300 win mag options

[Pulleye16]

Women and children worry about recoil.
I shoot a .338. Never once in my life have I ever felt recoil.

I guess the vigina between my legs says it’s okay than

 

[MikeDeltaFoxtrot]

Women and children worry about recoil.
I shoot a .338. Never once in my life have I ever felt recoil.

I am amazed by the number of guys on Rokslide who obsess over recoil. I have taken a lot of animals with a 300 Win Mag. It is a great cartridge with a long track record that will take care of business with some margin for error.

I own two rifles chambered in that cartridge: A Remington 700 BDL stainless from 2004, which was what I got started hunting with, and a Winchester Model 700 Super Grade. The latter went to Africa with me in 2018 and acquitted itself well.

Neither is ideal for what you want. For the budget you propose, look at Tikka, Howa, or the Weatherby Vanguard. I hear good things about Bergara to, but I have not owned one.

 

[TaperPin]

The 300 has been a great elk killer since it first came out. I find it funny when guys want to call someone full of crap if they can shoot a decent size gun - if you don’t want one don’t buy it, but if someone doesn’t want to shoot your little calibers it’s fascinating that you feel the need to convert them.

 

[Pulleye16]

300wm is a great choice for elk. What is your budget for a rifle? If you load your own, the 3.4” mag of a tikka will be a problem.

$1000 ish. It’s not like this is a yearly hunt so realistically, every 2-3 years maybe and I’m already over 40 so…

I have a 30-06 and 6.5 but honestly, I’d feel better with a 300. I practice and practice and practice out to 700 yards but as an upper Midwesterner, who typically tags out at less then 100 yards, I’d be lying if 500+ comes east for me.

I hunt respectfully for the animal and won’t take an unethical shot. For someone who doesn’t make these shots on a regular basis, and for the animals sake, a 300 would be a better choice.

Just thought I’d hit up people that hunt out west and get their opinions…

 

[Pulleye16]

…and yes, recoil is something I think about. Especially when hammering 100 rounds at the range getting comfortable.

 

[Oregon]

I am amazed by the number of guys on Rokslide who obsess over recoil. I have taken a lot of animals with a 300 Win Mag. It is a great cartridge with a long track record that will take care of business with some margin for error.

Obviously, the statistics prove otherwise. Same reason our special forces operators prefer the 6.5mm calibers over the .30 calibers for long range killing.

 

[axeforce6]

there are several great rifles in the $1000 range. Savage. Howa. Bergara. Christensen Arms. To name a few. I own several rifles. From 223 to 300 PRC. I shoot them all very well. You need to spend time with the rifle. I wouldn’t buy it. Sight it in and the. Stick it in the safe. I’d take it out as much as possible. 500 will be a cake shot before you know it. There are a lot of great factory options for 300wm that will do a great job on an elk. Federal and Hornady have always been accurate for me. From the rifles I mention I’d start by considering a Christensen or Bergara. They are Remington 700 clones. So later in if you want to upgrade the trigger, stock, base or whatever, you’ll have a lot of options to make that rifle exactly how you want. I own the rifles listed, so that’s why I recommend them because I’ve spent a lot of time behind them. They all have shot really well for me from the factory. My first upgrade is always a better trigger. The Christensen comes with the best of those listed. Hope this helps.

 

[Oregon]

I guess the vigina between my legs says it’s okay than

Well......

 

[TaperPin]

If it were me I’d probably look for a good used Christensen Arms Mesa. They are threaded for a brake, have really nice machining, and are close to your price. In my mind they are essentially a better machined and more accurate Remington 700. I have a 6.5 barrel off a Mesa on my Remington 700 and I’d take one in every caliber if I could. The 700 style of rifle just has the most variety of upgrade parts.

A standard sporter weight gun is not a bad choice for a 300. To lighten it up you could add a light weight stock, but you might not mind it as is.

edit: It’s common to have a lighter caliber as a practice rifle - there’s no need to burn up your 300 barrel practicing with it. With a lifespan of around 1500 rounds it‘s worth it to go easy.

 

[Choupique]

amazed by the number of guys on Rokslide who obsess over recoil

I was at first. Then I realized these guys are shooting 20 shot groups, thousands of rounds a years, shooting out barrels, concerned about spotting impacts, etc.

I use a .338 for everything and while the recoil has never bothered me, 20 shots in one range trip is a lot, and it does start to suck by then both on the arm and in the wallet. These dudes are just getting started at 20 rounds. Spotting impact never occurred to me as something to even consider.

There's a lot of guys here who preach low recoil who have spent many thousands of rounds shooting big kaboomers. I dont think they're soft so much as they realize it detracts from accuracy and the extra horsepower is generally unnecessary.

 

[swavescatter]

I prefer less error over extra margin for the extra error.

 

[TaperPin]

I was at first. Then I realized these guys are shooting 20 shot groups, thousands of rounds a years, shooting out barrels, concerned about spotting impacts, etc.

I use a .338 for everything and while the recoil has never bothered me, 20 shots in one range trip is a lot, and it does start to suck by then both on the arm and in the wallet. These dudes are just getting started at 20 rounds. Spotting impact never occurred to me as something to even consider.

There's a lot of guys here who preach low recoil who have spent many thousands of rounds shooting big kaboomers. I dont think they're soft so much as they realize it detracts from accuracy and the extra horsepower is generally unnecessary.

There’s nothing wrong with shooting a lot, but many of out west who like large hunting calibers also shoot a lot with smaller calibers - heck, 500 rounds a weekend is normal for a prairie dog trip. Burning up a single box of ammo on the weekend is 1,000 rounds a year. Many of us are shooting many times that, and have been for decades.

 

[Mike D Texas]

Ok, you're right. All the guys that actually track group sizes and hit rates and can correlate recoil levels with actual performance over thousands of rounds are full of shit (or are just not manly men).

Or some of us can spot shots with something bigger than a .223.


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[Choupique]

Light weight
Accurate to 500-600 yards
Threaded barrel as I WANT a muzzle brake

Winchester model 70 extreme weather checks all those boxes. Damn nice rifles.

You could certainly spend less and still hit your goals though. You could get a cheapo depot mossberg patriot. I dont think many rifles sold today are not at least minute of dead elk at 500 yards. You'd be better served deciding what you want, and then letting rokslide tell you what all is wrong with it!

 

[Choupique]

Burning up a single box of ammo on the weekend is 1,000 rounds a year. Many of us are shooting many times that, and have been for decades.

Yea, that's what I was getting at. Where I'm from if a guy shoots 20 centerfire rounds a year he either got a new scope or did some serious missing. I'd be surprised if my old man has shot 20 in the past 3 years combined. 2 in October to check zero, and then 1 for each deer he killed.

I actually just checked myself, and he's shot 14 or 15...

 

[justin davis]

I think the 300 wm is the perfect elk gun. Recoil isn’t that bad on it. My 95 lb wife hunts elk with one. Sure it has more recoil than an a smaller caliber but it’s nothing bad. I think it’s the perfect cartridge for elk

 

[willtim]

I'm 5'8" 165 pounds and I shoot a .338 WM. I don't see the big deal.

 

[Anschutz]

Forgot links in my earlier post

6.5 Creedmoor/260 for Deer, Elk, and whatever else.....

Seeing that the 223 thread is such a success, I thought maybe I would start one for the Creedmoor/260. Seems like people are asking a lot about using them and various bullets, especially for elk. I've used mine for the last few years almost exclusively. I have some pics of bullet damage, albeit...

rokslide.com

.223 for bear, mountain goat, deer, elk, and moose.

DON'T HAVE TIME TO READ 176 PAGES? HERE'S THE CHEAT SHEET. “Bullets matter more than headstamps.” “Spent primers offer the supreme tutorial”. I’ve read it here and elsewhere online. It got my attention. I started digging and asking questions and listened. The 77gr TMK delivered by a .223...

rokslide.com

I wonder how much game those threads have wounded because some new guy that can't shoot well sees a few pictures on the internet and thinks they can do the same. I'm not going to knock others' informed decisions, but I'm not going to endorse using a .223 for elk. I don't have as much issue with the 6.5.

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[swavescatter]

I wonder how much game those threads have wounded because some new guy that can't shoot well sees a few pictures on the internet and thinks they can do the same.

MUCH LESS wounded animals than the same guy that can't shoot well that gets handed a lightweight magnum rifle.

Why do people think increased recoil increases killing efficacy? All things being equal, every hunter will shoot a lighter recoiling rifle better. Shot placement over caliber.

 

[Anschutz]

MUCH LESS wounded animals than the same guy that can't shoot well that gets handed a lightweight magnum rifle.

Why do people think increased recoil increases killing efficacy? All things being equal, every hunter will shoot a lighter recoiling rifle better. Shot placement over caliber.

There's a balance to be had. I'm not saying to hand a new shooter a 7lb 300RUM and say good luck (though a lot of gun shops have) however, most people can shoot a more adequate 7mm-08, 270, 6.5PRC, etc very well, very quickly. I would advocate strongly for a .22 or .223 trainer for anyone.

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