# 22-250 or 7mm-08



## ravrav7 (Jul 30, 2007)

Any opinions or comments about these 2 rifles listed above? I am considering buying one to do some pig hunting with and lots of paper punching. I was wondering if it would be worth it to convert a 22-250 into a 7mm-08? I also found a .260 which is reasonable that might be in the mix to use as a donor gun for the conversion. If thoughts or info would be appreciated. Thanks Ray


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## RogerB (Oct 11, 2005)

wish I could offer an opinion but I hunt hogs with a .243.


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## WesinTX (Jan 23, 2011)

I always go with a heavier bullet even if it's slower. .260 is an excellent all around caliber, good knockdown with less recoil than a 7-08. Every 7-08 I've shot has had bad recoil, and this is coming from a someone who thinks a 35 whelen is pretty mild.


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## BretE (Jan 24, 2008)

Thinkin 22-250 would be easier to find ammo for.....


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## CHARLIE (Jun 2, 2004)

22-250 for shootin paper

7mm-08 for shootin hogs.


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## REEL CRAZY (Dec 21, 2005)

I would take the .260 over either of the 2 listed.


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## krkincannon (Mar 18, 2010)

The availability of ammo needs to be considered when choosing a round unless you are hand loading. If you are buying factory ammo i would go with 7mm08. All three of the cartridges utilize the same case, just different bullet diameters.


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## jm423 (Sep 18, 2011)

Don't mean to stir anything up, but the 260, 7-08, and 308 are a common case, OA length 2.035", based on the 308 Win cartridge. The 22-250 is based on the 250 Savage case, OA lgth 1.912". Any of the listed cartridges will do for hogs, shot placement and bullet construction being more critical with the 22-250. My pick all-around would be the 7-08, which is a reinvention of the 7X 57 Mauser, one of my pets. But a 223 right behind the ear is terminal medicine for any hog that ever walked.


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## krkincannon (Mar 18, 2010)

^^^ well said.


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## THE JAMMER (Aug 1, 2005)

CHARLIE said:


> 22-250 for shootin paper
> 
> 7mm-08 for shootin hogs.


Charlie, as usual, has it right. 7mm08 is a MUCH more versatile caliber for hunting: hogs to elk. Plus, as mentioned the 7-08 is based on the 308 case, one of the most accurate ever made. My 20" sporter weight bbl model 7 708 shoots .75" so it's plenty accurate.


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## coogerpop (Sep 3, 2009)

buy the 260 and a set of dies,,,,,Use it and enjoy the accuracy and the lack of recoil...and place you shots....the pigs won't know which round killed them....


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## THE JAMMER (Aug 1, 2005)

Same weight bullet, same stock/gun: Recoil on a 260 is only about 10-12% less than 7mm-08. And that's because of lesser velocity. Check the reloading manuals and you will see that pretty much down the line of bullet weights, the 260 is about 100 fps slower than the 7mm-08. Kind of like the 308 and 30-06.

don't get me wrong. BOTH GREAT CALIBERS. AND ALWAYS REMEMBER THIS: IS THAT DEER REALLY GONNA KNOW WHEN HE GETS HIT BY EITHER???????


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## prarie dog (Feb 28, 2011)

^^ What he said. The external ballistics of the 6.5's in the lighter bullets is better than the 7's. The best that can be said for the 308 is the 243 and the 260. I buy 7-08 rifles for donors to build 260's on.


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## Norsehunter (Jan 30, 2013)

If you are doing more paper punching than hog hunting go with the 22-250. The reason I say that is #1 - the cost of the ammo, #2 - felt recoil (the more you shoot the better you shoot) and lastly if ever get into reloading your own ammo Speer makes a 70gr soft point bullet that is great on deer and hogs (shot placement on matter what caliber).


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## MNsurf (Oct 21, 2011)

THE JAMMER said:


> Check the reloading manuals and you will see that pretty much down the line of bullet weights, the 260 is about 100 fps slower than the 7mm-08. Kind of like the 308 and 30-06.


Just checked and I'm seeing the opposite. With same weight bullet and equal powder charge ballistics are almost identical with a slight edge to the 260. Makes sense the 6.5 would have a slight velocity increase over 7mm with same charge.
Not trying to stir anything up, just making an observation 

Im a huge 6.5 fan but for your purpose I think I'd stick with the the 7mm-08.
Factory 260's tend to have a twist rate to slow to stabilize the 140 and 142 gr bullets that really make the 6.5's shine. Also, the 260 being a short action will not usually allow it to feed (from the magazine) the longer bullets when seated out properly.
22-250 is a great varmint cartridge but doesn't give you nearly the versatility of the other two cartridges.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2


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## ravrav7 (Jul 30, 2007)

*thanks for the help everyone*

I am still undecided. I guess I will know when the time is right. Thanks again to everyone.


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## specktout (Aug 21, 2006)

I think just to be safe you should have all 3 calibers in your collection.


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## MNsurf (Oct 21, 2011)

specktout said:


> I think just to be safe you should have all 3 calibers in your collection.


X2

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## THE JAMMER (Aug 1, 2005)

MNsurf said:


> Just checked and I'm seeing the opposite. With same weight bullet and equal powder charge ballistics are almost identical with a slight edge to the 260. Makes sense the 6.5 would have a slight velocity increase over 7mm with same charge.
> Not trying to stir anything up, just making an observation
> 
> Im a huge 6.5 fan but for your purpose I think I'd stick with the the 7mm-08.
> ...


MnSurf,

You are correct partially. I just spent about 30 minutes going through about 4 of my reloading manuals to research this. and- Yes comparing the 260 to the 7mm08 same bullet, same powder and same powder weight the velocities are almost identical, and sometimes a bit higher in the 260, because of that higher bc you eluded to.

What you didn't consider however, is that with almost every powder the maximum allowable load for the 7mm08 is significantly larger, thus giving a potentially/definitely higher top load muzzle velocity of 100-200 fps more than the 260. Check it out. With some powders it's actually about 10% more powder allowed in a 7mm-08 than in a 260.

What you are saying is that if I took a 308 vs a 30-06, and loaded the same bullet, with the same powder and powder weight (that loading being the maximum you could put in a 308) the muzzle velocities would be similar. However, you can put a whole lot more powder into a 30-06 case which gives that caliber higher muzzle velocities. It has nothing to do with the efficiency of the bullet, it's just that more powder behind the same bullet is going to push it faster.

good discussion. But a 120 gr or 140 gr or whatever grain 7m-08 will shoot it faster than a 260, just because you can load more powder- at least according to Hornady, Nosler, Speer, Barnes, and Sierra.


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## Ernest (May 21, 2004)

The performance differences are not about case capacity or being able to stuff more powder in there. It arises from the relationship between bore/bullet diameter and case capacity. Both rounds - 7-08 and .260 - have the same parent cartridge. For any given case size, a larger bore (bullet diameter) will lessen the pressure. 

That's why a 6x45 (5.56 with the neck expanded) can fire heavier bullets faster than its parent cartridge. Same case capacity, but large bore/bullet diameter.


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## THE JAMMER (Aug 1, 2005)

Understand that Ernest. But the original premise was which cartridge will fire the same weight bullet faster, and it is hands down the 7mm-08, regardless of how you get there. And I think what you are saying there "for any given case size, a larger bore (bullet diameter) will lessen the pressure" is why you are allowed more powder in a 7mm-08 case than in a 260, because of that pressure issue.

I think that's right???


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## Ernest (May 21, 2004)

I agree with the premise that a 7-08 will fire a 140 grain bullet faster than a .260, everything else being equal. I was explaining the reason why that is the situation. The limiting factor is pressure. 

I only took issue with your example comparing 30-06 and .308. They fire the same caliber bullet but have very different case capacities. So, I used an example of two rounds with the same case capacity and different bore/bullet diameters.


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## MNsurf (Oct 21, 2011)

I understand why the 7mm-08 
will push the bullet faster. I guess my point was directed more towards the fact that each cartridge has its own benefit to a certain weight bullet so equal powder charge an equal bullet weight are sort of a moot point. So comparing apples to apples doesn't really work. How many guys are using 140's in a 260? Of course 30-06 case capacity will allow it to get more velocity than a 308. But you are comparing an overbored cartridge to a very efficient one without much gain.

This is exactly why i went with a 6.5-284 instead of a 260 

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## Bottomsup (Jul 12, 2006)

If the 22-250 wont kill a hog your shot placement sucks. End of story.


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## Ernest (May 21, 2004)

140's are a heck of a bullet in .260. The problem is most of the factory offerings are short actions. To feed 140's, you have to seat them deep or its a single shot. Be nice to have a more intermediate length action about half way between long and short from the factory.


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## WesinTX (Jan 23, 2011)

I have a Remingtion 700 DM in 260, I shoot the Federal Premium Sierra 140gns Gameking BTSP. It loves the ammo, no feeding problems and shots it less than an 1.5 inch at 200yrds. That's why I never bought dies for it cause how could I improve on that for a hunting round?


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## Bearwolf34 (Sep 8, 2005)

Out of those two id go for the 22-250. If you are taking proper shots it'll hammer a pig. Then you got the range gun as well. Select a good 60-63gr huntin bullet instead of a varmint bullet and your good to go. Ive whacked a buncha hogs with a 223 and 60-65gr bullet and it puts em down good. I used to run with only a 308 but got tired of the mangled mess and overkill. I wouldnt mind having a 260 rem though.


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## THE JAMMER (Aug 1, 2005)

Bottomsup said:


> If the 22-250 wont kill a hog your shot placement sucks. End of story.


Unless just as you pull the trigger that pig decides to take a step and eat a different piece of corn.


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## Bottomsup (Jul 12, 2006)

That must be one fast pig to step faster than a 22-250. With the right trigger the gun goes bang the instant you want it to not squeezing and waiting.



THE JAMMER said:


> Unless just as you pull the trigger that pig decides to take a step and eat a different piece of corn.


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## Trouthunter (Dec 18, 1998)

> Unless just as you pull the trigger that pig decides to take a step and eat a different piece of corn.


Have to be a pretty fast step to get out of the way of that bullet 

I'd go with the .22-250 because I like the caliber and have shot it for oh I dunno, 40 years or so? Never lost an animal with it either.

Behind the shoulder, in the neck, behind or through the ear or right through the eye, a hog is going to be DRT when shot with a .22-250.

Besides, they're easy and cheap to shoot.

TH


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