308 Winchester or 7mm-08 Remington? - Season 2: Episode 221

Welcome to the Ron Spomer Outdoors Podcast! In this episode, I answer listener questions about deer hunting cartridges, rifles, and more.
Links:
Website: ronspomeroutdoors.com/
Facebook: / ronspomeroutdoors
Instagram: / ronspomer
Who is Ron Spomer
For 44 years I’ve had the good fortune to photograph and write about my passion - the outdoor life. Wild creatures and wild places have always stirred me - from the first flushing pheasant that frightened me out of my socks in grandpa’s cornfield to the last whitetail that dismissed me with a wag of its tail. In my attempts to connect with this natural wonder, to become an integral part of our ecosystem and capture a bit of its mystery, I’ve photographed, hiked, hunted, birded, and fished across much of this planet. I've seen the beauty that everyone should see, survived adventures that everyone should experience. I may not have climbed the highest mountains, canoed the wildest rivers, caught the largest fish or shot the biggest bucks, but I’ve tried. Perhaps you have, too. And that’s the essential thing. Being out there, an active participant in our outdoor world.
Produced by: Red 11 Media - www.red11media.com/
Disclaimer
All loading, handloading, gunsmithing, shooting and associated activities and demonstrations depicted in our videos are conducted by trained, certified, professional gun handlers, instructors, and shooters for instructional and entertainment purposes only with emphasis on safety and responsible gun handling. Always check at least 3 industry handloading manuals for handloading data, 2 or 3 online ballistic calculators for ballistic data. Do not modify any cartridge or firearm beyond what the manufacturer recommends. Do not attempt to duplicate, mimic, or replicate anything you see in our videos. Firearms, ammunition, and constituent parts can be extremely dangerous if not used safely.

[@rpk5250]

Ron, you are a gentleman about the way you answer questions even though people don’t always ask them nicely

[@RonSpomerOutdoors-Podcast]

Thanks RPK. Not everyone is having a good day.

[@user-kq3kf4py3p]

@@RonSpomerOutdoors-Podcast , Ron, can you please tell me if the barrel is long enough to shoot a heavy bullet in the 7mm-08 rem caliber? I want to buy a light hunting rifle - Steyr Mannlicher Scout, 7mm-08 rem, but it only has a 19" barrel. I'm worried that the barrel length will not be enough to stabilize the heavy bullet in 7mm-08 rem? Because the heavy bullet will have insufficient velocity and all the high velocity charm of this caliber will be lost. Then its effectiveness will not be better than the banal 308 win.

[@RonSpomerOutdoors]

No problem. Barrel length has nothing to do with stabilizing the bullet. It is the RATE of twist in the rifling, not the length of it that matters. A 1-in-8" inch twist in a 24" barrel is the same as in an 18'' or 8" barrel. @@user-kq3kf4py3p

[@jerad4336]

I like the ballistics of the 7mm-08 but I like ammo availability of the 308.

[@joestriker2100]

agreed. Actually sold my 7mm-08 to purchase a 308, because........well..........there's 308 ammo available.

[@prepperjonpnw6482]

I have a .308 Bolt Action that I use for mule deer and elk as well as coyotes at distance. I have no problem dropping those animals at distance with one shot. For me its about good zeroing and judging windage correctly. Otherwise I believe its a matter of choice and yes I can get a variety of ammo everywhere.

[@chasehartranft7414]

I love my 7mm 08 but definitely not as easy to find as 308

[@theodoredonato2475]

My first thought, as a reloader, one would have access to all the 7mm bullets. True, there are many 30 caliber bullets available, but the BC and SD of the 7mm bullets is appealing to me.

[@kencleg7721]

7 mm 08 I don’t need a 150/165 to kill something

[@jasong546]

I don’t have the money or opportunities to hunt, or even buy a great rifle for target shooting, but I can just listen to you talk about all the different aspects of hunting and ballistics all day. It’s just a well done content each time by a regular but expert guy. I really enjoy it Ron.

[@bobbygreen2291]

And Ron always gives a common sense approach,due to a lot of experience

[@austinhuber3131]

You can get some very affordable bolt action rifles nowadays. If cost is your limiting factor, I'd recommend the Ruger American in 308

[@tommypauly3249]

I bought a 308 several years ago. Like you, I really didn't have a lot of money. I bought a H&R single shot 308. First thing you want to do is polish the barrel. Use a good metal polish. Use 4jags. With polish go back and forth down the barrel at least 20 times. You will notice by the 3rd patch it gets easier to run the jag down the barrel. Then, use a cleaner to remove remove excess polish from the barrel. Be sure to get all the polish out. What this does it fills in all the micro pores in the barrel and gets rid of burrs in the barrel . Now, what you want to do is take 2 patches of 70% rubbing alcohol and run down the barrel. You say rubbing alcohol; yes. Rubbing alcohol attracts moisture. Then run 2 jags , dry of course down the barrel. NEVER put any oil down the barrel to store it. Rust happens when there is any moisture in the barrel. Preferably store in a locker in your man cave, if you have one! Now, get you a reloading kit. Now years ago I bought a manual reloading kit from Lee Precision. READ, your instructions take a little time to read and look at your the preferred caliber you will use. If you know someone that reloads. Look, it takes a little time to do this! You will need primers, cases, lube, and take your time. The first few will be slow. If you possibly can, go to a place that sells ammo. Look where the bullet and the case meets. If the cartridge is crimped, then crimp the bullet. Also,the powder I use for the 308 Hodgg

[@BD-fx8wv]

@@austinhuber3131 I'll second that, the main limiting factors to the accuracy on my .308 predator are my scope and my eyes, on a sled it punched 3 shots into a clover at 100 yds. And I would go one step further and say it is a wonderful platform to upgrade, now that it's been out a few years there are stocks, triggers, barrels, etc. you can spend as much or as little as you want as fast as you care, because even in stock setup they're great rifles. Plus the normal stock (which gets a lot of hate) can hold a bunch of stuff in it like backup survival gear.

[@rationalmind6362]

Where did you live Jason ?

[@tomray4139]

When my son was finally old enough to deer hunt, I bought him a 7mm-08 rifle and started with the low-recoil cartridge. He's now using the standard cartridge and didn't have to purchase another rifle.

[@derekwhipple8419]

I really wish the 7mm-08 was more popular. For the powder capacity it makes so much more sense to shoot a 7mm projectile over a 30 cal. But the 308 will always be more popular, and thats what makes the 308 great, is its popularity.

[@momanslm6289]

I really wish the 260 Remington was more popular. The 6.5CM is it’s ballistic twin. It has all the same case characteristics of the 308 and 7 08 with all the recoil and SD of the 6.5/260 projectiles. Unfortunately I never bought a 260 but still have the 7mm-08.

[@RichardELee-wt4jh]

Thanks.. the "real question"..is the 7mmO8 is just a pleasure to shoot..lower recoil...less muzzle blast.. depending on the actual age and statuure and the shooter...for actual performance of the bullet..the sleek little 7mmO8.. will do most everything you need to do.. However the 30 cal.. AND it's variable bullet weights ...but you will pay for those slight advantages.. in the end..over the 7mmO8..in my opinion..

[@csipawpaw7921]

My brother-in-law and I both purchased military surplus Mausers back around 1970. He got an 8x57mm German k98 and I got the cheaper 7x57mm Chilian. Neither did well with factory loads. But then I started handloading and both rifles turned out to be nail drivers. My brother-in-law loved his 8x57mm and took several deer with it each year until his death.

[@danhayward9186]

US ammo is just that Us reload for the Mausers some like it hot

[@billpeirce7127]

Love them both but 7mm-08 is jst better. 😁👍👍👍👍👍

[@farwalker3672]

I’ve been happy using a savage 110 ultralight chambered in 308 with a Burris 2-7 x 32 Scout scope. It does the trick for me.

[@johnpennington7868]

Of all the magnificent 7evens, I can't think of a better balanced cartridge than the 7mm-08. It's useful and popular, and for a damned good reason.

[@fortdefense9453]

I have both and love my babies equally... same for the comparison between my 45-70 and 6.5 creedmoor... they all have a special place in the family.

[@billybenson3834]

I love the 7mm mauser which is pretty much the same ballistics as a 7mm-08. Having owned both just grab one. My eastern gun is a .270. Out west I used a .338 win mag because I wanted one gun for everything. 300 win mag or even a 30-06 is perfect

[@nbonner75]

In the 308 vs 7mm-08 debate it comes down to ammunition availability for me. I find I have the widest variety of choice and can USUALLY find at least something on the shelf for 308. 7mm-08 is great but lately has been hard to find. For that reason alone I’ve settled on 308 as my go-to for everything.

[@adamelam6385]

That's reasonable. I definitely prefer the 7-08 but no question that .308 is WAY easier to find when ammo is scarce.

[@ancientrenegade9243]

There's no denying 308 is almost always available, so much so very few even reload for it. My 7mm08 rounds are always made from 308 brass I hoover up from my buddies at the range. A quick run through a full length die and trim to length. It's ideal for me as I reload for 7mm rem mag so have everything I need. I like to think of it as perfect harmony.

[@EatingWild]

7 still wins in my opinion. I reload and the 7mm-08 is a wonderful cartridge to play with more so than the 308. But you are right store bought stuff goes to the 308

[@DaveL9170]

The answer to which is better is YES!!! Lol. Both of these get a yes vote. They are so similar in performance within 350 meters that there is really no appreciable difference. You shoot ANY animal in North America in the lungs at 100 meters with either of these cartridges it will surely die quickly. Yes, even the largest bears will fell to the .308 or 7mm-08 when lung shot. They will die! They are both fantastic on African plains game at reasonable and expected hunting distances. Even the 2,000 pound Cape Eland has fallen to both of these cartridges. They punch WAY above their weight classes in most instances. You’d be surprised what a 7mm-08 will do to an elk!!!! So the final answer to this question is simply pick which one you like in which gun of choice you prefer. There is less than 1% difference in actual field performance on live game.

[@RonSpomerOutdoors]

Nicely reasoned take on the subject, David.

[@OldSchoolParatrooper]

I like the analysis of "is it enough difference to make a difference?" I think you're accurate in your take on it also. Not different enough to make a difference on an animal. But to the shooter, the recoil difference might just be enough to develop good habits with one and a flinch with the other 😀.

[@DustinSilva]

@@OldSchoolParatrooper somebody's has been watching Paul Harrell's channel I see 😉

[@TheBudgetOutdoorsman]

Pleasure to listen you as always. 👍🏻 Nice explaining 👍🏻

[@adamelam6385]

The 7mm-08 is a little more comfortable in an ultra light rifle. I prefer it for whitetail but either one are tremendous for whitetail.

[@matthewgaeta2088]

Another great video. Thanks Ron

[@jakepiemme9600]

These two cartridges are both fine rounds for deer sized game. Out to 400 yards the difference in trajectory is not that much, few inches. I'm a 308 guy. I like the 150 to 165 grain weight bullets and under this 400 yard mark it's quite effective. I've harvested black bear that didn't take another step with it. I like the idea of the bigger .30 cal bullet with a little more weight behind it

[@davidbrock1565]

Enjoy your podcasts, look forward to the talk!

[@joelmcmahan7386]

These are two that I’ve seen a lot of hunters use. I’ve seen the 308 take deer and do a great job. I’ve only seen the 7mm08 used on videos, it seems to be a fine caliber for deer as well. Be interesting to see what Ron says on these two. Thanks again Ron 🎥💯👍

[@hammerheadms]

I hunt with a 7mm-08. I love it! Deer never go very far after being shot. Very manageable recoil, and at least in my area I have never had an issue finding ammo. For the sake of brevity I have a good friend hunts with a 308, and he says the same thing I do about his rifle. 🤷6 of of 1, half dozen of the other? Both are great cartridges for a lot of the same reason. Really can't go wrong with either.

[@phild9813]

Yeah they are so close it may just come down to whether you like 30s or 7s better. Or if you have preferences about factory ammo. I chose 308 for diversity of factory ammo availability. Honestly I liked the idea of the 7 better but couldn’t get past the ammo question.

[@hammerheadms]

@@phild9813 You make a good point. If someone hand loads, and has a preference between 7mm or .30cal, it's going to be way more cost effective to keep one caliber for a few different cartridges in this economy.

[@kenneth9874]

I've hunted with both and they're both excellent for deer

[@adelarsen9776]

Finally someone mentions the properties of light when it passes through a medium. Every time light passes through a lens there is refraction, reflection, absorption and ultimately loss. Thank you Sir for touching on a little physics.

[@RonSpomerOutdoors-Podcast]

Glad it was helpful!

[@mattokeefe691]

Jeepers Ron. You are a wealth of knowledge. Learned quite a bit about scopes. I’m not sure I’m going to need it but you never know. You are also a gracious person in the face of conflict. Boy oh boy we need more of that in the world

[@RonSpomerOutdoors-Podcast]

Thank you Matt. You sure are right about the conflict. It's especially bad on social media because there is no face-to-face. Everyone seems to think they win by insulting others. I prefer to respect everyone, consider their opinions and information, then counter with facts, allowing that I might be mistaken because -- I might! None of us is perfect and we're all in this together. We have bigger battles to fight (anti-gunners, anti-hunters, despots and thugs.) A gentle answer turneth away wrath.

[@firstjohn3123]

You had a great point. Our "favorite" rifle has little to do with it's capability, and more to do with the feelings, memories, & emotions that carrying it brings. Or just the one we like. I've seen the .303 British mentioned a few times. Winchester actually made lever action rifles for Canadian use in that caliber as well. (military maybe?)

[@whiskeytango9769]

I have a Tikka T3x Lite in 6.5 CM, and it works awesome against deer and pigs. The scope is a 3-9x Leupold and that is plenty. Light recoil, laser accurate. I love it.

[@brentigo]

love the new back drop Ron.

[@clydewalker606]

Thx for all the good info on how scopes actually work!

[@the41shootist]

A comment on the 8-57 Mauser. I remember my stepdad used a Fajen stocked 8mm for shooting groundhogs in Indiana while acquiring his ammunition from Herter’s. The rifle was very accurate with the 196 gr. so ammo as he was able to take the whistle pigs well past 200 yards shooting the factory iron sites. That ol man was a great shot with iron’s.

[@danhayward9186]

Thanks Prof. Ron great lecture on optics

[@KathrynLiz1]

Love you videos Ron..... I am 80 now and here in NZ I don't hunt any more. The whole country is pretty vertical and I am not as spry as I was 50 years ago.....But I still find them very interesting in these high-tech times where everything seems to be electronic. The 7-08 is extremely popular here in NZ (as is the 308)..... it's more or less a shorter 7mm Mauser and rifles for the Mauser calibre are getting hard to find. A friend of mine back in the 1960s had a little BSA "Hunter" in 7mm Mauser and it was a little tack driver. He never scoped it, just used the factory irons, and he always got his deer out past 300 yards at times. Back then few of us used scopes. I shot a P14 .303 and it was very effective as well. I later got a Brno 7 x 57 and it would launch 139gr Hornadys at 2950.....The 7mm shot a wee bit flatter on paper, but in the real world they were both "minute of deer" out to all sensible ranges. But as I said, latterly the 7/08 seems to have filled that niche in NZ.... ammo and brass are easier to find. We always believed in getting as close as possible 60-odd years ago, so scopes were not seen as necessary. Most hunters back then were shooting cut down Lee Enfields (you buy one for 5 pounds...$10!) so we used what we could afford. Only the well-to-do could afford Stigas and Shultz and Larsen (often in 7 x 61 Sharpe and Hart) or the occasional Winchester or FN. These days they snipe them with 7mm Mags from 600 yards..... almost seems unsporting to us old timers... 🙂 As an aside, when the cheap milsurp .303 ammo was no longer available, a lot of our government deer cullers (they are a pest species here) used the little .222 Remington, taking head shots mostly. They reckoned they were the ducks guts, but these were professionals and there were LOTS of deer back then... plague proportions in fact... so closeup shots were the norm. Eventually they had to bomb them up fro, helicopters with semi auto 308s, mostly FN FALs..... Keep up the good work my friend..... x

[@nathanlambshead4778]

Great scope info. Thanks.

[@ericwiitala5407]

I''m with you Ron. I'd take which ever one I could get ammo for right now. Both are fine cartridges.

[@rkba4923]

If I owned one, I'd take the 7mm-08 up to Elk. For Brown Bear or Moose I'd go with the .308, if I had one but since I don't, I'd use my .300 Win Mag. The closest I've got to a 7mm is a 25-06 since I gave my .270 to my youngest son.

[@edwardabrahamiii3742]

The more i use my 308, handed down to me from my grandpa, the more i like it. That round will take down every big game animal here on earth, with good shot placement.

[@54upchuck]

Haven't seen 7mm08 ammo in 2 years. 308 is every where

[@davesi56]

It's now September 2022 and I found some at Cabela's for $32/box.

[@pamountains2]

I couldn’t find it last year. But I see 7mm-08 everywhere now

[@nathansmith8969]

I've seen them along with the ammo and thinking of building 1 on a small ring mauser action

[@mkd7961]

@@johnfreer4507 ck out norma’s website i just purchased some

[@ronladuke7235]

The fixed power scope is also brighter because it has fewer elements to degrade the light!

[@davidteague5461]

I love how u explain things . U break it down where it’s easy to understand. Thank u . Love watching your videos.

[@chrisstorey3762]

Good job Ron, I have learned some usefull info.

[@abbeybremner4162]

I love my 7mm08 but theres very little difference to 308 out to 300yards. After that i like the slightly flatter shooting of the 7mm08 as i dont dial up scopes. If you own one theres little reason to change to the other (excepting ammo availability)

[@chipchaffee2416]

The answer to cracked ? On rifle scopes was spot on . Thank you for explaining.

[@hakes187]

4 power on my old 94 from gramps to dad to me , its put a wall full of antlers in the old barn for decades and counting

[@erichermann7553]

Ron ur knowledge is really impressive ur the man ⭐️

[@jamesR1990]

Ron, I appreciate how polite you were in responding to that over-the-top scope comment. It's really funny to me how the closing argument from that not exactly polite individual was that "it's been this way for a while so it's good enough!" 😆 That's the stereotypical FUDD approach. "This is the best ever and it'll never get better" 😂

[@mrd7341]

My first hunting rifle is chambered in 8x57IS, have a 7x64 too but still go back to my 8x57IS. Have a 9,3x74R single shot falling block too but not using it very often. Regarding scopes ...for hunting I almost never turn to more than 3x even for 150m+ shots. Love your vids :)

[@robertjackson1407]

You have a tactful way to handle criticism. Thank you 😊

[@404rimless9]

Ron, you are completly right regarding the german hunting behaviours in relevance to that big scopes! … and at least regarding the disadvantages! ( I‘m from Germany)

[@NELLY-jg2rx]

7mm-08 is the superior cartridge in every way other than price Unfortunately 7-08 will never be able to compete on price, but for a hunting rifle it really is the way to go. My old man bought Ruger American on clearance last year for dirt cheap, suckers lol I'm buying one next!

[@phild9813]

308 has superior frontal, can generally get and shoot heavier bullets, and it shoots a small bit faster for a given weight. Probably can get just as light of bullet as the 7 as well. So while I believe we’re almost talking semantics when we compare the 7-08 and the 308, the 7 is most certainly not “superior in every way other than price.” That statement reeks of ignorance. I’m not poo poo ing the 7, either. It just is what it is, just like the 308.

[@NELLY-jg2rx]

@@phild9813 watch his latest video on "Are bigger bullets better" the 7mm has a higher BC and will retain more energy at all distances. It'll always deflect less and shoot flatter. It's superior... Now not to poo poo 308 it's a good round, but 308 doesn't really perform that will when you approach 200gr, you can get 180gr in 7mm so we are basically talking about the same weight bullets in both calibers With modern projectiles, both are going to expand just fine so I don't think it wins all that much in the "frontal" department

[@toddjohnson271]

Where do you get ammo? lol

[@NELLY-jg2rx]

@@toddjohnson271 I was referring to 7mm and 30 cal projectiles in general 7-08 is gonna be around 139 to 150 , 308 between 147 - 165 But with the magnums 7mm mag will get up to 180gr and 300 will push over 200

[@PaulVerhoeven2]

In theory, for appropriately long barrels, 7mm is better, you can achieve better aerodynamics with the same bullet weight. In practice, you can find 7mm-08 in 120-150gr range, and 150gr is already essentially round nose soft point (bad BC despite large weight) from a single manufacturer. So it is 140gr-142gr if you want your BC. In 308 you can find loaded ammo for the standard 12" twist from 110 to 200 gr (200gr being of the not aerodynamically efficient shape RN or subsonic, not the good 200 for 10" twist), so 160-185gr for bullets with good BC (or lighter if copper ones). To achieve the same muzzle energy, 308 can use somewhat shorter barrels. So what you get with 22" barrel in 7mm-08, you probably can get with 20" (or maybe even 18-19") with 308. If you want to shoot suppressed, there are myriad cans for 30 cal, and I don't know anything about 7mm cans, so you will have to use a 30 cal suppressors with gases more freely escaping around the bullet in it, reducing the suppressive effect. But of course the biggest difference is in the market. 308 is the 3rd most popular caliber in the US (after 22LR and 223/5.56), it has thousands of offers on ammoseek, with multiple types available in every gun store or even Walmart (at least in normal times). 7mm-08 has 35 offers on ammoseek, and you most likely will find none or at best one type in a store. ammoseek.com/ammo/7mm-08-remington ammoseek.com/ammo/308-winchester

[@jamesramsey8744]

My favorite rifle is my savage axis in 243 winchester. Fits me perfectly and does great for my hunting of deer and coyotes

[@kenneth9874]

Try a 7mm- 08 sometime

[@dalecook4928]

Great information! Thanks!

[@RonSpomerOutdoor.]

🌲🌲Merry Christmas 🎄🎄Message me on TELEGRAM 👆to claim your season offer.🎁🔝

[@dalecook4928]

@@RonSpomerOutdoor. Thank you so much for your unbiased data.

[@robertbutton9142]

I own both calibers but I tend to grab the 7mm-08 more

[@justinbishop1647]

I’ve shot deer with a 308 and 7mm08 and fellas the end result was very similar if you will.

[@KarCar13]

Not the gun. It’s the shooter lol

[@zeljkoblazevic2152]

Thank you so much for taking my question into consideration, you made my day. I have a lot of experience shooting 8x57 and I saw the damage that can do. My girlfriend and myself are preparing for this years deer season and getting rifles for both of us, hopefully a Mauser M12 in 308, 270, 300 WM or my favourite 8x57. Greetings from Ireland.

[@8126926]

8x57?

[@danielrobey1759]

I enjoy the 8 x 57 and it’s every bit as good as the 30/06 but here in America it’s a reloaders cartridge as the ammo selection is pretty bad. It’s a dandy!! Happy hunting!

[@andrewcleveland]

I’m a pretty big fan of the 7mm08. I don’t own one, but I do own the 7x57 lol. Loaded and shot a bunch of 7mm08 for others. For a whitetail rifle I like the 7mm08 better. No shade on the 308 though, great cartridge also.

[@johnleigh349]

I Ron from UK I use 8x56 on a mannliker 308 have done for years for low light work But used to use 8x42 years back both good magnificent in low light situation (s.m.scopes)great listen take care👍

[@davidingram353]

I have a 308 and have never had the opportunity to shoot a 7mm-08 but I am sure it would make a great deer cartridge. My personal favorite is my 257 Roberts in a BLR 81. My last deer was taken with a bolt action 243 Winchester, it did the job on a young 9 point buck at about 80 yards. Clipped the heart and took out one lung, about a 40 yard run and then the work started. Your posts are very informative Ron as are your columns.

[@WaderHunts]

I love to hunt hogs with old milsurps and absolutely fell in love with the 8x57. It has been my deer round of choice for the last decade or so. Reloaders get a significant bump over factory offerings, as well as a better tuned round for the rifle. My son's first deer rifle was a 7mm-08 and it is a real game getter and it will bang some steel way out there too.

[@07thunderhawk]

8mm Mauser really doesn't get enough love here in the States. Very underrated cartridge though.

[@andrewcleveland]

8x57 is so underrated in America. I have a soft spot for the European cartridges. Love my 7x57 and 9.3x62.

[@davegutenech7188]

Ron I enjoy your videos. I have hunted with a Zeiss Conquest 3x12x56 illuminated on a 1980's Rem BDL with Slim barele in 22-250. This my go to gun here in Wi.

[@wolffo999]

what gun! best campfire discussion

[@joeinmi8671]

I learned a ton fromm this. Thanks ron!

[@RonSpomerOutdoors-Podcast]

Glad it was helpful!

[@rejeanbenoit9924]

Ron you are a real encyclopedia.

[@RonSpomerOutdoors]

Not really, but I appreciate the vote of confidence. Always double check what I claim, though. I try to get things right but... Thanks Rejean.

[@stevenmitchell6347]

I built an AR10/308 lower and plan on at least two uppers, 7.62x51/.308 and 7mm08. Both are for the reasons you give, and I reload as well. Thank you for confirming my choice.

[@gordonwells1626]

If your a reloader 7mm08 is hard to beat using 120-150g projectiles imo.

[@fordrac1ng81]

7mm-08 is better than 308 but 308 is cheaper and more available which makes it overall better.

[@lyellclare9365]

The difference is only on paper and in the minds of the owner.

[@jamesolivito4374]

Rule of thumb , the best is the one you have . I use 30-06 but 308is cheaper and more plentiful. So I bought a 308 and have been training with it .

[@user-xw4sn4lq4h]

The choice is simple. Whichever rifle that you have that you also have quality ammunition for is the rifle of choice. In my case that would be the.30-30 through a scoped Marlin 336 . 160 grain Leverevolution ! Works great!

[@fiddledog66]

Great education on scopes thanks

[@RonSpomerOutdoors-Podcast]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@decibellone696]

their so close to me it's whichever one you have is the best. But like many have said here, 308 is more common, available and usually cheaper because of it.

[@benbritch4696]

I use a 2-7x32 vortex scope love it I put it on my model 7400 automatic 30-06 works great

[@gogart3]

Good talk

[@randallwhite9015]

I reload and the 7mm-08 is a true joy to reload. 120gr is by far my favorite load. Speed kills and bullets have come so far" lighter bullets on whitetail does a great job. Yes elk need bigger bullets" not a problem when you reload ! I have hoped nozler would come out with 120gr partition" great podcast

[@shawnmiller4781]

My grandfather would get upset if you shot the heart on a moose or caribou. He liked the heart meat

[@bobbygreen2291]

Ron I’ve hunted deer with gun and bow for fifty years,,and I’ve always left the woods when the sun sets ,,that’s just a preference,,one that has not ever kept me from getting all my tags filled every year.

[@nozrep]

21:57; understandable on the neck shots. I am a totally mediocre marksman and do not practice enough, generally practice just before the season. But I have scored with neck shots and missed with neck shots. I am certainly sure that the .270 I was using helped a whole whole bunch with making the neck shot a success. Cull doe dropped and flopped! Flopped for about 10 seconds but never got back up.

[@sinistersilverado965]

308, 308, 308, in the current ammo shortage, the only calibers that are always available is 9mm, 5.56mm, and 308

[@8126926]

sickening, isn't it?

[@repetemyname842]

Neck shots are best when its trotting or walking, I like to aim higher than some and try to connect just below where the neck meets the skull. Its my favorite shot when I take a doe as there is no meat lost at all.

[@alabamaoutdoors4468]

no tracking required

[@bubbacole1657]

Ron,, you hit it right on the head in the first minute or two, Use the gun your confident in. Again, for me, it's my 1970's Winchester Model 70 in 7mm Mag.. Great Video as alway's..

[@EverydayDIY2023]

About 20yrs ago, I wanted to buy a new deer rifle and did some mad research and talked to a lot of friends. I ended up buying a Rem. 700 mtn rifle in 7mm-08. It's been by go to deer rifle ever since. Incredibly accurate and perfect for my needs for PA whitetail hunting. Fast forward to 2020-2022, and finding 7mm-08 ammo is tough. Ammo availability was a concern when I bought it, but who envisioned the ammo shortage and supply chain issues of today. If someone new to deer hunting asked me what a good all around deer rifle to buy would be, I agree with Ron, the .308 is a great choice, but so is the 30-06, .270, and .243. if they r new to hw sport, ammo availability is an extremely important factor to put in time at the range.

[@chrisaerts6489]

My favorite rifle is the one Im using that day. As we get older we have way to many guns to pick from. Ron I really enjoy this format. Love your stories.

[@edeldridge36]

I am older (72) and there is no such thing as "way too many guns to pick from"! 😉😉

[@RonSpomerOutdoors-Podcast]

Thanks Chris.

[@phild9813]

I agree! I wouldn’t own one if I didn’t like it! I have certain ones that I just can’t seem to kill something with though. I love my 1985 45-70, but anytime I take it out, I am unable to get a shot off at game. Or even see any. Lol. But I love shooting that thing and it shoots just about any load at about 1.5” for 3 shots.

[@jasonmcveigh9399]

Ol mate "cracked" got one of the most polite verbal uppercuts I have seen/heard. Good on ya Ron lol

[@rogeliofloresjr]

For some reason, during the pick of the pandemic mess, in my local sportsman’s warehouse the only ammo that always was in stock was the 7-08 or 6mm Creedmoor.

[@hrdrockfarm8948]

Good stuff.

[@RonSpomerOutdoors-Podcast]

Thanks!

[@EdAb]

The Ron Spomer optical smackdown! 22:16 Wow, you owned him! 😉😜 As an optics professional, geek and snob, I think you nailed all of the Important/relevant points. Respectfully, I think Cracked needs to do a little more optics homework. Cheers

[@chrisaerts6489]

Well said.

[@John_Redcorn_]

I noticed the commentor mentioned what he used and said it was the “European standard”, as to suggest we Americans dont know anything about hunting. I keep hearing these mantras about ‘the europeans’ way, how they do this or do that like its the gospel. I also see it with rifle design and caliber selection. With all due respect to our Euro friends, we also know a thing or two about hunting.

[@blutoblutarski2421]

@@John_Redcorn_ just looking for a reason to be offended eh?

[@John_Redcorn_]

@@blutoblutarski2421 nah. Just callin out bs when i see it. Its the internet: i dont get offended

[@phild9813]

I like the idea of the 6x42 scope for the same reasons. However I will not trade a 2 or 3x bottom end power to get the simplicity of the 6x. 6x is just too much magnification for close, dense cover shots. I would consider it for pronghorn, though I’ve never actually bought one.

[@tylarhaugan7908]

My favorite 2 short action cartridges

[@codyj7532]

Ton of 303’s in Canada, one in every house it seems. Would be great to see a video on it!

[@johanneskolenbrander8288]

You must be stuck in the 1950’s-1960’s, as this is no longer the case, lol 😝?

[@davesi56]

Have to agree with you, Jerad and others who commented. Love the 7mm-08 but like the availability of the 308, also I can pick up my hunting 308 for $26/box and if I can find it the 7mm-08 is $32/box.

[@MrBoo1963]

Ron, I saw the New HOWA you test fired, and yes sir, it was on target! I want one now! I have a Savage AXIS, but when I went to check my seating in the chamber I found a 2890 setting! That was unreal. I'm going to go back and recheck this because that much space is not good for reloading. I'll double check with a 130 and 150 grain bullet's from Sierra.

[@rickykegley8922]

I started out with the 8 mauser and still go back to it to hunt i have 2 mausers in. 8mm a very good cartridge

[@hammerheadms]

I love 7mm-08. I won't knock 308 though. For most hunters I just don't think it really matters much. I do see 308 readily available on most store shelves, but then again in my area I have never had any problem finding my preferred 7mm-08 ammo either. I guess others' mileage may vary on that though.

[@allenrosesr.8480]

7mm08 is what I hunt with love it

[@dennisowen3717]

Hello again Ron. Hey, I noticed you mentioned the 8mm/06 Wild Cat cartridge. i bought an 8mm Model 98 Mauser about 22 years ago. I decided to rechamber it in the 8mm/06 cartridge. This particular Rifle had a 29 inch barrel on it. I cut it down to 27.5 inches and Sporterized it and put a really nice stock on it that I inletted my self. I took all of the Military iron sights off of it. It looked fantastic. Well the Rounds I loaded for it were the Hornady 125grn SP at 3400fps. 150 grain Hornady SP and the 175 grain Sierra Spitzer's. The 150's I loaded were doing about 3200 fps. The 175s I loaded were at 3001 fps on average out of a 5 shot string, both were with Accurate 2520 and IMR 4350. That's 300 Win Mag territory. It shot 1 MOA, and I was very pleased with it. Fantastic Deer and Elk cartridge. You're right. I would use the 308 Winchester over the 7mm/08 mainly due to ammo availability. In case anyone is questioning my Velocities. I used the Accurate Powders Reloading manual.

[@johnkaraphillis754]

I’m a devoted.280AI shooter/hunter, but most of the time when I’m deer hunting, I reach for my Browning X-Bolt in 7mm-08 loaded with my 140 AB’s in my pet load. To me where I hunt, the ‘08 is the perfect cartridge. Thanks

[@bigdghost3319]

Right on- I've been using a 280AI for 7 years now can't be beat- 7mm-08 I'm looking at the Kimber, if I can find one..

[@c.r.rg9529]

At the time, I wanted x bolt hells canyon speed in burnt bronze 7mm-08. Didn't have the funds so I bought ruger American go wild 7mm-08. It shoots great and is a sharp looking rifle. Love the 7mm-08 it drops what it's aimed.

[@alancrews2066]

Thnx

[@kentgoldings]

I hunt with a 7.62x39 and I have 1-4x LPVO mounted on it. It’s perfectly adequate for the kind of hunting the rifle is suited for. I’m thinking, if you’d like to do a little varminting with that 223, you might thing about something in the 15x range.

[@jeffnaylor8894]

Look at the Savage Lady Hunter for a women's rifle. My wife loves hers in 7-08.

[@neilschiavi4216]

I was born and raised in Upstate New York and hunted groundhogs to white tails & black bears, I started life with a 22Hornet,32 Win,257 bob,243W,308W, and found the 7mm/08 was the best all around round Caliber. the ammo for the 257Bob was no longer around, the 308 was tooo much Gun for our 145Lb deer, The 243 with the 80 gr pill was just right for our deer, the moved to Fla, North Fl,deer mix with South Ga deer= a 200+deer. The 243 @ 250yd in a bean field was at a loss so, The 7mm/08 came in to play what a great caliber from deer under your feeder to 275+yd bean field...was meat in the freezer. And the 300Lb to 500Lb Black bears in Ga......They drop like Fly's with the 7mm/08 with the 152gr,pill .

[@neilschiavi4216]

The Recoil of the 7mm/08 120gr SST is like the 243 W wt 100Gr Pill = 12foot pounds of felt recoil.

[@TheBeaker59]

I am lucky, a friend I take with me occasionally deer hunting doesn't own a suitable rifle so on last trip I lent him my second choice and load with the option of swapping in the field so I took my 243 suppressed and give him my 6.5 x 55 SE giving me two options. We didn't get a deer but ended up harvesting a few Feral goats so practiced head shooting at range (252M was my best, in one ear out the other :) brought home a trailer load for the boys at work some very happy workmates.

[@patchitwood7428]

I am a fan of the 7mm-08. I have a Ruger American that shoots Hornady factory ammo sub-MOA. I bought it as my son’s first rifle, but I find myself using it in lieu of my .30-06 when he is not hunting. I like both calibers. I don’t think the whitetails can tell much of a difference.

[@johnbuck6685]

This is so easy the skinnier lighter bullet is always better so the 7 is an easy winner under all circumstances

[@nmelkhunter1]

When I hear 25-06, I see an 80” speed goat standing broadside at 225 yards waiting to be introduced to a 120 grain Nosler Partition. 🤠

[@johnnorman7708]

Yep .25-06 and antelope hunting were always kind of a package. Heaviest cartridge that still makes sense on them in my book. And I agree with the heavier bullet choice in .25-06. lowered velocity and still plenty fast, (around 2900 or so) helps not dynamite things you might want to eat. Antelope sure don't need to be blown in half to kill them.

[@nmelkhunter1]

@@johnnorman7708 I like the 120 from a 25-06, a 130 from a 270 or a 140 from a 280 since these bullets weights do a good job bucking the ever present prairie winds. And, as you know, don’t blow an antelope in half. Best of luck in the field.

[@johnnorman7708]

@@nmelkhunter1 I can sure agree that varmint bullet like expansion behavior isn't what we want on edible game animals. Unfortunately we do see it and lose a lot of meat because of it sometimes. Heavier and slower bullets do help as caliber goes up. But there has to be compromise along the way. Bullets can't be expected to perform magic everytime conditions change or the game size and weight does.

[@stormbringer1876]

If you had to have 1 rifle... 338 Federal, 308 or 7mm-08 works, depending on the place. 308 Pump though, probably the best.

[@AkubraHatman]

.303 is the best of all time hands down. Proven in the battlefield in two world wars and proven hunting. Just because it is an older calibre, it doesnt mean it is obsolete or worse than others. Not everything new is better. :)

[@donmurray8440]

308 selection overall the best choice for all the reasons you gave .308 Amo is always available.

[@Calaveras32Spcl]

Just came back from a local long range rifle class. Stretched a bolt action 223 out to 1050 yards. Now, my skill let the rifle down a bit. Rounds were bracketing the target and it took a couple tries to get my wind hold right before I hit. Definitely didn't have much energy left at that point.