I'm stuck on buying a nice .300 winchester magnum but not sure what manufacturer I want. Budget is definetely not high end. Possibly rifle first then scope. Maybe 600 for each? Used is also an option.
Stainless Savage with synthetic stock. I've had good luck with savage high powers. Good value and usually shoot lights out.
Years ago my buddy had a Weatherby .300 Win Mag and it was a nice gun! I had both my Remington 700 BDL in 7 mag and a Winchester .338 Win mag. I can tell you, the .338 is a round you don't want to play with at the range all day because it will hurt you. The 7 mag I would down load it and shoot 146 grn. Hornady's (I believe) for practice but for elk I would shoot a 175grn Nosler partition. I don't know what the price ranges are now but I am sure that you can pick up a BDL for around $600 or so. It really depends on what animal you want to hunt. Elk, caribou, black bear and those size of animals will succumb to a 7 mag pretty easy. Moose, now you might want the .300 or possibly .338 as they are one big animal. I always wanted to hunt big bear so that's why I had the .338 but never got the chance. But the .338 for big bear is a minimal round and I would recommend going bigger for the brownies. A .375 will do the job nicely. Figure out the animal and then make your choice for the type of rifle you desire is my recommendation. Tommy
Weatherby Vanguard comes in 300 Win Mag. They have guaranteed SUB-MOA accuracy. You should be able to get the basic model for less than $600. I've been considering one in 25-06. If you get one you can tell me if it measures up. If it does............... http://www.weatherby.com
I love my 25-06 but need more metal down range. I'd also like to build it out to be more tactical than just a hunting rifle.
I own a Remington 700 in .270 Winchester that pleases me. I have owned two Ruger 77s 1st model (in .30-06 and 7MMx57) that pleased me. If you intend to use the .300 Win Mag for dangerous game, the experts say you need controlled feed. The Ruger 77 MKII has controlled feed. (I am very much not an expert.)
Ooh, this one is sweet but is a 30-06. http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=516980178#PIC And this one is just down the road but its a .338 mag. Price seems high but I do want a 24 in barrel. http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=517513667#PIC
I own a Remington 700 BDL chambered in 7mm Rem Mag...bought it in 1980. It's a flat shooting cartridge and has relatively tolerable recoil... with bullet weights from 110 grains to 175 grains ...It will drop anything on this continent with authority....
Well wowsers, I'd like this weatherby but lord is that pricey! http://www.weatherby.com/products/rifles/mark-vr-arroyotm-rc.html
Yeah, if reaching out is more important to you than quick handling, even the .270 Winchester gains some valuable 'point blank' reach from adding that 2" of barrel. That would be a plus in your area. Where I am, 250 yards clear is rare -except for power lines sometimes. (I see that .30-06 is gone already.)
I had a .270 ruger bolt, loved it but sold it. I'm into reaching further out. I always wanted to be a sniper too. hehe
Then the 7mm Rem Mag is the way to go.... It would drop the aforementioned game at distance easily... and two legged perps would NOT be a problem either... Been to Arizona a few times...nice state !!
If I remember right a 7mm has the best ballistic coefficient of all calibers. All though I have a 300 I would not use it for deer size game unless I was shooting very long range out west. I shot one deer was a Rem 8mm Mag, a while back, and what a waste of meat. I sold the rifle.
Elmer Keith professed that the .270 rifle was all you needed to hunt any game in North America. Factually he is correct however it depends on the kill zone and bullet placement. I always tended to disagree with his thinking because when hunting elk and bear, I always wanted a humane kill. I did not want the animal to suffer. Granted you will not always get that kind of shot, but you try to work yourself around to get a good "kill zone" shot. A .270 is a great rifle for mule deer and animals that size. However for elk, and for long distance shooting I always preferred my 7 Mag and 175grn. Nosler partition bullets that I hand loaded. A .300 is a good elk round also but I also know of an instance where the .338 proved to be too much for an elk. We were in New Mexico and a friend of mine borrowed a .338 and shot a bull elk, bullet passed through the heart/lung area and hit another elk. We were on tribal land and had to get a tribal game warden to come down and verify that he did not poach the elk (the 2nd one down). I believe he was shooting a 220 grn bullet if my recollection is right. For big horn sheep and elk the 7 mag will do a fine job as will the .300 mag. However most hunters will want to preserve as much meat and antlers/horns if possible and should a head shot occur both calibers will have a devastating effect. If you are meat hunting only, then a head shot is the best way to go and you haven't lost much meat. Sometimes a larger caliber is not always the most effective way of taking an animal. A 7mag or .300 will reach out to 400 yrds. and still give you a good kill although that is a long shot. It can be done! Big horn sheep have a smaller kill zone so my intention would be to move in as close as possible but bighorns like their space and they will go high to get away from a hunter if you are spotted. Just MHO only! Tommy
Jack O'Connor was the #1 .270 Winchester cheerleader, for game up to elk/eland anyway. If you are willing to pass up shots that don't fit your gun/skill capability, he must still be right - and the bullets are much better now than they were in his day. O'Connor was a fine read on rifles and hunting; heavy on facts, light on ego, and a good story teller.
