CaneMBA
Member
7mm-08, .270, .308 I am pretty sure I saw ammo available at Walmart for all three of these. Time to research some ballistics data!
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Yes, another question about first rifle caliber
- Thread starter CaneMBA
- Start date
lonewolf247
Senior Member
I like the parent cases! 30-06 in long action, or .308 in short action!
However, nothing wrong with the offspring: 25-06, .270, .280 & .243, 7mm-08.....
However, nothing wrong with the offspring: 25-06, .270, .280 & .243, 7mm-08.....
In the 6.5mms, don't forget the .260 Remington, either. Factory ammo is out there, although it's harder to find... more options than the 6.5CM, as well. It also has the advantage of being based directly off the .308 Winchester brass family so you can get brass for the .243Win or 7mm-08 and resize if you want. You can use .308Win brass with only a little more work. Like the 6.5CM, the .260Rem has been used in long range target shooting. The 6.5mm bullets have really good BC for bullet weight, which means less recoil.
I have a .260 Rem and it's very nice to shoot and I've had excellent results on deer.
For that matter, the 6.5x55SE is right in there, too. Practically the same ballistics as the 6.5CM and .260Rem.
I have a .260 Rem and it's very nice to shoot and I've had excellent results on deer.
For that matter, the 6.5x55SE is right in there, too. Practically the same ballistics as the 6.5CM and .260Rem.
spurrs and racks
Banned
first rifle caliber
If I were buying a new weapon today I would buy a Remington 700 in whatever model you can afford.
The 700 ADL black syn is a great buy. It comes in standard calibers but the .308 or .3006 are hard to beat and ammo is easy to find.
If you want to start small it comes in .223 or .243 and if you want big it comes in .3006 or 7mm rem mag.
Buy as good of optics as you can afford. The Nikon Buck master line of scopes are hard to beat for the money.
I have one in 7mm08 and it came factory with an 18" barrel, IMO the perfect tree stand weapon.
Good luck, and yes I am a 700 Remington guy. It's hard for me to switch.
s&r
If I were buying a new weapon today I would buy a Remington 700 in whatever model you can afford.
The 700 ADL black syn is a great buy. It comes in standard calibers but the .308 or .3006 are hard to beat and ammo is easy to find.
If you want to start small it comes in .223 or .243 and if you want big it comes in .3006 or 7mm rem mag.
Buy as good of optics as you can afford. The Nikon Buck master line of scopes are hard to beat for the money.
I have one in 7mm08 and it came factory with an 18" barrel, IMO the perfect tree stand weapon.
Good luck, and yes I am a 700 Remington guy. It's hard for me to switch.
s&r
Hunting Teacher
Senior Member
Here's my 0.02.
I shoot a 7-08. My daughter shoots a 243, the other daughter shoots a 257, and the last a 260. Love every one of those guns. At this point I couldn't pry them away from the girls even if I wanted to. Shoot great. All of us have killed a bunch of deer with them.
If I could do it over again I'd buy every one of us a 308!
Convenience, price, bullet choice,information about best reloads, ballistic performance etc etc---
I LOVE the oddball calibers until they start wanting to shoot a lot. And they all like to shoot! $$$$
Plus, finding options in shells for the 260 and 257 are possible but not easy. Sure as heck isn't cheap!!
Yes, I know I should start reloading before anyone posts. Just getting set up and having the time and space are a big issue.
Buy the 308. You won't be sorry.
I shoot a 7-08. My daughter shoots a 243, the other daughter shoots a 257, and the last a 260. Love every one of those guns. At this point I couldn't pry them away from the girls even if I wanted to. Shoot great. All of us have killed a bunch of deer with them.
If I could do it over again I'd buy every one of us a 308!
Convenience, price, bullet choice,information about best reloads, ballistic performance etc etc---
I LOVE the oddball calibers until they start wanting to shoot a lot. And they all like to shoot! $$$$
Plus, finding options in shells for the 260 and 257 are possible but not easy. Sure as heck isn't cheap!!
Yes, I know I should start reloading before anyone posts. Just getting set up and having the time and space are a big issue.
Buy the 308. You won't be sorry.
CaneMBA
Member
I've narrowed my choices down to 7-08 or .308. The 7-08 sounds pretty amazing from everything I've been reading. Great all around caliber, light recoil, flatter than the .308, excellent BC, and a high velocity. Since you shoot a 7-08 now, why would you go with the .308 instead? Just curious why your personal experience points to .308? Am I safe to assume price per round? That's the one thing I haven't checked yet, and I am not yet a reloaded either. I really do like to shoot, so I think reloading may be in my future!
Thanks,
Mike
PopPop
Gone But Not Forgotten
The difference between the mentioned calibers in the field and on game are minimal. The differences in ammo and component availability are huge. This Ammo environment is no place for experimentation for most of us.
If you want to shoot often the .308 is your choice.
If you want to shoot often the .308 is your choice.
Hunting Teacher
Senior Member
This!
Love my 7-08. Shoots fantastic. But in reality I'm not shooting deer 400 yards away or need the better ballistic coefficient, flatter shooting and so on. My shots are going to be 150 or mostly much less. I would never shoot at a deer over 250 and even then the conditions would have to be absolutely perfect for me to even make that shot. I don't practice that distance and don't believe that reading a ballistic chart about my caliber is a responsible way to take a long shot at a live animal. That being said, the 308 is going to kill any deer I shoot at just as dead as the 7-08. Thanks to the 7-08's new found popularity shells are easier to find. Still nothing like the 308 and never will be. If I shot 10-12 rounds a year sighting in and shooting a couple of deer that would be different. Since my whole family loves to shoot we go through lots of ammo. That's why I'd get the 308. Obviously the solution is keep all our rifles and buy everybody a new 308!! I'm going to explain to my wife that the purpose is to save money on the shells!
PopPop
Gone But Not Forgotten
I got rid of all of my exotic or hard to find chamberings several years ago, save one. I have and do love my .257 Weatherby. Otherwise for Deer and long range plinking it is either .308 or 30.06.
Whatever your choice in firearm, without ammo it is worthless.
Whatever your choice in firearm, without ammo it is worthless.
CaneMBA
Member
Ok, I'm convinced, .308 makes the most sense. I went to Dick's this morning and they had a Savage Model 11 VT .308 for $579. 24" Heavy barrel, accutrigger, composite stock, and comes with a Bushnell 4-12x40 scope. Very heavy rifle, I'd guess 10 lbs, but I assume, the extra weight is from the heavy barrel. Balanced well, overall I liked it, $579 is pushing the upper limit of my budget.
I really liked the reviews on the Nikon BDC scope that comes with the Savage Trophy Hunter, but looking through it at Dicks, the BDC circles are very small, and I need reading glasses now. I thought the Bushnell was decent, and should last me a year or so before I feel the need to upgrade it. Overall I think it makes more sense to go with the heavy barrel now, replacing the scope later.
However, I want to check out the Trophy Hunter, a Howa Hogue, and any other options around the $500 mark.
I really liked the reviews on the Nikon BDC scope that comes with the Savage Trophy Hunter, but looking through it at Dicks, the BDC circles are very small, and I need reading glasses now. I thought the Bushnell was decent, and should last me a year or so before I feel the need to upgrade it. Overall I think it makes more sense to go with the heavy barrel now, replacing the scope later.
However, I want to check out the Trophy Hunter, a Howa Hogue, and any other options around the $500 mark.
The Dicks VTR is a great deal and has DBM as well. I love my 6.5 but if you don't own a 308 I would get it first and then branch out.
CaneMBA
Member
Absolutely, I can't go wrong with the .308, I can get fancy and expand my inventory later. Maybe an HMR .17, then either the 6.5 creedmoor or 7mm-08.
I appreciate everyone's input, and guidance. There are lot of great calipers out for hunting right now, but there is a reason the old standby calibers are a standard.
Klondike, I was impressed with the 11VT today, I watched several videos and been reading a lot about it. Seems like it's a really solid, very accurate package. The only consistent negatives related to the scope and mount. I think I'll upgrade the Mount and add a bipod pretty quickly. However, it just felt right when I shouldered it.
Thanks,
Mike
The scope is something to upgrade. You get the good trigger and action. You can swap barrels for another caliber later if you like although the VTR has a smooth barrel nut which needs more work. Join Savage Shooters and read for more info on barrel nut addicts.
Flaustin1
Senior Member
Its not hard to get a smooth barrel nut off. Just order a replacement from savage and use a pipe wrench to get the smooth one off.
Flaustin1
Senior Member
Or if your not picky, just clean it up and reuse it.
DeoVindice
Senior Member
I agree. I would also add .30/06 to the short list of possibles. I like .270 the best. Started hunting with it at age 14 and I've never looked back. It is a lightning bolt and a deer's worst nightmare. Any of these will fit the bill for a lifetime. Ammo is always easy to find and affordable, certainly something to consider.
CaneMBA
Member
I can't see me changing out the barrel, I'll just buy another rifle to start a collection. However, after reading more on the Model 11 VT I may upgrade the stock after I've put a few hundred rounds down range.
CaneMBA
Member
Bought a .308 today! I decided to go with a Dicks special Savage Model 11 VT. 24" Heavy Barrel, Accutrigger adjustable down to 1 1/2 pound draw.
