260 vs 7mm-08

[firstcoueswas80]

0alright, my little brother is going to start hunting with my dad and i here next year (this means my dad and brother will hunt together and i can hike a lot!!! ) but we need to get him a gun. i have decided on the rifle, a remingtin model 7 stainless synthetic, but i have not decided on the caliber. i know you are going to say .243 but i do not like that idea and will not be going with that. i have been looking at a .260 or 7mm-08. i really do not know anything about these two calibers. i have been comparing velocities in both and they are very close. i do handload and i figure i should be able to get about 3000 fps with either one. i like the 7mm-08 because it shoots a bigger bullet ( say for elk) my brother is a very small kid compared to my dad and i. he is very skinny and i do not thinkhe will handle recoil well. i was started out wrong with a gun that didnt fit and it was a 308 with 165s and no recoil pad ( OUCH) so i want to get him started out right as far as recoil goes. whitetail will be the main thing for this gun, with a pig hunt here or there ont he side. for elk he will shoot the 270.. thanks! but please stay with in 260 or 7mm-08!!!

[Red Rabbit]

How about the Remington 700 Mountain LSS in 7mm-08? Gun weighs only 4 oz more than the model 7, doesn't have a Tupperware stock, and has 2" more barrel length (50 fps faster and less muzzle blast). Better looking and handles nice.

7-08 has a greater selection of factory ammo and more bullet choices to handload.

 

Better would be in 270 to chase coues and dream of Jack OC. Handload him reduced loads for practice or shoot Remington's Managed Recoil ammo.

The 7-08 w/ 140's would give about 15 ft-lbs of recoil and the 270 w/ 130's would give 18 ft-lbs in the 700 Mtn LSS.

 

RR

[bchoitz]

Man I wish I had a brother that would buy me a gun! That's awful nice of you!

 

Both are based on the .308 necked down, both hold about the same amount of powder, and will produce very similar amounts of recoil.

 

Basically, each will work great for deer, and good for elk, so it really comes down to preference and availability.

 

I believe the .260 will be easier to get. Several years ago I purchased a 7MM-08 for my wife. After waiting for the gun shop to receive the order for 4 months, I finally gave up and got a .308 (this was before the .260 Rem was available.)

 

As you handload, you know that availability of ammo will not be your biggest concern, so take your pick.

 

Also, remember that the lighter the rifle, the greater the felt recoil will be.

 

Or you could let your brother decide.

 

Bret

[Benbrown]

In factory rifles with factory ammo, there is not much difference between the two. The range of bullet weights for the 7mm-08 is somewhat more diverse, but both are inherently accurate rounds and both will kill deer (and elk) with proper bullets and proper shot placement. If you handload, there are quite a few more bullet options with the 7mm-08.

 

I have owned and passed on five 7mm-08s to my daughter, step-son and grandsons. I started my daughters out deer hunting with .243s over twenty-five years ago, but we quickly moved up to the 7mm-08 when it became readily available in light factory rifles. I have started all of my grandsons on the 7mm-08, which I loaded down for them when they were still pre-teens. We used a 120 grain Nosler solid base with the lowest charge of 4064 in the Nosler manual, and killed a truck load of mule deer and whitetails with this round--all but one were one-shot kills.

 

I still have two rifles in this caliber--both are lightweight rifles with synthetic stocks and they are my favorite "knocking around" rifles. I know folks who have been shooting .260s since it was the wildcat 6.5-08 and they can relate similar stories to the ones that I can tell about the 7mm-08. IMHO either is a good choice for a first big game rifle.

[firstcoueswas80]

doug, i have had him hold my 30-06, which as you know is the same gun as you mentioned and it did not fit him. i do not know what we are going to do for his as he is a little guy. i have a lot of exploring to do and i will be taking him to sportsmans wharehouse when i come home for thanksgiving to see what rifle fits him. my 30-06 was really close to fitting him, and our old 270 was also really close but still both a tad too long.

 

 

bchoitz, i never said I was gonna buy it

[DesertBull]

I bought a Tikka 7/08, SS / SYN, for my 17 year old son. It is a sweet shooter amd kicks very little.

 

I can't wiat to hear Lark's comments! LOL!

[Red Rabbit]

"... a tad too long." -Have the smith cut to proper length before putting on a good recoil pad. Be sure to check the grip to trigger length with your lil brother when you go to Sportsmans and check various guns.

 

RR

[Huntinfool]

My wife's rifle is a Winchester Compact in a 7mm-08 with a KDF added and is perfect for her. She took an antelope with it last year using 139 gr. SST / Hornady and a bull elk this year using 140 gr Nosler Partitions / Federal. She has never complained of the kick. Jason

[Benbrown]

The Model 7 comes in a Youth Model with a shorter stock to fit young folks. If you can't find one, buy a regular one and I will give you a wood stock from a Youth Model 7mm-08 that he can use until he outgrows it. When he outgrows it, put the factory stock back on. Then you can pitch the Youth Model stock or pass it along to another young person.

[firstcoueswas80]

benbrown, awful nice of you, i think i might have to take you up on that! thanks

[Benbrown]

Let me know when you need it.

 

Ben