Do I really need a 300 Win mag?

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PT1911

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Alright, so currently I dont own a long range hunting/target rifle.... I am selling a couple of things and trying to decide what current gaps I have in my collection and what I need to add to best fill them... I noticed that I am missing a large game rifle... largest I have is a 270 win...and long range target rifle... I will be building a Mauser m48 into a 338 federal soon so I will technically have a large game rifle, but at a somewhat short range, SO, in walks the possibility of the 300 win mag (with a brake of course.)

HMMMMM.... I dunno...
 
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Depends on how much you want to spend. I'd look at a .30-06 instead, but the .300 wm is a fine cartridge. Why not get an AI and get both in 1 package?
 
What do you consider "large" game? I have taken 3 bull moose with a .270 Win using 140 gr. bullets. I didn't feel that I really "needed" a 300 Win Mag to hunt moose but I always "wanted" one. Now that I have one I'll probably never get the chance to hunt with it but I still keep it sighted in just in case. I say If you have the money and you really want one, then by all means get it. This gun is fun to shoot, but at close to $30 for a box of ammo she doesn't see that much range time.
 
unless you are shooting over 300 yards and love to get your shoulder bruised, the '06,.270 or .308 will do the job here, dont fall for all the BS that you got to have a big gun like that, I am 57, hunted for years, got some big caliber guns, now I pull a 6.5 Swede, a 7-08 or .308 for anything in Texas and my favorite is the .22-250, they make you a better shot unless you like the punishment of recoil to agree with all the other magnum guys, most of them cant hit doodly cause already flinching due to recoil. use common sense not testostorone, a frind of mine just got a 300 win mag, spent just as much on optics, fired it a few times and put it in the back of his safe, too much gun for our area...but it's your money.
 
You don't need a 300 Win Mag. I wouldn't say you are missing a large game rifle from your collection. That .270 is plenty for any critter in North America and the .270's ballistics are plenty good for long range shooting. My opinion, if you want a long range target rifle build a long range target rifle, if you want a bigger gun for larger game do that. The 300 WM is great at long range and it puts a big thump on game, but if you build a rifle you can shoot all day and get good at long ranges, you probably won't want to pack it around for a week at 8000'+ elevation for a chance to shoot an elk that will most likely be within 200 yds.

That said, I love my .300 WM and it has become my primary hunting rifle.

Try to shoot one and see if you will like it. My cousin was wanting a .300 WM until I let him shoot it this summer, the recoil proved to be much more than he could tolerate.
 
I understand completely. I have been considering a "boomer" myself for some time, that isn't mounted. I think i have settled on the 300 Weatherby over the 300 Win mag because its a little faster. They both use 30 cal bullets, and I already have scads of them, from lightweight to alien bustin. Now, i only consider them because I handload, and im going to have to buy the dies and brass, its going to come out about the same with either one. the 300 mags use standard LR or LRM primers, common powders and bullets so actually plinking, to serious hunting can be tailored. If you have to buy the ammo, yikes! I don't need a boomer, going to have to sneak it in, don't hunt, but if you want something, thats about 96% reason enough. Good luck.
 
With hand loaded 165 grain projectiles, the .30-06 Sprg and the .300 Win Mag are near identical to 500 yards. If you load the 165 grain projectile in a .30-06 to 3,100 FPS, in effect, you have a .300 Win Mag (in terms of end performance).

As for the .270 Win, it will handle any North American game, and will do so to 500 yards. If you want a .300 Win Mag for firing 180 and 200 grain projectiles, now you're talking .300 Win Mag's strength. In those loads, it will blister the .30-06's backside. It will also say "hello sunshine" every time you pull the trigger. :D Get a muzzle break on the puppy.

Let us know what you decide.

Geno
 
I have a .260 Rem.Mod.7, and am very soon going to buy a CZ 550 fs in 6.5x55 .They will do the job on anything I will ever hunt here in the US.Also you can shoot them all day at the range and not hurt your sholder.
 
Do I really need a 300 Win mag?
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It depends on how fast you want to push the bullet and how much you want to spend on brass. I have not seen any gain in adding 300-400 fps as compared to the 30-06. I also don't see any advantage to pushing 30 caliber bullets to nearly 3000 fps. If you must have one then get it but the gains will be minimal and you get less rounds in the box magazine when you move to the magnum platform.
 
I say get one! I was recently going through this debate last fall and I ended up with a very nice model 70 in .300WM. Ammo is expensive as stated before but if you reload it's no worse than anything else. Recoil, is the biggest factor that should help you with your decision,you could have the biggest and fastest bullet in the world but, if you can't shoot it straight whats the point.However, you said that you would get one with a muzzle brake. So I say go for it!:D
 
I have a Sako .300 Winnie, and before I ever shot it, I had a brake installed (this was a while back about 1990). I had heard all the horror stories about how brutal they were. Big waste of $125. Depending on you and the rifle, a muzzle brake may not be needed. Plus you will only forget to use hearing protection ONCE, when using a brake. Of all my rifles, if there was a fire and I could only save one, it would be the .300 Winnie. I've taken more game (elk, moose, bison) with it then any other rifle.
 
No, you do not NEED a 300 Win mag. You have a .270, you live in a Alabama, where if a .270 can't get the job done, you must be hunting an imported river Hippo. The .270 IS a "long range" hunting rifle, with proper bullet selection, it can do what you ask of it. Remember it is called hunting and not sniping, I try to get AS CLOSE as I can to the game when I shoot it. 300 yards is A LONG WAY for a game shot, and an ethical hunters, which I'm sure that you are, would not take shots beyond that range in MOST circumstances. A .270 will do fine at these ranges for MOST American game that it normally and reasonably is employed against. Spend your money upgrading your .270, better barrel, stock, bedding, glass, trigger, ect...
 
If you're looking for long range performance, take a read at Zak Smith's demigodllc web site articlew on the .260 Rem.
http://demigodllc.com/articles/the-case-for-260-remington/?p=2
The .260 Remington cartridge is gaining favor with many long-range shooters for the simple reason that it slings the long, slim, high-BC 6.5mm bullets at respectable velocity. It duplicates or beats the .300 Winchester Magnum's trajectory with less recoil than .308 Compared to the venerable .300 Winchester Magnum's most common load - a 190-grain Sierra MatchKing at 2900 fps - the .260 has about 17% less wind drift and a few clicks less drop. Even though it shoots a 140-grain bullet, it still has 87% of the Magnum's energy at 1000 yards because its slim design yields a much higher ballistic coefficient (BC) value, so it retrains velocity longer. It also has 60% less recoil than the 300.

The .260 Remington blows .308 out of the water. It has 35% less wind drift and about 10 MOA less drop at 1000 yards than the standard 175-grain M118LR load. Despite a 35-grain deficiency in bullet mass, it has 31% more energy because it loses less along the way due to atmospheric drag, hitting 350 fps faster at 1000 yards.
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So, short answer is no, you don't need a .300 Win Mag. With your .338 Fed, and .270 Win. I think you have your bases covered pretty well.
 
I'm with Geno. It's with the heavier bullets that the magnums distance themselves. As far as needing one, who cares? You don't have have it, so if you want it, get it. I had a .280 Rem when I bought my .30-06. I didn't need it, I just wanted it.
 
PT1911 said:
Alright, so currently I dont own a long range hunting/target rifle.... I am selling a couple of things and trying to decide what current gaps I have in my collection and what I need to add to best fill them... I noticed that I am missing a large game rifle... largest I have is a 270 win...and long range target rifle... I will be building a Mauser m48 into a 338 federal soon so I will technically have a large game rifle, but at a somewhat short range, SO, in walks the possibility of the 300 win mag (with a brake of course.)
Click to expand...
 
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I have to agree with most here I have hunted over 45 years and the 30-06 is the largest caliber I have ever hunted with and own. I can hunt bear with a 220 grain bullet, or varmint with a 110 or 125 grain. Biggest dear I've taken was with a 125 gr remington core-lokt. For long range plinking a 165 gr or will get you over 1000 yards.
 
Get the 300! you want it enough to ask a bunch of total strangers if you should get it so that in my mind says you should get one. I really don't think you need a brake on a 300wm unless the gun don't fit you or is very light. Or you really wan't to shoot more than a box of shells off the bench at one time. I went from my 06 to a 300wm almost 10 years ago and havn't looked back. Taken elk, deer, coyote, bear, and some rabbits and such and I really like it. My 300 is a ruger all weather so its pretty heavy gun and IMHO it ain't bad to shoot but I would not consider it great for extended bench shooting sessions.
I have had great luck with 180 NP's in the fedral factory loading, not the cheapest but puts the critters down. I killed plenty of deer and elk with the 06 and to be honest at the ranges I "normaly" shoot animals ie less than 300yds the 06 and 300 leave the same hole. The one time I was really glad I was shooting the 300 was a last day shot at a 6 point bull down hill and facing almost away at 340 yds. I hit the bull just in front of the right hip and broke the front left shoulder, lots of penetration. Would the 06 or a 270 have done the same thing? Maybe. But I don't think the extra power hurt anything in that case.
 
I certainly think so, but then again I like .30's. I currently have hunting rifles in .308 (1), 30-06 (3) and .300 Winny (1). I guess I like the '06 best but when you want to throw heavy slugs (180-220Gr.) the .300 does it just a little better.

But to be honest if something can't be killed with a .270 you should probably just go with the .338.
 
Well, my 270 is a Weatherby VGX delux topped with a Leupold VXIII and is very capable (3/4 inch groups with Rem Core Lokt ammo,) but with its Fancy wood stock, tapered barrel, and internal box mag, I just dont see putting the necessary modifications to it (in my mind anyway) to make it a long range paper thumper...I guess I could always do the 270 Weatherby or rebarrel it into a .280... ideas ideas....


Y'all do make a good point that with the 338 fed, I will have a hell of a bruiser capable of taking whatever, wherever at moderate distances.... It could definitely take anything in Alabama (As could my 270, 223, or even Puma 92 in 45 colt) but that is beside the point as I have every intention of hunting the larger game that other states offer.

I will add that the .260 is another cartridge that has me chewing at the bit....
 
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