[bearblade]

I was originally planning on getting a .308 bolt action, but the more I look into it, the .300 Winchester Magnum is looking better and better. The only hang-up I have is whether the 300 mag is overkill for whitetail or not. I was thinking a Model 700. Any insight on this would be very helpful. Thank you very much.

 

[dukkillr]

I killed a nice buck with a 700 in .300 win mag 2 years ago. I used the same gun to kill 2 elk and 2 caribou in the last 5 years. Great gun, it's not overkill. Both caribou and one elk dropped. The whitetail and the other elk went less than 100 yards. All were 1 shot kills.

 

[victorcharlie]

The .300 Winchester Magnum is far more gun than required to kill a whitetail deer. The .300 winchester magnum will kick quite a bit more than the .308 as well. Unless your expecting most of your shots to be over 400 yards there is absolutely no need for the magnum........unless you want to punish yourself everytime you pull the trigger.

Just MHO, yes, the .300 magnum would be what I consider "overkill" for deer. My first choice would be a 30.06 as it will do anything the .300 wincherster magnum will do with less recoil, then a .308 or 7mm/08.

Dead is dead.........

 

[Lawdog]

Do yourself a favor and forget the .300 Win. Mag. Chances are you'll never need it and may even regret buying it after you experience the recoil. Lawdog

 

[dukkillr]

while there is no question that what they are saying is true about recoil, i can tell you that once your gun is sighted in you'll never feel the recoil again. I've never once put the crosshairs on an animal, squeezed the trigger, and noticed the recoil.

My experience has been that a .300 win mag also does similar or less meat damage than an a 30.06 (i have one in pre-64 70) because of the increased velocity (assuming similar bullets).

I look at the .300 win mag like i look at the 3 1/2 12ga turkey gun. Sure they kick, but they give a little extra margin for the unknown, and i never feel the recoil in the field anyway. Now if you're talking about firing a bunch of rounds at the range it's a whole different story.

I would also note that when i got the .300 i had no intention of elk or caribou hunting but bought a gun that would give me some options for other species. You never know what you might end up doing.

 

[Redhawk1]

If I was getting a new gun and my choices were .308 or a 300 Win Mag. I would get the 300 Win-Mag. The recoil in my opinion is not bad and like posted before, you will not notice it when you pull the trigger on any game. At the bench you may feel the difference. But if your intent for the gun is hunting and not target or paper shooting then the choice is obvious. Oh by the way I have the 300 Win Mag and would never even consider the 308 in my collection, not that there is any thing wrong with it, I just think the 300 Win Mag would offer me a better selection as an all around gun. JMHO

 

[mr.frosty]

I have the 300 wsm and am very fond of it!
On the bench after a few rounds give myself and the gun a break,
in the woods recoil is the last thing I think about and plus during the cold part of the season my heavy coat helps on the kick.
I looked at the 308 and the 30-06 and the 300 winmag but chose the
shorty.Groups a 3leaf clover at 100 yards and that tickles me silly!
Can be loaded light or heavy depending on your taste but for me
I like the 150 grain ballistic tips and the 180 grain power points
there factory slugs I know but I aint reloading yet either.

 

[bearblade]

My Uncle has a 300 Win Mag, and the kick isn't too bad. I was leaning towards the 300 win mag because we have a slight bear problem up at my grandpa's hunting camp. I may end up getting both eventually, but I was deciding what to start my colection with. I'm really leaning towards the 300 now, thanks alot guys.

 

[Redhawk1]

My Uncle has a 300 Win Mag, and the kick isn't too bad. I was leaning towards the 300 win mag because we have a slight bear problem up at my grandpa's hunting camp. I may end up getting both eventually, but I was deciding what to start my colection with. I'm really leaning towards the 300 now, thanks alot guys.

Good choice.

 

[randyb]

Either will work for deer, but the .308 is cheaper to shoot in facotry ammo, is easier on the recoil, and just a really fun round. Given the choice though...I currently own a .308 and not the .300 WM, (my brother in law does and uses it for deer in Georgia), but if I had it to do over I'd split the difference and go with the 30-06.

 

[norseman112]

Well I have 300 win mag it shoots very tight groups and I have used it for white tails and I didn't ruin any meat because I don't eat the ribs anyway.
The kick isn't so bad either. I also use my 25-06 alot for deer, but I do grab the 300 once in a while. Just depends on my mood. The 300 is a great caliber though.

Norse

 

[jro45]

I have a 300 Win Mag and have shot deer and at 200 yds you may ruin some meat with it at least I did once. The recoil isn't anything to worry about. I shoot mine at the range on a bench withour any protection for my shoulder. It doesn't bother me shooting the 180 or the 200 gr bullets.
It is one of my favorates

 

[mangulator]

Go with a .308 or 30-06 and save yourself from the recoil. I have shot many elk and deer with a .308 and 30-06 most have dropped dead in their tracks. I have friends with 300 Win. Mags. and I out shoot them. Most of hunters in our elk camp carry .308's and 30-06's.

 

[Redhawk1]

Go with a .308 or 30-06 and save yourself from the recoil. I have shot many elk and deer with a .308 and 30-06 most have dropped dead in their tracks. I have friends with 300 Win. Mags. and I out shoot them. Most of hunters in our elk camp carry .308's and 30-06's.

From what I gather from your post is, correct me if I am wrong. Either you can out shot your buddies with there 300 Win Mag's or the 308 and 30-06 can out shoot the 300 Win Mag. Which one is it?

I would love to shoot agents you with my 300 Win Mag and you with your 308 or 30-06. :-D

 

[bearblade]

I was thinking the 300 WM mainly because I may end up drawing for a bear tag because there's a bear problem up at my grandpa's hunting camp. Plus my friend was planning on taking me Russian boar hunting in Indiana. I figured the 300 WM gives me a few options with these slightly more dangerous game.

 

[roper]

One of the things I always factor in is what range am I going to be shooting. I hunt some fairly open country for deer and elk so I need a cal that get pretty good velcoity and for me that is a mag rifle. You can build a custom rifle same twist in 308,30-06 and 300mag and that will all shoot pretty good groups thing that separtes them is case capacity and velocity and the 300mag is better since it retains more energy for hunting. I've got a custom 300mag and it get groups in the .4's my tight neck 308 is somewhat better. I like the case capacity of the 300mag for heavier bullets also. Well good luck.

 

[mangulator]

Redhawk1, Lets put it this way; if you chose 30-06 or the .308 or 300 win mag. you would not go wrong. Shot placement means everything.

 

[Redhawk1]

Redhawk1, Lets put it this way; if you chose 30-06 or the .308 or 300 win mag. you would not go wrong. Shot placement means everything.

I agree,all would work fine. But for my money, I would get the 300 Win Mag. But that's just me.

 

[Eddie in Delta]

Howdy everyone,

My first (and thus far, only) rifle is a .300 Win Mag. Would I get it again? No. It's much more accurate than I am and everything works perfectly, but I would not buy it as my first rifle again. Why? Because it made me flinch. Still does. I had shot guns before, but by and large they were .22's. I'm getting to the point where I can shoot 1.5-2" groups off my bipod, even with my slight flinch, but if I had it to do over again, I would get a smaller cartridge.

If you've grown up shooting big guns, well, you could probably handle it. I didn't, and I'm getting over the flinch, but I probably would have been better off with a 30-06.

Eddie

 

[Redhawk1]

I have seen people flinch when they shoot 22-250's. But what I see more is people anticipating the recoil and pushing the rifle prior to recoil.