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Old December 12, 2010, 01:36 PM   #1
deermaster
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Is the .300 Win Mag too big for whitetails?

I am looking at getting a new rifle, and have always wanted a 300 Win Mag. I will first off say I know is is not necessary, whitetails are easy to kill, and it will not make up for poor shot placement. I understand that. I want to get one because I have wanted that caliber for a long time, no other reason.
The thing is, if I get a new rifle, it will be become my main whitetail rifle, I dont hunt anything larger. What I mean by "too big" is will the bullet expand properly on a smaller deer? I have heard that some big calibers will not expand properly on smaller game, blowing right through and not shocking them, and therefore will not kill as quickly as a smaller caliber. Is this true? I dont care about meat damage. I shoot for the shoulder and even my little .243 will destroy the shoulders, a .300 will not be any worse. The price of losing a couple lbs of meat around the shoulders is well worth having the rest of the drop on the spot, or if it runs, not going far at all.

The size deer I normally shoot are adult does in the 100-130 lb range, and usually a mature buck or two in the 200-220 lb range.
I really appreciate any info.
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Old December 12, 2010, 02:23 PM   #2
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I havent shot that cartridge, but the Army is moving to it now. They are (along with Remington) redoing the sniper rifle for Army snipers. It will now be chambered for the 300 Win Mag. They are going away from the 308 / 7.62. I would guess if it opens enough on a human target in Iraq or Afghanistan it would work fine on whitetails.

I have actually been trying to decide what my next rifle will be. I would like to basically build a sniper rifle. I was planning on the 308 but now that the Army is going to the 300 Win Mag I have to do some research and figure out which way I am going to go.

Good luck
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Old December 12, 2010, 02:32 PM   #3
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I got a 300 win mag lil while back...and just got a 300 weatherby mag yesterday....I use a 30-06 for whitetail every year... which is also plenty big...but Ive always had good luck with bullet expansion at high velocities.
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Old December 12, 2010, 02:42 PM   #4
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No, its isn't too big and will be fine for whitetail.
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Old December 12, 2010, 04:04 PM   #5
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Ya its to big, but it will be fine for whitetails. There's no real point for deer, its not like they have flack jackets or anything.

I have ruger m77 (first model) that was my dads in 300 winmag, he shot it twice to try it out and I tried her out on one hunting trip, I actually wouldn't mind trading it to get a 243 instead, but it was the old mans gun so I have to keep it.

If I had to pick solely for deer, 308 would be nice.

Or just get a 45-70, and eat right up to the bullet hole.

Last edited by hickstick_10; December 12, 2010 at 04:18 PM.
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Old December 12, 2010, 04:28 PM   #6
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Army going to 300 win mag for snipers

There is no doubt the 300 win mag is a great LONG range tool. If you really want one go for it, especially if you plan to shoot your deer at 300 yds and beyond.

But here's a question for you. If your .243 is doing a great job on the deer and I know you can put a whole lot more .243 rounds comfortably in a shooting session than you will through a .300 win mag. then why change?

But it is really the same bottom line for all of us, if you really want one, then get it.

P.S. ....... be careful....... the only scope bite I ever got in my life was from a .300 weatherby mag that I was helping my brother sigt in.........
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Old December 12, 2010, 04:40 PM   #7
Archer 9505
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Is the .300 Win Mag too big for whitetails?

Short Answer: Nope.

I have shot a few whitetails with a .300 win mag. The last one was a doe (field dressed at 118lbs.) Using 180 grain Winchester Ballistic Silvertip. Performance was everything I could have wanted.
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Old December 12, 2010, 04:55 PM   #8
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A 300 Winchester Magnum is still a .30 caliber, just like a 30.06 or .308
It just has more powder behind it, so it travles faster.
It will work ok for Deer if thats what you want to use go for it.
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Old December 12, 2010, 05:03 PM   #9
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the 300 win mag is an excellent cartridge even if all you do is punch paper. my only hunting experience with my 300 win mag was hunting javalinas. i shot mine across a valley about 200 yards. it was broadside on the side of a hill. it seemed that the bullet knocked the pig uphill about 6 feet. it was like shooting a steel silhouette, the pig was still sideways but up the hill. the pig never moved or even flinched, it was like it was struck by lightening. when i skinned it there was a small entrance and exit hole but there was bruising and blood clotting around the bullet holes bigger than a paper plate from the shock.
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Old December 12, 2010, 05:09 PM   #10
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If you handload, you could make it do as little damage as you wanted to.
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Old December 12, 2010, 05:21 PM   #11
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Quote:
I have actually been trying to decide what my next rifle will be. I would like to basically build a sniper rifle. I was planning on the 308 but now that the Army is going to the 300 Win Mag I have to do some research and figure out which way I am going to go.
Well if you are basing your choice in rifle by the military I guess you would have to ask yourslef why the Marines are sticking with the 308. As a matter of fact they have accomplished kills in excess of 1300yds. At longrangehunting.com there is an excellent article on long range hunting with the 308.
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Old December 12, 2010, 06:16 PM   #12
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Man please the 300wm is a great deer round I've took lots of deer & hog with it. Just dont shoot the parts you want to eat. A bad shot will make a mess thats for sure but pic your shots its all good .
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Old December 12, 2010, 06:19 PM   #13
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A shooting friend uses a 30-06 or 300 Win Mag.

Deer in Northern Alabama are not that big. I think the average weight is just over 100 pounds, a big one is around 150 pounds.

Friend said the longest shot he made was 120 yards, based on a range diagram in a hunting blind.

I don't think he needs a 300 Win Mag for these deer and at that range. But it is not my decision.
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Old December 12, 2010, 08:25 PM   #14
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They will work fine on deer as well as at least 100 other cartridges. Buy what interests you.
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Old December 12, 2010, 08:35 PM   #15
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Is the .300 Win Mag too big for whitetails?
Absolutely. Not only are whitetails not able to carry a heavy rifle, they are tremendously recoil-shy, and will have trouble buying ammo becasue very few of them live past age 5. If your whitetail wants to try a few shots with your 300 Win Mag, then let him, but be careful.

The question should be "I want a 300 Mag. You got a problem with that?"
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Old December 12, 2010, 08:56 PM   #16
.300 Weatherby Mag
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Not a .300 win mag but the effect would be the same..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fYc8...eature=related
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Old December 12, 2010, 09:06 PM   #17
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I had one, but as I live in Florida where the longest shots are about 100 yards and the deer are only as big as German shepherds, it was way too much gun for me.

I consider it to be a .30-06 on steroids. It's best suited for long distance shooting, like 300 to 400 yards, if you can hit your target at that range.
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Old December 12, 2010, 09:25 PM   #18
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My main hunting rifle is a 300WM, selected because I hunt elk and prepare to shoot out to 900 yds (only elk so far just shy of 700 yds). I have also shot deer and antelope with it at a wide variety of ranges.

Short answer, in general it is WAY unnecessary for deer, unless you are talking 400+ yards. Sure, it will do the job just fine, but you don't need it. In fact a couple critters I have shot with it I regretted as the damage was just obscene.

So you plan on getting a 300WM, then shooting deer in the SHOULDERS with it at relatively close range? That is such an incredible waste of good venison. I don't understand the need of people these days to hit deer with an RPG because they see a 50 yard run as some kind of failure. Are your tracking skills that bad?
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Old December 12, 2010, 09:31 PM   #19
.300 Weatherby Mag
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You need to use the right bullet and good shot placement to not make a mess..
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Old December 13, 2010, 10:09 AM   #20
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Quote:
Absolutely. Not only are whitetails not able to carry a heavy rifle, they are tremendously recoil-shy, and will have trouble buying ammo becasue very few of them live past age 5. If your whitetail wants to try a few shots with your 300 Win Mag, then let him, but be careful.

The question should be "I want a 300 Mag. You got a problem with that?"
Best answer here.
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Old December 13, 2010, 10:34 AM   #21
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It will work. It is totally unnessicary, but it'll work.
Contrary to what some people think, the deer wont drop any faster than it will with a 243.
In fact I would much rather have the 243.

On the other hand, I want a 338 Ultri mag. I dont have a need for it, not even for elk, but I dont know anybody thats got one, so I want one. Ive seen what the 338 Win mag can do on deer, and that was definatly too much gun on that one. The bullet ripped all the hide loose on the opposite side and bloodshot most of the meat. Pretty pathetic. I dont know his load.

If you want a new gun, just go buy it before somebody else does. Ask questions about it later.

Last edited by reloader28; December 13, 2010 at 10:45 AM.
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Old December 13, 2010, 10:35 AM   #22
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It's certainly a lot "bigger" than anything I would use but there's really no reasonable such thing as "too big". A 50BMG would make a fine deer gun, if you don't mind all the negatives. Personally, I hate recoil. After 20 years of deer hunting with shoulder pounding, heavy, bulky, inaccurate 12ga slug guns, I've chosen to go to something that is a little more usable. A 300WinMag meets MOST of the criteria, it would certainly be lighter, less bulky, more maneuverable but it still has the nasty recoil which I hate more than all the rest combined.

Bottom line, if you've got a thing for a 300 WIn Mag, get it and use it. I wouldn't, but choice is what makes the world go 'round.
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Old December 13, 2010, 11:01 AM   #23
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It's not too big if you plan on shooting them past 400 yds.. That is if you can hit them at that distance.
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Old December 13, 2010, 12:11 PM   #24
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It's certainly bigger than necessary, even by my standards.

I will be something of a challenge to get a bullet that works properly on deer. The standard Power Points, Corelokts, etc that work so well at a MV of 2800 fps or so will be hard pressed at 3300, especially if your shots are short. I'd try a Nosler Partition or X bullet.

Or a 308.
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Old December 13, 2010, 12:44 PM   #25
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Yes the 300WM will work fine,a 308 winny,is all you need,dont aim for the shoulder,aim for the lungs,no meat will be wasted,and ammo is much cheaper.
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