In my opinion, 300WM is only necessary big bears, or the larger ungulates at longer ranges. The .308 that many people are suggesting is a great choice for most people for most North American big game. I like .30-06. It has just a little more jam than the .308. Ammuntion is available everywhere. Recoil is within most peoples comfort range. Effective killing range is most likely limited by your abilities and use of common sense. Buy a used rilfle in good condition, practice shooting lots from all positions. Buy another and repeat as necessary.
First rifle - 300 WM or 7mm Rem Mag?
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manbearpig
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
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i forgot to mention about the .308 - take advantage of the wide availability of cheap(er) ammo. its not as cheap as it used to be but still a lot cheaper than many other calibers if you dont reload, which you probably dont if this is your first rifle.
go buy a bunch of ammo and shoot, shoot, shoot: the practice and familiarity you get will be far more valuable and lethal than any small ballistic advantage that going with a more exotic cartridge might give you.
go buy a bunch of ammo and shoot, shoot, shoot: the practice and familiarity you get will be far more valuable and lethal than any small ballistic advantage that going with a more exotic cartridge might give you.
would not recommend either of those calibers for your first, nor the game you will be hunting.
.270 is a good round, 30-06 is a good round, .308 is a good round.
any of those will last you your life. Might make justification on buying another gun harder, as they fill a pretty big niche.
I've owned all three of these at times. The 30-06 & 308 are my favorites.
Don't listen to advice such as the .416 or .280 or .260.
Yes, they are good rounds. but IMO you shouldn't have to roll your own bullets (AKA craft them yourself) when you first start off hunting.
Get something available in stores everywhere. The 270. 30-06 and 308 are available everywhere.
.270 is a good round, 30-06 is a good round, .308 is a good round.
any of those will last you your life. Might make justification on buying another gun harder, as they fill a pretty big niche.
I've owned all three of these at times. The 30-06 & 308 are my favorites.
Don't listen to advice such as the .416 or .280 or .260.
Yes, they are good rounds. but IMO you shouldn't have to roll your own bullets (AKA craft them yourself) when you first start off hunting.
Get something available in stores everywhere. The 270. 30-06 and 308 are available everywhere.
If it was me 23 years ago...... Hummmm
You know, some of the old timers I hunted with have been dead for almost 20 years now.. They thought I was a nut bar for having a 308 in the woods. Wow, how things have changed allot.
I guess it depends on how well you shoot and what you are hunting, etc. 308 is a good round, 300 Win Mag is a good round for long range shots ( or big game). The long range shot, being that you are going to put out at the same energy level as the 308 does @ close ranges. so 300 yrds to 1000 yrds.
Hell, go buy a few guns, You now you can't stop at one....
Pete
You know, some of the old timers I hunted with have been dead for almost 20 years now.. They thought I was a nut bar for having a 308 in the woods. Wow, how things have changed allot.
I guess it depends on how well you shoot and what you are hunting, etc. 308 is a good round, 300 Win Mag is a good round for long range shots ( or big game). The long range shot, being that you are going to put out at the same energy level as the 308 does @ close ranges. so 300 yrds to 1000 yrds.
Hell, go buy a few guns, You now you can't stop at one....
Pete
- Location
- Vancouver Island BC
- Location
- Vancouver Island BC
Grab the 300 and shoot it a lot,heavier bullets make the 300 a better big bear gun too.
Perhaps think about using the 308. With the money you'll save you can get a great .22 and practice at 2 cents a shot.
With not buying the magnum you'll still have enough money saved after buying a decent .22 and a ten year's supply of ammo to buy a good scope (not necessarily high magnification) for the 308. I don't have much experience at long ranges, but if you ask around, I wouldn't be surprised if people will tell you that the glass is as important as the cartridge for shots way out there.
By the way the second-to-last moose I helped butcher was shot with a 308 - a single shot broke both shoulders (the shooter used an appropriately tough bullet). The shot wasn't taken at great range, but I hope this gives you some perspective about what kind of power you are getting into even with the boring non-magnum cartridges.
RG
With not buying the magnum you'll still have enough money saved after buying a decent .22 and a ten year's supply of ammo to buy a good scope (not necessarily high magnification) for the 308. I don't have much experience at long ranges, but if you ask around, I wouldn't be surprised if people will tell you that the glass is as important as the cartridge for shots way out there.
By the way the second-to-last moose I helped butcher was shot with a 308 - a single shot broke both shoulders (the shooter used an appropriately tough bullet). The shot wasn't taken at great range, but I hope this gives you some perspective about what kind of power you are getting into even with the boring non-magnum cartridges.
RG
There's no cut and dried true, perfect answer to your question. There are a lot of good explanations, and a lot of good intentions posted here. As well as a few jokes, ie. the 416 
My own personal experience would be to say that there's nothing wrong with having a magnum as your first rifle. My first brand new rifle was a 7mm mag, I bought it when I was 18, and I still carry it every fall when I'm hunting. The reason why some would suggest not to get a magnum is recoil, I say BS to that. The rifle I hunted with the 2 years leading up until getting the 7mm mag was a Model 7 Remington in .308 and it had more felt recoil than the 7mm. Thats a fact. It was a different designed stock, with a short 18.5 inch barrel. The 300 does recoil harder yet, but its still manageable. Personally I'd go with a 7mm mag myself. Although there's nothing wrong with a .308, .270, 30/06, 7mm mag, and 300 mag. Ammo is widely available for all of them, in most rural areas you'll be able to find said chamberings in the local stores. My very first gun ever was a .303 Lee Enfield, that'll do the job for you too, and again ammunition can be bought nearly every where for it. To confuse the issue a little more, I've always said that if I could only ever have ONE rifle, I think I'd die jk, it would be a bolt rifle in 30/06. It may be boring, but it'll get the job done on anything I'd ever encounter.
In regards to some things you'll read about needing heavy bullets to kill bears, moose, elk, and other big animals as such...again, BS. With little doubt they'll work, but a 150 grain bullet from a .308 will kill just the same as a 165, or 180 grain bullet will, but its your job to put it where its supposed to go. If a bullet hits the vitals, or central nervous system it doesn't matter wether its a 140 gr, or 220 grain, its going to put the animal down. You don't need premium bullets, yes they will penetrate deeper, no doubt about that, but the common soft lead core bullet will penetrate well enough to kill any of the animals you suggested in a suitable hunting round. You'll be fine if you go with 140 gr and heavier bullets for the .270, 150 grain and heavier for the 7mm, and 30 caliber rifles will do what you want. They'll kill the big game you mentioned, but you have to do your part to. It doesn't matter what caliber you shoot if you can't hit where you're supposed to. Pick a rifle that feels best to you and shoot it regularly.
In regards to the Rem. 788, .308...that's a perfect rifle to last you a life time. Good caliber, good rifle. I like the .308, as a matter of fact I just bought one for a buddy's son as his first hunting rifle. When he turns 12 this March he'll be getting a brand new Tikka T3 in .308 topped with Talley rings and a Bushnell Elite 3200 3-9X40 firefly scope. I wish one of my dad's friends would have done for me when I was twelve
My own personal experience would be to say that there's nothing wrong with having a magnum as your first rifle. My first brand new rifle was a 7mm mag, I bought it when I was 18, and I still carry it every fall when I'm hunting. The reason why some would suggest not to get a magnum is recoil, I say BS to that. The rifle I hunted with the 2 years leading up until getting the 7mm mag was a Model 7 Remington in .308 and it had more felt recoil than the 7mm. Thats a fact. It was a different designed stock, with a short 18.5 inch barrel. The 300 does recoil harder yet, but its still manageable. Personally I'd go with a 7mm mag myself. Although there's nothing wrong with a .308, .270, 30/06, 7mm mag, and 300 mag. Ammo is widely available for all of them, in most rural areas you'll be able to find said chamberings in the local stores. My very first gun ever was a .303 Lee Enfield, that'll do the job for you too, and again ammunition can be bought nearly every where for it. To confuse the issue a little more, I've always said that if I could only ever have ONE rifle, I think I'd die jk, it would be a bolt rifle in 30/06. It may be boring, but it'll get the job done on anything I'd ever encounter.
In regards to some things you'll read about needing heavy bullets to kill bears, moose, elk, and other big animals as such...again, BS. With little doubt they'll work, but a 150 grain bullet from a .308 will kill just the same as a 165, or 180 grain bullet will, but its your job to put it where its supposed to go. If a bullet hits the vitals, or central nervous system it doesn't matter wether its a 140 gr, or 220 grain, its going to put the animal down. You don't need premium bullets, yes they will penetrate deeper, no doubt about that, but the common soft lead core bullet will penetrate well enough to kill any of the animals you suggested in a suitable hunting round. You'll be fine if you go with 140 gr and heavier bullets for the .270, 150 grain and heavier for the 7mm, and 30 caliber rifles will do what you want. They'll kill the big game you mentioned, but you have to do your part to. It doesn't matter what caliber you shoot if you can't hit where you're supposed to. Pick a rifle that feels best to you and shoot it regularly.
In regards to the Rem. 788, .308...that's a perfect rifle to last you a life time. Good caliber, good rifle. I like the .308, as a matter of fact I just bought one for a buddy's son as his first hunting rifle. When he turns 12 this March he'll be getting a brand new Tikka T3 in .308 topped with Talley rings and a Bushnell Elite 3200 3-9X40 firefly scope. I wish one of my dad's friends would have done for me when I was twelve
manbearpig
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Somewhere in the Third World
When he turns 12 this March he'll be getting a brand new Tikka T3 in .308 topped with Talley rings and a Bushnell Elite 3200 3-9X40 firefly scope. I wish one of my dad's friends would have done for me when I was twelve
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Alright, the new concensus here is whatever you do, DO NOT BUY ANYTHING BUT A .30-06, cuz no other cartridge will do what you want.
BTW I've edited all my posts for any newbies that read this thread, and to not offend the know-it's.
BTW I've edited all my posts for any newbies that read this thread, and to not offend the know-it's.
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troutseeker
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Prince George, BC
From the two choices initially offered I'd pick the .300 winmag. Nothing wrong with it as a first rifle. A Ruger in .300 WM was my first rifle and the one I still use the most, I've had it since 1981... It serves me well and I don't find recoil bad at all. When I did not reload, the factory offerings were good enough to put meat on the table. Now that I reload, I could load it to lower levels I guess, but why? It shoots plenty flat, I like 180 and 200 grain partitions and these two bullets will do everything I need in Canada. Good enought for me! Oh and to top it all it is a "Magnum"!!!
Troutseeker
Troutseeker
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I also don't see naything wrong wiht a 7RM as a first gun, if it is assumed a 30-06 is also acceptable.
My Ruger 7mm RM has less felt recoil than the Stevens 200 30-06 I owned.
The differences in recoil are not great between the 30-06 and 7RM.
My Ruger 7mm RM has less felt recoil than the Stevens 200 30-06 I owned.
The differences in recoil are not great between the 30-06 and 7RM.
gatehouse is right, in my experiences the recoil between a 7mm RM and a 30-06 of similar weight rifles is pretty slim. A 270 is even milder and provides very similar ballistics to the 7mm RM. The difference between a 140 gr @ 2950 f/s out of a 270 Win, and a 160 gr @ 2950 f/s from a 7mm RM isnt alot, in trajectory and hitting power. Anything you'd point a 7mm RM at, you could do the same with a 270.
