One of my daughters decided she might want to hunt deer this year. Her twin sister has been hunting with me since she was 12. They are now 23 years old.

When Tiffani was 12 I had a Winchester model 70 Featherweight rebarreled to .257 Roberts for her. That gun has worked out perfectly. She has harvested many a deer with it and one elk.

Now that Toni wants to hunt I have been looking at model 70 featherweights and the 7mm-08 has caught my attention. I think that might be another close to perfect gun for a 115 pound 5 foot 4 inch 23 year old girl.

What do you guys think? She has been shooting since she was about 7 or 8 years old and is a pretty good shooter, just didn't ever want to hunt.

I am open to any other ideas or calibers.

Thanks

Wingmaster

I have a whitetailed deer head on my wall that my DIL shot at about 80 yards with a 7mm-08. She said the deer dropped on the spot and was DRT (Dead Right There.) Rem. Core-Lokt 140 grain load, I think.

That seems to be a common effect of this load within reasonable range. It's hotter than the 7X57mm/ .275 Rigby, and that round has been a classic for use in stalking red deer in the UK and Scotland, as well as sambar in India.

You might want to use loads with Nosler partition bullets for better integrity on all species under all conditions, but I think the 7mm-08 will do fine by her.

Because the .270 is more popular and has more load variety, you could just go for that. I doubt that there's much recoil difference between the .270 with the 150 grain Federal Premium Nosler load and a comparable 7mm-08. The .270 uses a slightly longer action. If Winchester is using a short action on the 7mm it's a little lighter and shorter, but that's not a vast issue.

I do think the M-70 Featherweight is the best rifle choice. The DIL shoots my son's M-70 well, and it's a .30-06, a harder kicker than the 7mm-08 or .270.

The DIL is five-seven and about 115-120 pounds. She hasn't much fear of moderate recoil. Keep in mind that Jack O'Connor's wife used a 7X57mm and a .30/06 and accompaned Jack on many of his hunts and did well.

Really, if I was choosing a rifle for a small person or woman, the 7mm-08 would be my first choice, if ammo is readily available and nothing larger than elk is sought. It's a nice cartridge.

That would be an excellent choice for just about anyone,large or small. Perfectly suitable for deer-sized game. My 7-year-old grandson took several deer this past year with a Ruger 77 chambered in 7mm-08. FWIW,he is about 4' 10" and 95 lbs.
f.t.

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South Carolina-God's country

I have never fired one but have a buddy who only has one rifle and it is a
7-08. As posted it is similar but hotter than a 7x57. I bought my son a 7x57 Remington mountain rifle when he was 12. It is a lot like the Featherweight in weight and barrel length. should be all she would ever need. I bet she would like it.

Thanks fellas,
I think I am sold on the 7mm-08. We spend a lot of time stalking deer when we hunt. I think the lighter rifle would be great for that.
Thanks again guys. Now, to get her out scouting and shooting.

Wingmaster

It's only a hair behind the 7x57 Mauser. That's been used all over the world on everything up to and including elephant (under the name 275 Rigby, I think). My wife took down a 235 lb wild boar sow, running, at 265 yards (measured) with one shot. She has a Remington # 7 Mountain rifle. I think it's also made in 7mm-08. I've always wanted a Ruger mannlicher in 7 x 57.

It would be a great choice on anything up to and through elk and maybe moose.

If you are looking for a light rifle,you might want to take a look at the Remington Model Seven. Mine is chambered in .260 Remington which is similar to the 7mm-08 ballistics-wise.
f.t.

__________________
South Carolina-God's country

BIO-

Canadians shoot moose with like loads and old .303's. Some Eskimo/Innuit use even centerfire .22's for much hunting.

I wouldn't suggest that for a sportsman, and laws may preclude it. But the 7-08 should be legal most places for any North American game. Not that I'd use it on big bears by preference.

I think the 7-08 in most US factory loads is a little hotter than the 7X57mm/.275 Rigby. The velocity may be more than 200 FPS in favor of the 7-08, in deference to the many old military 7X57mm rifles still in use.The deal with the Rigby ammo was just that you got his patented bullets, exceptional for their time.

Some other makers also chambered for the .275. Jim Corbett, the famous tiger hunter, had both a Rigby and a Westley Richards in .275, as well as heavier double rifles. My recollection is that the Westley Richards was a pesentation from the government for killing an especially obnoxious man-eater. It had a gold oval inscribed with his name and the reason for the presentation. Somewhere, I saw a photo of this rifle and there was a reproduction made some years ago, I forget by who. Mauser '98 action of course.

The only trouble with the 7-08 is that it has a fairly short neck and is a compact cartridge. It's not ideal for 175 grain bullets, nor is it loaded by factories with them. But with 140 grainers, it'll run ahead of most domestic 139-140 grain 7X57mm rounds. Deer and pronghorn hunters don't need more, and I think that weight in premium bullets is also adequate for much elk shooting. Similar 7mm loads are very popular in Europe for red deer, moose, and wild boar.

I have been hunting with a Remington model 7 in 7mm-08 for 22 years. It is a second year (1984) production gun that has the 18 1/2" barrel. The model 7 now comes with a 20" barrel.

They make for a great deer rifle. It is the perfect size for hunting from a blind, a climbing stand, or stalking through the woods. I load mine with the Barnes 120 gr TTSX/TSX (whichever is readily available). Even out of the short 18 1/2" barrel, I'm getting over 2900 fps with RL-15.

That'll leave a mark.

Thanks again guys.
It looks like Buds has the best price I have found. Unless opinions change I plan on ordering one this week.
Thanks again for all the input.

Wingmaster

Sounds like an excellent choice. If you reload you can tame it more if you like. I'd have some mild loads to get familiar with the rifle.

The 7-08 is a great choice. My grandfathers "Meat in the Pot Gun" that I inherited fits the bill VERY well.....the 250-3000 Savage. Easy cartridge to reload for and very wild with great accuracy.

Randy

7mm-08 or .260 Remington should do just fine.

I'm an indifferent and unsuccessful hunter at best, but I know my way around target rifles. A friend did very well at 1,000 yards with the 7mm-08 until he switched to the 6.5mm-.284.

Cant believe no one mentioned a .243Win. Maybe I missed it. Dont get me wrong the 7mm-08 is my favorite caliber and I hunt everything with mine. Russian boar to as big a black bear as I see. But when your talking small shooter hunting deer sized game the 243 would be my first choice. It definately has less felt recoil but is still an excellent killer.

7-08 is a "lifer" round. It will be with her the rest of her life because it works well for most anything you will deal with in Lower-48. Loaded light it can do Coyote class animals and loaded heavy it can handle an Elk with well placed shots.

Easy to shoot and accurate too!

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SWCA 1646

I concur - you have picked a fine caliber. Your daughter[s] will thank you! What a great dad, to be able to hunt with two daughters.

My 7mm-08 happens to be a Remington 700 with stainless and upgraded walnut from Remington in Ilion, NY, at my request in mid 90s. A Remington 7 vied for my attention and the 700 won in that instance. Mine loves Varget and 140 grs of jacketed.

Regards,

Dyson

My wife has one of the older Win M-70 Youth guns? Or whatever they caleld the shorter stocked, 20" barrel M-70's.

7mm-08 loaded with 140's for deer and antelope and I handload 160 NP's for elk. It's performed VERY well on all game mentioned. IMHO a near PERFECT gun for the recoil sensitive, smaller shooters, etc.

Good choice.

FN in MT

The 7mm-08 is a very good cartidge.

I prefer and use quite a bit the 308. It is one of my most favorite huting calibres.

When my 10 year old nephew wanted to go hun ting with me, I started him out on a 22lr, then a 223, and then a 308 with Remington Managed Recoil ammo. Before I let him hunt with it, I shot some deer and pigs with it.
Then he killed some deer and some pigs with it. I can say that within 100 yards [we never had to shoot farther], it kills deer and pigs as good as ANY full power 308 ammo I have ever used. And I have shot a lot of game with a 308, over the years. And it has less recoil than a 243...

So I can recommend the 308 with Remington Managed Recoil ammo as a very good choice.

If you have already bought a 7MM-08, Remington also loads Managed Recoil for the 7MM-08. I would definately give it a look.

I was also surprised the 243 didn't get a lot of mention. In the lighter cal.s the bullet selection is pretty important. I have a model 70 featherweight in 270 that I am very fond of.

When my youngest son was 13 he decided he wanted a 280 rem. It has been one of the best cartridges I ever ran into. I now have 3 280's. They all shoot holes touching at 100 yards with the same load.

They aren't as popular as the 7mm-08 but it is more versitile. It is a necked down 30-06 case. A 1/2" more action length is no big deal. At the time my son was 5 ft. tall. He is now 5-10 and 25. I just put a recoil pad on his gun for him and it still fits him.

Lots of over 300 yards antelope shots with Nosler 140 gr. Ballistic tips. Several elk with pass through shots at over 250 yards with Nosler Partitions. Recoil is low.

I have a 700 rem in 30-06 that I bought new in 76 and have used it for years, but in 2003 or so I ran into a 280 for me and bought it and have never looked back at my 06 except for elk, whick I wouldn't have to but I like the old friend.

I took this buck with my stainless 280 this last fall with one shot at 310 yds with a 140 gr nosler ballistic tip. I love the cart.

That all said there are many good carts. for you to choose from.

John

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7mm-08 and .308 are my fav's
I've been using this old Ruger now for near 20 seasons.

I like your guns, but those don't look like .308 cartridges. More like .30/06 or similar. What gives?

BTW, nice buck. The antlers are very close to those on one that my DIL shot with a Howa 7mm-08.

FWIW, my hunting rfifle is an '06 and my friend has hunted with an '06 exclusively for 25 years, taking about 30 deer.