7mm-08 or .243?

[USMC0331]

Here are some numbers that might help you out. Both calibers in same weight rifle (7.5 lb) with 100 gr. bullet weight for the .243 and 120 gr. for the 7mm-08  will give you 8.8 ft. lbs of recoil for the .243 and 12.1 in 7mm-08. Out to 300 yards the .243 has -7.1 inches of drop and 1175 ft. of energy, the 7mm-08 at same distance with the 120 grain bullet has -9.4 inches of drop at 1057 ft pounds of energy. If you go up in bullet weight to a 139 grain in the 7mm-08 you will have more energy and more recoil. If you buy the same brand ammo for each the 7mm-08 will cost you $7.00 more. Perhaps you can rent or borrow one to she what she is more comfortable with. Hope this helps!

[paturkeyhntr]

7mm-08

[Greg Massey]

The 308 with the Horndy lite will hands down out shot the 243 and 7m 08...
With the 308 you only have to buy one gun and ammo is no problem to get... back last year you couldn't hardly fine factory 100 gr. 243 or any 7 m 08 ... so if your not a hand loader get the 308...

[wvmntnhick]

My advice is worth exactly what you've paid for it so here goes:

I've shot several deer with both over the years and have found both to be quite adequate. Youre going to see some separation though in their performance. I've found the 243 to be more of a DRT cartridge so long as the deer is hit properly. The downside is that there's often not an exit hole when using factory loaded ammo unless you get the premium stuff. Also, if they are going to run off, the blood trail CAN be a bit anemic. Doesn't mean you won't get some and in some cases it'll leave quite a bit but I've trailed my share of them to know that there's quite a bit of variation in how the soft point bullets are going to behave when placed in similar scenarios. The 7mm-08 tends to lend itself to better blood trails and better ballistics if hand loaded. Since you're using factory ammo, that point is moot. If the deer isn't hit properly, it matter either way. I don't see much difference in the recoil of the two personally.

After saying all that, I've killed more than a couple truckloads of deer with the lowly 223 and just last night we shot 3 deer on crop damage permits using a suppressed 6x45. It's a 5.56 case necked up to 6mm launching a 75 grain v-max bullet that's quite devastating at ridiculous ranges. In the end, pick what you want and keep it in the front end.

[budtripp]

Strictly deer go 7mm-08. I used one for 15 years and killed truckloads of deer with it. Remington 140 gr soft points,  140 great ballistic tip and 139 gr Hornady sst hand loads.  If you want a dual purpose deer/varmint rifle the 243 is one of the best.  I bought one last fall and it's fast becoming my favorite caliber.

[Bowguy]

I have had a few guns in my life. I've sold tons more but I'm around 50 still. Now when I got divorced I needed money n had to face facts, they all couldn't stay.
My 7-08 took a ride, my .243 stayed.
I'm by no means afraid of any recoil. Nor is my daughter.
At 13 she was shooting my .300 win mag at the range much to the dismay of others. She's now just over 5' and thin.
I have many guns to choose from when I hit the deer woods. Commonly I use a .300, may sound crazy but my second choice, especially if I want a light gun to carry is the .243.
I've never lost a deer w it but than again I've never lost a deer w any rifle and the thin blood trails guys are speaking of are foreign to me, they tend to drop in sight.
My daughter has claimed the gun which is fine. I bought it for her when she was less than a year. The first time she shot it was a great day.
Most shots on deer aren't very far, so if it's a deer gun I'd be carrying very commonly a .243. Truth is they're both great calibers but any extra felt recoil can be more detrimental to a good shot n lost deer than a caliber slightly less in size.

If that was the arguement than we oughta be all shooting cannons.

[Kylongspur88]

7mm-08 is a great round, but as stated availability and price is an issue. At least for me. 

I personally like the .243. All the deer I have seen hit behind the shoulders died within steps and their heart/lungs were destroyed.

Go with heavier bullet weights.

For me 90gr scirocco's really blister deer.

[outdoors]

.........243 .........

[West Augusta]

I've hunted with a 6mm all my life and have never had a deer complain yet.  I'd go with the 243

[wvlimbhanger]

I've hunted with and killed plenty of deer with both.  Either one you choose will serve you well but if I had to decide on only one, it would be a 243 hands down.  Less recoil, much more ammo selection and better ammo availability.  People can say all they want about knockdown power blah blah blah.  A well placed bullet regardless of the round will kill deer and a poorly placed bullet will not.  A 243 does a far better job at transferring the energy of the bullet into a deer than most any other cartridge.

[owlhoot]

I've hunted with a 6mm all my life and have never had a deer complain yet.  I'd go with the 243

x2 with a .243. Used many others as well. the 7mm-08 was tikka whitetail, bought early for my son , let quite a few young teen aged boys and girls use it with 120 grain, many said the .243 they liked better. The strange thing is they liked the .270 with a factory 130 grain better too as long as standard factory ammo was used. based on the chronograph you could tell why.
Now the knatweight rifles are sweet for looks and carrying, the model 7 in 7mm-08 i had was a handfull for that caliber, same as the ruger compact. Friend of mine has a 308 in a beautiful model 70 compact, he changes scopes it seems every year and i mount and sight in for him, let him take the fine tuning last shot. About a half dozen shots get my attention , so a guy might give some gun weight a serious thought.

[stringtalker]

Hands down the 7mm-08. Go buy you some federal fusion 120 grain and shoot away very low recoil. Great deer round!!!!

[yelpaholic]

appears to be different opinions ....... imagine that.....  7mm-08 ......hands down    but if you shoot a 243 get you some Winchester silver ballistic tip....

[mudhen]

7mm-08 would be my first choice....243 would not be in my top 10....


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[Snoodsniper]

Either will be a good caliber for a kid. Take a look at the Tikka T3 along with the Ruger. My boys have the Tikka in .243 and they are tack drivers.