.308 Win recoil vs .300 Wby Mag recoil

[Arkel23]

I'm just trying to prove to my cousin that a .300 Wby Mag has more recoil than a .308 Winchester. (Same gun, weight etc..) He also says there isn't a gun more powerful than a .308 Win. So people please tell him which has more recoil.

 

[longdayjake]

yeah he's wrong. They shoot the same bullet but the .300 can shoot the same bullet at a much much higher velocity.

 

[Arkel23]

$20 on the line.

 

[Snakum]

Before I owned a 300 Win Mag and became used to the whallop I shot a 300 Wby Mag. And I can tell you from personal experience that recoil on a .308 shooting milsurp ammo is a BB gun compared to a heavy gr 300Wby punch. I thought the @#$% thing had blown up till my eyeballs stopped rattling long enough to see the owner laughing at me.

 

[natman]

Sounds like your cousin has a case of MMM - Military Magic Mystique. A 300 Weatherby launches a 180 grain bullet a whopping 510 fps faster than the same bullet weight in 308.


300 Weatherby Magnum 3080 fps

308 Win. (7.62x51mm) 2570 fps.

So, yes, all else being equal a 300 Weatherby kicks a LOT more than a 308.

There are at least five 30 caliber loads that are more powerful than a 308 and lots of other caliber loads that are more powerful.

 

[MGD 45]

How about you make him look up the two cartidges on Wikipedia where he can see the difference in case size & obvious powder charge level....it will also show him the muzzle velocity & kinetic energy of similar bullet weights.....but when he see that the Weatherby has more.....he'd have to be a moron to think it doesn't kick harder.

 

[ArmedBear]

Just see if you can borrow one (without a muzzle brake -- Weatherby muzzle brakes do reduce the recoil down to .308 levels). Let him take one shot with the .300 Weatherby from the bench. It should be amusing.

The .308 is at the low end of the performance scale, compared to just about anything else used for hunting in a turnbolt. That doesn't mean it won't kill a deer, just that every other common hunting round shoots flatter, hits harder, or both. Recoil of the .308 is neither low, nor high. Some rounds kick less; many kick more.

The .300 Weatherby, OTOH, is harsh on the shoulder. The combination of high velocity and decent bullet weight mean a good, hard slam. There are certainly rounds -- many of them also Weatherby Magnums -- that kick harder, some a LOT harder, but none of them are particularly common.

 

[Runningman]

$20 on the line.

Your cousin just lost $20

 

[ants]

Just buy him another beer and let him live his life his own way.
Between cousins, let him keep his 20 dollars.
It doesn't matter that he's wrong about recoil.
Correcting him won't change his life any.

 

[cz85cmbt]

Here's your proof, do not pass go, collect 20 cash
http://www.chuckhawks.com/recoil_table.htm

here you will find the load, muzzle velocity, weight of gun, and how many foot pounds of recoil are delivered and how fast that recoil hits you. In your case the .308 is a lighter gun and the .300 still has more recoil

 

[Arkel23]

I showed him reloading data, but he's hunting in Alabama right now, and doesn't have decent computer.

 

[Arkel23]

And Armed Bear, I plan to let him shoot my 300 Why sometime soon!!

 

[Geno]

Actually, the .300 Wea Mag with 180 grain, factory loads will chrono at a solid 3,250 FPS, and hand loads can exceed 3,400 FPS. Let him shoulder each and learn. My first Mark V was a .300 Wea Mag. It'll say hello to ya.

The pounds of perceived recoil is right in the range of 50 pounds for the .300 Wea Mag, and the .308 Win is right around 18 pounds (depending on projectile weight and velocity. Why stop at $20.00?! Bet him a box of your favorite Wea ammo that the .300 is harder hitting than the .308!

Geno

 

[Bobarino]

i would say do the actual math and dazzle him but if he's ignorant enough to think what he does, i think the math would be lost on him. the only way to prove it to him is to let him shoot each for himself. oh, and don't tell him about eye relief of scopes.

 

[scythefwd]

Just take him out and let him put about 10 rounds down the barrel... wearing only a T-shirt. If he still believes that it is weaker than the .308... give him the 20 bucks... he'll need it for the ice pack

Seriously... if reloading data wouldn't convince him... nothing will. The numbers are right in front of his face. If he chooses not to believe them... you can't win. You don't have to lose, but you won't change his mind.

 

[Geno]

I stand corrected, the .300 Wea Mag's recoil is (according to Weather.com) 39.2 pounds. Here is their link to the muzzle breaks. The .30-06 Sprg is listed at 18.4 pounds. http://weatherby.com/product/accubrake


While I'm at it, I may as well post Williams Gun Site link for their muzzle break as well (bottom of the page): http://williamsgunsight.com/gunsmith_service_michigan.htm

Geno

 

[Arkel23]

Scythe, his computer won't let him pull up the site. Kyle, LOL that's what I should do. But now hebsays they have the same recoil , he's a lost cause.

 

[TCB in TN]

Just see if you can borrow one (without a muzzle brake -- Weatherby muzzle brakes do reduce the recoil down to .308 levels). Let him take one shot with the .300 Weatherby from the bench. It should be amusing.

Nah, let him shoot it prone!

 

[scythefwd]

Arkel23 - The reloading data is out there. Go to a gander mountain or some place and pick up Modern Reloading off the shelf. Look at both cartridges right there in the book. Like I said, he isn't going to agree... so let him put half a box or so down range of the full house stuff. Even better if you reload and put a little extra mustard on them. Once the bruising has gone down, do the same with .308. He will be able to tell the difference. I don't think either are unpleasant to shoot, but if .308 is all he has ever shot he is in for a big surprise. IF he has fun with the .300 wby mag... take him out to do some prone shooting with a shotgun Federal truballs have some pop on them and I actually think they kick harder than the .300 wby mag I shot (different rifles, different ergonomics, different weights, and way different butt pads).

 

[gun crazy newfie]

Here's my opinion on what you should do, just look at him and smile every time he says that the 308 has more recoil, or you can pass him a 460 Weatheby and get him to try that out and see if the 308 has more recoil than that one...lol.

 

[wishin]

Since the objective isn't accuracy, let him fire from both shoulders, with the .308 on one side and the .300 on the other (not at the same time). That should give him a good, objective comparison. Ask him first if he wants to double-down the bet.

 

[Geno]

I say slip a .460 Wea Mag outta the case and hand that to him. He'll howl so loud his ancestors will hear him. <<That was wrong, wasn't it?>>

Geno

 

[Arkel23]

He'll howl so loud his ancestors will hear him. <<That was wrong, wasn't it?>>

Not at all!! I've just given up on him and will claim my money. His shoulder will be black and blue from one shot from the 460 Wby, and he'll say the .308 has more recoil.

 

[noob_shooter]

not as dumb as when my buddy said i couldn't drop him at 100 yards using my 17hmr rifle

 

[Maverick223]

There are a great deal more cartridges that are much more powerful and therefore have more recoil. Here are a few photos for comparison:


.308 is in the center; more powerful cartridges to the left, less to the right; bonus points for anyone that can name all of the cartridges included.

Photo at bottom is only .300Wby. Mag. (on left), and .308Win. (on right):