How much worse is the recoil of a 300 Wby Mag than a 30-06? I can handle the recoil of an 8 lb 30-06 without a soft recoil pad pretty well, so do you think I'd be able to handle the recoil of a 300 Wby Mag? My second question is about weight. I'd like to get Weatherby Vanguard S2 Sporter in 300 Wby Mag but this rifle only weighs 7.5 lbs. Would you consider this too light for a 300 Wby Mag?
Weatherby Vanguard S2 in 300 Wby Mag and Recoil
- Thread starter MT2000
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Assuming an 8 lb rifle all up including scope and mounts recoil will look something like this with 180 gr bullets.
308 15-17 ft lbs recoil
30-06 20-22 ft lbs recoil
300 WSM 21-23 ft lbs recoil
300 WM 26-29 ft lbs recoil
300 WBY 32-34 ft lbs recoil
Actually a Weatherby Vanguard is one of the heavier rifles made. A listed weight of 7.5 lbs is optimistic. Expect it to weigh at least 8.5 to 10 lbs after you get it scoped. Depending on the scope and mounts you select.
When I run the numbers with a more realistic 9 lb weight I get closer to 30 ft lbs recoil.
I used this source.
http://www.handloads.com/calc/recoil.asp
308 15-17 ft lbs recoil
30-06 20-22 ft lbs recoil
300 WSM 21-23 ft lbs recoil
300 WM 26-29 ft lbs recoil
300 WBY 32-34 ft lbs recoil
Actually a Weatherby Vanguard is one of the heavier rifles made. A listed weight of 7.5 lbs is optimistic. Expect it to weigh at least 8.5 to 10 lbs after you get it scoped. Depending on the scope and mounts you select.
When I run the numbers with a more realistic 9 lb weight I get closer to 30 ft lbs recoil.
I used this source.
http://www.handloads.com/calc/recoil.asp
Even though you didn't ask, I'll give my opinion based on experience. Weatherby is all about hyper-velocity. If you want to fire a .300 Weatherby Mag, get the Mark V, or some other rifle with the 26" barrel. If you plan to purchase a Vanguard, get the .300 Win Mag and save your money and shoulder. And yes, the Mark V is worth the extra money if you reload. It is a profusely strong action. It is worth the extra money, if you can afford to shoot Weatherby ammo, at the extra cost.
Oh, and yes, considerable recoil, but tolerable. And the .300 Wea Mag hits like a loaded freight train. It, and the other Weatherby cartridges, are accurately advertised as one-shot, one kill. I never had to shoot twice. Then, I haven't had to shoot twice with my .270 Win, or my .300 Win Mag. Oh yeah, and my own Weatherby Mark V, 24" barrel, is chambered in .300 Win Mag. I sold my .300 Wea Mag.
JMHO,
Geno
Oh, and yes, considerable recoil, but tolerable. And the .300 Wea Mag hits like a loaded freight train. It, and the other Weatherby cartridges, are accurately advertised as one-shot, one kill. I never had to shoot twice. Then, I haven't had to shoot twice with my .270 Win, or my .300 Win Mag. Oh yeah, and my own Weatherby Mark V, 24" barrel, is chambered in .300 Win Mag. I sold my .300 Wea Mag.
JMHO,
Geno
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bobnob
Member
Make sure your scope has good eye relief and you'll be all right.
1948CJ2A
Member
I've got plenty of Vanguards in Weatherby Mag cartridges... don't let the difference between 24" and 26" on the barrels dissuade you. We're talking 50-75fps difference tops.
I prefer the 300 Wby Mag over the 300 Win Mag because of the performance advantage. The win mag is a 2.5" length cartridge (w/o the bullet) whereas the wby mag is a 2.85" length cartridge. Both have the same .532 case diameter.
I have a previous generation 300 wby mag in a Vanguard and I'll tell you right now that the recoil is significantly more than my 03A3 springfield.
My rule of thumb is this. For 150 bullets I use my 308 Win. For 165s I use my 30-06. And for 180s and up, I use my 300 wby mag.
Weatherby also offers a 30-378 wby mag (only available in their Mark Vs) if you really want something overbore.
A 300 Weatherby kicks a lot more than a 30-06, all else being equal. It's a sharp fast jab that's like being punched.
If you have a 30-06 you like, think hard about how badly you need more power if the answer is a 300 Weatherby. It's truly unpleasant to fire.
If you have a 30-06 you like, think hard about how badly you need more power if the answer is a 300 Weatherby. It's truly unpleasant to fire.
dprice3844444
member
look up pachmyer recoil pads and get the one they use for 50 cal rifles.
http://www.gentrycustom.com/muzzle-brake add this. those should take the recoil of the 300 weatherby magnum.
] going to get this for my 45/70
http://www.opticsplanet.com/pachmayr-f990-triple-magnum-field-recoil-pad.html
http://www.gentrycustom.com/muzzle-brake add this. those should take the recoil of the 300 weatherby magnum.
] going to get this for my 45/70
http://www.opticsplanet.com/pachmayr-f990-triple-magnum-field-recoil-pad.html
sage5907
Member
If I just had to have a Weatherby it would be a Mark V in 30-06. I owned a 270 Weatherby Magnum and it was a bad shooting experience. I can't say that much for the Weatherby stock, because when the rifle was fired the barrel climbed more than any rifle I have owned and it would regularly whack the bill on my baseball cap. I'm a 30-06 fan and in my opinion someone who is really proficient with a 30-06 is far better off than with a Weatherby magnum.
I won't argue the point about 30-06. It is more than enough for most hunters, but if someone can handle the recoil then there is a place for shooting the same bullets 300-500 fps faster. If they can't handle it, then they are certainly better off with a lighter recoiling rifle.
If I were buying a 30-06 it wouldn't be in either Weatherby though. Both the Vanguard and MK-V are the heaviest rifles made. The extra weight and stock shape are specifically designed to tame the hardest kicking guns made. A much lighter, trimmer gun with a more classic stock shape would be a better choice in a 30-06. If I had to have a WBY mag, then the MK-V is probably the best platform because it is built from the ground up to handle the recoil.
sage5907
Member
jmr40, Weatherby makes a Ultra Lightweight version of the Mark V that weighs 5 3/4 pounds for non-magnum cartridges. It has a .547 muzzle diameter. That's not very heavy. I would rather have a Model 70 featherweight 30-06 but the Weatherby is for sale at a list price of $2,100. That lightweight version in the 338-06 A-Square didn't sell very well. It doesn't take much analysis to figure that one out. Guys got tired of adjusting their baseball caps.
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