The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Need a new rifle and need some recommendations

ligonierbill · June 8, 2015, 03:19 PM

You're going to get many recommendations for an '06 with 180's, and for good reason. That said, when I lived in Idaho, it seemed the .300 Win Mag was everywhere. It's about another hundred yards reach. But the hardest hunter I knew there (drove to Alaska and hunted Dall sheep with his brother out of a backpacking tent) shot a .338 Win Mag. Several years ago, I handed off my 7 Mag to my brother and took up the .338 cause. First, it's reputation as a brutal kicker is overstated. Oh, it moves you, but with a decent stock and recoil pad, I believe any motivated hunter can master it and shoot well. Second, take that '06 180 trajectory and make your bullet 250 grains. The BC of, say, a Sierra GameKing results in lots of energy at any reasonable range. And no bullets coming apart if you're too close. That long reaching 250 starts at only 2,700 fps. So, I like it.

But it's not for everyone. My Idaho hero, after extolling the .338 for 15 minutes, ended his lecture with, "Get a 30-06." You pays your money and you takes your chances.

June 8, 2015, 03:19 PM	#5
ligonierbill Senior Member Join Date: May 20, 2007 Posts: 2,459	You're going to get many recommendations for an '06 with 180's, and for good reason. That said, when I lived in Idaho, it seemed the .300 Win Mag was everywhere. It's about another hundred yards reach. But the hardest hunter I knew there (drove to Alaska and hunted Dall sheep with his brother out of a backpacking tent) shot a .338 Win Mag. Several years ago, I handed off my 7 Mag to my brother and took up the .338 cause. First, it's reputation as a brutal kicker is overstated. Oh, it moves you, but with a decent stock and recoil pad, I believe any motivated hunter can master it and shoot well. Second, take that '06 180 trajectory and make your bullet 250 grains. The BC of, say, a Sierra GameKing results in lots of energy at any reasonable range. And no bullets coming apart if you're too close. That long reaching 250 starts at only 2,700 fps. So, I like it. But it's not for everyone. My Idaho hero, after extolling the .338 for 15 minutes, ended his lecture with, "Get a 30-06." You pays your money and you takes your chances.