gun recommendation

GrandpaNasty · Jul 14, 2004

Right now I use a .270 which is small for future plans. Looking into brown bear and moose hunt. Would also use the gun for elk when I travel out west. Considering 30-378, .338 and 340. What do you feel would be the best. I have not looked into the good and bad of each yet. any opinions would be helpful, thanks.

30inchbucks · Jul 14, 2004

I would recommend the 300 Weatherby Mag. I feel this is the best overall caliber for all North American big game. The only reason I could think of that you would need anything bigger would be going on a safari in Africa or something. Even then the 300 Weatherby would do just fine. It packs one powerful punch and has even been used on elephants. It is also very flat shooting. Take a look at the ballistic tables and you will see for yourself that it is very tough to beat it's versatility.

berto · Jul 14, 2004

30inch may be right, but i use a .338 mag for elk and if i ever get to go after a moose i think my .338 will be perfect. i shoot a 225 gr hornady spire point with 69 gr of imr 4350...packs alot of "whop" so i can "reach out and touch" an elk from across a drainage.

kingfish · Jul 14, 2004

If I could only have one rifle for all North American big game it would be a 300 weatherby mag....

ICMDEER · Jul 14, 2004

Your options have penty of recoil. Any of them will work. All I can do is suggest that you get some sort of recoil-reducing system. I shoot a 300 Win mag and feel like it is my best buddy. I would use it on anything but brown bear. I've shot a couple of moose and plenty of elk with it and it has not let me down.

Good luck GNasty.

Taqukaq · Jul 14, 2004

A 300 win. mag will do ya (I'm not a weatherby fan) I use a 375H&H for Brown Bears and Moose but I probably could use the 300win.mag. If your gonna do more elk hunting than Brown Bear/Moose hunting you'll get by with the lighter gun. But if your interest are the other way around I'd get some thing with a little more punch.

~Jeff~

Jake_Sorensen · Jul 14, 2004

LAST EDITED ON Jul-14-04 AT 03:45PM (MST)[p]I use a 300 win. and would feel confident on using it on anything, but I would be a little causious using it on the brown bear, I think the .338 is the best all around gun for anything that can be hunted in north america, I just think it is best because you could use it for elk, bear, moose, all those things would probably be a little to much for deer but I know quite a few people that do carry the .338 for everything, I just think you would get more use for your money, but just an opinion.

Jake

GrandpaNasty · Jul 14, 2004

Thanks for the good info fellas. Do you recommend porting the barrel for recoil? I'm not a particularly big guy and have lost some bulk over the past several years.

264Magnum · Jul 14, 2004

porting does wonders on taming recoil, but wear ear plugs cause those things are friggin loud. i'd try a good recoil pad first.

__________________________________________________________________
There are three reasons to own a gun. To protect yourself and your family, to hunt dangerous and delicious animals, and to keep the King of England out of your face. -- Krusty the Clown

RANGERCON · Jul 14, 2004

.300 RUM would be my choice.

ELKMASTER101 · Jul 14, 2004

300 WIN MAG,
But remember to pick it up in the Winchester package.
stainless and synthetic stock.
180 grain partition golds and your set for hair to bear.
or mouse to moose.

kingfish · Jul 15, 2004

I would never recommend a muzzle break of any kind. The fellas I know that have done it were sorry they did...If you can't take recoil don't buy any 30 calibers...

GrandpaNasty · Jul 15, 2004

kingfish
the guide I'm booking with has a 30 caliber minimum. I wouldn't want to shoot a brown bear with my .270 either. Why do you not like muzzle breaks, just curious.

ELKMASTER101 · Jul 15, 2004

GrandpaNasty,
How did you get that name?
My guess is you slip the grandkids the toung whe you kiss them,
and it doesn't matter boys or girls.
or on the other hand you just full of gas.
OLD gas,
my step.grama us to try to slip me the toung,
she'd clasp her hands on my cheeks and try tio force her toung in,
I finaly just bit the bit*&,
Now that was nasty.

whtailtaker · Jul 15, 2004

A bad day hunting ain't bad-Ain't life grand
You only go thru life once- so get it right!!

first before I bought a new 'cannon' I would look at ballistics and next recoil - maybe find someone with a 300 Win Mag, 338 Win Mag or whatever you are thinking about buying and see if you can shoot a few round with each- because if you develope a flinch with a bigger calibre in anticipation of the kick you ain't doing yourself a favor nor the game animal either!

have read stories of big game hunts 'per guide/PH' where the hunter used a rifle he flinched with and ends up gut shooting the animal or worse

good luck on your next rifle

kingfish · Jul 15, 2004

Grandpa, My hunting partner had a muzzle break installed on his 300 and now he flinches more from the noise then the recoil..I always wanted to try one but have not heard of many good expiriences with them.. Many Grizzly have been killed with 270's. Don't tell me it's not enough gun. Shot placement is more important then caliber....

Gator · Jul 15, 2004

Well there is alot of good things said about the 300 Me I really like the 30-378 and I use to shoot one without a brake and one with, Well Now they BOTH have brakes and I love them shooting them both. Last weekend both guns shot about 2" groups at 300yds so I guess that is good enough for me. One is a Sako and one is a Wthby one fluted and one is slimline barrel. I shoot 165gr Bal-tip out both guns around 3500fps Everyone who has shot this guns say they kick about like a 30-06 . I have a buddy who has a lot of different guns and he has one for sale This is a BEAR GUN it's a 338-378 Wthby and this gun is a naildriver, if I had the cash it wouldn't be for sale.

RANGERCON · Jul 15, 2004

I would like to re-qualify my earlier post. "IF" you reload, go for the .300 RUM. Really hard to find .300 RUM factory ammo.

I love the .300 Winnie too. But, the .300 RUM is really superior to me.

littlebuck · Jul 15, 2004

Whatever you get make sure it has a ultra or super or something like that in the name you will shoot tons better! I went from a plain old disc to a super disc now I am a dead I.