7's too close?

[jayquiver]

I have owned a 7mm-08 and 7mm Rem Mag in the past. Sold both, with the "intention" of splitting the difference and meeting in the middle with a 280ai. So I picked up a Fierce 280AI with 24” barrel. I like the gun. Its accurate, well made, fits me very well.

A rifle has caught my eye, from a company that makes very nice rifles out of the US. It's in a 7mm-08 with a 22" barrel.

My current thinking is that the 7mm-08 and 280AI almost too in performance and run similar weighted bullets. I know I don't "need" both but is there an big enough difference both cartridges to justify?

Should I think of them? how would you set them up?

• mid range/long range rifle? (long range is 500 yards to me )
  
• Run 120 in the 7mm-08 and 160-168 in the 280AI?
  
• Dedicated Deer gun and dedicated moose/elk gun?

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by jayquiver

I have owned a 7mm-08 and 7mm Rem Mag in the past. Sold both, with the "intention" of splitting the difference and meeting in the middle with a 280ai. So I picked up a Fierce 280AI with 24” barrel. I like the gun. Its accurate, well made, fits me very well.

A rifle has caught my eye, from a company that makes very nice rifles out of the US. It's in a 7mm-08 with a 22" barrel.

My current thinking is that the 7mm-08 and 280AI almost too in performance and run similar weighted bullets. I know I don't "need" both but is there an big enough difference both cartridges to justify?

Should I think of them? how would you set them up?

• mid range/long range rifle? (long range is 500 yards to me )
  
• Run 120 in the 7mm-08 and 160-168 in the 280AI?
  
• Dedicated Deer gun and dedicated moose/elk gun?

The only justification that you need, is that you want the other rifle.

[Pathfinder76]

Platform trumps cartridge choice every time.

[jayquiver]

Originally Posted by chuck

Platform trumps cartridge choice every time.

What do you mean by platform?


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[20shadow05]

Not too sure if this will help, but here it goes. I have 6.5's, one a Cooper 260 Remington, the other a Tikka T3 in 6.5 Creedmoor. Both have identical Leupold VX2 3-9x40 LRD scopes.

The Cooper is a gorgeous rifle, beautiful wood and a shooter. Comes out to the range and on hunts when the weather is nice and it is not going to get banged up hiking in, etc. I handload for it and it shoots small holes out a long way with 120 grain Nosler ballistic tips and if I do my part, everything just dies. Only use handloads in this rifle.

Tikka T3 comes out when the weather is bad/wet, I am hiking in to a hunt (need a light rifle) or when I know it will get banged around a bit. Shoots 140 grain factory ammo really well and handloaded 130gr Nosler Accubonds unbelievably well.

For me, I wanted to same with the same caliber (like you), I bought the T3 so no matter where I hunted, I could always get factory ammunition that has a tendency to shoot well and a caliber/bullet combination that will work on all the game I hunt, elk and deer. The 260 is my deer only rifle, although it will work on pretty well anything but factory ammo can be hard to find. I use a lighter weight bullet in it and a heavier weight in the 6.5 creedmoor.

Hope this makes sense and helps you with your rifle(s). Run 120's in the 7mm-08 and a heavier bullet in the 280 AI, you will not regret it!

[Kurt505]

Short answer, no.

Platform is the gun itself.

Both elk and chuck are right imo.

[sns2]

What kind of rifle?

[jayquiver]

Originally Posted by sns2

What kind of rifle?

Hill Country. (hunting carry rifle)

[obsessed1]

Originally Posted by chuck

Platform trumps cartridge choice every time.

X2 I have 2 308s,2 300wm's,2 243s,2 12gs,and 6 22lr. All are completely different platforms and don't really overlap in anyway except for caliber.

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by chuck

Platform trumps cartridge choice every time.

Absolutely!
Cat

[32-40win]

I comprehend your dilemma.

I have a 700 in 7-08 that I've had for over 30 yrs, 2-7 Leupold w/ weaver rings, tefloned, MacMillan stock, just threw a Triggertech in it, shoots good. I know it is all I really need. Also picked up 7Rem Mag in a Merkel K1 a few yrs ago, love the gun, price was too good to pass on, didn't really want that cartridge, but, I can work with that, shoots good also, has a 3-9 Conquest z600 on it in claw mounts. Then I just went and got a second 7-08, in a Ruger#1, and put a Z3 3.5-10 BRX on it.
And then there is the 30R and the 300H&H, and the 218 bee and the 223.
Can only shoot 1 at a time. Hauling them to the range is a bit of an ordeal sometimes. making the choice of which one to take when and where is a chore of sorts.

Ya want it? go get it, sort all that other krap out later and have fun with it.

[thundergrey]

I wanted one gun to do everything. Had a 30-06 and didn’t like the recoil so went with a 7mm-08 and love it. But this purchase was also when I was bush hunting deer and the occasional moose.

Now I am field hunting elk every year with the occasional deer. I find myself on the upper limit of the 708 and sometimes wishing I had more case capacity. For insurance.

The 708 is a great 500 yard deer rifle and a maybe 300-400 elk/moose but that is stretching it. it shoots beautiful and is nice to pack around all day.

[REMINGTON JIM]

I have a 7-08 Rem - 284 Win -280 AI - 7mm Rem Mag -7 STW and a 7 x 300 WBee so i have NO answer for you ! RJ

[SuperCub]

Not much mention here about the std. 280. It would be a good compromise between the 7-08 and a 7mag.

The added bonus of a 280AI would be that the long action magazine would allow seating bullets out to the lands whereas the short action 7-08 might not.