Mark Tyson
Member
What is the range of animals that can be taken with the .300 winchester magnum cartridge? I've heard of it being used to take lion - can it be used against other "dangerous game"?
.300 Winchester Mag for hunting
- Thread starter Mark Tyson
- Start date
- Status
labgrade
Member In Memoriam
Everything in the world has been taken with a 7X57 Mauser - likely less.
"Taken" has a lot more to do with skill set than with the chambered rifle.
Consider too, everything's been taken with a bow.
"Taken" has a lot more to do with skill set than with the chambered rifle.
Consider too, everything's been taken with a bow.
PALongbow
Member
labgrade is correct. Everything has been taken with a bow, and prior to compounds, longbows and recurves took every animal imaginable including elephant. Shot placement is key.
Ron
Ron
labgrade
Member In Memoriam
Rereading my post, nothing was answered for a decent question.
Mark, your question is so open-ended though as to require 1/2 a book. In fact, there's some flower-shirts who make a whole living off of yakin' about just that very thing.
.308-class calibers can take anything this continent has to offer.
I'd hedge my bets a bit if after "local" dangerous game, but even these, at fairly distant ranges, aren't all that much of a threat - 'specially if they don't know where you're at.
I suspect there's a bit more you're asking & let's get to that, shall we?
.300's a very fine cartridge. So are quite a few more ...
Mark, your question is so open-ended though as to require 1/2 a book. In fact, there's some flower-shirts who make a whole living off of yakin' about just that very thing.
.308-class calibers can take anything this continent has to offer.
I'd hedge my bets a bit if after "local" dangerous game, but even these, at fairly distant ranges, aren't all that much of a threat - 'specially if they don't know where you're at.
I suspect there's a bit more you're asking & let's get to that, shall we?
.300's a very fine cartridge. So are quite a few more ...
Art Eatman
Moderator In Memoriam
For all practical purposes, for deer and elk, a .300 Mag is a .308/.30-'06 with another 100 or 150 yards, more or less.
For the big bears of Alaska, they're commonly used by the more-skilled hunters/shooters for quite a few one-shot kills.
Art
For the big bears of Alaska, they're commonly used by the more-skilled hunters/shooters for quite a few one-shot kills.
Art
Mark Tyson
Member
Thanks
Thanks guys. I just wanted to know what that round is generally used for, that's all. I'm not going on a safari or anything, I was just curious. I shoot the .300 win mag, but I've never hunted with it.
Thanks guys. I just wanted to know what that round is generally used for, that's all. I'm not going on a safari or anything, I was just curious. I shoot the .300 win mag, but I've never hunted with it.
Art Eatman
Moderator In Memoriam
Mark, next time you wander through a gun show, pick up an old reloading handbook from most any publisher. There's a ton of comparative data about cartridges, bullet weights and muzzle velocities.
There's not a lot of difference in bullet weight for 140- and 150-grainers. So, you look at MVs and you can see why a 7mm08, for instance, is about as useful as a .30-'06 or .308.
Lets you compare the .300 Maggie with other .30s or with stuff of a bit larger or a bit smaller bore diameters...
, Art
There's not a lot of difference in bullet weight for 140- and 150-grainers. So, you look at MVs and you can see why a 7mm08, for instance, is about as useful as a .30-'06 or .308.
Lets you compare the .300 Maggie with other .30s or with stuff of a bit larger or a bit smaller bore diameters...
, Art
Lennyjoe
Member
My brother in law hunts in WVA with a 300 win mag and has taken deer out to 250 yds and dropped them in their tracks. He's been using it for years and is confident out to that range. Me, Id stick in a little closer to say round no more than 200 myself.
labgrade
Member In Memoriam
Oh, but Lenny.
I've done every deer (but one shot with a .308 at about 20-25 yards) & antelope with a .243 well past 300+ yards.
Shot placement makes all the difference.
Don't want to turn this into anything "says you"-wise, but there's plenty cartridges that'll do stuff way out there.
As a counter, we could argue, just as well, as to what's the best "brush buster."
The .300 mag's a wonder, no question, but still, for much of most our practical limitations, a .308, or .30-6 would do just as well.
... & so would a .280, .270, likely a decent enough load in7-08 & quite afew others.
Onlyest thing I could say is the hunter makes the kill, the rifle (or bow, slingshot, or ?) is only a tool used properly to do that.
Having caught a couple desert quail by hand, I can easily enough say, nobody "needs" a shotgun ....
A .300? Absolutely! Go in peace & make sure you use a properly expanding bullet, sight it in & be sure of what you do.
Everything else is hunting ethics.
I've done every deer (but one shot with a .308 at about 20-25 yards) & antelope with a .243 well past 300+ yards.
Shot placement makes all the difference.
Don't want to turn this into anything "says you"-wise, but there's plenty cartridges that'll do stuff way out there.
As a counter, we could argue, just as well, as to what's the best "brush buster."
The .300 mag's a wonder, no question, but still, for much of most our practical limitations, a .308, or .30-6 would do just as well.
... & so would a .280, .270, likely a decent enough load in7-08 & quite afew others.
Onlyest thing I could say is the hunter makes the kill, the rifle (or bow, slingshot, or ?) is only a tool used properly to do that.
Having caught a couple desert quail by hand, I can easily enough say, nobody "needs" a shotgun ....
A .300? Absolutely! Go in peace & make sure you use a properly expanding bullet, sight it in & be sure of what you do.
Everything else is hunting ethics.
sig970
Member
Although I'm a firm believer in the .300 Win Mag, I would not hunt Lion with it. I've always read that the African Dangerous game minimum is the .375 H&H Mag
I do think a .338 would make me feel a little more confident against big bears, and lion.
I do think a .338 would make me feel a little more confident against big bears, and lion.
Lennyjoe
Member
That it does.
I havent had the opportunity to reach out beyond 200 yards since I mostly hunt with a bow.
Thats why I wouldnt go that far out since I dont shoot rifle as often as I should be. Maybe as time goes by and my shot placement and confidence gets better I will venture out that far.
Last 15 years I been hunting in thick stuff like swamp bottoms in Georgia and South Carolina river bottoms. I like to stay in the thick stuff where them bucks think they're safe. Which brings me to using a bow or shotgun with slugs more often.
Smoke
Member
I have a .300 WIn Mag. Damned nasty thing with a table top trajectory and the kick of a Percheron. It will reach out there.
I prefer .308 for most general hunting. Deer, Hogs, etc. I save the Win Mag for distance when needed. Where you are hunting and what you are hunting is how I determine rifle selection.
I do most local white tail hunting with a .22-250 for open country and a Model 94 30-30 or a Model 99 300 Savage in the brush.
Others have spoken to the obvious and more important act of shot placement.
I prefer .308 for most general hunting. Deer, Hogs, etc. I save the Win Mag for distance when needed. Where you are hunting and what you are hunting is how I determine rifle selection.
I do most local white tail hunting with a .22-250 for open country and a Model 94 30-30 or a Model 99 300 Savage in the brush.
Others have spoken to the obvious and more important act of shot placement.
labgrade
Member In Memoriam
I'd really say "good Grief!" to all this in some fashion. Maybe a "hang-over" from TFL, where all this has be hashed over from day one .....
Yes. A .300 will kill anything. So will a 7 Mauser. It will, it has.
A .243, with proper placement & bullet will take elephants.
No, it's not recommended as a dangerous game caliber.
Mark, unless you'd want these discussions to go where this one's going, you have to ask better qustions.
Yes. A .300 will kill anything. So will a 7 Mauser. It will, it has.
A .243, with proper placement & bullet will take elephants.
No, it's not recommended as a dangerous game caliber.
Mark, unless you'd want these discussions to go where this one's going, you have to ask better qustions.
Marshall
Member
Mark,
Scoped properly, 500yds would be about my longest shot with any rifle on any game that I would personaly take, 500yds is a heck of a long way! I have been with many hunters that think they are taking a 400yd shot and in reality it's only about 250 and, they miss that! I would say that an easy 70-80% of hunters are going to miss a true 500yd shot anyway! Most have there rifle sighted in for 100yds and have no earthly idea where to hold it for 300, 400 or 500yd shots. Would I take 500yd shot's? Only in a situation where there was no other option and it was one of those life long opportunities, and I have.
The .300 Win Mag is a fine cartridge and has the "umph" to do most anything you want. However, for Lions, I'ma movin on up! If you like the .300WM, check into the .300WSM. I prefer it to the long action .300WM myself. Actually I favor the .300 Wby Mag. but, I shoot Brownings mostly.
Marshall
Scoped properly, 500yds would be about my longest shot with any rifle on any game that I would personaly take, 500yds is a heck of a long way! I have been with many hunters that think they are taking a 400yd shot and in reality it's only about 250 and, they miss that! I would say that an easy 70-80% of hunters are going to miss a true 500yd shot anyway! Most have there rifle sighted in for 100yds and have no earthly idea where to hold it for 300, 400 or 500yd shots. Would I take 500yd shot's? Only in a situation where there was no other option and it was one of those life long opportunities, and I have.
The .300 Win Mag is a fine cartridge and has the "umph" to do most anything you want. However, for Lions, I'ma movin on up!
If you like the .300WM, check into the .300WSM. I prefer it to the long action .300WM myself. Actually I favor the .300 Wby Mag. but, I shoot Brownings mostly.Marshall
- Status