Would you own a 300 Win Mag if you didn't hunt? Details inside, I need your opinion

[Stopsign32v]

Well son and I want to get into long range shooting. I've always loved a Remington 700 and he wants a 308. If you look back at this thread I made about his choice... https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/best-308-for-600ish.926385/page-2#post-12795680

I was planning on a Ruger, then a Howa, but I've always loved a Remington. So I'm about 98% sure I want to get him a new Timney trigger Remington 700 in 308, which would be a short action. That takes care of him but I still don't have a rifle.

We will be shooting 100 yards and working our way out to 1000 yards eventually and just having fun. Neither of us hunt and outside of shooting at the range, I guess these rifles would be backup for Zombie sniping if the world ever ended and we were left alive. I've always wanted a M24 and was planning to piece together over time a M24 out of a new Remington 700 in 30-06. I reload and will probably never put factory ammo through either of our rifles. I was planning on a 30-06 because I really like 30cal and didn't plan on getting a 308 until my son showed interest. So with that being said, I'll be able to shoot his 700 as well so now I'm rethinking the 30-06 and I've also always wanted a 300 Win Mag. But would this be a stupid move? We won't shoot that much. Realistically, I'm guessing here...500 rounds yearly through each rifle.

I plan to start out cheap and always did and get a 700 ADL, buy a new M24 barrel later, HS stock, etc etc... So between 30-06 and 300 Win Mag, which would you do if you had access to a 308?

P.S. 300 Win Mag is badass

 

[dh1633pm]

I have a Remington 700 milspec in 300 winmag. Haven’t shot it much. Did install a Timney, a Vortex Viper scope. It shoots nice, but mostly spends its ti e in darkness. Was thinking about giving it to my son. H&S stock is nice. Threaded barrel.

 

[W.E.G.]

300 Win. Mag. is pretty unpleasant to shoot.

308 does most of what one man would ever need to do with a rifle.

But sometimes, you just WANT the ability to hit something harder than you can with a 308. And that's your business. If you want it, you want it for your reasons. Doesn't matter what I think.

 

[dh1633pm]

I didn’t find the recoil excessive, but I also shoot shotgun a lot plus my 45-70. Add in a heavy barrel and it’s not so bad. It doesn’t have to be loaded full speed. Unless you reload, it’s also more expensive.

 

[silicosys4]

Nope. I sold mine for just that reason. Anything I need to hunt I can do with either a .308 or a .375H&H. Either is more pleasant than the 300winmag was.

 

[Ks5shooter]

OP you reload so......load it how you want the 300 WM to shoot .Lighter, heavier your choice.Better to have the option of faster loads than top out in another caliber.Yes I have a 300WM Savage 111 long range hunter.My 2cents.I like the Hornady 178 grain ELD bullets.

 

[Hugger-4641]

30-06 is just a minor step up from 308. 300wm or 300prc would be my choice for what you say. My two 300win mags have less recoil than my 308. I have the X'bolt Pro Long Range and Rem 700 Long Range. Both have factory Cerakoted Stainless barrels with muzzle brakes. The X-bolt does group a little tighter, is lighter, but still not any more recoil than the 700.
300wm has an advantage at the moment in large factory ammo selection. The 300prc does not have a belted case, so it should be more user friendly for reloading at some point.

 

[Ed]

I used to have a 300 win mag. I don’t remember anything about the recoil being bad. That said, I’d be looking at how much powder you would use for each. It’s only getting more expensive.

 

[AJC1]

If you hand load and just punch paper why even mess with something brutal like a 300wm. A 6br or bra will do everything better without beating you to death. A big magnum is all about terminal performance, that paper or steel could care less about.

 

[dh1633pm]

@Ed good point about the powder. The 300 does use more.

 

[Stopsign32v]

OP you reload so......load it how you want the 300 WM to shoot .Lighter, heavier your choice.Better to have the option of faster loads than top out in another caliber.Yes I have a 300WM Savage 111 long range hunter.My 2cents.I like the Hornady 178 grain ELD bullets.

That's pretty much what I was thinking. Load it down to say 2600fps give or take and have all the room to make impressive loads if I want!

 

[Stopsign32v]

I used to have a 300 win mag. I don’t remember anything about the recoil being bad. That said, I’d be looking at how much powder you would use for each. It’s only getting more expensive.

YES! This is an excellent point. Would probably end up shooting my son's 308 more than anything. But if I wanted the 300 would be there...? I mean I feel like I need a 300 Win Mag M24 in my life.

 

[1948CJ2A]

I don't own a 300 Win Mag, but I do have a 300 Weatherby Mag. It's rather unpleasant to shoot more than a handful of times using medium to heavy weight bullets and moderate charges. I would think for long range target shooting, there would be better choices, but I'm a hunter and not a long range target guy.

 

[Stopsign32v]

I don't own a 300 Win Mag, but I do have a 300 Weatherby Mag. It's rather unpleasant to shoot more than a handful of times using medium to heavy weight bullets and moderate charges. I would think for long range target shooting, there would be better choices, but I'm a hunter and not a long range target guy.

I wonder what the recoil would be comparable to. The most unpleasant thing I've shot would be my Benelli M2 18" with buckshot. Not terrible but it's a decent kick in the shoulder.

 

[Hugger-4641]

Cost is a valid point. 300wm for example gets about 100rds+- per/ lb of powder. If all you're doing is ringing steel at 1000yds, 6br, 6prc, 6.5prc, would all be more economical if that's a concern.

 

[Hugger-4641]

I wonder what the recoil would be comparable to. The most unpleasant thing I've shot would be my Benelli M2 18" with buckshot. Not terrible but it's a decent kick in the shoulder.

300 Weatherby mag and 300Rum are a big step up in recoil from 300wm. A light 300wm like a Tikka without a muzzle brake is not a pleasant experience, but I can shoot my X-bolt and 700lr all day. I took them to the range last week and put about 30rds each down range with no issues. This was in addition to about 30rds each of 6.5cm from my 110 and .308 from my Ruger Predator.

 

[Stopsign32v]

Cost is a valid point. 300wm for example gets about 100rds+- per/ lb of powder. If all you're doing is ringing steel at 1000yds, 6br, 6prc, 6.5prc, would all be more economical if that's a concern.

6.5PRC is minimum load of about 50gr of powder give or take. But that caliber doesn't interest me or any 6X caliber. I love some 30cal

300 Win Mag mild loads from what I've seen with 4895 are around 45gr of powder give or take (NOT PUBLISHED LOAD, USE AT OWN RISK). Now light loads in a magnum are not anything to do incorrectly so take that with a grain of salt but that is what I've read from what people have said. But even from Hodgedon's site they have some 168gr over 4895 @ a starting load of 55gr.

 

[tarosean]

Either is more pleasant than the 300winmag was.

Neither can reach out like 300WM either.. like comparing apples and oranges. Sure they are both fruit, butttttt.

Personally I will keep a 300WM in the stable till I can no longer hunt.

 

[AJC1]

I wonder what the recoil would be comparable to. The most unpleasant thing I've shot would be my Benelli M2 18" with buckshot. Not terrible but it's a decent kick in the shoulder.

Recoil is a combination of bullet weight and powder mitigated by the weight of the rifle.... felt recoil is highly impacted by stock geometry and any muzzle devices. Hugger-4641 has an incredible muzzle break on his 300wm. Starting charges in my 45-70 make that thing act like an easy shooter. None of those are fun shooting for range play. A 6-7mm bullet heavy for good bc will be way more fun than a 175+ 30 cal loaded hot for long range for 50 shots at the range.... a 7x57 or 7x51 with a 160 class bullet will match a 180 class bullet in a 30 cal and be way easier on your shoulder. A 140 class bullet in a 6.5 or a 100 class in a 6mm. The recoil energy is no where close

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

I have many guns i don't hunt with. I love to shoot them on the range. Even with 30.06 i have a pump for hunting and a bolt action for ringing steel.

 

[Hugger-4641]

6.5PRC is minimum load of about 50gr of powder give or take. But that caliber doesn't interest me or any 6X caliber. I love some 30cal

300 Win Mag mild loads from what I've seen with 4895 are around 45gr of powder give or take. Now light loads in a magnum are not anything to do incorrectly so take that with a grain of salt but that is what I've read from what people have said. But even from Hodgedon's site they have some 168gr over 4895 @ a starting load of 55gr.

I've never seen any published 300wm loads less than 53gr, and that was for a 110gr bullet. Where are you finding one at 45gr?

 

[Stopsign32v]

I've never seen any published 300wm loads less than 53gr, and that was for a 110gr bullet. Where are you finding one at 45gr?

It wasn't a published load, something someone said on the forums. In fact I edited my post to reflect that.

More I think about it, the more I wonder if the 'want' makes it make sense or not. But I don't want another 308 and I don't want to go away from 30 cal I don't think either.

 

[Hugger-4641]

Hugger-4641 has an incredible muzzle break on his 300wm

I do on another one , m72 severe duty.. But both of the ones I mentioned earlier are still radial brakes that came stock.

 

[Litetrigger]

As a matter of fact, I happen to have two .300 Win Mags that I never have, and never will, hunt with. But I have shot them a lot in 1000 yard target competition, shooting from unsupported prone position with iron sights. One is built around a Pre-64 Winchester M-70 action with Douglas barrel. The other has a Shilen DGA Action with Shilen barrel and Roy Dunlap style prone stock. Warner sights on both.

 

[film495]

If the rifles were going to be used for the same purpose, I'd either get two rifles in the same cartrdige, or one rifle - in two chamberings, so two of the same rifle just each shooting their own beans. I'd probably want two of the same rifle, then you can learn from one and use that to tune them both and it will be the same, but if you handload, that is that much more handloading to work out. are you more interested in tuning the rifles or the cartrdiges they shoot?