7mm vs .308 cals

[Lahunter76]

ok, first and foremost, I understand that shot placement and bullet construction choice is key here, so let's take that out of the discussion unless there is an SD deal due to the cal and range of bullet selection.
White tail deer mostly and the occasional elk hunt will be the biggest usage of said caliber. Typical shots between 0-500 yds and max shots out to 700-800 with right conditions.

My father and I was discussing this so I decided to bring it here to see y'all opinion on this topic. My father is a huge 7mm fan and I have always been a huge 30cal guy. I understand that this is going to probably be more of ones preference then anything but I was curious of y'alls opinions and why's!

 

[Canhunter35]

Both are good.
You get a little flatter trajectory and have racier bullets for 0-500yds with the 7mm

 

[Orange Dust]

Both are more than enough gun. 7-08 is one of the best whitetail guns ever invented for normal hunting ranges. When you get in magnums, especially like the RUMS and larger, bullet selection becomes more critical for animals within the point blank range of the cartridge. Over the years I have seen quicker kills with the 30's, but they seldom go far with a 7 either. I have ruined more meat with the 30 Magnums playing with different bullets. Using equal case size the 7's generally shoot a little flatter, but the 30's make a bigger hole. If I was going Elk hunting I would hunt with my 300 RUM and leave my 28 Nosler in camp as a backup, but the 28 is new, and the RUM has killed its share. Going to hunt deer with the 28 this year. If there was going to be a lot of walking involved, I would take my old 7WSM. All good stuff. My youngest daughter has been total death on whitetails for years with a .308 and 165's. Can't remember her shooting one with it that we had to go look for. Point is both are more than fine if you match the bullet to the range and cartridge.

 

[Heavyiron]

Wow, 7mm vs 308. Used both of them and find very little difference. 7mm shoots a little flatter, 30 hits harder. Think it is more of a preference, than anything else. Doubt that animals hit with either know the difference.
7mm usually kicks less. 308 usually more. My personal preference is the 7mm. Used the 7mm08, 280, 280ai and 7mm rem.
Have used 30/30, 308 win, 30/06, and 300 win mag. The 7mmrem mag and 300 win mag are usually compared to each other. They both kill equally to long distances. Either is a crapshoot.

 

[Creedmoor shooter]

I prefer 7mm to 30 cal. The 7mms in general are going to kick less and shoot flatter. The wind drift can be a wash or an advantage to the 7mm depending on what bullet you choose. Some of these new 7mm projectiles are really impressive. Where the 30 is going to beat out the 7mm is energy.

 

[LVJ76]

Oh boy, here we go again Lol.

Deer or Elk wont know the difference of what hit them, they both work perfectly fine and you are correct, shot placement and bullet selection play the biggest roll in providing a fast and clean kill.

That said, my dad and I shot 30 cal rifles over 3 decades ago. 30-06 for hunting and 308 Win for Silhouette shooting. But switched to 7mm-08 that with the better ballistics was able to knock down the Ram silhouettes at 500 meters, something the 308 Win struggled with. After that my dad switched the 30-06 for a 270 Win and then a 280 Rem, and we never looked back. For elk his favorite was a 7 SAUM and for deer a 7mm-08. Besides some 223 Rem guns my brother and I only use 7mm cartridges now for both shooting and hunting: 7mm-08's for both hunting and shooting, and the 7 SAUM and 7mm Rem Mag for hunting.

Recoil dont bother me but the 7mm does recoil less and if you shoot a lot in a day you'll like it better.

It will come down to personal preference and I am with your dad on this one

 

[6.5x300 WBY]

I have always been 7mm fan but truth be told it's a wash. Pick your preferred and dont waste a minute in debating. Both can do what the other can do IMHO. These are just fantastic calibers and they have their own following.

 

[Mram10us]

Whatever prints on paper for you.

 

[Legionnaire]

Either will do the job, but I'm with your Dad. I sold my last .30 cal last year and am quite happy with my 7s, especially the 7mm-08 and 7 SAUM. I like short actions, and the superior ballistics of the 7mm pills.

 

[David Lindler]

ok, first and foremost, I understand that shot placement and bullet construction choice is key here, so let's take that out of the discussion unless there is an SD deal due to the cal and range of bullet selection.
White tail deer mostly and the occasional elk hunt will be the biggest usage of said caliber. Typical shots between 0-500 yds and max shots out to 700-800 with right conditions.

My father and I was discussing this so I decided to bring it here to see y'all opinion on this topic. My father is a huge 7mm fan and I have always been a huge 30cal guy. I understand that this is going to probably be more of ones preference then anything but I was curious of y'alls opinions and why's!

7mm has higher b.c and sectional density when compared to 30 cal and of same weight. 7mm usely shoots flatter. 30 cal will offer heavier weight bullets.

 

[Mram10us]

7mm has higher b.c and sectional density when compared to 30 cal and of same weight. 7mm usely shoots flatter. 30 cal will offer heavier weight bullets.

And a 6.5 of the same weight, etc, is flatter. And 6mm is flatter than the 6.5 .... Comparing weights is not apples to apples comparison

 

[JC in Calif]

ok, first and foremost, I understand that shot placement and bullet construction choice is key here, so let's take that out of the discussion unless there is an SD deal due to the cal and range of bullet selection.
White tail deer mostly and the occasional elk hunt will be the biggest usage of said caliber. Typical shots between 0-500 yds and max shots out to 700-800 with right conditions.

My father and I was discussing this so I decided to bring it here to see y'all opinion on this topic. My father is a huge 7mm fan and I have always been a huge 30cal guy. I understand that this is going to probably be more of ones preference then anything but I was curious of y'alls opinions and why's!

I would agree with you, it comes down to preference. I use a 300 Win or 7STW for elk, they certainly could be used as my deer rifles also. I prefer a .257WBY for deer hunting. Pick the caliber you like best, find a load and practice. Then fill the freezer up!

 

[Lahunter76]

I would agree with you, it comes down to preference. I use a 300 Win or 7STW for elk, they certainly could be used as my deer rifles also. I prefer a .257WBY for deer hunting. Pick the caliber you like best, find a load and practice. Then fill the freezer up!

Yes, I have been shooting a 257WBY the last couple years but like I was stating, this was a friendly lil discussion between my father and I, so I wanted to bring y'all into it

 

[Snookkatcher]

I also think it comes down to preference. If your hunting percentage breakdown is 80% deer and 20% Elk, I'd go 7mm. If the opposite, go .30 cal. Elk hunting is a bucket list item for me, they are not really plentiful ( like zero ) here in Fla., so I hunt deer and hogs, here and in Ala. and Miss.. Among a bunch of rifles not really suited for 'out West', I have a .270 Win., a couple of 30-06's, and a sweet Wby. Mark V in .300 Wby. Mag. ALL shoot sub MOA, and yes the WBY. I can shoot with no flinch, it's been LOP tweeked with a Decelerator installed, and fits me perfectly. It would be my primary rifle if I were to be handed an Elk permit and plane ticket tomorrow, with one of the '06's for a backup. All because, it's what I have, and have total confidence in. If I had a 7mm Rem. or 7mm Wby., and a .280 or 7mm-08, those are what I would be packing, and not feeling undergunned in the least.