300 win mag rifle opinions

[bowhunter-tw]

40 minutes ago, Red Rabbit said:

Depends on how well one can shoot a lighter rifle that has heavier recoil when one may be breathing heavy from climbing/hustling to get in position, excited/buck fever, and in a field position.  Weight may be a real good friend.  Sprint 100 yards, set up your rifle in a field position (not on a bench), shoot at a 400 yard target in a limited time frame, and see how it goes.

Good point! I cant hardly shoot 300 from a bench yet haha. Need some practice shooting longer range, that is for sure. I am kind of just getting into shooting any further than about 200 yrds. 

[recurveman]

So if you are just getting into shooting.......I would think .308,.243 or maybe a 25-06, .270, 30-06.   I'm going cow elk hunting with my kids this weekend and we are bringing the super magnum .243.    Very little recoil and it will kill stuff dead.    We have shot deer, elk, lion, pigs, yotes, ect......If it walks we have killed it with a .243.   Most guys will buy WAY to much gun.    Get a smaller caliber and shoot it more often and you will be much better off.   My other go to gun is a 6.5X284.    Think of it as basically a 30-06.   I would hunt everything there is to hunt with that gun unless the animal can eat me.   So basically the gun isn't going to Alaska to shoot brown bears. 

Muzzle breaks......Not a fan at all.    Had a buddy put one on his 300 because it was to much gun.   I told him if he ever shoots the gun without telling me first in the woods I was going to hit him as hard as I can.   Last year he took a quick shot right next to me.   I guarantee the recoil of a 300 win mag with no brake hurt less than when I punched him for shooting and me not wearing hearing protection.   He might have been a bit shocked too.   If you can't handle the recoil then get a smaller caliber.  FYI - most guys don't like to shoot a 300 win mag without a brake.  Typically most guys enjoy shooting a .308 and will tolerate a 30-06.   Choose wisely.   

Lighter is never your friend when it comes to shooting a gun well.    It's nice to carry a light gun but they are much tougher to shoot.   I personally will probably never own another gun that is under 7# with a scope.   I think 9# is really about as light as you can go if you want to shoot out past 300 yards.   If you don't want to shoot further than 300 yards why would you even own a 300 win mag.   Light guns aren't nearly as steady, you can see your heart beat when you bring it up to your shoulder when it is time to kill a critter, recoil is more.    The only upside to light is carrying the rifle.    Everything else is a downside.    

[bowhunter-tw]

Thanks Recurveman, great advice. I have a 308 and 223 bolt action that I have been shooting with. Maybe I will hold off on getting a bigger caliber for now, and learn to shoot with what I have. I was thinking for bigger game like elk it would be nice to have a 300. I might look to get a 243. I think I just wanted to add to the collection and was thinking going big. I do intend to shoot further, but havent developed those skills yet. My goal for now is to be able to comfortably/confidently hit 500yrds.

[CouesPursuit]

I started many years ago with a magnum (7mm RM) to make sure I could cover all Arizona big game, then picked up a .223 for predators and was in similar shoes to yours. I wanted to enjoy shooting more with a deer-capable round while getting more experience reloading.

I have since purchased 2 calibers in between, one requires wearing a flat-brimmed hat weighing in right at 7# scoped and the other is a .243. Both are extremely affordable rifles that still shoot sub-MOA on my bad days.

I don't plan on hunting with my magnum again until I have a bull elk or bison tag. IMO, your .308 can fill that niche if needed and you will enjoy shooting so much more on something like mentioned above.

[recurveman]

10 minutes ago, bowhunter-tw said:

Thanks Recurveman, great advice. I have a 308 and 223 bolt action that I have been shooting with. Maybe I will hold off on getting a bigger caliber for now, and learn to shoot with what I have. I was thinking for bigger game like elk it would be nice to have a 300. I might look to get a 243. I think I just wanted to add to the collection and was thinking going big. I do intend to shoot further, but havent developed those skills yet. My goal for now is to be able to comfortably/confidently hit 500yrds.

Both of those cartridges will comfortably shoot 500+ yards.    They frequently shoot 1000 yard matches with a .308 and shoot really, really good with them.

Keep this in mind.    The most feared guy on earth is a man that only has one rifle and learns to shoot it well.    Most guys have entirely to many rifles (because they like to talk about guns) and spend entirely to little time shooting their guns.   I think a guy should really have two rifles.    One to hunt with and the other needs to be an AR for a different purpose.      

[PRDATR]

36 minutes ago, bowhunter-tw said:

Thanks Recurveman, great advice. I have a 308 and 223 bolt action that I have been shooting with. Maybe I will hold off on getting a bigger caliber for now, and learn to shoot with what I have. I was thinking for bigger game like elk it would be nice to have a 300. I might look to get a 243. I think I just wanted to add to the collection and was thinking going big. I do intend to shoot further, but havent developed those skills yet. My goal for now is to be able to comfortably/confidently hit 500yrds.

You can definitely shoot 500 with a 308 and when I used to shoot High Power Silhouette Matches 308 was very popular and had no problem knocking down Rams at 500 meters. Anyway Magnums weren't allowed and it is a great skill honer to learn trigger control and breathing.

[Red Rabbit]

2 hours ago, recurveman said:

 I told him if he ever shoots the gun without telling me first in the woods I was going to hit him as hard as I can.   Last year he took a quick shot right next to me. 

 

My nephew has total hearing loss in one ear because his hunting buddy fired his muzzle braked rifle right beside his head.

[roninflag]

my brothers 300wm has a brake and a suppressor it is awesome. all the 300 win mags i have had or loaded for have been awesome. none were that light. one was real attractive  a winchester modle 70 super grade. my nephew got a tikka t3. shoots good.

[roninflag]

My goal for now is to be able to comfortably/confidently hit 500yrds. you want a6.5prc

[oz31p]

People still shoot guns with out hearing protection?

[roninflag]

"oth of those cartridges will comfortably shoot 500+ yards.    They frequently shoot 1000 yard matches with a .308 and shoot really, really good with them." the reason they shoot .308 is it is required. if a 30-06 or  300 wm was allowed they be would be shooting them. my 6.5-284 sendero  ( krieger barrel) is not that heavy and not that muvh recoil and it is competitive out to 1000 yards . i love shooting against .308 , and 6.5cm even better.     the 6.5 prc is fierce in the right rifle. 

[recurveman]

1 hour ago, roninflag said:

"oth of those cartridges will comfortably shoot 500+ yards.    They frequently shoot 1000 yard matches with a .308 and shoot really, really good with them." the reason they shoot .308 is it is required. if a 30-06 or  300 wm was allowed they be would be shooting them. my 6.5-284 sendero  ( krieger barrel) is not that heavy and not that muvh recoil and it is competitive out to 1000 yards . i love shooting against .308 , and 6.5cm even better.     the 6.5 prc is fierce in the right rifle. 

Depending on the competition you can shoot a variety of calibers and cartridges.    If you want to shoot in F-open you can shoot just about anything that is 38 caliber and smaller but you can't have a brake.   I've seen them shoot 6.5 X 284, 284's, 30-06, 300 WSM, a pile of 6BRX variations, 7SAUM, 6.5 SAUM, the list goes on and on.   Lots of guys are shooting wildcats.    Most are some sort of variation of a 7mm.    Typcially a shehane or SAUM variation.    If you want to shoot FTR then you are limited to a .308 or .223.   Personally I just like to shoot critters.  

[bowhunter-tw]

21 minutes ago, recurveman said:

Depending on the competition you can shoot a variety of calibers and cartridges.    If you want to shoot in F-open you can shoot just about anything that is 38 caliber and smaller but you can't have a brake.   I've seen them shoot 6.5 X 284, 284's, 30-06, 300 WSM, a pile of 6BRX variations, 7SAUM, 6.5 SAUM, the list goes on and on.   Lots of guys are shooting wildcats.    Most are some sort of variation of a 7mm.    Typcially a shehane or SAUM variation.    If you want to shoot FTR then you are limited to a .308 or .223.   Personally I just like to shoot critters.  

I am in the same boat. Not a target shooter, just hunter. But Id like to practice targets out to 500 so I can be a more effective hunter

[oz31p]

My 12y daughter shoots my 300win mag since she was 10y out beyond 1000yards, And killed animals beyond 600yards...but it’s got one of those pointless brakes. 

[cactusjack]

I shot my buddies 300 this last week to check his zero.  I shot it 2 times and will never shoot it again.  I put a suppressor on all my rifles a long time ago.  Those 2 rounds confirmed his zero and my hate for recoil.  My shoulder ached for 2 days.  In my defense my shoulders are being held together with the finest anchors the VA could afford.