7mm-08 VERSUS .243 Winchester...?

Question

Which caliber would be more effective against white tail deer (using highest grain loads) coming from a Ruger M77 Compact rifle that has a 16 1/2 inch barrel. The range will be 100-150 yards (200-225 max). What will be the muzzle velocity/muzzle energy of each? Also @ 100yards.

Answer 1

243 is marginal for deer, and you have to be picky with your shots. 7mm08 is very close to the ideal whitetail caliber. Figure 2900 fps with a 100 grain bullet, and sectional density of .242 (energy is nearly useless in determining effectiveness, but sectional density of comparable bullets will give you a good idea of the penetration you can expect) You'll get about 2800 fps from a 140 grainer or 2700 from a 150, with S.D.'s of .248 and .266, respectively. Those are just guesstimates, of course; you'll have to chrono your loads to get a real number.
They'll both hold up well at normal hunting ranges, but keep in mind that 7mm08 was designed to topple those rams at silhouette, and it retains its oomph better than 308 when you get to long distances, though you won't be shooting at live game that far off.

Answer 2

These are ballistics for a 243, 100 grain pointed soft point vs a 140 grain PSP 7mm-08 hope this helps
Cartridge Information
Index Number Cartridge Type Weight (grs.) Bullet Style Primer No. Ballistic Coefficient
R243W3 Remington® Express® 100 Pointed Soft Point Core-Lokt® 9 1/2 0.356
R7M081 Remington® Express® 140 Pointed Soft Point Core-Lokt® 9 1/2 0.390


Velocity (ft/sec)
Cartridge Type Bullet Muzzle 100 200 300 400 500
Remington® Express® 100 PSP CL 2960 2697 2449 2215 1993 1786
Remington® Express® 140 PSP CL 2860 2625 2402 2189 1988 1798


Energy (ft-lbs)
Cartridge Type Bullet Muzzle 100 200 300 400 500
Remington® Express® 100 PSP CL 1945 1615 1332 1089 882 708
Remington® Express® 140 PSP CL 2542 2142 1793 1490 1228 1005


Short-Range Trajectory
Cartridge Type Bullet 50 100 150 200 250 300
Remington® Express® 100 PSP CL 0.1 0.7 zero -2.0 -5.4 -10.4
Remington® Express® 140 PSP CL 0.2 0.7 zero -2.1 -5.7 -11.0


Long-Range Trajectory
Cartridge Type Bullet 100 150 200 250 300 400 500
Remington® Express® 100 PSP CL 1.6 1.5 zero -2.9 -7.5 -22.1 -45.4
Remington® Express® 140 PSP CL 1.8 1.6 zero -3.1 -7.8 -22.9 -46.8

Answer 3

the 7mm-08 will be the best round for that particular rife because the short barrel will limit dramatically the performance of the 243 it needs in my opinion a 22-26 in barrel to be efficient as for the muzzle velocities available in text will be almost always tested with a long barrel it is unreliable in your situation

Answer 4

Just do the right thing and get a real .308 instead of a neck down that shoots little bullets. The .308 beats either of the 2 you ask about. I have a Ruger M77 in .308 and so far I've killed 11 deer with it.

Answer 5

Well besides the fact that both his parents died and he had to witness people being brutally murdered almost every day and 90% of the girls he's ever liked were killed by demons and he was raised to be a warrior and never had a childhood and the fate of everything rests about 50% on his shoulders, I don't know.

Answer 6

don't know the speed off hand but the 7mm-08 is BY FAR the Superior caliber.far out weights the .243, and has about the same recoil.

Answer 7

7mm-08.*