Do I Really Need A .300 Win Mag?

WR69 said:
I think a heavier recoil and more expensive ammo makes you a better shot. You learn to need just one. Nothing worse than an elk hunter with a semi auto 30-06 and lots of boolits.
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X2

But back to the dilemma.

On a budget looking for a bear gun. Your 3030 is fine for black bear. Shot placement and its over.
Now that being said I am in the want category so I would save my pennies and buy what I love. Not what will be enough or ok or adequate for.
I just received a 375 ruger and I am going to take it for moose and deer in 2 weeks. Do I need it? No. Does it make me smile. Yes!!
 
If you want something that hits harder than 30-06 (300 or 338 WM) than buy one.

Honestly though, as someone who has had a 338 wm for twenty years, I never shot anything with it that would not have gone down just as well with a .308. This I know as a fact as I've shot all the same game in the same situations with my little rem 600 in .308 as well.

Personally, the only time I reccomend something with more horsepower than the 30-06 is if someone is purposely planning on regularly hunting bison or grizzly, or regularly shooting big game at 400 - 600 yards. I highlight regularly, because these things can be done with a properly loaded 30-06, but if that kind of hunting is par for the course for you, then you'd probably be better off with a handloaded 338 wm.
 
It's all about the bullet. I'd feel much more comfortable shooting a moose with a 140gr TTSX in a 7mm-08 than I would with a 150gr Sierra PH out of a .30-06.

That being said, why not just get another XS7 that you are so fond of, but this time get it chambered in 7-08 or .308? Run some good bullets, and no moose or bear will shrug off a hit. Another plus- recoil and ammo cost are both significantly less than the .300...
 
WR69;6279356 [B said:
That being said, my gun of choice here is the 338wm for everything. Added a 300 rum now which I'll use for deer in Nov.[/B]
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Seriously?:eek: I have a cruise missile that you could try next year.:p
 
For the simple reason of having one then a resounding yes. Do you really want one....why not. Do you need one... probably not. But having one around is a nice to have option. Some pros are that you can down load to 06 levels and save your shoulder a bit, run varmint pills, or just have enough horsepower for anything on the continent when you want it. So if there is a hole to fill in the cabinet....I'd say go for it!
 
Well I found a pretty good deal on a .338 WM but I guess it comes down to ammo cost at this point.

I'd love to have the gun, but I can't justify a gun I could never afford to shoot.

Not that I would even shoot the 30-06 that much, but I could easily afford to if I ever wanted to. Would be fun to show some noobs, a little more recoil, than the .243 or 30-30, but then again i have a Mosin to make em cry. ;)

Like I said I have pretty much made up my mind at this point.

Marlin XL7 in 30-06, and either a Bushnell 3200 2-7, or a Vortex Diamond Back 2-7.
 
Sure you could get away without it, but that's not an excuse. 3006 works, and has worked for what, 100 years? Budget what you can, but don't limit yourself to a cheaper rifle unless your positive it's the one for you. Regardless of calibre, if the rifles not fun, you won't like it and it's pretty hard to justify that as money well spent.

Realistically how much are you going to shoot it? The cost of ammo is secondary if your rolling through a single box or two a year.

Oh, and make that a redfield revolution or the vortex. Bushnells warrenty is a pain in the ass to deal with
 
mlehtovaara said:
Well I found a pretty good deal on a .338 WM but I guess it comes down to ammo cost at this point.

I'd love to have the gun, but I can't justify a gun I could never afford to shoot.

Not that I would even shoot the 30-06 that much, but I could easily afford to if I ever wanted to. Would be fun to show some noobs, a little more recoil, than the .243 or 30-30, but then again i have a Mosin to make em cry. ;)

Like I said I have pretty much made up my mind at this point.

Marlin XL7 in 30-06, and either a Bushnell 3200 2-7, or a Vortex Diamond Back 2-7.
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ideally, a rifle should cost what it costs; doesn't matter the caliber unless there's a recoil pad or some other such thing- it's the AMMO that they really gouge us on, both in terms or consumption and price- it really costs no more in the real world to make a 33 cal bullet than it does a 30, but b/c it's for a magnum, the roof comes off--
 
i absolutly hated my 300wm. i shot exactly 8rds and sold it. The price for ammo and the recoil rendered it uselss for my needs. i always keep coming back to my .30-06.
 
A 30-30 is more gun than a .30 carbine right? Likewise, few would argue that a '06 has more reach and smack than both. Strange that there is an invisible wall at the 30-06 where no further improvements are possible.:confused:
 
Don't forget 2 things about the savage 116's. I had one in .338 and it was too light for that caliber. The gun kicked the most of any .338 I've ever shot (about 5 different guns) as it was only 6.75 lbs. I ended up loading up the buttstock with lead balls and foam spray insulation just to tame it.
The other thing is the action is long (really) and the scope base holes are farther apart than needed, therefore , unless you get 2 extension rings, you have to have a scope with an extra long tube, just so you have some room for eye relief. I used 3 different scope, and still only had 1-2 cm of play. That wasn't enough for a hard kicking caliber like that. It gave my friend a small "scope-eye" cut. And he was ready for it.



mlehtovaara said:
Well I found a pretty good deal on a .338 WM but I guess it comes down to ammo cost at this point.

I'd love to have the gun, but I can't justify a gun I could never afford to shoot.

Not that I would even shoot the 30-06 that much, but I could easily afford to if I ever wanted to. Would be fun to show some noobs, a little more recoil, than the .243 or 30-30, but then again i have a Mosin to make em cry. ;)

Like I said I have pretty much made up my mind at this point.

Marlin XL7 in 30-06, and either a Bushnell 3200 2-7, or a Vortex Diamond Back 2-7.
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sgt.rock said:
Don't forget 2 things about the savage 116's. I had one in .338 and it was too light for that caliber. The gun kicked the most of any .338 I've ever shot (about 5 different guns) as it was only 6.75 lbs. I ended up loading up the buttstock with lead balls and foam spray insulation just to tame it.
The other thing is the action is long (really) and the scope base holes are farther apart than needed, therefore , unless you get 2 extension rings, you have to have a scope with an extra long tube, just so you have some room for eye relief. I used 3 different scope, and still only had 1-2 cm of play. That wasn't enough for a hard kicking caliber like that. It gave my friend a small "scope-eye" cut. And he was ready for it.
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I used a rail to mount my scope on my '06 116 and it allows more flexibility in mounting for safer eye relief.
 
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