One was forged for battle. The other was designed exclusively with long-range recreational shooting in mind.
The 7mm-08 and 308 Winchester are both great solutions for anchoring bucks! But is one round superior to the other?
We’re shooting l-o-o-ong range today. Let’s lock and load!
7mm-08 vs. 308: Cartridge Specs
Let’s begin by examining the differences between these rounds’ SAAMI (i.e. official) specifications.
Since the 7mm-08’s parent case is the 308, it has almost identical dimensions as well. Both fit in a short-action rifle. This is important to note, as it means the primary difference between the 7mm-08 Rem and the 308 Winchester are the bullets they fire.
| Specification | 7mm-08 Rem | .308 Win |
|---|---|---|
| Parent Case | .308 Win | 30-06 Springfield |
| Bullet Diameter | 0.284" | 0.308" |
| Neck Diameter | 0.315" | 0.3433" |
| Base Diameter | 0.470" | 0.4709" |
| Case Length | 2.035" | 2.015" |
| Overall Length | 2.800" | 2.800" |
| Case Capacity | 52.2 grains H₂O | 56.0 grains H₂O |
| Max Pressure (SAAMI) | 61,000 psi | 62,000 psi |
7mm-08 vs. 308: Recoil
The 7mm-08 has less recoil, but only by a small margin.
308 Win factory loads have around 22 ft-lbs of free recoil energy on average. Compare that to the 17 ft-lbs average recoil for the 7mm-08 Rem. That’s about 20% less recoil, which is significant!
Any capable shooter can handle either round’s recoil. But if you were given a choice between the two and only cared about experiencing the lightest possible recoil, then the 7mm-08 would necessarily be your better choice. You’d still have a rifle that can harvest a bull elephant (although hunting elephant with either of these rounds would be inadvisable).
7mm-08 vs. 308: Accuracy
Comparing the accuracy of two different cartridges is extremely difficult, as accuracy is more a product of a rifle and its shooter than it is an intrinsic quality of the cartridge itself. Really, it’s nigh impossible to account for all the different factors that contribute to accuracy.
You could argue that the lower recoil of the 7mm-08 would lead to better accuracy. It’s certainly not enough to guarantee better accuracy, though.
Simply put, both the 308 Win and the 7mm-08 Rem are going to deliver sub-MOA groups so long as you do your part.
Continue reading 7mm-08 vs. 308: A Long-Range Shootout on Ammo.com
https://ammo.com/comparison/7mm-08-vs-308#7mm-08-vs-308-trajectory-comparison