I want a new 300 magnum but which one?

[excaliber]

I'm in the market for a Gun. After reading tons of posts here I still can't decide. I'm looking for a caliber big enough for Elk and Shots out to 500 yards or so.
Right now I have an older 30-06 but I want a 300 magnum of some kind. I've seen the ballistic charts and the 300 win mag, 300 Weatherby and 300 RUM are all relatively close. I'm leaning towards the Remington 700, either the SPS or XCR. I'm not going to reload.

I'm looking to put a Leupold VX3 4.5x14 on it with the B&C reticle but unsure of whether I should go 40 or 50 MM and also AO if I go with the 50.

What do you guys who shoot these guns think? Any likes or dislikes over one or the other?

 

[257Tony]

TO me it all depends on how recoil sensitive you are, and whether or not you like muzzle brakes. The RUM in a hunting weight rifle with no brake is very, very stout in the recoil department so keep that in mind if you don't want a brake.

The 300 WIn. is the better all around for most people, IMO. Recoil is stout but not unbearable, hits plenty hard and is easy to load for, also doesn't consume powder like Rosie at Chuck-a-Rama.

Now cue the RUM defense force lol....

 

[Boskee]

They're all great like you stated... But I'm partial to the .300 Winny Mag because supplies are larger, it's accurate as hell and it doesn't kick to make most guys uncomfortable w/o a brake. For what you described it's a perfect fit. The accuracy is ledgendary and ammo and componets can be found in most gun shops. The .300 has a ton of factory loadings from which to choose which today can be a good thing.

The scope objective size choice is yours alone to make, either will work well. Given the coatings on most upper end scopes the 40 Vs 50 debate isn't really as big a deal as it used to be but there still is a difference. Either of them would be a great choice and give you good service at that price point. You need to look thru both of them at dusk and see if you can tell any difference because it's only beneficial if you can see the difference. The componets you are looking at will build you a nice system capable of taking anything in the US. It's marginal to some on the big bears but with the quality of bullets we have today it's really a moot point. Hope this helps a bit because in effect you can't really go wrong with any of them.

 

[Spencer]

Get either the Rem 700 XCR or the new Winchester Model 70 stainless in .300 Win Mag. Top it with a 3-9x40 Zeiss Conquest (bought from Doug @ Cameraland) with the Z-Plex ballistic reticle.

Scott
Member: RMEF, SCI, NRA, and TU

 

[BuckSnort]

>They're all great like you stated...
>But I'm partial to the
>.300 Winny Mag because supplies
>are larger, it's accurate as
>hell and it doesn't kick
>to make most guys uncomfortable
>w/o a brake. For what
>you described it's a perfect
>fit. The accuracy is ledgendary
>and ammo and componets can
>be found in most gun
>shops. The .300 has a
>ton of factory loadings from
>which to choose which today
>can be a good thing.
>
>
> The scope objective size choice
>is yours alone to make,
>either will work well. Given
>the coatings on most upper
>end scopes the 40 Vs
>50 debate isn't really as
>big a deal as it
>used to be but there
>still is a difference. Either
>of them would be a
>great choice and give you
>good service at that price
>point. You need to look
>thru both of them at
>dusk and see if you
>can tell any difference because
>it's only beneficial if you
>can see the difference. The
>componets you are looking at
>will build you a nice
>system capable of taking anything
>in the US. It's marginal
>to some on the big
>bears but with the quality
>of bullets we have today
>it's really a moot point.
>Hope this helps a bit
>because in effect you can't
>really go wrong with any
>of them.

Thats good sound advice right there.....

Disclaimer:
The poster does not take any responsibility for any hurt or bad feelings. Reading threads poses inherent risks. The poster would like to remind readers to make sure they have a functional sense of humor before they visit any discussion board.

 

[excaliber]

I haven't shot my -06 since 1998. It's an older Ruger Mark 2 with no recoil pad on the wood stock.
That gun used to bruise me up big time on the bench just sighting it in.
A friend shot it a few times and said it kicked more than his 300 & 338 win mags. I just laughed.
I bow hunt but having one really nice gun would be nice.

Thanks for the insight.

 

[Soregonhunter]

I would go with 300RCM darn good shooting gun.

 

[deepforks]

cabelas has a rem. 700 bdl on sale right now for $589. its got the XCR stock, a jeweled bolt, matte finish with a 26" fluted barrel. i bought one awhile back. i have never been a remington fan....until i bought it. first time out sighting in i am between 1/2" - 3/4" groups @ 100 yds. with factory ammo. cant wait to reload for it next year. dont think you can beat that gun for the money.

 

[redrabbit]

Either the 300 Winchester or 300 WSM would be good choices for an elk cartridge and provide a wide selection of factory ammo to choose from since you are not reloading. The Weatherby ammo price may be a factor to you. RUM has the recoil.

If 300 WSM, I'd look at a Kimber Montana. For a lighter rifle to carry, it handles recoil well.

For the scope, 40mm objective is fine. A 50mm will require higher rings and thus may tend to pull your cheek off the comb. I would KISS and not get an AO or side focus, unless the rifle is for prairie dogs or real long range. I like your choice of the 4.5-14x40 w/ BnC reticle.

 

[alp75]

I just bought a 300 RUM to replace my 300 wsm. The wsm is a great round, I just was never able to get the groups I wanted to out of it and I tried just about every factory round out there for it. I like you only wanted to use factory ammo and had a hard time getting decent groups with it.

I bought the Rum in a Remington Sendero and put a rifle basix trigger on it, had a muzzle brake installed and had it bedded. Don't let people tell you the brake is too loud. At the range you should be wearing ear protection and in the field you won't notice it on the one or two shots you take. Plus it makes my RUM kick like an 06.

I have tried three different factroy ammo with it. Federal premium w/barnes tsx 180 gr. Remington w/180 gr swift scirrocos and Double Tap w 200 gr accubonds.

The scirrocos shot horribly out my gun. 3" groups at 100 yards.

The Federal Premium w/ the barnes shot quite well. Right at 1" at 100 yards.

The Double Tap ammo shot excellent at 1/2" at 100 yards. All three touching.

You may actually be able to get a gun/ammo combination that works very well for you in 300 wsm, there are a lot of guys that have. I just wasn't one of them. I am however quite happy with the performance of my rum in the short period I have owned it(just a couple of months).

Good luck in your decision. If you have the extra money to throw at a trigger and a bedding job it is money well spent. I can't believe how much just a good trigger does for a gun.

 

[excaliber]

>cabelas has a rem. 700 bdl
>on sale right now for
>$589. its got the XCR
>stock, a jeweled bolt, matte
>finish with a 26" fluted
>barrel. i bought one awhile
>back. i have never been
>a remington fan....until i bought
>it. first time out sighting
>in i am between 1/2"
>- 3/4" groups @ 100
>yds. with factory ammo. cant
>wait to reload for it
>next year. dont think you
>can beat that gun for
>the money.
deep forks I just bought a 300 Win Mag in the same BDL model you have. After looking at ballistics and recoil I decided on the 300 Win Mag.

I looked at the XCR but decided the BDL was the way to go. Now I'm ready for the VX3 and I'll be ready to go.

Thanks to everyone for your imput.

 

[REDDOG]

Alp, It may not seem loud, but I would recomment ear plugs even when hunting if possible. I assure you its doing damage to your hearing!

This is coming from a guy who uses and likes brakes.

 

[deepforks]

i wont shoot without plugs regardless if there is a brake or not. that high pitch noise when youre done shooting aint a good thing.

 

[alp75]

Reddog, just curious, but do you actually wear plugs while out hunting? Do you wear them the whole time or just put them in prior to making the shot? I can't imagine actually walking around and hunting with them in and not being able to hear things around me. I always have the protection when out shooting, but have never carried plugs with me while hunting. Could you end up missing a shot while trying to put plugs in?

 

[REDDOG]

I wear them around my neck. the kind that has the plastic string, I lengthen the string, then tie a knot in them, loosely around my neck. Normally I have time to shove them in, if not they don't get used. it takes about two seconds to put em in.

 

[NVJOHN]

300 win mag hands down recoil is not bad at all I dont mind spending all day at the range with mine

nvjohn

 

[NMRaptor]

I won't comment much on the rifle, but I like your scope consideration. I have a 4.5-14x40 VXIII with the B&C Reticle on my 7mm Weatherby Ultralight and think the setup is great. This is my second favorite scope in my gun cabinet though. My favorite is the 4.5-14x40 VXIII with the Varmint Hunter Reticle atop my Rem .243.
-Raptor

 

[HuntElk4Fun]

+1

Can't help with the gun decision, but had 2 VXIII 4.5-14's w/ B&C... one in a 40mm and one in a 50mm. Sold the 50 in a heartbeat. 50 is bulky and not needed. Saw little to no difference between the two. Go with the 40mm all the way! Also, the B&C is great. Once your done with your setup, email Leupold with your zero and ballistics and they will give you the yardages for the ticks and crosshairs.

 

[Foreman4x4]

I like short actions, low mounted scopes, and total weight under 7.5 lbs all up, so my choice was a Kimber Montana .300 WSM, Leupold VXIII 2.5-8x36mm w/M1 elevation turret, mounted in Talley LW's.