Author Topic: What to buy? (Read 2765 times)

VHawk25 · « **on:** February 04, 2005, 08:54:36 AM »

Recently I have been reading suggestions about what kind of rilfe to buy. I enjoy hunting and I am using a 30-30 right now. I really want something bigger! I like the 300 wsm, but it seems to be an "in-between" rifle (big enough for some big game, but not for others). I have read good things about the 30-06 and the 338. I do plan to hunt other big game than just whitetail. I am also not the one to go out and buy three different guns for different occations, though it might be unavoidable. Any suggestions would help.

Also, does the action (lever or bolt) affect the accuracy?

Lawdog · « **Reply #1 on:** February 04, 2005, 01:17:55 PM »

First let me Welcome you to Graybeard Outdoors and to the Medium Bore Rifles forum. Got to be the best place on the net for hunters/shooters going today.

Now to your question. I see nothing wrong with the .300 WSM for any big game you are likely to hunt with the exception of the BIG BEARS(Coastal Brown and Polar Bears). The .300 WSM will handle anything else you are likely to come across. The .30-06 is a another good choice and so is the .338 Win. Mag. but it can be a bit much(recoil wise) for some. Personally the .300 WSM will give you more power with not much more recoil and ammo is available everywhere. Lawdog

Ramrod · « **Reply #2 on:** February 04, 2005, 01:26:33 PM »

Well, here is my :money: . You already have one of the best deer guns for 100-150 yards. The only reason you might need another gun is to increase your range or take on bigger critters. For anything up to around 1000 pounds, inside of 300-400 yards, the .30-06 has a 100 year history of working just fine. So forget about what the internet hunters say, and buy what works. Lead kills, not velocity.

kombi1976 · « **Reply #3 on:** February 05, 2005, 08:12:23 PM »

I agree with Lawdog. The 300 WSM is a great cartridge. It'll do anything you need. If you really have concerns about needing something a tad bigger maybe a .325 WSM is a possiblity. 8mm isn't a great deal bigger but more and more bullets are coming out for it and it really delivers on game.
BTW, bolt guns tend to be more accurate but the Browning BLRs are very accurate rifles and are much stronger and tighter than a Winchester 94 or Marlin 336 so which ever is most comfortable should be your choice.

Big Paulie · « **Reply #4 on:** February 07, 2005, 10:05:44 AM »

Just some advice from someone who has been through the exact same thing you have, only many years ago.

1. Do not fall victum to Magnum-Mania. For real world hunting purposes, the 30-06 is all you need for everything (except the big bears), including moose and elk, out to 250 yards. Period. It is so true, that it is boring.

2. If you are use to shooting the 30-30, then I believe that taking a big jump up to a 300 magnum is going to be too much recoil all at once to master. It is very possible that you will develop a flinch, which can take years to cure. (Again, I know.) The 30-06 itself has some stout recoil, but it is managable to the average shooter (thus its popularity for almost 100 years.)

3. The only real world advantage of the 300 Magnum is that it will stretch your effective killing range by 50 to 75 yards, at the price of high recoil and high muzzle blast and expensive ammo. (This assumes that you have a rifle accurate enough to make 300 yard shots, and that you don't flinch!). Up to 250 yards, it doesn't kill them any deader than the 30-06.

4. If you get a 30-06, and you master it over the next few years using 180 grain bullets, and then decide you want to go up to a 300 Magnum, then go ahead. The transition, and the step up in recoil, will be much easier for you to handle. I believe that you may find, however, that the 30-06 is all you ever need.

5. If you are recoil sensitive and the recoil of the 30-06 bothers you (test one out first by borrowing a friend's rifle), then I very highly recommend that you choose the .308 Winchester. It has only has about 17 foot pounds of recoil energy compared to the 21 or so of the 30-06, and yet it has about 95% of the energy of the 30-06. As Craig Boddington says in his book on rifles, there is no practical difference in the hunting field between the killing power of the 30-06 and the .308 Winchester. Also, now that you can get factory loaded 180 grain premium bullets for the .308 (such as Nosler Partition, Barnes X, Swift A Frame, etc.) there is really no reason to need the 220 grain bullet that you can get in the 30-06 round.

Hope this helps.

Big Paulie

Ramrod · « **Reply #5 on:** February 07, 2005, 11:53:33 AM »

Amen. What Big Paulie said!

glock29 · « **Reply #6 on:** February 18, 2005, 06:40:28 AM »

There is absolutely NOTHING wrong with Magnum-Mania !!!!
When in doubt go with a BIGGER (NOT smaller) cartridge.
Anyone can learn to handle moderately heavy recoiling rifles if they practice a little.

My vote ?
One can hardly ever go wrong with the grad-daddy of ALL magnum cartridges, the .375 H&H Mag

kenscot · « **Reply #7 on:** February 21, 2005, 02:37:51 AM »

I don't know but the 375 H&H might be a bit much in the lower 48 in all catagories: power, recoil, rifle weight, bolt throw, price of ammo I would go with what big Paulie said. For me the only reason I would go with the mag's is if I did not hand loaded and I wanted to get close to the factory listed ballistics I've yet to find factory standard cartidges 270, 3006 280 etc. that chronographed close to what their listed at, 100-200 fps less good luck!

gallatin · « **Reply #8 on:** March 02, 2005, 05:16:24 AM »

The 30-06 is a great gun, Spartan makes a fine quality double rifle in 06 for about 550.00$. I think that would be my choise in 06
John

Big Paulie · « **Reply #9 on:** March 02, 2005, 01:07:09 PM »

I have a 30-06 with a 22 inch barrel. I tried out the Federal Hi-Energy 30-06 rounds, in 180 grain bullet weight, that were advertised to give speed and energy in the same class as the 300 H & H Magnum.

I fired 20 shots, using a chronograph. Guess what. It was true!!! On average, the rounds were within 20 feet per second of the published factory velocity of the 300 H&H Magnum 180 grain loads coming out of a 22 inch barrel.

This is another reason for never buying a magnum. If you need that little bit of extra reach some day, just buy the Hornaday Light Magnums, or Federal Hi-Energy rounds, and you've got a 300 H& H.

The 300 H&H was long regarded as a super big game round. With 180 grains Barnes X bullets or Swift A frame in the factory ammo, there is no Elk, Moose, or Grizzly that I wouldn't shoot. (Kodiak Bears, maybe not, but if I had $25,000 to hunt one, then I would also have enough to buy a special gun (.338 Win Mag) for that single hunt. Never going to happen.)

The later .300 Winchester only gives you about 200 feet per second more. No big deal.

The vast majority of the guys who are advising against buying a Magnum are, like me, people who lived through the Magnum Mania years of 1965 to 1985, when we were all hypnotized by mass marketing to believe that you simply were not properly equipped unless you had a magnum. First the .264 Winchester Mag, then the 7mm Rem. Mag, then the 300 Winchester Mag, and on and on and on. Guess what, after forty years of hunting, and after wasting TONS of money, we found out that in the vast majority of cases, they are absolutely and totally unnecessary. They are also no fun to shoot, and they create more problems than benefits. In our old ages, we found that when we really wanted to go hunting and kill some game, up through Moose, we reached for the old .30-06, .308, .270 , or .280, because these worked totally fine!
Maybe we had to get within 250 yards instead of 275 yards, but that's why they call it "hunting."

Looking back, I think that the first prominent gun writer who turned against the Magnum Craze, was Jim Carmichael, in the early 1980s, who started writing extensively about the killing power and efficiency of the .280 Remington, and demonstrated that for all practical purposes, it had the same killing power as the 7mm Rem. Mag, out to the longest practical distance that you could shoot, without the big recoil, ear-shattering noise, and other negatives of the magnum.

Best Regards,

Big Paulie

Don Fischer · « **Reply #10 on:** March 02, 2005, 01:41:55 PM »

Big Paulie hit the nail right on the head. You'll find that there are a huge number of choice's out there that will work for you and never have to look at a magnum. I to have lived thru and indulged in magnum mania; I'll never own another!

Take into consideration where you live. Your 22 and not wealthy are you? Your likely going to hunt Wisconsin for a while and I can't think of anything that require's anything anywhere near a magnum there. In the event that at some time down the road, you take a trip west or even north to hunt something that might justify a magnum, even if un-nessary, the rifle will be the cheapest part of the trip! And by then you'll have more experience to make that discission on. Take Big Paulie's advice, it's the best you got!

earschplitinloudenboomer · « **Reply #11 on:** March 02, 2005, 07:51:27 PM »

My youngest son has decided to move up from a .257 Roberts and asked me what cal. to go to...I told him .30-06...Big Paulie has just told you why.

High Brass · « **Reply #12 on:** March 03, 2005, 02:46:51 AM »

If I were to buy one gun to hunt mainly deer and maybe eventually elk or the like it would definately be the 30-06. I have two as a matter of fact! Yeah it's boring but the old guy has so much going for it. You can find ammo virtually everywhere and for deer at least, a fancy high dollar bullet is not necessary. I have no experience in elk, but too many folks have used the 30-06 on elk successfully to make me wonder if it'll work. If you handload, you will probably find that the 30-06 is easy to load for and data/components are easily found. If you don't handload, you're still in good shoes since premium factory ammo is widely available and you should have no trouble finding a load that will work for your needs. Good luck

anthony passero · « **Reply #13 on:** March 04, 2005, 02:21:44 PM »

Get a 3006, throw a 4x Leopold or Burris on it, and don't look back. Ammo is about 40% cheaper, the gun will be lighter in a comparable rifle and it handles heavy bullets within 100 fps as the 300 wsm does. You can download it for practice as well. I had a 264 winchester magnum and it did not do anything more then my 270 except weigh more. It will do anything you ask of it up to 400 yards. Anything farther out do you really need to shoot at? I do not think so. Good luck in whatever you decide. Anthony

Mac11700 · « **Reply #14 on:** March 04, 2005, 03:18:34 PM »

Quote

I enjoy hunting and I am using a 30-30 right now. I really want something bigger! I like the 300 wsm, but it seems to be an "in-between" rifle (big enough for some big game, but not for others).

I think this is the first time I have ever heard anyone say the 300 Mag was a in-between cartridge....

You like the 30-30......well so do I and about a million other guys

:-D

...it's a great Whitetail gun...and it has withstood all the Magnum-Mania...gotta have the biggest,badest,flatestshooting crowd and always will...just as others have told you...for the most often hunting situations...you really don't need them...and I really understand what your going through...on you delima...you want to cover all the bases with your one choice...and that's where your going wrong...get as much rifle as you need for what hunting you will be doing now...not what you might be doing...I finnally figured it out...and went with a new Weatherby Vangaurd 270 Win...the price was right. the accuracy is great( myfactory target was 1/2" group)..the caliber will work on anything I want it to with the right bullet and the right bullet placement...and thats after-all what it's all about...hunting...sure I gave up a couple of hundred feet per-second with the lighter bullets...but with the heaviier ones...the gap isn't really so-much to worry about...I can't shoot as heavy of bullets as a 280 or a 30-06...but I really don't plan on hunting anything larger than Elk or Moose...so the 270 will work just fine...and if I ever do go after some of the larger bears...I'll pick up ones of these rifles for $400 in any of the 300 magnum offerings...or in 338 magnum...give them a-look...http://www.weatherby.com/products/guns.asp?prd=Rifles&prd_sub_type=3&prod_code=VGW223RR4O

Good Luck

Mac

tanoose · « **Reply #15 on:** March 05, 2005, 04:43:41 AM »

Vhawk i bought my first rifle when i was 15 that was in 1971 it was a Remington 700 BDL bolt action in .30/06. I cant tell you how many different calibers and actions i have bought and tried in the last 34 years but i can tell you that last fall i walked the woods with a Remington 700 BDL .30/06 You cannot go wrong with this caliber .

roper · « **Reply #16 on:** March 05, 2005, 04:45:09 AM »

It's funny but in all the chronographing I've done over the last 25yrs I've only had two caliber come up to what is published one was a 7x57AI(load was out of speers wildcat manual) and the other a 30-378wby (hodgon data). I build a 300wsm with a 5r barrel and it gets 300wby velocity(I own a 300wby). I shot a 300H&H for some time and it took a pretty good load for it to get over 3000fps with a 180 gr bullet. I also shot a 30-06. The 30-06 is a fine caliber as with say a 300mag and when you get into comparing it's like some have to defend their toys. For my style of hunting I prefer a 300wby,300mag,300wsm or 30-338 and I want a 180 gr bullet to do over 3000fps. Since we don't have to hunt deer in the same season as elk now I may use a 6.5x284 or 300wsm for deer. I think there is more limits with a 300wsm than a 300mag as to bullets. My 300wsm was done up with a 1/12 twist barrel for the 165 gr bullets. I have another one that is a factory and hard to get 3000fps with a 180 gr bullet kind of like the 300H&H. The 300wby is a good case been around now about 60yrs mine get within 100fps of published data.
If you where looking at the mags I get the 300mag or 300wby. I tried a 338mag for awhile just didn't like it I think the 338RUM is a good case. I tried the 300RUM didn't get along with it just alittle too much over case capacity for me. As to recoil you can always get a muzzle break,ported etc. Well good luck.

Coalminer7 · « **Reply #17 on:** March 05, 2005, 01:09:12 PM »

I would be cautious buying a .300 mag. short or long, I grant you they have their place but the enjoyment of having a rifle is shooting it
alot and hitting what you shoot. I do not know if you reload, but if you do
the .300 mags can eat up power pretty quick. I agree with Big Paulie, the 30-06 is darn hard to beat, check the price of ammo of 300 short mag to a 30-06. I personally shot a .280 Mtn rifle and have yet to hit a animal and have it get away, also never saw a hit without a pass thru. Dead is
dead no matter what you kill it with. just my .02

Good luck Coalminer7

Jack Gilbert · « **Reply #18 on:** March 21, 2005, 08:03:13 AM »

I have friends who hunt with .330 mags are are mighty happy with them. So can't say anything about that, negative wise.

If you at some time decide you would like to reload for your rifle, experience has shown me that the .30-06 is without a doubt one of the easiest cartridges to reload. About any powder and bullet combo, from any reputable reloading manual, and they all are, from what I have seen, will shoot well enough to hunt with. The cartridge is not finicky at all, and some manuals even give you the best powder for a given bullet weight, I think Hornady does.

I have had a couple of .243 Winchesters and they show a distinct preference for different powders and bullets. Not so the '06. For the beginning reloader it is tops.

Might keep this in mind. The 1955 manufactured model 70 featherweight I have is fond of IMR 4831 and Hornady 165 spire points. There are other great powders and bullets out there that would shoot just as well. I have not had to spend much time developing loads for the '06.

Jack

Jimi · « **Reply #19 on:** March 24, 2005, 06:59:32 AM »

Some really good comments on this thread. Sure, the .30-30 is a fine deer killer, but it is boring and you want something with a little more pizzaz. Some folk are saying that the .30-30 is as good a killer as the .30/'06, or a .300 Magnum... This is true so long as you place your shot exactly where you want it... assuming you are able to get good angle on the animal. What the more powerful cartridges do is increase your likelihood of a clean kill without necessarily making the perfect shot. If you hit bone with that extra energy it is going to take more of a toll then a lighter caliber. Simple physics. That said, Americans have been brainwashed to believe that faster is better, but when it comes to killing this is not necessarily true. You can easily damage more meat with a faster bullet, and if the extra energy is not absorbed by the animal the extra energy has done you no good.

So the question I would ask is "what do you intend to hunt with this rifle?" If it is deer, a .30/'06 is all the cartridge you will need... It is an efficient powder burner and it will easily take elk, pigs... pretty much anything shy of big bears. And that said, many a big bear has been killed with an '06. Personally, I have a sweet spot for the .300 H&H Magnum. In many ways it is the best of the .300 Magnums, which have seen any number of developments SOLELY FOR THE PURPOSE OF DUPING AMERICAN HUNTERS INTO THINKING A MARGINALLY FASTER BULLET IS WHAT THEY NEED, AND OF COURSE THEY NEED TO BUY A NEW RIFLE CHAMBERED IN IT. Screw that. The H&H will let you load a 220 grain bullet (the .300 Weatherby is the only other one that will), which is excellent for elk and bear... Inside 300 yards you can't really tell the difference in performance with the newer .300's... and it is an extremely effective killing cartridge that doesn't kick the heck out of you. Or you can get a .300 Weatherby Magnum for major power and shoot .300 H&H ammo if you want to tone it down.

If your answer to the question is "I want to hunt pretty much everything in the world" then there is only one answer... the .375 H&H Magnum. You can load it down for white tail... I have taken pronghorn at 500 yards with a 210 grain bullet... it is a far better "bear stopper" than a .338 Magnum... remember, force = mass x acceleration, and a 300 grain bullet (and Rhino makes even heavier bullets) is a lot of mass... and is the smallest legal caliber for dangerous game in many African nations and is fully capable of taking elephant... though shooting an elephant with a .375 is akin to shooting an elk with a .30-30. It will get the job done but you may have to chase your target for quite a ways before it dies... which is always a drag.

I would tend to stay away from the WSM's. I think they are fads that kick more than they need to and at the end of the day they are not more effective killers. Simply a way to market new rifles.

OK, now what was the question again?

Con · « **Reply #20 on:** March 24, 2005, 09:34:49 AM »

tanoose,
I bought a 30/06 when I was 16, then sold it and went (am going) through a 10.75x68, 458WM, 375H&H, 470Capstick, 45/70, 8mmRemMag, 358Win... loved shooting every one, and still adore the 375H&H. But after 18 years the urge to go back to the 30/06 is undeniable!

Back to the original post, if you reload (a great hobby in itself!) and just "want" something bigger then take a hard look at a 35Whelen.
Cheers...
Con

JohnClif · « **Reply #21 on:** April 05, 2005, 09:27:27 PM »

The .300 WSM is a ballistic twin to the .300 Winchester Magnum, in a shorter, fatter case. The advantage of the .300 WSM over the .300 Win Mag is that the shorter case is more inherently accurate and efficient so you can get the same velocity with a little less powder and a little less recoil. That's right: a .300 WSM in a rifle of the same weight and barrel length as the .300 Win Mag will shoot as fast or faster with slightly less recoil. The WSMs have other accuracy advantages including the lack of a belt -- they headspace on the shoulder as do cartridges like the .308 Winchester or the 6mm BR. The belt used on 'conventional' belted magnums is actually a throwback to the original Magnum, the .375 H & H which was designed with a belt so it could be used in double rifles, with the belt serving the same purpose as a rim on a rimmed case.

Having said all of that, unless your game is shooting deer past 400 yards, there isn't enough difference between the .308, the .30-'06, and the .300 WSM and Win Mag to make a difference... to the deer, that is. The velocity advantage offered by the mags is equivalent to being 100 yards closer to your quarry, i.e., a .300 Win Mag at 400 yards hits as hard as an '06 does at 300 yards, and vice versa. Not very many people can even HIT a deer at 400 yards, and not very many hunting situations will offer a shot on a deer at that distance. We all want to be able to take that huge buck down the right of way, or bust him across a huge field... but in reality our shot comes within 100 yards and usually a lot closer than that. I can tell you that what a .300 Mag does to a deer's shoulder within 100 yards isn't pretty... it's very much like shoving the muzzle of an '06 against the deer and pulling the trigger.

When evaluating the quality of an adversary's military, von Bismark once remarked that "Mass has a quality of its own." Others have said "God is on the side of the bigger army." The same is true of hunting cartridges. Chances are, if a .30-'06 really isn't big enough for your hunting situation then you don't need more velocity, you need more bullet weight. You need a larger caliber.

So, my advice is, get an '06 with a 24" barrel in a standard hunting configuration and you will have one pleasant-shooting rifle that will work for everything you can hunt in North America from coyotes to the big bears. Then, as you get going in your career and start to accumulate wealth, you can buy the specialty rifles that you may want, and you'll always have the '06 as a valid backup on your trips to Africa or Alaska.

Jimi · « **Reply #22 on:** April 07, 2005, 06:28:11 AM »

I have a couple of gripes with the .300WSM... none of which make it a bad cartridge... but here they are:

#1) You are effectively limited to a 180 grain bullet. Aside from shooting longer distances, the advantage of a magnum should be that you can push a heavier bullet. The Win.Mag. has the same issue... that's why I like the H&H Mag. and the Weatherby Mag., both of which can shoot a 220 grain bullet... which is a very nice thing to have on heavier game.

#2) I don't like the sharp taper of the shoulder. Compare it to an H&H case and you can see the inherent difference in feeding tendencies.

(Somewhat) Increased accuracy and lighter rifles are really the only 2 legs the WSM can stand on. The ignition of a shorter powder charge, with the flame of the primer going deeper into the case, is said to be better as the burning is more complete. This phenomenon can be seen in the very accurate 6mm PPC in benchreast competions. The second point of having a lighter rifle, by virtue of having a lighter action, is dubious on a magnum rifle. Given the recoil, I prefer a somewhat heavier rifle for a magnum.

For a hunting rifle I would take a .30/'06, .300 H&H Magnum or .300 Weatherby Magnum. If you want a target rifle, get something lighter.

SuperstitionCoues · « **Reply #23 on:** April 07, 2005, 05:01:33 PM »

My turn and my :money: worth...

You can't go wrong with the 30-06. While I own other calibers, guess what is at the center of my collection, my "go to" gun? Yep. My Win M70 Classic Sporter in 30-06. I haven't found anything in Az. that it isn't appropriate for, and I use it to fill in the shortcomings of my other calibers. I chose it purposely because it won't rip my shoulder out of it's socket.

I will admit that I own a 7MM WSM. I can't tell you how well it works, as I haven't shot it yet. Did I get it because it would work better than the '06? Nope. It would have been easier to rationalize if it did. I got it because it looked pretty in the store and I couldn't pass it up. :wink: We will see if it is all it's cracked up to be, or it's just another piece of shoulder mounted artillery.

The '06 is what I reach for if it's mule deer, and it's my backup for whitetail and javelina (25-06 and 30-30 respectively) and right now, the primary for elk (still gotta try that 7mm). If I have any doubts about the ability or reach of the other calibers when scouting, THEN the '06 is the primary and they are the backups. Pretty much indispensible to me. If you buy the '06, then buy as much gun as you can afford. That gun, and it's caliber, will be an investment for a lifetime as you will forever find a use for it. Oh yeah, don't forget the optics and mounts too. Just as important.

147 Grain · « **Reply #24 on:** May 28, 2005, 09:04:48 AM »

I too suggest the more practicle 30-06!

..... And if you're hunting elk or moose near the end of a rifle's limit, you can turn the same gun into a 30-06 Magnum by doing three simple things:

1. Using Premium Bullets with much higher BC's can easily turn a 30-06 into a 300 Win Mag with standard / less Ballistically Efficient ammo.

Example:

Winchester's 2005 Ammo Catalog says that at 300 yards, a 30-06 Supreme 180-gr. AccuBond has 102 MORE ft. lbs of energy (2,004, p. 11) than their 300 Win Mag pushing standard 180-gr. Super X Power Points (1,902 ft. lbs energy at 300 yards - p. 13).

The above figures are astonishing! especially when you consider the 300 Win Mag's 210 fps MV advantage over the '06, but the Magnum's faster moving Power Point bullets only had a BC of .349 - compared to the slower AccuBonds with a high BC of .509.

2. Consider Federal's High Energy 180-gr. Partitions at 2,890 fps. or Hornady Lite Magnum ammo (180-gr. Interlock Spire Points at 3,015 fps) that have a higher MV than a standard 300 Win Mag's Power Point. In this case, 30-06 Supreme ammo beats the 300 Win Mag Super X line.

3. A 24" barrel provides higher velocity over the standard 22 inchers; further upgrading a 30-06 into a magnum type round.

Jim n Iowa · « **Reply #25 on:** May 28, 2005, 02:20:45 PM »

Wow this is a long thread. I don't see my self at your point with a 30-30 looking for one gun of higher power. How ever if it were me I would jump on the 338 mag. It will do all you will need to in this continent. If you reload there is a good variety of bullets. If not factory 225 will handle most of the game. Recoil is a matter of a mostly the mind, I being recoil shy choose to use a muzzel brake, as I shoot this gun off the bench a lot.
Once you arrive at this point you will discount most of the offerings below this cal.
The 30-06 is a great rifle with a long history. The 270 is also been around and sucessful for many years, and in the book so close to 7mm mag you may wonder why you never saw the 270.
I shoot the 7mm mag and the 338 and have never wanted any thing in between.
Jim

jro45 · « **Reply #26 on:** May 29, 2005, 04:10:19 AM »

The 30/06 is a real good gun. Mine is the model 700 BDL. I also have a 300 Win Mag that can shoot the 180gr bullet at 3150 fps and the 165 gr bullet at 3250. So if you want fast bullets theres nothing wrong with the 300 Win Mag. The recoil isn't bad when standing. It is a little much on the bench with out anything on your shoulder. I use sand bags that weight about 1 to 2 lbs laying over my shoulder. Or they make Brakes.

nomosendero · « **Reply #27 on:** May 29, 2005, 11:18:48 AM »

VHawk25
I think that the 30-06 or the 300WSM would serve you well. To me, it would depend on action length that you prefer. Either cartridge offer the
power & ballistics to take care of most needs. If you reload, I would lean
toward the 30-06. You will not improve the ballistics to any real degree
by loading the WSM.
If you want something hot later on consider this.
The WSM is loaded a little hotter than the 300 WM. That is why the factory
WSM loads are equal or a little greater than the WM. But the 300 Win. can
be improved by careful reloads. I have a Sendero .300 WM that easily
obtains 3,150-3,175 with 180 Gr. & 2,975 with 200 Grain. That is a little
to much for the WSM as the bullets have to be seated deep.
It was stated before that the 300 WM would not work well with 220 Gr.
bullets. Why is that important? A 200 gr. TSX will out penetrate any 220 Gr. soft point bullet currently available. I believe that the 300 WM & the
Wea. are great rounds if you want a little more.
The 300 RUM is super but I think of it as more of a specialized long range
rig using 200 gr. & above bullets with 12-15 # rifles.

147 Grain · « **Reply #28 on:** May 29, 2005, 11:37:42 AM »

Suggest you keep things simply with the venerable / versatile 30-06. If more firepower is needed, consider Federal's High Energy 180-gr. Partitions (3006R) or Hornady's Lite Mag InterBond.

Robert · « **Reply #29 on:** May 29, 2005, 01:49:23 PM »

I also have to agree with the 30-06. The 35 Whelen is great too...but if you need to find ammo....the 30-06 would be better. If you get into reloading...then I would recommend the 35 Whelen. But all things considered.....if you find a good deal on 270, 7mmMag, 300 Winchester etc....and get the proper ammo.....there are many, many firearms that will work well. Just find something that you really like and do the homework for ammo and get sighted in for 50, 100, 200 and 300 yds.