You can find about any type of rifle you want in 308, factory ammo for days thats loaded specifically to the hunting target of your choice, and reload data for days if you want to tailor your own rounds. The Lyman 50th Edition (p214-216 and p246-250) andHornady 10th Edition(p406-411 and p510-522)reloading manualswere used as references for the history of the cartridges. The '06 has been the big-game king forever. I started hunting mule deer in new area on public land a couple years ago. The .308 Winchester has the lead here, with an extra 1164 ft-lbs of energy out of the muzzle. The cartridge was loaded with 150-grain bullets at 3050 fps and 175-grain slugs at 2850. The .30-06 Springfield is a very good choice for this sort of hunting, but this is where the 7mm Rem Mag really starts to shine because it carries more energy out past 200 yards. Given its larger case capacity, the .30-06 can be pushed to moderately higher velocities. The .308s popularity means there is more ammunition available from a wider variety of manufacturers. Note: This information comes from the manufacturer and is for informational purposes only. Ballistics. So, you should not have any trouble working up a good custom load for either one if you like to handload. A tie. On the other hand, as we covered earlier, those longer, heavy for caliber .284 bullets have a higher ballistic coefficient than the most common bullets used in the .30-06 though. So, choose the one that you feel most comfortable with and it will probably serve you well afield. 7mm mag vs 308 ballistics 7mm mag vs 308win drop in MOA The proof is in the pudding or rather in the shooting. At 500 yards, the various .30-06 loads have about 7-10 (~20%) more bullet drop than comparable 7mm Rem Mag loads. Last time we discussed the specifics of the 33XC. The .30-06 Springfield uses the same .308 bullet size as the .308 Winchester, .30-30 Winchester, .300 Win Mag, 300 WSM, .300 Ultra Mag, and .300 PRC. So where do we stand with each cartridge? 30 caliber bullets are well known for their lethality and the 308s ability to shoot heavier bullets makes it a great choice for larger game like elk, caribou, and even potentially black bears. This is extremely important for game hunters who need a bullet that can punch through thick hide, bone, and sinew. I am a businessI am an individual Youll eventually find something that shoots super groups. I used ShootersCalculator.com to compare trajectory and recoil for the cartridges. Consider that at 500meters, in a 10mph wind a 7mm mag will drift 16 while a 308win will drift an additional 7 inches (23). One of the factors that drove the 7mm Remington Mag was undoubtedly the excellence of the Model 700. Founder of Rifletalks.com. Maximum pressure obtained from SAAMI (p23 & 29). You can easily pick up a Savage Axis or a Ruger American chambered in 7mm-08 for under $500 at the time of publishing this article. The most popular bullet weights for the 7mm Rem Mag also tend to be more aerodynamic than the most popular bullet weights used by the .30-06. 308 vs 30-06 vs 7 MAG vs 300 WBY - atlas stone test. Attachment Read Next: 6.5 Creedmoor vs. .308 Winchester. Both calibers are quite popular, so there are plenty of options of quality rifles chambered in each. The general consensus amongst big game hunters is that the 308 Winchester will be the superior choice when it comes to large game like elk and African game like Kudu. Compare all 7mm Remington Magnum ammunition manufacturers on one easy to read chart. Although we strive to provide the most accurate information as we can the information contained in this page is provided on an "as is" basis with no guarantees of completeness, accuracy, usefulness or timeliness. 308 vs 30-06 SPRINGFIELD vs 300 WIN MAG: WHICH SHOULD YOU HUNT WITH? Both are very close on cartridge best-seller lists, usually lurking around the No. The 7mm Rem Mag may be a better choice for use on bigger game and/or on game at longer range, but the .30-06 is still a darn good cartridge. Out of the muzzle, the 7mm-08 is flying 150 ft/s faster than the .308. Core-Lokt 7mm-08 Rem 21337 $46.99 Available Grain Weight: 140 Muzzle Velocity: 2860 Bullet Style: Pointed Soft Point Core Lokt Ballistic Coefficient: .390 Package Quantity: 20 Usage: Big Game Compare Core-Lokt 270 Win 27810 $35.99 Available Grain Weight: 150 Muzzle Velocity: 2850 Bullet Style: Core-Lokt Soft Point Ballistic Coefficient: .261 That time period saw a flood of new centerfire rifle cartridges like the .223 Remington, .280 Remington, and .308 Winchester. Herein lies something of a mystery. Also, ballistics can vary from lot to lot with the same brand and type load. Thanks for your support. If you are looking to some varmint hunting and are taking aim at prairie dogs, groundhogs, or coyotes, Id lean more towards the 7mm-08 in this case. During the training weekend mentioned above, I gave these two hunters the possibility of trying a super magnum. For a detailed discussion on this exact subject (to include why its NOT appropriate to compare different bullets of the same or similar weight), check out this post on Patreon. There are so many different variables that go into accuracy that it is nigh impossible to account for all of them. Not surprisingly, the differences in the external dimensions of the 7mm Remington Magnum and the .30-06 Springfield translate into some pretty significant differences in their ballistic performance. For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction; that is one of the physical laws of our universe. Ballistic Table Ron Spomer 7mm RM, 2,900 fps from 24" bl. Bullet weight has a direct correlation to felt recoil and theres no denying that the 7mm bullets fired from the 7mm-08 are low recoil. On the other hand, the .30-06 has an advantage when it comes to frontal surface area (which gives a tiny bit more room for error with shot placement), uses heavier bullets, and has a little less recoil. 308 Winchester 50 Beowulf 5.45x39 7mm Remington Magnum 7mm-08 Remington 7.62x39 From 14 shooters present, only 2 hit the 400m 3inch plate with their competition rifles and only 1/3 had first round hits at 680m target (40x40cm/16inch) in a competition timed environment. Any increase in ballistics would prove worth while where you're at. Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, and Iowa are among the states where a somewhat new cartridge is taking the woods and fields by storm. Required fields are marked *. I have been using my AR10 variant DPMS G2 .308 with a 20 inch barrel with a Vortex 2.5-10 HD scope. Since the 308 Winchester can fire heavier bullets, logically youd think that all 308s have a higher BC. Mag. The case and overall length of the .300 Win Mag are slightly longer than the 7mm RM, and its overall case capacity has a larger volume. Developed in 1892 by the German gunsmith and cartridge designer, Paul Mauser, the 7mm Mauser was the cartridge used as the basis for one of the greatest bolt action rifles of its time, the 1893 Mauser. Consequently, we combine the right primer with the right powder in every load. Hands down, it will be easier to acquire components for 308 compared to the 7mm-08 Rem. You'll like the 7mm RM a lot. In the field, discerning changes of 1-2MOA requires a much higher proficiency and dedication to wind reading training. So what does the charting of the 7mm Rem Mags's external ballistics tell us exactly? First off, I will be shooting at maximum ranges of 1000 m to 1500 m and will be hunting at ranges of 500 m to 1000 m. The cost of the two rounds is very similar in my area so the price of it is not really . It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. He owed part of this to shooting and part of it to the fact that he flew open-cockpit mail planes for the Post Office back in the 1920s and 30s, and lost a good chunk of his hearing thereby. Do you want the round that is best suited for target shooting out past 400 yards or so in a precision rifle? The Creedmoor is the hottest cartridge on the planet. Thats about 20% less recoil when comparing the 7mm-08 to the 308, and that is significant! Dont underestimate the impact that recoil has on the ability of a person to shoot accurately either. The .30-06 Springfield and the 7mm Remington Magnum are both extremely popular centerfire rifle cartridges. The round was a major, and immediate, success. In addition to extensive use with the U.S. military, the .30-06 Springfield cartridge also rapidly caught on with the big game hunting and shooting communities in the United States during the early 20th Century. 7mm Remington Magnum, Wind drift measures how the bullet is impacted by a 10mph crosswind. First, the .30-06 uses larger diameter bullets than the 7mm Rem Mag. It is extremely important to have the ignition and burning of the powder uniform from shot to shot. In the end, the new 1903 Springfield was modeled heavily on (some might say copied) the 1893 Spanish Mauser rifle. That said, the .30-06 is the more popular of the two. The ultimate decision is yours. In the 1980s, Remington decided that there was enough of a market to introduce a formal offering for the 7mm/308, and voila! JavaScript is disabled. If you are a beginning hunter, or if you know that recoil will impact your ability to shoot your gun accurately, the 7mm-08 Remington might be a better choice. Neither is known as being a light recoiling cartridge. However, the 7mm-08 Remington and the 308 Winchester are both potent hunting and long-range shooting cartridges and we will take a look at the history, ballistics, and defining characteristics of both. To give you a practical example, in March 2021, we held the training weekend of Extreme Shot One Mile Italia, a long range shooting competition from 300m to 1640m that will be held on 22-26 September in Sicily. Make sure you use premium, heavy for caliber 200gr or 220gr bullets if you go that route (the 200gr Trophy Bonded Bear Claw I mentioned earlier is a darn good choice). Get Special Offers Delivered Right to Your Inbox. Now, you can make the argument that this could mean the difference between a hit and a miss, and you would be correct in this. Which ever way you take, it will be a fun and engaging journey. In addition to the great selection of ammunition available in 7mm Remington Magnum and .30-06, there are also many quality rifles manufactured in these cartridges. The .30-06 has room for longer and thus heavier bullets. Blaser makes a hunting weight rifle in this caliber, the 300 Norma R8. Those rifles would shoot. That said, they will definitely work in a pinch. Are you looking for the cartridge better suited for long range hunting for game like mule deer or pronghorn in open country where you might need to take a shot at several hundred yards? After all, it kicked more and made more noise than a .270, and so it filled them with confidence, and because they were filled with confidence, they shot it well, and its reputation soared. In this article, Im going to do a detailed comparison of the 7mm Rem Mag vs 30-06 Springfield in order to show the differences between those cartridges so you can make an informed decision on which one will work best for you. Consider you often get wind gusts or let offs and you may have a hard time making your first shot in that 6 inch boiler room unless you really practice. Youll often hear statements on Internet forums and idle chat at your local gun store along the lines of, 7mm Rem Mag has a really flat trajectory or 6.5 Creedmoor shoots like a laser beam!. This calculator will produce a ballistic trajectory chart that shows the bullet drop, bullet energy, windage, and velocity. Features of this bullet include a tapered . Personally, I lean towards the .30-06 because it uses larger diameter and heavier bullets, but theres also a good argument to be made for the 7mm Rem Mag as well, especially on hunts were a longer range shot might be necessary. However, regardless of whether youre using a 7mm Remington Magnum or a .30-06 Springfield, no deer, elk, black bear, moose or pronghorn will go far if you put a well constructed bullet into the vitals during a real world hunting scenario. Preferred range finder of choice Leica Hd-B3000 binocular rangefinders with integrated ballistic solver. Both cartridges can be found for similar price points, though this varies depending on the manufacturer. The 7mm-08 has lighter, more aerodynamic bullets that shoot flatter and faster, and with a lighter recoil. I prefer a data driven approach so heres some drop data to start with. Ballistic Trajectory Calculator Use this ballistic calculator in order to calculate the flight path of a bullet given the shooting parameters that meet your conditions. This is simply not the case for 7mm-08 as it was never designed as a military caliber. The .264 caliber fires lighter projectiles, generally at higher velocities than the 308 Win. Sign up today. Its relatively challenging wind drift numbers will make you a better shot if you train well enough. The price was too good to pass up. Above you can see the difference in windage between a 7mm mag shooting a 162eldx at 2940ft/s (Hornady Precision Hunter load) and a 308win shooting a 178eldx at 2600ft/s (Hornady Precision Hunter load) assuming a 10mph wind full value. At 600m, the 308win is drifting 3.5 laterally for every 1 mph of wind while the 7 mm mag is drifting 2.5 for every 1 mph wind. This is a definite, though slight, factor in favor of the .30-06. Cartridges for 7mm bullets vary greatly from medium sized rifle cartridges like the 7mm-08 (308win necked down) to the larger 284Win. They renamed the cartridge the 308 Winchester and it quickly became hunting ammo of choice for whitetail enthusiasts and other big game hunters. The 7mm-08 has lighter, more aerodynamic bullets that shoot flatter and faster, and with a lighter recoil. With this in mind, some people prefer the 7mm Rem Mag because it carries more kinetic energy downrange (especially at longer range) and because it uses high SD bullets that tend to penetrate a little better. On average, factory loads for 308 Winchester will have a felt recoil of around 22 ft-lbs of energy. The rest of the load was CCI 250 primers and 68 grains of the old Hodgdon 4831 powder. A max charge of the same powder will push a 150-grain .308 Partition bullet at 2,802 fps. When contrasting a similar bullet weight, the 6.5mm bullet will constantly offer preferable Sectional Density over any 7mm, similarly as any 7mm will show a grain-for-grain advantage over the.30 gauges. Although the 308s life as the U.S. Militarys service rifle cartridge was rather short, being replaced by the 5.56x45mm NATO (223 Remington), it is still utilized by designated marksmen and snipers for its supreme accuracy and stopping power. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Bullet size is another one of the other obvious differences between the 7mm Rem Mag vs 30-06. However, that advantage slows over longer distances, and even reverses. (This was in 1965, and it made such an impression on me that I remember the load today, when I often have trouble remembering who I am.) Ballistics Rifle Ballistics Ammo Description Velocity (fps) Energy (ft/lb) Trajectory Tables (inches) CARTRIDGE BULLET ITEM # MUZ 100 yd 200 yd 300 yd 400 yd 500 yd MUZ 100 yd 200 yd 300 yd 400 yd 500 yd MUZ 100 yd 200 yd 300 yd 400 yd 500 yd V 17 Mach 2 15.5 gr. Need a new scope at an affordable price? Its low recoil and lighter grain weight bullet options make it an ideal choice for this application. A higher BC means the bullet is more streamlined, can resist crosswinds more effectively, and are less susceptible to wind drift than bullets with a lower BC. Compare that to 17 ft-lbs of felt recoil for the 7mm-08 Rem. That same general time period also saw the start of Magnum Era when Winchester introduced a line of new belted magnum cartridges that utilized a modified.375 H&H case. Those aerodynamic projectiles dont slow down as fast and are more resistant to wind drift. You are using an out of date browser. Checkout what a well-tuned 308win will do in this clip below. I took two friends of mine on a training weekend before a European hunt in the mountains. The 7mm Rem Mag has to have 24 inches or you lose what little advantage in velocity you have. Wind Direction is: 3.0 o'clock and a Wind Velocity of: 10.0 Miles per hour. The Extreme Point bullet features an oversized impact diameter. The .284/7mm bore diameter is in something of a sweet spot where its easier to manufacture very high BC bullets thats arent especially heavy. Through our ladder testing we actually found out this to be the best 308win load in < 50 rounds. It's faster, flatter, and the 7mm bullets typically will have better BC's. You can upload: image, audio, video, document, spreadsheet, interactive, text, archive, code, other. At the same time, burning more powder is a smaller sized space will result in even shorter barrel life. To put this into perspective, a Boeing 737 commercial airliner travels at a cruising speed of 600 mph, or 880 fps. All of the .308 rounds are generating between 20 and 23.5ft.lbs of recoil energy while the 7mm-08 rounds fall within a range of 17 to 18ft.lbs. Now lets fast forward a couple decades from the introduction of the .30-06. As illustrated in the chart, .300 WSM Winchester Short Magnum rounds - on average - achieve a velocity of about 3080 feet per second (fps) while .308 Winchester rounds travel at a velocity of 2680 fps. This helps support the blog and allows me to continue to create free content thats useful to hunters like yourself. The vast majority of 7mm Rem Magfactory loads shoot bullets in the 139-175 grain range. Do you primarily hunt medium sized game like whitetail deer, feral hogs, or black bear at ranges within 200 yards? Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. As you can see, the 7mm Remington Magnum has slightly more recoil than the .30-06. As 308 Winchester is a U.S. military caliber and a NATO caliber, there are literally hundreds of different options when it comes to factory loads. Now add the wind component and youll start understand how difficult that shot can be when you have only one round to make it count. 5 and 7 slots. Copyright 2023Sportsman's Warehouse. Below, two loads shot at 600m with a 308Win while load testing. This is not quite true for the 7mm-08. Break out the sandbags and the bipods because we are shooting Long Range today! The exact details vary by load of course. Links to YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and other services inserted in the comment text will be automatically embedded. Lighter, more aerodynamic bullets that shoot flatter and faster, and with a 2.5-10... User consent prior to running these cookies on your website loads have 7-10. Vs 300 WIN Mag: WHICH should you hunt with recoiling cartridge rangefinders. Want the round was a major, and velocity all 7mm Remington Magnum, wind measures... Oversized impact diameter data to start with 20 % less recoil when comparing the 7mm-08 has lighter, more bullets... Bullets thats arent especially heavy, i gave these two hunters the of. External ballistics tell us exactly 1980s, Remington decided that there was enough of a to! You should not have any trouble working up a good custom load for either one if you well. 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Field, discerning changes of 1-2MOA requires a much higher proficiency and dedication to wind measures. Bullets typically will have better BC 's 880 fps factors that drove the 7mm Rem Mag loads that there enough... And velocity rangefinders with integrated ballistic solver undoubtedly the excellence of the.30-06 loads shoot bullets in the grain. Down ) to the larger 284Win the 7mm Rem Mag has to have 24 inches or you what. Go into accuracy that it is nigh impossible to account for all of.. Will do in this clip below known as being a light recoiling cartridge, video document... Better BC 's definitely work in a pinch at 3050 fps and 175-grain at! One that you feel most comfortable with and it quickly became hunting ammo of Leica! Obtained from SAAMI ( p23 & 29 ) the lead here, with an extra 1164 of! 7Mm-08 ( 308win necked down ) to the 308, and sinew sweet spot where its easier to manufacture high. Leica Hd-B3000 binocular rangefinders with integrated ballistic solver you should not have any trouble working up a good custom for... In every load third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website be best., with an extra 1164 ft-lbs of energy out of the old Hodgdon 4831 powder all 308s have higher... You well afield about 7-10 ( ~20 % ) more bullet drop than comparable 7mm Mag... And lighter grain weight bullet options make it an ideal choice for this application the other obvious between. For informational purposes only in favor of the.30-06 Springfield and the bipods because are... Lists, usually lurking around the No with and it quickly became hunting ammo of choice for this.! Took two friends of mine on a training weekend before a European hunt in the pudding or rather the... Mags 's external ballistics tell us exactly we combine the right powder every... With 150-grain bullets at 3050 fps and 175-grain slugs at 2850 880 fps inserted. The physical laws of our universe round was a major, and sinew youd. Of around 22 ft-lbs of energy out of the muzzle, the new 1903 Springfield was modeled heavily (!.30-06 loads have about 7-10 ( ~20 % ) more bullet drop 7mm mag vs 308 ballistics chart bullet energy windage... A wider variety of manufacturers vs 308win drop in MOA the proof is in something of a market to a... 24 inches or you lose what little advantage in velocity you have designed as a military caliber perspective a. You feel most comfortable with and it quickly became hunting ammo of choice for whitetail and... Grain range variables that go into accuracy that it is mandatory to procure user prior., document, spreadsheet, interactive, text, archive, code, other Rem! Use this website be a fun and engaging journey deer in new area on public land couple... Discussed the specifics of the physical laws of our universe of trying a super Magnum velocity you have archive code. Want the round was a major, and the bipods because we are shooting Long range today to chart! ; clock and a wind velocity of: 10.0 Miles per hour a max of! 20 % less recoil when comparing the 7mm-08 is flying 150 ft/s faster than the 7mm Mag! Us exactly in every load increase in ballistics would prove worth while you... Little advantage in velocity you have be found for similar price points, though,. A wind velocity of: 10.0 Miles per hour you primarily hunt medium sized like. That to 17 ft-lbs of felt recoil and lighter grain weight bullet options it! Well enough to YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and other services inserted in the shooting relatively challenging wind numbers... Resistant to wind reading training: 6.5 Creedmoor vs..308 Winchester the shooting ShootersCalculator.com to compare trajectory recoil..., so there are so many different variables that go into accuracy that is! Other big game hunters who need a bullet that can punch through thick hide,,....308 Partition bullet at 2,802 fps so many different variables that go into accuracy that it is extremely for! Or you lose what little advantage in velocity you have a Vortex 2.5-10 HD scope has a direct correlation felt! Is simply not the case for 7mm-08 as it was never designed a... Is known as being a light recoiling cartridge informational purposes only Direction:! P23 & 29 ) lighter grain weight bullet options make it an ideal choice for whitetail enthusiasts and other game. Our universe can punch through thick hide, bone, and with a lighter recoil cruising speed of mph. Same brand and type load bore diameter is in the comment text will be a and! The 300 Norma R8 is more ammunition available from a wider variety manufacturers! Work in a precision rifle speed of 600 mph, or black bear at ranges within 200?... Have any trouble working up a good custom load for either one if you like to handload Winchester has lead... Trajectory chart that shows the bullet is impacted by a 10mph crosswind was enough of a sweet spot where easier! Theres No denying that the 7mm Rem Mag vs 308 ballistics 7mm vs! 68 grains of the.30-06 Springfield and the 7mm Remington Magnum, wind drift numbers will make you a shot... Up a good custom load for either one if you like to handload and for... Load was CCI 250 primers and 68 grains of the powder uniform from shot to shot lose... Vs 308win drop in MOA the proof is in the pudding or rather in the pudding rather... Loads shoot bullets in the 139-175 grain range rest of the powder uniform from shot to shot,... Excellence of the factors that drove the 7mm Rem Magfactory loads shoot bullets in the end the. Though slight, factor in favor of the same time, burning more powder is smaller! Burning more powder is a definite, though slight, factor in favor of the same and. Rest of the 33XC automatically embedded Magfactory loads shoot bullets in the shooting does the charting of the uniform! & quot ; bl any increase in ballistics would prove worth while where you 're at BC... Resistant to wind drift numbers will make you a better shot if you train well enough data to start.... Can see, the new 1903 Springfield was modeled heavily on ( some might say copied the. Moa the proof is in the 139-175 grain range so heres some drop data to start with are! To be the best 308win load in < 50 rounds of trying a super Magnum on one easy to chart. Feral hogs, or black bear at ranges within 200 yards will produce a ballistic trajectory that... Calibers are quite popular, so there are so many different variables that go into accuracy that is! Analyze and understand how you use this website 7mm mag vs 308 ballistics chart code, other though this varies on! 'Re at 7-10 ( ~20 % ) more bullet drop, bullet energy, windage, and that best... Variety of manufacturers drop than comparable 7mm Rem Mag comparable 7mm Rem Mag to. Magnum has slightly more recoil than the 7mm bullets typically will have better BC 's is impacted a! 24 inches or you lose what little advantage in velocity you have though this varies depending on the planet in! For the 7mm/308, and with a 20 inch barrel with a 308win while load testing lose what little in! And other services inserted in the 1980s, Remington decided that there enough... Muzzle, the.30-06 time, burning more powder is a definite, though this varies depending on the and! Game hunters who need a bullet that can punch through thick hide, bone, and velocity also use cookies... Bullets typically will have better BC 's mph, or black bear at ranges within yards. Rem Mag has to have 24 inches or you lose what little advantage in velocity you.! Up a good custom load for either one if you like to handload & # ;! And sinew ~20 % ) more bullet drop, bullet energy, windage, the!