scottbird Posted October 18, 2013 Report Share Posted October 18, 2013 I am not asking which one is better, I know they are both great calibers. I would like to ask, when I start to reload, which caliber is going to be easier to find bullets for deer. I want to do sme varmint hunting too, but I want the rifle to be able to take deer, I just can't afford two guns at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted October 18, 2013 Report Share Posted October 18, 2013 I have no experience with the 7mm-08. The .243 on the other hand, my wife and oldest daughter have been hunting with for years. Our deer are not huge, typically 150-200 lbs on the hoof for a 3.5+ year old buck. With the exception of my oldest daughter's first deer we have had real good luck with 100 grain core lokts and power points. Her first deer was not hit great, we never found a blood trail and the wife 9 months pregnant at that time convinced me that she must not have hit it. I did not find it right away, but did find it later on less than 10 yards from where I quit looking in some real nasty thick mess. I am loading 100 grain hornady btsp's for the .243 now. Getting great groupings out of the wife's model 10 with those, have not tried the daughters A bolt. I would not be at all afraid to hunt with a .243. Now my middle daughter is shooting a .243 and hopefully will get her a crack at her first buck this year. Plenty of options for the .243 for deer and predators. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkneck Posted October 18, 2013 Report Share Posted October 18, 2013 I'd go with the 7mm 08. Great round, can't get morepopular than the 30 Cal for reloading I would imagine (though I don't reload). Nice ballistic coefficient compared to the 243 I think it's more bang for the buck. I have a 243 though and it's a proven killer as well. Just a matter of preference I suppose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottbird Posted October 18, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2013 I would also like to know if anyone has any knowladge of the cva centerfire rifles. dicks sporting goods has a cva hunter rifle in 243 or 7mm-08 scoped with a 3-9x32 for $269. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted October 18, 2013 Report Share Posted October 18, 2013 Dunno about the CVA rifle scope combo deal. At that price like many combo deals the scope is going to be low end. A gun will not perform any better than the optics on it. That said a combo deal can be functional. I have been real happy with my CVA ml'er. I would not hesitate to buy another CVA gun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin R10 man Posted October 19, 2013 Report Share Posted October 19, 2013 7mm-08..a bit more punch, but recoil is about that of a 243 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottbird Posted October 19, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2013 Dunno about the CVA rifle scope combo deal. At that price like many combo deals the scope is going to be low end. A gun will not perform any better than the optics on it. That said a combo deal can be functional.I have been real happy with my CVA ml'er. I would not hesitate to buy another CVA gun.thanks, I think I will try it, can always put a better scope on later, and money being tight these days, I think it will do what I want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted October 19, 2013 Report Share Posted October 19, 2013 Have you thought about a .308? Not heavy recoil and tons of options. Just a thought, but maybe you might want to compare ballistics on the most likely weight bullets you will be shooting and use that to help you determine your needs. There is no wrong choice. Never really given much consideration to the 7 -08 myself, although I know some do offer that caliber as a " youth " chambering. .284 does offer plenty of bullet choices for a reloader. Got a 7 mag myself, but I don't have dies for it yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbHunterNY Posted October 19, 2013 Report Share Posted October 19, 2013 to find bullets for hand loading I think there's more of a selection in 7mm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LETMGROW Posted October 20, 2013 Report Share Posted October 20, 2013 I'd go with the 7mm 08. Great round, can't get morepopular than the 30 Cal for reloading I would imagine (though I don't reload). Nice ballistic coefficient compared to the 243 I think it's more bang for the buck. I have a 243 though and it's a proven killer as well. Just a matter of preference I suppose. Actually the bullets will be 7-mm not .30 cal. My wife hunts with a Remington 700 7-mm-08 Mountain Rifle. Recoil is manageable and it is very accurate out to well over 200 yards. I have never shot this over 200 yards but she wouldn't take a shot that long anyway. Her buck a couple years ago was 173 yards and it didn't take a step after she hit it. Personally I would take it over a .243. Lynn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottbird Posted October 20, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 20, 2013 the 7mm is a 28 cal. I think the two most popular bullets out there are the 24 cal, and the 30 cal. I used to reload for several people, and shot competition, that was years ago though, things may have changed by now, but those used to be the most popular. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkneck Posted October 20, 2013 Report Share Posted October 20, 2013 Yeah I knew that, had a complete brain fart thinking about the 308 parent case of both rounds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottbird Posted October 20, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 20, 2013 on friday of next week (payday) I am going to get one of the cva hunter rifle deals at dicks sporting goods. it is a 243 with a 3-9x40 kronus scope for $269. I shot one at the shooting range yesterday a man had just bought for his son. nice little rifle, and with a .5" group at 100 yds with factory ammo. as soon as I get it and do a little shooting with it, I will give you an update. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WStreblo Posted October 21, 2013 Report Share Posted October 21, 2013 Have you thought about a .308? Not heavy recoil and tons of options. Just a thought, but maybe you might want to compare ballistics on the most likely weight bullets you will be shooting and use that to help you determine your needs. There is no wrong choice. Never really given much consideration to the 7 -08 myself, although I know some do offer that caliber as a " youth " chambering. .284 does offer plenty of bullet choices for a reloader. Got a 7 mag myself, but I don't have dies for it yet. I love my 308. Remington 700 .38 WIN with a varmint barrel.... I use it for just about anything I can kill with it legally here in Ohio. I used to shoot a lot of 308s in the service and would recommend the cartridge to anyone who asks. With some target time and a fundamental idea of ballistics it can be a damaging downrange round. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbHunterNY Posted October 21, 2013 Report Share Posted October 21, 2013 the 7mm is a 28 cal. I think the two most popular bullets out there are the 24 cal, and the 30 cal. I used to reload for several people, and shot competition, that was years ago though, things may have changed by now, but those used to be the most popular. I don't handload but I pay attention to all this stuff maybe somebody can shoot me down or back me up on what i'm about to say. inline with what redkneck said, I think things have changed in that 7mm bullets are more common now than ever before. reason being you can get a very high BC with them. they are a preferred choice with some long range groups full of engineers like Best of the West. due to this trend I think you'll find all kinds of types and weights, compared to a .24 cal, when it comes to hunting rounds. 6mm I feel has always been wildcat, custom calibers, or benchrest loads that require dies that are hard to find. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbHunterNY Posted October 21, 2013 Report Share Posted October 21, 2013 ....difference 7mm hunting bullet quantity vs 6mm hunting bullet quantity... i say is like 5:3. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottbird Posted October 21, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 21, 2013 I have owned several differnt calibers, I mainly hunted with the 30-06, but due to recoil I can no longer shoot it. I used a custom built 6mm284 and a custom 22-250 for target shooting. a 17remington and 22 hornet for varmint, and a 300 win. mag for moose, elk and bear. I hand loaded for each and I know there are a lot of 6mm bullets, and that is the smallest caliber you can use here in va. regretably in my 2.5 long years of fighting for my disability I sold all my guns but my 22 hornet. I am going back to the 243 (6mm) because I know it so well. I reloaded 243 for several of my friends target rifles, I am also well aware of it's capabilities. I have a friend that deer, bear, elk, and moose hunts with his, and has for years, and still does. I am now also seeing the 7mm-08, and have come to realize that it is a very efective round also, I just decided to stick with what I know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbHunterNY Posted October 23, 2013 Report Share Posted October 23, 2013 you can't go wrong with either direction. sticking with what you know is a good idea though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LETMGROW Posted October 25, 2013 Report Share Posted October 25, 2013 you can't go wrong with either direction. sticking with what you know is a good idea though. Sticking with what you know is good but I like the challenge of working up a new load for a new or different caliber gun. Lynn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottbird Posted October 26, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 26, 2013 I am going back to the 243 only because I have enough to load around 3000 rounds, don't want to see it go to waste. I will get the 7mm-08 next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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