The .300 will certainly wear out barrels faster ;D

 

I have a .300 Weatherby mag (just a bit faster than the Win Mag) and, IMHO, it is more than enough for anything I would shoot and in many cases it is too much (if there is such a thing!). I don't hunt long distances in the west so the .300's ability to "reach out and touch something" is nice but I don't need it. I think the 30.06 is a fine round and covers a great deal of North American game and is a heck of lot cheaper to operate and feed. When my son graduates he is going to receive a 30.06 and not a .300 mag from me.

That being said, I love my .300 Weatherby mag! It is a hoot to shoot and stuff just gits dead real fast with it!

 

Little faster and flatter shooting. The average hunter would never wear the barrel out, I have a friend that has hunted with a Ruger M77 in 300WM since about 1977 and has taken moose, elk, sheep, antelope, deer.....

If the 300WM would have came out before the 30-06 I wonder how the two would be compared today. 8) The 300WM is just a 30-06 on steroids in my book, and a wonderful cartridge. If I did not have 338's and 30-06's I would have 300WM. To tell ya the truth if one comes my way and it's a good deal I will get it. ;D

 

Good points, Joe, I often forget about the average hunter's perspective, who don't put a lot of rounds down range.

 

Good points, Joe, I often forget about the average hunter's perspective, who don't put a lot of rounds down range.

You know my friend that has the 300WM is an above average hunter in a lot of ways. He shoots game every year, and he sights his rifle in every year, atleast he checks it. He bought the 300 used from and old man that I knew and he probably shot it a 100 times. I would be willing to bet that this rifle has been shot 2000+ times and still shoots well. The finish is long gone, but heck it's a hunting rifle. Keep the bore clean and they will last a life time.
We used to hunt furs togther and the 300WM is what he usually had, we did a lot of shooting back in those days.

 

Had a 300 WM & got rid of it ... I just didn't need its ballistics for my hunting. A fine rifle but it ain't a plinker! I tend to think there are a lot more magnums used than are necessary.

 

What is the benefit of owning a .300 win mag if I have a 30.06 at the moment. Or in other words what does the .300 acomplish that the 06 doesn't? Thanks .Dirty-.30

Burns more powder, kicks harder, shoots flatter, shoots further, and is way more gun that most folks need for deer. If I was consistently hunting things like elk and moose, or big bears, I'd probably go for something bigger, like a .338 mag. I think the 30-06 does just fine on the game I hunt.

 

What is the benefit of owning a .300 win mag if I have a 30.06 at the moment. Or in other words what does the .300 acomplish that the 06 doesn't? Thanks .Dirty-.30

The short answer is about 100 yards. Whatever the .30-06 will do, the the .300 WM will do the same thing about 100 yards farther out.

The difference between the two becomes more apparent with bullets over 180 grains. For 180's, 200's, and 220's, the practical difference between a .30-06 and a .300 WM is closer to 200 yards. What ever the '06 will do with a 200 grain bullet at 100 yards, the .300 WM will do about the same thing at 300.

If you have the .30-06, and it is a concern, do like Wyostillhunter says - get closer.

 

The .300 win magnum offers about 25% more energy down range over the 30-06. For average game at average range, this doesn't mean much. For larger game at distance, it gives you a bit more edge. My .300 win mag has a synthetic stock hence it's very light. With a Limbsaver recoil pad on it, recoil is very manageable. I don't go for the big .338 magnums. With the cost of ammo and recoil, unless you're some sniper wannabe, my .375 H&H will kill anything in North America at reasonable cost and recoil.

 

Thanks for all the replys.

 

The 375 is a bit larger in diameter than the 338 I do admit that the 338WM might have a tad sharper recoil than the 375H&H unless you talking about the 338 ultramag?

 

Ummmmmmmmm OK on the magnum! However, just learning to shoot a .300 Win mag effectively down range, inorder to take advantage of that extra 100 yards is going to be a chore to most who sit down at the bench for the first time. Let me expain what I mean, first the 30-06 generates some 23 felt pounds of recoil to the shoulder. The .300 Win mag will cause you to receive some 30 pounds of recoil to the shoulder. Now a mere 5-lbs of recoil is enough to break the camels back!!! Meaning you will start to FLINCH BIG TIME and that is a whole new ball game to recover from hunters.

As a young hunter I shot a .270 and moved up to the 30-06 thanks to Uncle Sam's waving his top hat. Yes, the US Army taught me well using an M-1 Garand rifle, 30-06 caliber. Now after I got out of the service in the 60's, I opted for something with longer range and harder hitting to use on elk out West. Nobody explained the ramafications of a bigger, faster moving bullet out of a magnum rifle to me back in those days.

It took me almost 2 years of steady practice (3 times a week----I had to heel up from the beating my torso was getting from the mag) before I was really able to shoot the .300 Win mag as accurately down range as the 30-06. I carried that .300 Win mag for over 20 years and decided to move on up to the .338 Win mag (after putting on some 35-lbs) and it too took me a good long time to be able to shoot that caliber of rifle once again as accurate as the .300 mag. Just so, some of you understand, that a magnum is not a sure cure for putting game on the ground, you still have to place that bullet into the vitals. The most important aspect of the hunt.

 

Right on Tonk. You hit the nail on the head. 8) It has been said tghat the 30-06 is the most gun the average man, you know the once a year hunter can handle reasonably well. Recoil from the bigger stuff will make him flinch every time and other lines of BS put out by some of the writers in the gun rags.
I well remember the first time I ever shot a .375 H&H Magnum. There was a gun writer, the late Gil Paust (Now that's going way back fellers. ;D) who shot at a pinty Whitetail Deer with one. Apparently he hadn't even sighted it in. Anyway, out hero trches one off at this poor little deer and several things happen. The deer, according to our hero is violently slammed to the ground, he's standong on a snow covered rock under a tree with lots of snow on the branches and according to him, the recoil kicks him off the rock while all the snow on that side of the tree lands on his sorry carcass. : In capitol letters he writes, "WOW! WHAT A KICK" I say wow, what a liar. However, when I shot my first round from that .375, I was expecting to be kicked completely off the bench, my shoulder bruised and the gun going flying. None of the above happened. I ggues he was one of the riters that the late Charles Askins call a guy with lace on his panties. ;D : : : : These days, I shoot stuff like the .416 Rigby from the bench. It ain't fun but you learn the tricks that remove as much of the pain as possible. I made up a stand that sits on the bench and held in place with "C" clamps. it allows me to bench rest the hard kickers standing up on my two hind legs. 8) It doesn't hurt as much that way. A few rounds with one of the big boys and even a .300 win. mag. seems like child's play. Now that my shoulder is a mess due to arthritis, I don't shoot the biggies as often as I used to. Guess I'll save that very expensive ammo in case a T-Rex decides to eat my dog. : When I bought it, it was $125 a box for 20 rounds. Now I see it at Midway for something like $212 and change. Well, I have 12 boxes, six softs and six solids. Now if I can win the lottery or an unknown rich uncle dies and leaves me a fortune, I might get to Africa one of these days. At my age, it's best happen very very soon.
Paul B.

 

I have had both and currently own a Remington 700 in 300 win mag, I love it.
As many have said already, it is flatter/farther/faster and extremely fatal at greater distances.
Mine is currently zeroed at 300 yds.

Having said that, an 06 in the hands of the right shooter (Carlos Hathcock) just simply forget everything I said! ;D

It really boils down to skill level and preference.

 

I have had both and currently own a Remington 700 in 300 win mag, I love it.
As many have said already, it is flatter/farther/faster and extremely fatal at greater distances.
Mine is currently zeroed at 300 yds.

Having said that, an 06 in the hands of the right shooter (Carlos Hathcock) just simply forget everything I said! ;D

It really boils down to skill level and preference.

The 300WM was the prefered choice of Hathcock, but from what I read he did use both the 06 and 300.

 

My 300 w.m. shoot like a 250 savage with a break on it . its lightr a stevens 200 fired 25 times ,shoot it with a tee shirt on .also wouldn't have a 30-06 just don't like it this is my words not anybody elses. i also used a 338 federal ,270 most plus the 270wsm the 270s are marlins love them. most of my shooting can and will be done with 30-30- or 35 rem or 444 or 45-70 have them also .just my 2 cents

 

Panama, I have met more guides out West who in fact use only the 7mm magnum as their weapon of choice for those long shots clients screw up on while hunting big game animals. It is easy to shoot and far less recoil than any .300 win mag. It has a good a range as any .300 win mag also. Being able to make that shot at 400 yards is a plus but if you flinch just a tad because of previous recoil problems, your big game animal will be in the next county no doubt.

 

I am not arguing that the .300 WM goes not have a lot of recoil energy, but I think the particular rifle makes a huge difference in the felt recoil. The most pain I have ever had shooting a rifle was with a surplus mauser in 7X57. The metal butt plate on that thing bruised the hell out of me. My Savage 111 .300 WM is not nearly as bad. Its probably a pound heavier and has a recoil pad.

 

ford, i guess you never fired an M-1 Garand right? I used to see young soldiers going in and out of the showers with purple and black bruises the size of your handprint on their shoulders from shooting that Garand at the rifle range. I honestly believe that is one of the reason they went to the .308 Winchester because it took that 5 or 6 pounds less in recoil away from their upper torso. They also became better marksmen too.

 

ford, i guess you never fired an M-1 Garand right? I used to see young soldiers going in and out of the showers with purple and black bruises the size of your handprint on their shoulders from shooting that Garand at the rifle range. I honestly believe that is one of the reason they went to the .308 Winchester because it took that 5 or 6 pounds less in recoil away from their upper torso. They also became better marksmen too.

That bruising and whatnot was from improper shooting technique. People that don't have a lot of experience or skill shooting rifles tend to be afraid of them, so they lean back away from them, or otherwise do not have the butt firmly seated into their shoulder. Of course this is the exact opposite of what you need to do to avoid turning the rifle itself into a projectile that punches you in the shoulder. People also tend to not put the butt of the rifle on the proper part of their shoulder.

The M1 Garand in .30-06 is a pussycat, with its excellent stock geometry, substantial weight for the round (most are over 10lb), and gas operation. Mine has never even given me the slightest hint of discomfort or soreness, metal plate to t-shirt, on a bench or slung up tight, and all.

 

I have used a 30-06 for deer hunting in WV and PA for 35 years. Actually, it's probably overkill for the areas I hunt and the distances I shoot. In those 35 years I have killed one deer at 400+ yards and one at 250+ yards with it. Most all of the others have been under 100 yards. So a 300 mag of any flavor would just be too much gun for my hunting. However, was I to hunt larger game, elk, moose, bear, at longer ranges, it could be the ticket, but I might bypass the 300 mags and go to a .338 mag.

 

Gentlemen, if we compare to exactly stocked rifles in the same weight etc. and then have a new shooter sitdown at the bench and fire them, one in a 30-06 calbier and the other in the 300 Win mag caliber, you can bet your last weeks paycheck that the 300 Win mag will kick more using the same weight bullets.

Also back in the days when I was a young recuit in Uncle Sams Army, firing a 30-06 Garand on the firing line and shooting a 100 plus rounds a session was painful to many who weighed in at less than 175 lbs. I weighed 150 by the way! Sitting-position was not so bad but standing in the fox-hole and shooting over a sandbag became painfull for many shooters and don't think for one minute it was improper shooting techniques either. If one of those Sgt. saw you were NOT holding or doing anything improper with that rifle in your hands, they jumped on you like a frog on a lilly pad.

The steel butt plate was the biggest detorant in causing the brusing to the shoulder's of recuits back then. Now being Macho had nothing to do with this problem or being able or not being able to shoot that weapon time after time on the firing range. I am pushing 70 years old and don't bruise like that way back when and by the way I shoot several "big bores" in calibers .458 mag, .458-Lott, 470-Capstick and a .470-Mogobo using a 600 grain bullet.

Now the introduction to the .308 on the firing line in the M-14 was a big plus for new recuits coming into the Amry or the Marines! Scores went up by 20% according to my old DI years ago. Later the bringing about of the .223 caliber just about made Experts out of all shooters and earned them the badge that states so. Today nobody sits down and shoots a 30-06 or 300 Win mag at the bench and goes through a 100 to 150 rounds!!! I see shooters before deer season every year at out gunclub and seldom do shooters, go through a box or two of ammo, 20 to 40 rounds.

 

Today nobody sits down and shoots a 30-06 or 300 Win mag at the bench and goes through a 100 to 150 rounds!!! I see shooters before deer season every year at out gunclub and seldom do shooters, go through a box or two of ammo, 20 to 40 rounds.

I do ;D Well, when you account for the M1 and the Mosin-Nagant, at least. Yeah, I see the same with most other folks at the range, I'm the only one that typically shoots from field positions at my range, too. Everyone else uses the benches.

You may have a point with the lighter folks, I wouldn't know from first hand experience. I've only been shooting an M1 Garand for a few years, and I'm 205, still in my 20's, and like to keep myself in good shape with strength trainings, so I have some decent natural padding on my shoulder.

 

Ryan, yes the weight factor and upper torso build will have a lot to do with how much recoil one can take, although over the years, I have seen some smallish people that could handle that recoil and more. One such friend of mine is 66 years old, weighs in at 155 and hunts elk and mule deer with his model 70 .375H&H. So there you go.

All I can say on this topic is simply this: I wish I had your youth, Obama's money and I'll stay with my looks that I had back in the 50's & 60's OK. You will find however, when you turn 60 or so, the fun of shooting the big kicking rifles seems to have faded away. Your body gets softer, even though you might work out some and your bones do get more brittle even if you take those calcium pills. I still shoot my FN Fal SA 58 model in .308 Wnchester caliber, mostly in those military positions but seldom shoot as much as I used to with the big bores.

 

Having said that, an 06 in the hands of the right shooter (Carlos Hathcock) just simply forget everything I said! ;D

It really boils down to skill level and preference.

The 300WM was the prefered choice of Hathcock, but from what I read he did use both the 06 and 300.

.300WM in long range competition in the US and .30-06 with 174 grain bullets in Vietnam.