7mm-08 Remington
The 7mm-08 Remington is a rifle cartridge that is almost a direct copy of a wildcat cartridge developed around 1958 known as the 7mm/308. As these names would suggest, it is the .308 Winchester case necked down to accept 7 mm (.284) bullets with a small increase in case length. Of cartridges based upon the .308, it is the second most popular behind only the .243 Winchester. However, the .308 is more popular than both. In 1980, the Remington Arms company popularized the cartridge by applying its own name and offering it as a chambering for their Model  788 and Model 700 rifles, along with a limited-run series within their Model 7600 pump-action rifles during the early 2000s. Handloading. The popularity of the cartridge means there is a fairly wide selection of factory loads, making it a choice even for those who do not handload. Bullets weighing from 100 to 195 grains are available. Bullets in the 120 to 160 grain range will suit most hunting applications while long range shooters will opt for the heavier bullets to take advantage of their higher ballistic coefficients. Medium burning rifle powders usually work best in the 7mm-08. Uses . With the wide range of bullet weights available, the 7mm-08 is suitable for "varminting, game-hunting, Metallic Silhouette, and long-range shooting." It is also suitable for plains game." For long-range target and metallic silhouette shooting, the "plastic-tipped 162-grain A-Max has proven to be very accurate with a 0.625 BC (G1). This A-Max bullet, and the 150-grain Sierra Match King, are popular with silhouette shooters." The 7mm-08 Remington works in most hunting environments, including dense forest areas and large open fields. It has a flatter trajectory than the .308 Winchester and .30-06 Springfield  at similar bullet weights because the slightly smaller-diameter 7mm bullet generally has a better ballistic coefficient (BC), and is thus less affected by drag and crosswind while in flight. Its trajectory is comparable to the .270 Winchester. The cartridge serves experienced shooters and hunters well. However, because its recoil is a bit more than a .243 Win. and less than most loads in a .308 Win., its mild recoil makes it suitable also for youth and adults who are new shooters. Howard Brant of "Shooting Industry" magazine wrote: "the 7mm-08 is a real sleeper as far as the  hunting field is concerned. It is a grand cartridge which packs more than sufficient wallop to efficiently down all medium-sized big-game animals found in North America and elsewhere." Wayne van Zwoll of "Petersen's Hunting" magazine wrote: "Efficient case design and a bullet weight range suitable for most North American big game make the 7mm-08 a fine choice for all-around hunting. Civil in recoil, it's a perfect match for lightweight, short-action rifles. It has also courted favor on metallic silhouette ranges, where its 140-grain bullets reach 500-yard targets faster and with as much  energy as 150-grain .308s." He also described it as "deadly" for elk. David E. Petzal of "Field & Stream", wrote, "The virtues of the 7mm/08 include very light recoil, not much muzzle blast, plenty of bullet weight to do the job, and gilt-edged accuracy."<ref name="Field & Stream, 'The Gun Nut: Why I Like the 7mm/08'"> "Field & Stream", "The Gun Nut: Why I Like the 7mm/08."</ref> The 7mm-08, with appropriate loads, meets the required standards for moose hunting in Sweden, Finland, and Norway. Such loads allow it, for that purpose, to be compared favourably with the 6.5×55 SE , 7×57mm, 7×57mmR, 300 Savage, 303 British, and some .308 Winchester and .270 Winchester loads. With appropriately constructed bullets, the cartridge is usable on elk, black bears and hogs. It must be stressed, though, that the 7mm-08 is unsuitable for use on the three big bears (polar, brown, and grizzly) and on other dangerous game. In a self-defensive situation requiring stopping power on dangerous game at close range, use of a larger and heavier caliber is strongly advised. Stephen Herrero, a Canadian bear behavior expert, cites a study by the U. S. Forest Service in Alaska that concluded the  .458 Winchester Magnum with a 510-grain load, .375 H&H Magnum with a 300-grain load, .338 Winchester Magnum with a 300-grain load, and .30-06 Springfield with a 220-grain load were "superior for protection against bears". The 7mm-08 has been popular with metallic silhouette shooters. The 2014 high NRA Nation Championship equipment survey listed the 7mm-08 as third most popular caliber for both the high power rifle and high power hunter rifle competition. Two reasons why the 7mm-08 is popular in some circles are the efficiency of the .284 bullets and reduced recoil compared to .308 loads . "Anything a 7mm can do, a .30 caliber of comparable sectional density and ballistic coefficient can also do. The catch is, in order to send a .30-caliber slug over a trajectory as flat as that 7mm bullet, about 20 percent more recoil is going to be generated. . . . [A bullet in] 7mm produces clearly superior downrange performance in terms of delivered energy and trajectory at any given recoil level [compared to a bullet in .30 caliber]."<ref name="The Saga of Seven">