Convert .243 to 7mm-08. Worth it?

Hello fellas. New guy here. I have a Savage 110 in .243 and I'm considering changing the barrel to a 7mm-08. I'd like to use a new Savage barrel, as the replacement. The largest game I'd hunt with this rifle will be S. Texas deer and possibly wild boars. I've read a ton of post that state the .243 isn't the ideal round for these animals, ballistically speaking. I've also read that there have been accuracy issues, with the Savage 7mm-08 barrels. Will the 7mm-08 be significantly more effective on these animals, than the .243, to justify the barrel swap. Also, is there any truth to what I've read about the Savage 7mm-08 barrels being inherently inaccurate? I know someone will suggest upgrading to .308, but as odd as it may sound, I have to admit I'm recoil sensitive. Thanks, in advance, for your assistance.

If it was my gun, I would do it without a second thought.

7mm-08 is a great round and so is the 243. When hunting shot placement is way better than caliber. If you were just hunting texas deer I would use a 22-250 or other 22cal speed freak. but since you are using it for hogs then I would go to the 7mm-08 for the more weight in bullet. A 243 can kill a deer as good as a 300 mag if shot right, spend a lot of time with your rifle and get use to it and it will do its job. just remember the 22-6mm remington is also called the .224 texas trophy hunter and I would say if the 22 cal bullet will take a deer easily a 243 will have no problem.

Do it.

Great round. Nothing wrong with the 243 its just on the light side.
Better combined varmint/hunting round.

162 gr amax is a superb 7mm bullet. SD over .3, Bc over .6 and its cheap.

I killed a 200++ # boar hog, 300 yards, dropped him one shot with that a 162 amax in a 7mm-08.
Blew through him like a freight train.

IMO if you use barnes bullets, there is not so much difference between a 6.5mm,7mm,or 308 in actual killing power for normal size animals, but the 7mm-08 is a really good all around hunting cartridge.

Change it.... I've had great success with a 139 SST(40 gr of IMR3031).shooting a 3/4 group at a hundred with a 20" factory savage barrel.

My Savage barrel on my Stevens 200 shot four rounds into basically one hole at 100 yards - had one flier that ruined that particular five-shot group. Was using 139 Hornady SST with 42.0 grains of Varget. Don't know why anyone would think the factory 7mm-08 barrel wasn't good.

I guess I'm on the other side of the fence. I'd leave it alone. I hunt coyotes and deer with a .243.
I have noticed a lot of interest in the 7-08 as of late, but .......
it's placement not the magic bullet. I did not see what grain of bullet you said you were using.
I use heavier bullets for deer and light for yotes. I have not had a problem so far.

My two cents
Pop

I have taken 6 elk as a young man using a 100gr partition in a 243. 5 undisturbed one shot tip overs and one running all out down hill. The later went 50 yards and piled up to my amazement.
Have taken 3 elk with the 7X08 with similer results.

I would stay where you are if the barrel shoots to your standards. Its way flatter shooting than the 7X08 and as previously stated bobcats through elk and it will put them all down. Barrel quality determines accuracy in my experience.

However one can not have too many barrels and swapping barrels is habit forming. CAUTION

Neal

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by 69Roadrunner

My Savage barrel on my Stevens 200 shot four rounds into basically one hole at 100 yards - had one flier that ruined that particular five-shot group. Was using 139 Hornady SST with 42.0 grains of Varget. Don't know why anyone would think the factory 7mm-08 barrel wasn't good.

---

Well, my experience is different. I have a new Model 16 in 7 mm-08 and the accuracy has been disappointing with factory ammo and with a variety of handloads using IMR 4895 and both Remington 140 gr PSP and Hornady 139 gr BTSP. The accuracy isn't terrible, say 1-1/2" to 2" groups reliably, but not what I expected.

The problem may be due to Savage, for reasons neither they nor anybody else can explain, use a 11.5" twist in their 7 mm-08 barrels. NOBODY else uses that slow a twist (9" to 9.5" is almost universal) and it may cause stability problems even with 140 gr bullets. Savage uses a 9" twist with their 7 mm Rem. Mag and 10" with their 7 mm WSM barrels but the one 7mm that needs the faster twist doesn't get it. :(

The result is that I have an order for a new 7mm-08 barrel with Sharp Shooters Supply.

Initially I had accuracy problems with my Stevens 200. I replaced the barrel with a factory Savage sporter and mine is now shooting 1/2" at 100 yards with my 120 gr BT handload. The beauty of a Savage or Stevens is......barrel doesn't shoot to expectations, replace it. Even Savage cranks out a "stinker" once and a while.

Thanks for all the responses. As it is, I can get 1-1.5" groups (Hornady 100 gr Custom ammo) out of this little rifle. I've only taken it to the range once, so I'm sure the groups will improve, as I improve. With this type of accuracy, I'd hate to screw it up by putting another barrel on it. I think I'll buy one of the new 7mm-08 take-offs, in the sporter contour, from Northlander while he has them and make a decision, later. A bit off topic, but if I opt to go with a .308 barrel, will the recoil significantly greater than the .243?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by GaCop

Initially I had accuracy problems with my Stevens 200. I replaced the barrel with a factory Savage sporter and mine is now shooting 1/2" at 100 yards with my 120 gr BT handload. The beauty of a Savage or Stevens is......barrel doesn't shoot to expectations, replace it. Even Savage cranks out a "stinker" once and a while.

---

OK, I remember your initial postings about the problems you were having and I'm glad the new barrel fixed them.

I would be interested in knowing how your rifle groups with 140 gr and heavier bullets. As I said, that 11.5" twist doesn't seem nearly fast enough for a 7 mm-08, particularly with heavier bullet weights.

With the question I was going to ask ,it's interesting to find this thread here.I'll save my question for another thread.I have changed a .243 to a 7-08 and on hind sight and for a couple of reasons think I could have spent my money wiser.The main reason for switching was because I was unhappy with the .243 accuracy.My excuse for changing the barrel was losing a hog shot with the .243,blaming the loss to the small bullet.That was wrong thinking as I've since lost hogs to .308 and 8x57 but killed cleanly a few and lost none to a .223.What this means is where the bullet was placed is more important than how big the bullet is.If I'd known then what I know now ,probably none of them hogs would have been lost.Keep the .243 and if you still want something else ,buy another rifle.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by chutesnreloads

With the question I was going to ask ,it's interesting to find this thread here.I'll save my question for another thread.I have changed a .243 to a 7-08 and on hind sight and for a couple of reasons think I could have spent my money wiser.The main reason for switching was because I was unhappy with the .243 accuracy.My excuse for changing the barrel was losing a hog shot with the .243,blaming the loss to the small bullet.That was wrong thinking as I've since lost hogs to .308 and 8x57 but killed cleanly a few and lost none to a .223.What this means is where the bullet was placed is more important than how big the bullet is.If I'd known then what I know now ,probably none of them hogs would have been lost.Keep the .243 and if you still want something else ,buy another rifle.

---

...and bullet performanc/choice of bullet for the job at hand.

Hog + TTSX bullet = Bacon.

I try to shoot hogs exactly where I should, but at times I pull a shot, misjudge distance, hit a twig etc.
You can literally hit a hog most anywhere in the body with a decent size barnes TTSX bullet and they will go down.

My dad is 88yo and shoots a 6.8 spc which is a bit weak compared to a 308 or a 7mm-08.
He has not lost even one shooting 110 gr TTSX bullets.
None have run more than 20 yards and they keel over dead.

I loaded some 95 gr noslers for his 243 and he lost a couple with that.

I have yet to load up any 80 gr TTSX bullets for his 243.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by sinman

When hunting shot placement is way better than caliber........... A 243 can kill a deer as good as a 300 mag if shot right....

---

True, but most of us can't rely on always getting the shot right and reasonable extra horsepower is always a good idea to cover small, and maybe not-so-small, errors.

I recall reading W.D.M Bell, the famous African hunter, routinely used a 7x57 to kill elephants. That doesn't make it a reasonable choice for most of us.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Cycler

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by 69Roadrunner

My Savage barrel on my Stevens 200 shot four rounds into basically one hole at 100 yards - had one flier that ruined that particular five-shot group. Was using 139 Hornady SST with 42.0 grains of Varget. Don't know why anyone would think the factory 7mm-08 barrel wasn't good.

---

Well, my experience is different. I have a new Model 16 in 7 mm-08 and the accuracy has been disappointing with factory ammo and with a variety of handloads using IMR 4895 and both Remington 140 gr PSP and Hornady 139 gr BTSP. The accuracy isn't terrible, say 1-1/2" to 2" groups reliably, but not what I expected.

The problem may be due to Savage, for reasons neither they nor anybody else can explain, use a 11.5" twist in their 7 mm-08 barrels. NOBODY else uses that slow a twist (9" to 9.5" is almost universal) and it may cause stability problems even with 140 gr bullets. Savage uses a 9" twist with their 7 mm Rem. Mag and 10" with their 7 mm WSM barrels but the one 7mm that needs the faster twist doesn't get it. :(

The result is that I have an order for a new 7mm-08 barrel with Sharp Shooters Supply.

---

I wonder why they did that on the 16, The Stevens 200 that I have is 1 in 9.5

Rediculous.

Why would they switch to a 11.5 twist ??

That rules out using the heavier barnes bullets.
The 162 gr amax wont fly in a 11.5 twist, and that is
one seriously good bullet.

Guess they figure you only need to shoot 120 gr bullets in a 7mm-08.
According to greenhill (which is not 100% accurate) a 120 gr barnes TTSX bullet needs a 11 twist.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jb45colt

I wonder why they did that on the 16, The Stevens 200 that I have is 1 in 9.5

---

Are you sure of that? I know the twist Savage publishes for the Stevens 200 in their catalog and web site is 9.5" but another poster with a 7 mm-08 Stevens reported his barrel also has the 11.5" twist. It doesn't make any sense that Savage would make a barrel speciffically for their lower cost line so I expect it's a typo. BTW, the Savage web site used to list the twist of their various Savage models in 7 mm-08 barrels as 9.5" even when the catalog said 11.5".

Why would they use an 11.5" twist? I have no idea and the "Tech Service" person at Savage could only confirm that was the twist they use but couldn't give me an explanation as to why. It makes no sense but that's the situation.

I just looked it up on the website and in the online catalog.

Both say 11.5 twist for savage

For Stevens it lists 9.5 twist, so either they forgot to update it or they use
different or old blanks for the stevens.

Who in the heck wants a 11.5 twist 7mm-08 anyway.

I just checked the Greenhill formula for 7 mm bullets too. Assuming the formula is reasonably good, the 11.5" twist will barely stabilize the Remington 140 gr PSP and the Hornady 139 gr BTSP (1.12" and 1.16" long respectively) at 2900 fps. It will not stabilize the Hornady 150 gr BT Tipped spitzer (1.39" long) at 2800 fps.

Anything longer and/or heavier is hopeless.

I have no idea what their designer had in mind.

Greenhill is conservative. I usually figure a bullet will stabilize one or two steps from what greenhill says.

For instance greenhill sez that a 7mm 162 gr amax in a 7mm-08 should take a 1:8 twist, but I got it to shoot well enough for hunting out of a 9.5 twist. It would group about an inch maxed out with no load dev, and that was good enough for me.

Yes I have measured it, 1 in 9.5...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jb45colt

Yes I have measured it, 1 in 9.5...

---

How old is your 200? My Model 16 was purchased about 10 months ago and it's 11.5" by my measurement.

Until very recently Savage's web site claimed a 9.5" twist for all their Savage 7mm-08 models even when the 2008 catalog was saying 11.5" but the web site now says 11.5" for the Savages but still says 9.5" for the Stevens.

Both the 2008 and 2009 catalogs claim 11.5" for the Savage models and 9.5" for the Stevens but one poster says he measured his newer Stevens at 11.5" so I don't know exactly what they are building. They may have changed the barrels in the past year or two and were using up the older ones on the Stevens line.

In any event, an 11.5" twist is too slow for any 7mm-08 if bullets heavier than 140 grains are ever used.

It is over a couple of years, I think I got it beginning of 2008 or the end of 2007...