.308 vs. 7mm

[tlakidd]

I need a little help here.

I shot a 7mm and like it but doing really enjoy the kick. Have a muzzle break, bell and carlson stock, but it still kicks more then I would prefer. It is fine for deer or elk but I am considering another rifle to add to the safe. Not going to sell the 7mm. Considering a .308 with a 20in barrel. Can some tell me if this is going to kick more or less then the 7mm? What is the difference in ammo prices?
Thanks

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[Spitpatch]

Your 7mm with a brake should kick less than a .308 without one. I have only one highpower rifle with a brake: it is a .270 (my sheep rifle). I would estimate the recoil to be about what a light .243 does, or in the .30-30 range. I had it braked because I was shooting it extensively in the period prior to a hunt, and I am a recoil wimp. The braked 7mm recoil would probably be just a bit more than the braked .270, but should not approach the recoil of a healthy unbraked .308. A brake job done correctly does not affect accuracy of the gun. Recovery after recoil can be improved for the shooter to regain sight picture.

Muzzle brakes have their drawbacks: noticeable increase of report delivered to the shooter's ears, and shooting from the prone position, a significant debris/dust cloud from earth displaced from the blast. Some brake designs claim to mitigate the increased sound to the ears, but all are louder than an unbraked gun. Also, caution should be used when shooting off the hood of a vehicle. Redirected blast can be directed at auto paint with undesirable results. Many big game guides refuse to guide a hunter who arrives with a braked gun with no option for removal. The guide has to be in the proximity at the shot, and most value their eardrums.

Ammo prices for 7mm garden-variety shells are slightly higher than for .308 as a rule, but if they are to be used for hunting big game, one box a year should suffice to recheck zero and hunt. Perhaps a second box or so to develop skills from the various positions. I would not consider ammunition cost to be a litmus test where caliber is concerned with a big game rifle. Match your caliber to intended game, with the primary criteria being how well you can shoot it.

 

[Samurai]

What are you planning on doing with it? A light 20" .308 is not going to be as 'fun' to shoot as a heavy 24-26". If you're hunting, maybe look at .243 or 7mm-08, possibly with a brake for a real easy shooter. If you're not hunting with it, I would look at a heavier .308 with a longer barrel. The mass will help tame recoil, and so will the longer barrel for a couple of reasons. It all depends in the intended purpose.
Jason

 

[DieselScout]

I have two friends, on with a Winchester Model 70 in 7mm Rem mag, it has a BOSS muzzle break and a thumbhole synthetic stock. The other friend owns a Remington 700 SPS, no break and no thumbhole. Recoil pads are both stock. I've fired both of them quite a bit. The 7mm still kicks more then the .308, and it's louder because of the muzzle brake. Lots of other factors can come into play with rifles, but these two are close to the same weight and both firing 150 grain bullets. Just my experience, yours may vary.

 

[RainMan_PNW]

I've got a Remington 700 ADL in 7mm Rem Mag with generic synthetic stock and a Browning BLR (about 35 yrs old) in .308 which has the walnut stock and a 20" barrel. For me, the recoil in the 308 always seems less (when I'm doing any side-by-side shooting), but not by a huge amount. Those are the only two center-fire calibers I've spent any real time shooting, so for me they both seem "normal." Not sure that offers much help in your questions...