First rifle - 300 WM or 7mm Rem Mag?

How big are you, will recoil bother you, go to a local club, see if a member will let you shoot his rifle, if you can, try a couple of different cals.
Been there done that, l have owned and shot the 300 Win Mag, the 300 Weatherby, 30-06, 308, and finally the 270.
Two seasons ago took two nice Bull Moose out at a fair distance with my 270, also several nice Deer. Nice flat shooting rifle, cheap to shoot, and no recoil.
So it's up to you, but l have settled for my 270 for anything l will come across.
 
Seriously man, the majority of the previous posters had it right. The magnums are not a great idea, go for your family's 788 (they ain't pretty but they shoot), and if you really want to by a new rifle, do the .270 or 30-06. Neither will disappoint you at all.
 
300 win mag. And to anyone who says that they don't make good first rifles hunting are full of $h!t. If it is your very first rifle then i would shy away from it. But if you have been shooting lots then there is not problem with em.
 
Some good council here already mixed with a lot of personal preference. The counsel to avoid a magnum for your first rifle was well said. A friend of mine started out with a 7MM mag and developed a flinch that took some time to get rid of.

A 3006, 308, 270, 7mm08, 280, etc all will do the job you are asking in a way that will be easier to break in on.

My personal preference is for 3006's and there are a couple of really nice one's on the EE right now. Supercub has a nice Bruno up and someone in Saska...n has a nice Parkerhale for sale at a very reasonable price. Both would be excellent anytime rifles let alone a starter.
 
In the commonwealth, 303 british has killed more men and game than any other cal. The 3006, has done a bit less. 8mm mauser comes in about equal to 3006. after that 30/30 winch 94. all old time choices. In mags, lets not forget 375H&H, it has the mag record.
 
Have fun shopping! Nothing wrong with that family .308...or some other .308, or a 30'06. or a 7mm, or a .300 mag or a multitude of others which have already been suggested, including the good 'ol .303 Brit. If you stay with hunting, chances are you will purchase several rifles over the years, despite the fact that any one of them would in fact "last you a lifetime", and suit your purpose well. My most recent is a Tikka 6.5x55, which I'm looking forward to trying out this year. Start with one and enjoy...get another and enjoy...etc.
 
I've been shooting high power rifle for 25+ years and just bought my first 300 win. definitly not a starter rifle. stay with the 308 or 30-06 .Remember that alot of "200 yard plus" shots you hear about are never measured. 100 yards looks a long ways away when you're used to seeing city environments all the time.I've seen alot of moose killed with 270's and 30-30's just ask the germans how effective the 303 british is.I personally witnessed a lazer measured shot on a moose at 273 yds. with a 303.
 
The BEST gun for a first gun is the one that is FREE! (within reason) This leaves you with the most money to buy ammo, and PRACTICE! This is assuming that the thig shoots halfway decent. My first big game gun was my Dad's Browning BAR in .308 It's not my most accurate gun, but it's killed plenty of deer. I actually took it out again this fall, just because it was my Dad's and he requested a deer. The guns that mean the most to me are te ones that either belonged to him, or my Grandfather. Take the .308, get really good with it, then step up to something bigger if you must.
 
get a 300 wm

I have hunted for years with all kinds of calibers. I shoot a 300 wm steyr sbs.It is extremely easy to shoot and verry acurate. You will find it verry efective in the mountains where you will encounter wind and bears. Also there is a great variety of bullets and loads for this gun. I would go for the 300 and you will never look back. The 3006 and 308 are no doubt a great cartridge but they cant come close to the 300 when you have to reach out on a windy slope for that ram of a lifetime. Go with the styer sbs , it will make you smile.
 
Straight up dude, if someone was willing to GIVE me a 788 in 308 as a first rifle, I wouldnt look past it until I put some blood on it. If you like bolt action rifles, you'd honestly be hard pressed to find a better rifle for free.
They are still one of the most accurate and reliable and reasonably priced rifles ever produced, and they're light. Put your money towards a good scope or a peep site, and buy a whack of ammo. Because it says Magnum doesnt mean it kills better, it just hurts your shoulder more. :)
 
What about for shots over 200 yds - I figured a magnum would be better for those. This is going to be my only rifle for a few years, so I want it to be capable for different uses.

Lot of good advice here - you're starting out? Get a light .308 or .270. All the gun 98% of us ever really need. The .308 is accurate, very light in the recoil department and ammo is available in any weight or type of bullet you could ever need. A .270 is the standard by which all others are measured, and I know that'll raise a hackle or two, but it's true. Proven to be accurate, powerful and again ammo can be had anywhere. Avoid the magnums for now - they WILL magically appear in your gun vault eventually. Hunting rifles are like knives and fishing rods - you don't ever have too many - and no matter what your wife says you do NEED that new one:D
 
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sbtennex said:
What about for shots over 200 yds - I figured a magnum would be better for those. This is going to be my only rifle for a few years, so I want it to be capable for different uses.
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One of the most common misconceptions which leads people to Magnum calibers. Magnum doesnt kill better beyond 200 yards, practice does.:sniper::slap:
 
Realistically, anything from a 6.5x55/260 on up will handily kill any North American 'meat' animal out to 300 yards if you can do your part - though I'd think twice about hunting big coastal brown bears up close and personal with it (though I'd say the same about the 7mm and 300 mags in that situation, too)

Don't overthink things; as much as we all like to bull#### about cartridges and their benefits, the differences are pretty slim - especially for a newbie.
 
prosper said:
Don't overthink things; as much as we all like to bulls**t about cartridges and their benefits, the differences are pretty slim - especially for a newbie.
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which is why i keep saying hes better off getting something with minimal recoil and inexpensive ammo available - in the .308, .30-06 etc family - and practicing actually shooting a lot rather than getting something with marginally better ballistics and a large jump in factory ammo price and possibly recoil, and consequently shooting less.
(if he doesnt reload, which is a pretty safe bet if its his first rifle.)

the most important thing now is to shoot, shoot, shoot and gain familiarity and accuracy - not speculate about how he can 300 more FPS for $10-15 more per box of ammo. people always try to sell their pet cartridges as the next best thing but the question wasnt 'what is the best cartridge' but 'what should i get as my first rifle'.
 
Grains said:
What about for shots over 200 yds - I figured a magnum would be better for those. This is going to be my only rifle for a few years, so I want it to be capable for different uses.
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As a new shooter/hunter, you shouldn't even be contemplating shooting beyond 200 yards until you've had the opportunity to develop the necessary shooting skills to permit you to take ethical longer range shots on live game.

Stay away from any magnum caliber for your first rifle. Stick with a .30-06 or .308 Win. Either caliber will kill any big game animal in North America that you listed.

Even the .30-06 can be a little stout for newbies, so don't opt for the lightest gun you can find. A little extra weight will help to tame felt recoil and prevent you from developing a flinch or fear of the recoil impact. Some ammo makers are now offering reduced loads in many popular calibers that are intended for use by new shooters or those with slight builds. It allows them to practice shooting without fear of being battered black and blue.

While I love both the 7mm Rem Mag and the .300 Win Mag, they're both terrible choices for a new shooter hunter.
 
Grains said:
Won't my arm fall off if I'm lugging around a Lee-Enfield all day?

To change the subject a bit, my mother's got my gradfather's old Rem 788 in 308 (condition unknwon, she's never used it, just inherited it). I've been talking to her about getting it. I've done a bit of research, and I think I've seen more good than bad about the 788. Thoughts?
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Problem solved! A good rifle in a great caliber. You don't need to look further or think about anything else. Get the rifle transferred, and get it checked out by a competent gun smith and then take all that cash you were going to drop on a new gun and buy ammo, lots of ammo. Then go shooting. Don't stick with just shooting off the bench. Shoot using actual field positions. Shooting off hand, off shooting sticks, knapsack, etc... Do that and when you're forced to do the real thing in the field, its old hat for you.
 
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