Need Help. .243 VS 7mm08 in 16.5" barrel

[bachelorjack]

I'm looking at getting one or the other for my little brother for deer.

My question is, given a 16.5" barrel length, what would you choose?

Going with a longer barrel is not an option. We will reload for either.

Any and all help would be appreciated.

 

[Wild_Bill]

Re: Need Help. .243 VS 7mm08 in 16.5" barrel

the shorter barrel makes the 7mm08 your best option as the bore to case volume will work much better for you a 308 would work even better in the shorter barrel but start with Varget and 162gr A max's that should get you going and should give you 600 yards plus no problem.

 

[steve123]

Re: Need Help. .243 VS 7mm08 in 16.5" barrel

+1 with Wild Bill.

If you can't have speed then take advantage of high BC.

Steve

 

[bachelorjack]

Re: Need Help. .243 VS 7mm08 in 16.5" barrel

Thanks guys!!

Anyone else have any pointers/thoughts?

 

[Criver600]

Re: Need Help. .243 VS 7mm08 in 16.5" barrel

Shooting either off a bipod might very well start a fire. Early morning late evening shooting with extremely short barrels sucks for a follow up shot. That big red fireball really screws up your vision. Got a 20 inch 308 I know.........

 

[amc]

Re: Need Help. .243 VS 7mm08 in 16.5" barrel

My brother runs 7mm08 in a 18in. LOVES IT
The last whitetail he shot was at 422yd with 140gr Accubond.
The deer was on a fence row and went about 35 yds after the shot.

 

[bachelorjack]

Re: Need Help. .243 VS 7mm08 in 16.5" barrel

I've spent all day reading. We are going with the 7mm08.

Thanks for all the help.

 

[Wild_Bill]

Re: Need Help. .243 VS 7mm08 in 16.5" barrel

good choice and a 9 twist will be fine i would recomend the 162 A Max because of the BC and also they work realy well at lower velocity for game.

Another thing worth thinking of is a 7mmBR you will get similar velocity with less muzzle flash and in a 15" barrel 2100fps is obtainable with the 7mmBR and with the 7mm08 15" barrel 2400fps is obtainable.

both of these cartridges are used for metalic shilouete pistol shooting and are used in barrels shorter that 16" so you have a good choice there with either with the 7mm08 Varget is about the best powder speed iven in the shorter barrel dont try to use a faster powder to stop the blast it does not work like that the pressure curve that the cartrige likes will work with a 10" barrel to a 30" barrel powder selection should be one of the faster powders that gives good performance or you will end up with bad extreme spreads.with the 7mmBR benchmark is a good powder for lighter projectiles with H4895 being about the best for the 160gr projectiles and Varger still being a good powder but i would likley use 27gr Benchmark in a 7mmBR with 162 A MAx and remingtin 7 1/2 primers as they work best with heavy projectiles and small primer pockets.

Just a thought i dont know if the 308 based case is a must for you if it is the 7mm08 will still give you great performance and you can neck any 308 case down. Sompthing you could do is use military brass to reduce the case capacity a small amount and therefore reduce the expansion ratio for the case and help a small amount as you will have to reduce the powder charge a small amount.

Another cartrige that would be awsome for your barrel length with a 7mm would be the 6.5X47 Lapua case necked to 7mm with no other changes that would exuil the performance of the 7mm08 in the 16" barrel.

But if you want a factory round the 7mm08 has and is being used a lot in 15" barreled shilouete pistols the XP100 with 15" barrel has a 9.25 twist barrel and will stabalise the 175gr MatchKing so dont go for a faster twist barrel as it will not do anything except increase pressures faster and reduce the velocity you will be able to obtain.

As for a load for the 7mm08 with a 162 A Max with commercial brass i would use fed210 primers or CCI 200's with 39gr Varget will get you going well.

How is this for performance diferences with t 7mm08 and 26" barrel 2600 is the achievable velocity in Sierra's loading data and the 15" barrel they have other powders of similar burn rate achieve 2400fps so the 16" barrel should still give you great performance only 200fps behind a full length barrel the 7mm08 is such a well ballanced cartrige.