300 win mag - detuned factory rounds ?

[PPCLI-Jim]

And what can't an 06 or a 308 do that the average shooter could reasonably expect to accomplish with a 300 WM?



You HAVE to be new at this.

There is NOTHING that roams N America that a 308 can't kill. NOTHING. The statement about "not having enough load" is a dead giveaway to someone with little experience. It's the same BS that newbie motorcycle riders use to justify buying WAY too much bike.

The one thing I can tell you with absolute certainty is that a big stupid magnum will inhibit your development as a shooter and will make learning and developing marksmanship skills WAY harder and WAY slower. But hey, you do you.



I have access to a 338 LM and a 300 NM. They are both friggen cannons. And it never once occurred to me to try to download them to sling expensive high BC match grade bullets downrange at lower velocity. The entire point of a large magnum caliber is to deliver a heavy, high BC projectile at high velocity.

Much like large cc sport bikes, magnum rifle calibers are really best left for shooters with the skills and experience to make use of them. But boys are stupid and tend to think with their balls rather than their brains ... so we get newbies asking how to download the stupid magnum because it hurts them.

Yup I agree come spring my spotter will be able to get to my 1 km + site.. I'm looking at trying to stretch accurately beyond that.

 

[270WSMXBolt]

Thanks everyone, appreciate all those comments.

I’ll check out a muzzle break and be interested to know the felt impact.
I have a browning AB3 - I don’t believe it has a threaded barrel - is that generally how they attach?

I did pick up some 150/180/200 gr to test with and did 2 groups of 3 with the 180 so haven’t compared yet.
The velocities and energy from each were similar at around 3300 ft lbs if I recall correctly so they didn’t seem like lighter loads but interested to see if all else equal lower bullet weight gives lower perceived recoil.

Kevin32 hit the “why” bullseye for me - I wanted to buy one hunting riffle that I could take anything with.
Rather have the ability to do a lighter load than not have enough load.
Understanding everything- is always about trade offs and firearms are no exception- so also lie, the suggestion to just buy more

300 win mag has a lot of powder capacity and from my experience most hunters frequently used light bullets are 175-180. But the cartridge is really meant for 190-210. That's got some wallop on the shoulder. You will be poking some through and through holes on the smaller game just because of the case capacity. That's not a bad thing, dead is dead. 3300 for a 180grn is cooking fast and is going to push back hard on take off. Maybe find some factory loads pushing 2900-3050. You may shoot tighter groups and be less prone to flinching. I load 165 GMX bullets in a 300WSM for a buddy's Tikka. It's a copper bullet so it's comparable in size to about a 175-180 jacket/lead with reasonably low recoil. Hornady's new version is a CX. You may want to try some mono coppers to find your lower recoil without giving up hole punch performance. Cheers

 

[jethunter]

Do you have any option to shoot standing? A high rest so you can shoot standing up instead of sitting is much more comfortable.

 

[Foothiller]

appreciate the tips on reloading, that’s where I was headed but wondered if any stock rounds were somewhat available.


“I don’t care about you” - haha I love that handle - I’m just trying to figure out if you picked it out yourself or if someone else did
Also appreciate your comments, although rereading a couple times and trying to distill the wisdom you’re trying to impart. I think it’s mostly just buying the wrong firearm.
As I mentioned previously I agree that everything has tradeoffs - high energy generally leads to high recoil - why buy a high power riffle - I get the general response but not overly helpful.

But appreciate all the others helpful comments for a newbie

rm80/kdx80/fzr600/yzf750/cbr900/zx11/rc30 -(sportbikes for those not familiar) not all of them but some of my favourites from my newbie days
Similar to firearms - took my time to learn and explore and experience for myself, along with good mentors to provide help along the way, and left the platitudes, less detailed or reasoned info for others.

Cheers

 

[scott.y.]

The muzzle brake really is the way to go in my opinion.
I shoot ELR with my 300 win mag and typically go through 100 rnds ish during a match. Recoil is no issue.
Muzzle blast however is something else again.

 

[TriggerHappyHippy]

Thanks everyone, appreciate all those comments.

I’ll check out a muzzle break and be interested to know the felt impact.
I have a browning AB3 - I don’t believe it has a threaded barrel - is that generally how they attach?

I did pick up some 150/180/200 gr to test with and did 2 groups of 3 with the 180 so haven’t compared yet.
The velocities and energy from each were similar at around 3300 ft lbs if I recall correctly so they didn’t seem like lighter loads but interested to see if all else equal lower bullet weight gives lower perceived recoil.

Kevin32 hit the “why” bullseye for me - I wanted to buy one hunting riffle that I could take anything with.
Rather have the ability to do a lighter load than not have enough load.
Understanding everything- is always about trade offs and firearms are no exception- so also lie, the suggestion to just buy more

Some really stupid ideas.
You wanted a hunting rifle you could take anything with, but instead you have a rifle you can't hit anything with.
If you don't know how a muzzle brake attaches I suggest you put the rifles away and do some reading.
If you bought a 300wm as your first rifle you deserve to take a loss. Sell it, buy a .243 and practice. Honestly? It's folks like you that I don't like being anywhere near me while I'm hunting. I pray you are in a different WMU.
SELL THE RIFLE.
Buy a 243.
After the flinch I know you have already developed I suggest you go with a .22
Otherwise I'll wait for your next thread on "eye relief"

 

[Dosing]

Barnes currently loads reduced recoil loads, 130grs, winchester used to do them too. Remington did managed recoil 150gr loads. Hornady also does Lite load ammo with 150s. Several European brands do light loads, and light weight bullets for training and practice etc. Problem is finding them. If you are near a decent store ask what they can get, there is usually at least one on the market at any time. Contrary to some of the goofiness in this thread, I get the issue. Just because your car can do 200mph doesnt mean you want to drive through town at 200mph. 300WM has the capability to do more than 30-06 or 308, but who wants to spend a day at the range blasting 220s just to prove something to a twit on the net. Starting reloading is going to be 4-500$ realistically, buying another gun, why the hell would people suggest that? Trying something with even worse recoil... seriously?
OP 300WM can take a little getting used to, if you just want to practice you can look for reduced loads like I say, or try 150s, they are usually pretty easy to handle, and double up hearing protection, a lot of people get put off more by the noise and muzzle blast than the recoil. You can try a pad, or thicker jacket, but generally after you get behind the gun a few times you get comfortable with it. I used to do 100-200 rounds a session, of whatever I could lay my hands on, it was funny how easy it was once you got used to it. Build your way up with lighter loads, and save the heavy stuff for hunting if you need it.

 

[MRP]

Get a vest with a shoulder pad in it.

 

[Grizzlypeg]

150 grain bullet cartridges seem to have less recoil to me than 180's.

 

[Kevin32]

And what can't an 06 or a 308 do that the average shooter could reasonably expect to accomplish with a 300 WM?



You HAVE to be new at this.

There is NOTHING that roams N America that a 308 can't kill. NOTHING. The statement about "not having enough load" is a dead giveaway to someone with little experience. It's the same BS that newbie motorcycle riders use to justify buying WAY too much bike.

The one thing I can tell you with absolute certainty is that a big stupid magnum will inhibit your development as a shooter and will make learning and developing marksmanship skills WAY harder and WAY slower. But hey, you do you.



I have access to a 338 LM and a 300 NM. They are both friggen cannons. And it never once occurred to me to try to download them to sling expensive high BC match grade bullets downrange at lower velocity. The entire point of a large magnum caliber is to deliver a heavy, high BC projectile at high velocity.

Much like large cc sport bikes, magnum rifle calibers are really best left for shooters with the skills and experience to make use of them. But boys are stupid and tend to think with their balls rather than their brains ... so we get newbies asking how to download the stupid magnum because it hurts them.

Depends on what you're hunting and in what terrain.

You don't need to be a crack shot to hit an elk in the vitals at 500 if you know your math and have time to position yourself.
If you come upon that scenario, that is not an ethical shot with a .308 win. It is an ethical shot with a .300 win mag.

So yes there are some scenarios that call for a magnum.

 

[Gatehouse]

Some posters on this thread sound like they think they were never new at one point too....

As mentioned sometimes you can find reduced recoil factory ammo. For sure you can reload them. Easiest is to screw on a GOOD brake, assuming the muzzle is threaded, of course.

 

[TriggerHappyHippy]

Barnes currently loads reduced recoil loads, 130grs, winchester used to do them too. Remington did managed recoil 150gr loads. Hornady also does Lite load ammo with 150s. Several European brands do light loads, and light weight bullets for training and practice etc. Problem is finding them. If you are near a decent store ask what they can get, there is usually at least one on the market at any time. Contrary to some of the goofiness in this thread, I get the issue. Just because your car can do 200mph doesnt mean you want to drive through town at 200mph. 300WM has the capability to do more than 30-06 or 308, but who wants to spend a day at the range blasting 220s just to prove something to a twit on the net. Starting reloading is going to be 4-500$ realistically, buying another gun, why the hell would people suggest that? Trying something with even worse recoil... seriously?
OP 300WM can take a little getting used to, if you just want to practice you can look for reduced loads like I say, or try 150s, they are usually pretty easy to handle, and double up hearing protection, a lot of people get put off more by the noise and muzzle blast than the recoil. You can try a pad, or thicker jacket, but generally after you get behind the gun a few times you get comfortable with it. I used to do 100-200 rounds a session, of whatever I could lay my hands on, it was funny how easy it was once you got used to it. Build your way up with lighter loads, and save the heavy stuff for hunting if you need it.

Reloading cost 400 to 500?
You mean monthly?
The powder and primers alone to load 300 rounds for a 300wm will be $400 to $500.
I stand by what I said. I have never saw someone learn to shoot on a 300wm.
Reduced loads or not.
He wants a caliber he can shoot all day and practice. 300win mag cartridges are expensive even if you reload.
Get 243. Cheap ammo. Cheap components. Low recoil.

 

[PPCLI-Jim]

Reloading cost 400 to 500?
You mean monthly?
The powder and primers alone to load 300 rounds for a 300wm will be $400 to $500.
I stand by what I said. I have never saw someone learn to shoot on a 300wm.
Reduced loads or not.
He wants a caliber he can shoot all day and practice. 300win mag cartridges are expensive even if you reload.
Get 243. Cheap ammo. Cheap components. Low recoil.

My standard rifle rounds 6.5 Grendel to 30.06 normally run about a buck a bang for the most part. My 1 magnum caliber is running about tree fiddy per. A reduced load really wouldn't drop it by all that much, well not worth it to think about loading it except as a novelty.

 

[Foothiller]

Thanks crew, great info in here and really appreciate it.

Trigger you might have had some good points but unfortunately you make a lot of incorrect assumptions which just leads to bad advice.

I love the firearm and have put down some great shots already, but looking to continue to develop and learn.
It’s also not like any of my others but that’s one of the reasons I’ve purchased it.

I could shoot my 10/22 with 1000s of rounds or an sks or Tavor and this is just so different, I could never develop the skills to learn a new platform on the others. On flinch response or actual kick you cant develop good skills on something without real experience.
I’m all about safety but also about learning and growth. For the record the 300wm isn’t my first riffle .

But one good point I’d concede to other readers - I’d agree would not recommend this as your first riffle and I’d even try to convince you otherwise- but if you’d already bought it I wouldn’t tell you to sell it- I’d tell you to buy another and learn skills to get there…

I think 308 and 30-06 are great cartridges as well but there’s reasons different cartridges exist.
Lots of great reasons to explore new areas. Cartridges are all about tradeoffs too.

If I’d be the best hunter I’m sure I could take an elk in ideal conditions with a 243 but I’m not gonna try that for the elks sake !

Negative “advice” just turns off newbies from the sport which is a shame..

 

[ShrtRnd]

Exactly.

WHY do we buy a MAGNUM and then complain about recoil?

Boggles the mind why some folk buy big Cals and then want to reduce the load to make it more tolerable or complain about cost of factory/reloading offering..

 

[tactical lever]

I don't think he'd need to get quite as drastic as trail boss to manage his rifle, the 4064/4895 type powders should bring it down to 30-06 levels (Cast Bullet Handbook for reference). Another way is to use substantially slower than normal burn rate powder, as long as you can keep the pressure high enough for the powder to be happy.

Not sure that there is too much in the way of slow enough powders that'd work that well for a reduced load. At least for a Magnum sized case. Probably end up using more than a person would like and end up with unburnt powder.

Like you say, 4895 would probably work decent. Or a little quicker. The quicker powders work better with reduced loads.

And not having a big, full case of powder, you could use a regular large rifle powder.

 

[saskgunowner101]

Not sure that there is too much in the way of slow enough powders that'd work that well for a reduced load. At least for a Magnum sized case. Probably end up using more than a person would like and end up with unburnt powder.

Like you say, 4895 would probably work decent. Or a little quicker. The quicker powders work better with reduced loads.

And not having a big, full case of powder, you could use a regular large rifle powder.

I haven't reloaded (or shot many) 300 WM rifles, so I was just speaking in general terms of using a full case of slower powder, say 10 to 20 numbers slower on the charts. I've done it with other calibers with success, but can't speak to the 300 with personal experience.

 

[tactical lever]

Some really stupid ideas.
You wanted a hunting rifle you could take anything with, but instead you have a rifle you can't hit anything with.
If you don't know how a muzzle brake attaches I suggest you put the rifles away and do some reading.
If you bought a 300wm as your first rifle you deserve to take a loss. Sell it, buy a .243 and practice. Honestly? It's folks like you that I don't like being anywhere near me while I'm hunting. I pray you are in a different WMU.
SELL THE RIFLE.
Buy a 243.
After the flinch I know you have already developed I suggest you go with a .22
Otherwise I'll wait for your next thread on "eye relief"

Whatchoo talkin' bout??

Do some reading? Aren't you the same guy who started reloading, and asking guys what they were using? Then a short while later berated a guy who asked a similar question about a strong, modern muzzleloader?? Clearly you were confused about what he was talking about, because you could load his rifle up so nobody would want to shoot it!

And not too long ago you tried telling a guy it was illegal to carry a gun around in Alberta, if you weren't hunting!

Better read the regs yourself! Just started hunting 5 minutes ago and you're already giving advice on "all he needs", and wouldn't want to hunt close to a guy who developed a flinch....

This is great; keep going! No experienced shooter ever gets a flinch!

Wouldn't it just be easier to advise him on brakes, rather than acting like you're on Reddit and trying to send him off to the library? Y'know to bone up enough to come back here to ask questions!

 

[tactical lever]

On the subject of brakes, I'm not crazy about them. Too loud; I'd rather put up with some extra recoil.

Most brakes thread on, but if you don't want to cut threads on your barrel, you can get clamp on brakes now.

Light bullets contribute to less recoil, but even weight of the powder makes a difference. Reloading is the way to go IMO. Both for custom loads, and for cost. And the more you shoot it, the better you'll handle recoil.

If I wanted more of a plinking round out of a .300 WM, I'd probably load a bunch of cheap 150 gr. round nose bullets and a smaller charge of fairly quick powder. Be good for deer if not driven too fast and gophers.

Could possibly add a little weight to the rifle. Good fit is paramount, and then a good gel type recoil pad.

 

[powerbaitron]

And what can't an 06 or a 308 do that the average shooter could reasonably expect to accomplish with a 300 WM?



You HAVE to be new at this.

There is NOTHING that roams N America that a 308 can't kill. NOTHING. The statement about "not having enough load" is a dead giveaway to someone with little experience. It's the same BS that newbie motorcycle riders use to justify buying WAY too much bike.

The one thing I can tell you with absolute certainty is that a big stupid magnum will inhibit your development as a shooter and will make learning and developing marksmanship skills WAY harder and WAY slower. But hey, you do you.



I have access to a 338 LM and a 300 NM. They are both friggen cannons. And it never once occurred to me to try to download them to sling expensive high BC match grade bullets downrange at lower velocity. The entire point of a large magnum caliber is to deliver a heavy, high BC projectile at high velocity.

Much like large cc sport bikes, magnum rifle calibers are really best left for shooters with the skills and experience to make use of them. But boys are stupid and tend to think with their balls rather than their brains ... so we get newbies asking how to download the stupid magnum because it hurts them.

At least we still have newbies. Don’t judge so much and we all learned lessons at one point or another. I find a muzzle break answered all my problems.