I have a Weatherby 7mm magnum (standard mag not Weatherbys wild cat version, fyi). The recoil on this thing to me, is fierce. Like yeah I usually flinch before the squeeze of trigger.
I have had the rifle for yrs and as far as killing power, DRT every time.

With another back surgery in the works(making it 3 back surgeries) and a right shoulder surgery 2 yrs ago. I just can’t handle the kicking mule.

Moving forward. 2 yrs ago I purchased a Savage in 7mm08, left hand, youth for the wife. She did not like the recoil. I sited it in with 139 grain Hornadys and thought it shot really well with considerable less kick. She has decided her 243 is her best choice.

I have thought of a 7mm08 for myself. But not having much experience with it not sure if just sticking to my 270 is just best? By best I mean lot less recoil and knock down. Granted I only shot wife’s maybe a box but my shoulder was still intact after the fact. Never shot any animals with it either.

Worth getting a 7mm08? Or should I just pass? I’m not interested in getting a muzzle break etc on the 7mag. I did put a really nice Boyd’s stock on it replacing the lighter synthetic in hopes of more weight/balance. In case someone asks. I have a ton of ammo in 150, 165 and 180 that are new boxes. The 150 still aches my body.

Thoughts?

Much different recoil , the 7-08 is more comparable to a 6.5cm check this video out. Very helpful to me when choosing a new caliber

https://youtu.be/ZRqLlWxbBrg?si=8BG3DUmqBVz8RAKD

I've owned a lot of rifles in my life, including .400-.455 dangerous game guns. There is something very special about 7Mag recoil. It just frigging hurts. 7-08 on the other hand has never bothered me at all. I have one in a Model 7 so it's a light gun too.

7mm-08 is significantly less powder than a .270 Win.

It is all in how the rifle is set up. I've got a 7mm-08 loaded with 162's I've put women and children behind. Lots of grins, and they burn up a bunch of my ammo.

I carry around a 7mm-08 A.I. every day. It is much lighter, and I still watch my bullets fly into steel or hide.

If I had to marry only one cartridge, it would be a 7mm-08.

If you don't have a suppressor, get one. Clearly they cut way down on the noise, they also dampen recoil.

I wouldn’t hesitate and a .270 is far more punishing than a 7-08.

All in how it's loaded.

Go to an H-1000 and H-Rerumbo burn rate and they are easy to shoot. My 7 Rem Mag loaded with 180 gr Berger and H-Retumbo gets hot well before I am saying recoil is a problem. I love shooting it!

My Browning A-bolt 7mm mag has a muzzle brake. I do not find that it kicks. I am so concentrated on the aim the blast comes as a shock when it goes off. I do lose 1.3 seconds of comprehension after it fires, but I am accustomed to it. 27 kills in 20 years.

Great video. Almost twice the recoil from the 7mag vs the 08. Thanks for posting.

I never shot one enough to justify loading for it. I do know that factory Hornady Premium 162's feels like getting hit with a 2X4

They are probably loading it with a faster burn rate powder, and a bunch of it.

You've got Mike Tyson jabbing your shoulder. Instead of the shove a slow burn rate powders would give you.

Take it to the extreme end on slow burn rate. H-50 BMG powder is almost the slowest one made. I encourage anyone thay get the opportunity to shoot a 50 BMG to do it. It's just a shove. No big deal.

Take it to the extreme indeed try a 8lb rifle in 50 BMG and let me know how gentle it is.

Get a suppressor, cuts the recoil of any gun way down

There's something about the neck-snapping recoil velocity of the middle magnums that I have never cared for. Given the quality of today's bullets, I wouldn't hesitate to go to the 7mm-08, although for me, it would be the original, the 7X57 Mauser -- the one the Boers used to teach the Brits some lessons. Come to think of it, our boys didn't care much for it on San Juan Hill, either.
And as a guy with four lumbar fusions, I literally feel your back pain.

Recoil tolerance is an individual thing. When my son turned eleven I gave him a model 7 7mm-08. I loaded 120 ballistic tips @ a smidge over 3000 fps. Recoil with that load feels pretty similar to a .243. After a few years he moved up to 140 gamekings. Loaded with a max charge of Varget recoil is still pretty light. Feels similar to a .308. I hunt a lot with an old lh 700 classic in 7RM. You mentioned 150’s. I have a 150 grain SGK hunting load with a max load of
H 4831sc. Felt recoil is about like a 30-06 with 180’s to my shoulder. I enjoy shooting it and have killed a good many deer with that load.
Protecting a bad back and a bad shoulder, my recommendation in 7-08 would be 120 ballistic tips. Recoil is light with spectacular terminal performance.

A big +1 to a 7-08/120BT combo. My son was a small guy when he was young. I loaded him some 120's at 2800 and he could handle it easily. The 120BT is a killing machine, as I'm sure you found out as well.

Wife shoots a Savage Axis 7mm-08 youth. Very lightweight. Hornady Custom Lite 120gr SST is the usual ammo. Half the recoil of my Marlin 30-30 and almost every deer has been DRT.

I’ve hunted with 270’win my whole life and a 7mm 08 the last several years. The recoil difference in similar weight bullets is not enough to know the difference to me. Both have what it takes for anything I care to hunt in North America, but I do not think you will notice a difference going from a 270 to a 7mm08.

Nobody needs justification to buy another rifle But I'd add a break to it, or get it threaded for a suppressor.

I too have a hankerin for a 7mm08, just not sure what my justification would be

While nothing is more enjoyable than a rifle that's a pleasure to shoot, I'm sure nothing is more dreadful than shooting one that isn't.

What's the use for the rifle?

6.5 Creedmoor will have less recoil, great for hunting and punching paper. I recommended that, and if you need even less, go with the .243 win. Both are a joy to shoot.

We have three 7mm-08 rifles in the house and do 90% of our deer and pig hunting with them. You can load it heavy with 160’s if you need for an elk-sized animal. I actually go the other way and shoot 120 grain NBTs on whitetail, axis etc. They leave the muzzle around 3,000fps and are an absolute death wagon despite being very mild on the shooter.

I've had four or five .280s, and all but one have been pussycats. One of them, my first .280 was a 700 Mountain Rifle that was a vicious, nasty, murderous bitch and I absolutely hated it. The rest are easily tolerated all day long.

A rifle that fits well and has a well designed stock, even in the 7 mag / .300 mag class shouldn't be so awful to shoot. With an ill fitting or poorly designed stock, it can be murder.

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