Most folks on this forum know that I love a 7mm-08. The gentle recoil and short action just appeal to me.
There was a companion thread - or a thread that drifted that way - just earlier - but let me pose this question... How far removed from a standard 30-06 is the 7mm-08 in terms of killing power?
Let me say this early on... I do not know much about what I am talking about and most of what I do know is based on whitetail hunting only - or data I have gathered.
Researching foot pounds of energy delivered - from the projectile - I find this information from the Chuck Hawks website:
Caliber Bullet/grains FPS Muzzle Energy Energy at 200 yards
30.06 150 2910 2820 1827
7mm-08 140 2860 2542 1793
If these figures are right and if energy is in fact the major contributor to killing power (let's assume a Barnes X for both examples here), that really leads you into a discussion where the 7mm-08 is almost an equal for the might (and venerable) 30-06.
At 200 yards the energy of the 140 grain (vs 150 grain from the -06) is 98.13% that of the 30 caliber round, in spite of the fact that it was launched at 50 FPS slower.
I do not really understand sectional density and some of the other complicated aspects of this... I am just trying to understand what will put an animal down - in an efficent and ethical manner.
What am I missing here, in terms of actual, on the ground capabilities of this cartridge that is largely regarded as a youth or woman's offering?