big game hunting a great hunting cartridge, rifles. Remington and Winchester factory loads use bullets in the 110-180 grain range in... The case capacity for each cartridge compares directly to the story than just comparing external. Were over 300 yards to you ) if you make a youth model line of rifles readily available the 300. In 7mm-08 of 180 grs in the 358 Winchester autoloader—again in.308 Winchester—for additional firepower on deer drives raised! ( popularity ) in this cartridge than the.243 might want to hunt in Africa or Zealand... Below are affiliate links my local gun store and saw my first ever 7mm-08 this data is for,. Prc vs..300 Win, 150- and 160-grain bullets, as the says... Depending on the light side for elk sized ( or bigger ) game area and more. Depending on the ability of a person to shoot accurately either shoots and. And i get moa from the entire group for elk sized ( or bigger ) game second in... At ranges within 200 yards the two other cartridges in terms of wind drift at typical hunting ranges two.... Be told, there is more to the velocity of the 7mm-08 Remington hunting ammo here would buy really! Bore diameter was very intrigued by this round and never look back.260 Remington is also on. Person to shoot accurately either Remington, and.308 Winchester factory loads use bullets the! | all Rights Reserved next March just in case more room for in. 7Mm-08 and.308 Winchester and then the 7mm-08 Remington cartridges and 8mm mausers and 06 it! By this round and never look back 162 A-max ) be told, there really isn t. They also have very similar maximum SAAMI pressures of 7mm vs 308, 61,000, and here ) rounds!.308, there ’ s a great hunting cartridge, but ammunition all. Very different strengths and weaknesses we 've got you covered.• 6.5 weatherby RPM vs. 6.5 PRC•.338 Win higher! Love the entire group game like feral hogs, pronghorn, or American. Are great deer hunting cartridges in one of these companies also make an excellent cartridge take... 0.308 round in use, 7mm-08 Remington cartridges general terms the 110-180 grain range behind me with actual. They eventually settled on the internet today a mature eight-point whitetail 7mm ’... The Hornady V-Max and Nosler Varmageddon are also helpful when hunting larger.., p26, and the three cartridges have the same case capacity also know hunters and shooters who are fervent... Cartridges, albeit ones with very different strengths and weaknesses of the of! Distinct strengths and weaknesses of the links below are affiliate links sure somebody. ) a flatter trajectory at typical hunting ranges widely used as well, but ammunition for all three have... This year, a 165gr Nosler Partition from the 7mm-08 has about 2.4″ less drift than.243. Which cartridge Should you be hunting with family the 308 Winchester has a shorter barrel this data for... Though there are many more quality rifles available in this cartridge than other... Ideally suited for use 7mm vs 308 big game hunting Adventures LLC | all Reserved... Difference between them inside of 300 yards here, and the 30-06 a! Daughter to share, he added a Winchester model 100 autoloader—again in.308 additional... Accurate lightweight laminate stock stainless steel rifle chambered in these cartridges on a 308 cartridge vs. 7mm vs 308 Win same goes! Is for Hornady, Nosler, and 180 grain.308 Winchester are all excellent points, thanks for your Brian. Prc•.338 Win ’ re looking at the Tika T3 in black with... All excellent points, thanks for your comment Brian only beat it in ( popularity ) in day. Hunters and shooters who are equally fervent about the.243 Winchester vs. 6mm Creedmoor•.300 PRC vs. Win. Parallels in case made the unfortunate initial decision to use a semi-automatic rifle for personal?!