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Old August 20, 2011, 03:19 AM   #51
bejay
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the op said he hunts waterfowl hes probably very familiar with high recoil from shotguns already probably more recoil on some of those loads than any magnum will likely even have.
but seeing as you have a 270 already I would probably go to a range or set up a range and sight it in for 200 yards and start practicing even at longer ranges like 300 yards if your comftorable with 300 and think you might need more range you should probably go ahead and get the magnum.
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Old August 20, 2011, 09:22 AM   #52
taylorce1
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the op said he hunts waterfowl hes probably very familiar with high recoil from shotguns already probably more recoil on some of those loads than any magnum will likely even have.
Shooting a shotgun at waterfowl is a lot different than shooting a rifle at the range. Most people start at a bench to test different ammunition/loads for accuracy, and this is where the flinch begins. At the bench you feel a lot more recoil than you'll ever feel shooting a shotgun or rifle from field positions. I know I can sure shoot a lot more rounds out of my elk rifles from the offhand, kneeling or sitting than I can prone or off the bench. Plus I've never noticed recoil while hunting, but your body will react instinctively if you have developed a flinch prior to going hunting.

Anyway the OP has a handle on it with the advise given and should be able to decide for himself if he still wants a .300 WSM.
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Old August 20, 2011, 10:03 AM   #53
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elk rifle

I can't believe nobody said anything about the good ol 8x57mm mauser, 200grns @2700 fps with a ballistic reticle scope(100-500yrds), mild recoil and plenty of power. just my .02 cents. ask any european hunter about the mauser !
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Old September 13, 2011, 05:58 PM   #54
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Another vote for the 30-06. A 338-06 or 35 Whelen (especially the Ackley versions) would be slightly better for marginal shots, but would be more expensive and have slightly more recoil.

A 180-200 grain premium bullet @ 2700+ fps will do the job nicely with manageable recoil and weight.
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Old September 26, 2011, 05:37 AM   #55
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I've had very good luck with my .308 carbine shooting 180 grain ammo.

TR
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Old September 26, 2011, 10:04 AM   #56
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Every year ( about this time ) people line up at our local cabelas for their new "elk rifle"...Then after about one box of ammo that same rifle is back at cabelas - this time in the gun library. And this time it's not new, it just says " 338 etc with box, ..barely shot ".

http://www.chuckhawks.com/recoil_table.htm

I hunt elk with my 7mm-08 and 30-06. Just pick your bullet and shot well

Last edited by American Made; September 26, 2011 at 10:12 AM.
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Old September 26, 2011, 08:46 PM   #57
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Most of the posts have provided good advice based on experience with rifles. I have always used a .300 Winchester Magnum (NOT a .300 WSM) for elk hunting. I bought the .300 Win Mag for hunting elk because I didn't have a .280, .30-06, or 7mm Rem Mag. I had also been shooting and reloading rifle cartridges for more 30 years before getting the .300 Win Mag. My elk rifle shoots better than I do - better than 1 MOA with Nosler 180 gr Protected Point Partition bullets, so I don't regret my choice. (Two 5 x 5 bulls, each was a one shot kill).

However, I truly believe a bolt action .30-06 with a good variable scope (e.g., Leupold 2.5 X 8) shooting a quality 165 gr. bullet is the best combination for most (i.e., more than 50% of) elk hunters, and especially for those with some rifle hunting experience but no experience with rifles larger than .270.

Good luck - enjoy your hunt.
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Old September 27, 2011, 08:53 AM   #58
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Good post lefteye, makes sense to me. What bothers me is the forum attitude that everybody who buys a magnum is an idiot, and nobody can shoot one of them effectively. In the meantime I have seen a lot of elk killed with magnums as well traditional cartridges. The last really bad shooting I witnessed was with a 308 Win, and in general I haven't witnessed a correlation between bad shooting and cartridge. It's just that if it's a magnum it's the cartridge's fault, if not a magnum I guess it's something else.
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Old September 27, 2011, 09:13 AM   #59
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Quote:
i figured a magnum would compensate for making a bad shot from nerves or making a long shot.
No, in that case the magnums just extend the range that you wound the critter.

You can't over come poor marksmanship with bigger bullets.
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Old October 9, 2011, 04:30 AM   #60
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I was a 16 yr old kid with some money in my pocket when I walked into Mountain Armory to buy a Rem 700 in 270.Frank always had the customer test fire it out the back door.This .270 had a problem,it multiple fed,sort of like a stripper clip in reverse.
Well,darn!!I had money,wanted my gun,and he only had one .270.That is when he handed me the 7mm Rem mag.I bought it.
Fom Parker Distributors I bought a 3x Bushnell Command Post scope.
Then I learned various ways to fix my glasses after the scope broke them.The wire lace,melted through the plastic frame and goobered with epoxy was fairly solid.
Many years later,in part due to cavernous wound channels and messed up meat,I built a .257 Ackley.My shooting improved.
I still have a 7mm Rem,and a 30-338,and I make .375 Taylor by necking down .458 brass.I built the .375 as an Alaska bear deterrent.It carries good in the woods.I can shoot it,I can call my shots after multiple load development or sight in groups on the bench.It is my woods gun.I enjoy shooting it.But,I don't need it.If I selected my shots carefully,and used a good bullet,like a 110 Accubond or a 120 Partition,I would use my .257 with confidence on elk,BUT,I would be OK with letting a big bull walk away if I did not have the right shot.

The advise to try some other rifles ,if you can,is good.I won't knock the 300 mags,but for a lot of folks,they are too much..
Recoil is somewhat like hot peppers in your food.A lot of folks can work up to biting jalapenos,but few enjoy starting there.

If you can find PO Ackley's Handbook for Shooters,a guide named Les Bowman penned a chapter in there about elk rifles.Its a good read.

A 7-08,a 7x57,yeah,.260,6.5 x 55,270,280,300 savage,308,30-06,8x57,303 brit,30-40 Krag,with any of those,using a well constructed bullet,an elk hunter ,I'm saying,a hunter,can fill the freezer just fine.

For 90+% of the shots you are likely to get,they will give you the trajectory and power you need.10% or less of the shots will give you reason for the flat shooting long range magnum.

IMO,of course,the 30-06 is great.The 280/7mm express is an under appreciated cartridge,but a great one.So is the .270.So is the .308.I'd recommend any of them.

You do your part,and they will too.Unless,of course you do not see any elk.In that case,it is obviously time to buy a bigger gun!!Then,it is hard to beat a .338 Win.Fine elk killing cartridge!!
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Old October 9, 2011, 06:46 AM   #61
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No one could ever go wrong with a 30-06,
Short of the big bears.

If you handload the 30-06 is the most versatile
caliber there is.
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Old October 9, 2011, 07:31 AM   #62
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I would say a .300 Win mag over a .300 WSM due to lower cost ammo, more availability of it and more load data for it (if you handload).

In regard to recoil, you have to squeeze the trigger and surprise yourself. If you have shot .22's and developed the proper shooting technique you should be able to shoot a .300 mag but finding a friend with one to shoot first could save you alot of money.

Personally I think the recoil of a .300 is vastly over exaggerated.
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Old October 9, 2011, 09:04 AM   #63
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Quote:
No one could ever go wrong with a 30-06,
Short of the big bears.

If you handload the 30-06 is the most versatile
caliber there is.
No one need agree with me, but if I were going after elk, I would choose the 30-06 over any of the magnums. Too my mind the 30-06 with a 180 grain bullet is just about ideal. Any more recoil, any more cost of ammo because of the "belt", is a waste and distraction.

However, for smaller game (deer), even the 30-06 is way over-powered. However, this assumes that I have an '06. If I did not, I would just wait for an ideal shot and use, 7x57, .308, 7MM-08, .257, .260, etc.

If it was one of those "Elk Hunts" where fleeting groups of elk are pursued by out-of-breath hunters who blaze away from great distance with the latest super-magnums, then the cartridge is a moot point...I would not go.

Last edited by dahermit; October 9, 2011 at 09:09 AM.
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Old October 9, 2011, 11:22 AM   #64
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A hunter who can shoot a 7X57 or 6.5X55 well will harvest more elk than a hunter who is scared of his .300 mag. I've never had much problem with recoil. Muzzle blast bothers me much more than kick.
I find little difference in the recoil of a 30-06 and a 7mm mag.
A well placed bullet from any rifle considered a 'big game gun' results in a dead elk. Hunt with the rifle you can shoot well.
Just my .02

George
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Old October 9, 2011, 12:52 PM   #65
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Don't over do it

Unless you just really want a 300, I wouldn't get one. It's a good caliber but you just don't need that much gun. A 270 is a sufficient elk caliber. 308 is a good choice as well. But if you reall really want a mag, check out 7mm mag. But you really don't need anything bigger than that. But if you want a 300, get a 300.
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Old October 12, 2011, 09:06 AM   #66
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Everyone talking about being recoil shy and then saying to buy an 06....? They are not light on recoil by any means. If a 300 wm is to much for the op I do not think he will care much for the 06 either. If a shooter is truely that afraid of recoil then I would suggest a .260. And to tell someone that they do not need a "super magnum " or a 300 wm is way overkill and then in the same breath tout how the 30-06 is ideal is silly at best. There is not that much difference between a 300 wm and a 30-06 and certainly not enough to tout one as ideal and the other as too much. They shoot the same bullet but the min mag is flatter and faster for an additional 4 lbs of felt recoil 20.9 vs 24.3 lbs big deal !
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Old October 12, 2011, 09:41 AM   #67
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Quote:
looking at buying a magnum rifle for a possible elk hunt i am a rifle novice so I could really use some help I am leaning toward a 300 wsm
Ummm....

Quote:
Do yourself a favor and forget about a magnum rifle for hunting, especially since you are a rifle novice. Get something like a .270, 7-08, .308 or .30-06 and learn to shoot it. If you start with a magnum you are going to get some bad habits real quick and I'm not guaranteeing you will not still develop some with the chamberings I just mentioned.
^^^^This.

A .270 or .30-06 with heavy for caliber controlled expansion bullets will work, and practice ammo will not cost more than the gun, nor will it wreck your shoulder and induce a nasty flinch..... you were planning on practicing a lot, right? No sense in paying for a hunt, traipsing up and down mountains in thin air, only to blow the whole deal with a miss (or worse, a bad hit)!

Learn to shoot in field positions- the bench is fine for establishing the accuracy of the gun and scope, but you won't be carting that bench to the High Country ...... learn to get into stable positions quickly and make hits quickly ..... then work on getting your heart rate and breathing up and doing the same..... a military style sling, properly used, does wonders.
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Old October 12, 2011, 11:20 PM   #68
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A .270 or .30-06 with heavy for caliber controlled expansion bullets will work
Completely unnecessary.
A properly designed bullet placed in the proper kill zone doesn't need to be heavy. 130s and 140s would be fine in the .270*, and 165-168s would be fine in the .30-06*. (*provided they're properly constructed - I would be perfectly confident with a 140 grain Partition in the .270; anything "tougher" is just a bonus.)
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Old October 17, 2011, 07:49 PM   #69
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168 gr Barnes TTSX shot from a 308 Win, recovered under the skin on the rear quarter of a 300 points elk shot from the front. I call it maximal energy use in the target.
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