Which 300 WIn Mag Decision made!

Which 300 Win Mag?

  • Winchester model 70 Extreme Tungsten

    Votes: 17 22.4%
  • Browning Hells Canyon Speed

    Votes: 22 28.9%
  • Weatherby Vanguard Meat Eater

    Votes: 14 18.4%
  • Christiansen Mesa

    Votes: 23 30.3%

  • Total voters
    76

03mossy

WKR
Joined
Feb 25, 2020
I will hopefully be buying a 300 Win Mag this summer. I have always wanted one and now is the time. I have scrolled through and read pretty much everything on here about the different guns available in the 300. I have handled them all in person except the Vanguard. I wanted to do a poll just out of curiosity of which would be the favorite. I have them listed in the way I am leaning now.
 
I will hopefully be buying a 300 Win Mag this summer. I have always wanted one and now is the time. I have scrolled through and read pretty much everything on here about the different guns available in the 300. I have handled them all in person except the Vanguard. I wanted to do a poll just out of curiosity of which would be the favorite. I have them listed in the way I am leaning now.
Could you give a budget, and the goals you have for this rifle? It will help narrow the options.

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Agree with the above, more info is needed. I would also ask if you are planning to reload, and if so what bullets are you looking at. For what I do magazine length, chamber, etc is a big deal.
 
Yes, I do reload. Plan on hopefully shooting 180-grain Accubonds or Barnes TTSX. Maybe try some 200 grainers as well. This will be my foul weather backcountry gun for ELK, Moose, Bear, Sheep, whatever the future may bring. My other rifles are wood stocked and I want a synthetic stock with coated barreled action. I did buy a BC stock for my '06 but I want that gun to go back in and stay in its wood stock. I know I could just switch stocks for certain hunts but hey I want another rifle. Besides always wanting one I chose the 300 wm because I reload for my '06 and have a good variety of bullets already. As for the budget, id say for just the rifle the high end would be $1400.
 
I don't think there is a bad choice among them. If one didn't stand out to you when you held them than I would suggest either the Mesa or Xbolt, and this coming from a guy who used to shoot a Mdl 70 300wm.
 
I really like the grip/stock design of the Christensen....I have a Mesa in 7mm rem mag. I have Brownings, Coopers, and have tried many other rifles, and the Christensen really goes well with my hand size and how I like to grip the rifle, but may feel weird to someone else. With the muzzle brake on there, it kicks like a .243, no kidding.
 
I also own a Mesa (bronze) in 7mm rem mag. Shoots, feels, and looks great. I had an xbolt hells canyon LR. Another great gun and wish I never got rid of it. I did have to raise the cheekpiece on it though. Nothing wrong with a vanguard. I love my Winchesters, but some can be finicky accuracy wise. You could add a Sauer 100 to your list, but from your choices I'd go with either the Mesa or the xbolt. Go with whatever feels good to you. Good luck!
 
I have a hells canyon speed which has been very nice but my next gun will be a vanguard in first lite in 300. Very hard to beat for the money.
 
I’ve only held one of those rifles being the browning xbolt hell’s canyon and that’s what I would pick out of those choices have you looked at a tikka t3x stainless I can’t see you going wrong that way and it would leave you more money for glass
 
I have considered going the Tikka route also. But by the time I add the things I really want- (muzzle break, coating, carbon stock) I’d be at the price or even above these other rifles. On the other hand doing a build would be fun. Tough call.
 
Since you want a muzzle brake and light weight (my guess since it is a a backcountry gun) I would expect the xbolt to stand out from the others. I run a Mesa and love it, but ended up replacing the stock to shave off 1 lb since it was much heavier than I wanted.

My mesa came in at 7.8 lb but the extra weight plus recoil makes it shoot like a dream (less perceived recoil than my tikkas in 308 and 30-06). An extra bonus with the Mesa is that it has a 3.7" mag length which is beneficial for reloading.
 
The t3 is already a very light gun and stainless you won’t ever have to worry about scratching or dinging a cerakote job if you want a muzzle break you will have to buy it and get your barrel threaded but I believe that only cost like 120$ i may be wrong
 
I have considered going the Tikka route also. But by the time I add the things I really want- (muzzle break, coating, carbon stock) I’d be at the price or even above these other rifles. On the other hand doing a build would be fun. Tough call.
Tikka has some new models out that have the cerekote and a brake that may be worth looking at. They don't have the carbon stock though.
 
I have a Tikka T3X Veil Widelands 7mm, but it also comes in 300wm. That was actually what I originally wanted but couldn't find one in stock so I went with the 7mm. Great gun. Light and come with a threaded barrel / muzzle break. The action is buttery smooth as well. I couldn't recommend it enough.
 
Not sure Tikka in a long action, makes the most sense for a reloader. The factory mag length is limiting, and their twists are not geared toward modern, heavier bullets. I have a 2 friends that have had great luck with their Winchester. For me the Browning hells canyon long range checked my the box's I wanted. Factory break, 10 twist barrel, medium contour barrel, wanted it 8-9lbs scoped, factory ceracote. It does nothing the best, and everything I ask well. It is not in the same stratosphere as a full custom. But they have a good reputation for consistently shooting sub moa. I was able to get mine down to 3/4 moa with handloads. My .02

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I think the Best Bang for the $ may be a Ruger.

look at Ruger American Rifle Magnum, Bolt-Action I picked one up in SS for less than 600 new a year or so back --- it seems to shoot just about anything I load for it less than 1moa (150gr to 180 gr). Maybe I just got a good one but it seems to get good reviews too. The barrel is already threaded, the trigger could be better but you can replace the spring for less than $10 in addition I tried a timney trigger (had to file to fit too) -- both the new spring and TT were a vast improvements-- I wish I had tried the spring first, I would have stuck with it and save some money.


I have a more expensive Tika t3 light in SS in 270WSM which is disappointing and picky on loads. With the way the 300WM shoots the Tika may never get used.




 
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