Weatherby vs Winchester

Caliber first, I would go with the 30-06. This caliber is good for anything in North America. Rifle is your choice either one is a good choice.
Experience; I worked through calibers from 303B to 338W and 300Whby, they all did fine on moose and deer. I have now moved down to 7WSM and a lot of other 7mm in smaller cases, still use the 30-06 as well. RECOIL is an important factor, if you shoot better with lite recoiling calibers, thats the way to go. A heavy caliber and a developed flinch simply doesn't do much for a good clean kill.
 
I don't see the XPR in the same (tier) as the Vanguard II - the VGII is more rifle and probably the most rifle you would get at the price point.

The XPR mostly competes with the Ruger American, Mossberg Patriot and Savage Axis XP.

A better comparison to the Wby would be a Browning AB3.

For 2016 there is a XPR "Hunter" model coming out (just put in my pre-orders) that will be dressed with a camo stock if that's your taste. Or if you like wood stocks, the Patriot and the Vanguard II (Sporter) are already available with a (2016) wood stocked Browning AB3 on the way.

As to caliber - to each their own but a 300 is a lot of gun. You note your location as Dryden (Ontario I presume?) - there is nothing there that a 270, 308 or 30.06 would be "too small" for and given the (typically) "shorter shots" taken in the east as compared to say the prairies or mountains, there would be little to no advantage to shooting a 300 over a 30.06 - and unless you reload, your wallet would thank you when it comes time to buy ammunition.
 
We usually all start out with sensible calibers then go through a 30year period of magnumitis .......realizing finally all the critters ended up just as dead with the more pleasant to shoot calibers.Arthritis and magnum pounding don't go well together.......My buddies CZ .416 Rigby is more pleasant to shoot than my .338 Win 70 classic.I'm still comfortable with the .300 H+H /.308 NM mag class for now but like my .250-3000,6.5x55,7x57 ,.270 Win + 9.3x62 for most game.Harold
 
Weatherby Vanguard 2 - very impressive for the money and should cost a whole lot more. Great balance, buttery bolt, superb fit and finish, better than average recoil pad, three position safety plus guaranteed accuracy. Google some reviews and it usually comes out on top.

Good advice here on the 300 WM. If you're just going to sight it in once a year and hunt with it that may work out. But if you want to bang away at the range on a regular basis you'll find it punishing and expensive. But you can send me your once fired brass and I'll send you some liniment ;-)

Seriously consider 308W - boring but wildly popular and you can buy surplus ammo to bang away with. Lots of shooting makes a good shooter and for practical purposes a 308 is deadly in the right hands. There's a reason that the Ruger Scout originally came out in that caliber.
 
I suggest the 30-06 Weatherby. I'm a heavy guy, 230# ona good day, and I always thought I could handle most any recoil. I'm not trigger shy and dont have a flinch. But recently I had to sell a rifle that I never expected would be in issue. A .308 Browning BLR. It had a light alloy receiver (6.6lbs I think), hard rubber recoil pad, and that gun beat the snot outta me over the course of a box of ammo at the range. Could I shoot it? Sure. Did I enjoy shooting it? Nope. I sold it. So I bought a Weatherby 30-06 Vanguard Lazerguard, the one that Cabelas sells with the Mark V stock on a gloss blued Vanguard action and barrel. Most would say the 30-06 would have more recoil than a .308, but at 8.5lbs, soft Pachmayer recoil pad and superb fit, I can shoot the 30-06 all day with no discomfort. Its a gorgeous gun with an heirloom quality stock, fit and finish are outstanding, sub MOA guarantee. Ammo is cheap and easy to find in a variety of weights. Cant say enough about this gun. Don't let your ego get you into a gun that you wont enjoy shooting. Over-gunning yourself early is a great way to develop bad habits. Get something you can shoot comfortably and you will shoot it better.
 
A previous poster mentioned the consideration of shooting a 300 WM "prone". I have to ask, is that prone before or after pulling the trigger ;-)
 
scout_289 said:
A previous poster mentioned the consideration of shooting a 300 WM "prone". I have to ask, is that prone before or after pulling the trigger ;-)
Click to expand...

Make no mistake, the 300 isn't a no #### kicker, but prone is where you will feed the most, except from the bench. Plus prone tends to make you creep the scope which in turn moves you that much closer to Magnum Eyebrow. And Magnum Eyebrow will give you a flinch, sure as shootin'.

But if you can't handle the recoil, you'll end up "supine".
 
I havent handled the new XPR, so cant comment on it. If you're buying a winchester stick with the model 70. I have shouldered a vanguard 2 and took the tikka T3 over it. 300 winmag is a great caliber for moose and elk but if you're mainly deer hunting I'd look at other choices. Personally I'd say 7mm-08.
 
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