Doing some research for a buddy. For 90% hunting & 10% paper punching would you choose 7mag or .308(he's stuck on these 2 calibers so please keep it between these 2 calibers)? Gun will be a Tikka T3 Hunter. Shots will be between from 50-300+yds for any animal(mostly deer & big hogs) in North America. I say 7mag. You say????? Thanks.

Your fixing to get a lot of responses on this!

I have both and for the range you mention, .308 is probably his best bet.

That short of range, .308

I would go with the .308. The ammo is cheaper and you have a wider range of bullet types to choose from. It will handle deer, hogs, and even some larger game with correct shot placement. The distances that you are looking are no problem either. The .308 is effective out to well over 500 yards. If you were going to hunt elk or other game that size the majority of the time I would get the 7mag. For what you are wanting it for get the .308.

What he really needs is a 300 Winchester Magnum.

308

7 mag

308

308

definitely .308, 7 mag would just be overkill and a .308 is perfect for those ranges on those animals, and even further. 7 mag is meant for big game at long ranges

308

Which 1 has more available ammo? Cheaper ammo?

Availability should be the same more or less.

I have both as well. 308 for sure. Punching paper with a 7 mag (mines a sporter weight) isn't really fun. 308 will absolutely do the job and it's cheaper to shoot and won't beat you to death if you like to punch holes in paper!!!

308.

.308 will be a about $5 cheaper on equivalent loads. The tikkas are awfully light, I could see the 7mag being awfully painful.

.308

It will be used @ the range to sight in & then check before every season. We do shoot quite a bit of hogs, though. I had a Remmy 7oo CDL 7mag & I didn't think it kicked bad @ all. Hell, I don't even think my .45/70 kicks bad.

Unless you do any long range hunting or bigger game, .308 is more than good enough. If he reloads and feels .308 isn't enough, split the difference and get a 30-06. I love 7mag but for Texas size game at short distances it is WAY overkill.

Either one

7 mag if the recoil doesnt bother him

I wore out my first 7mm Rem Mag after over 15000 rounds thru it
and had it rebarreled to a 300 Win Mag...which was later stolen.
It is loud and does have some recoil depending on the wgt. of the
firearm and the projectiles shot...I now shoot a 308 mostly, or
my 22-250...I cull shoot from 50 to 400 yds on occasion and I shoot my own reloads, mostly 130 Barnes X at about 3000FPS...No
recoil and much easier on the weapon and me...and kills are about
the same...DD

Well thats easy it's the 7mag, it out performs the 308 all the way around. And before anybody says it's over-kill or too much gun, please give the definition of those statements. Besides the 308 is mediocre and boring. I shall don my flame suit now.