.25MOA

10-4 that. Never really thought about that aspect. Ive done a good bit of research on the 3 grooves just for my own curiosity sake and had never heard of that issue. As well the aforementioned aquaintances using the barrel haven't had any issue, but then they lag a solid 300 fps behind your application. Just goes to show...just when you think you had something figured. Your round is kind of a different ballgame though compared to most mere mortal cartridges lol.

HEAD0001

No one advocated taking a gut shot on an animal. I brough it up in the context that bad things can happen, even in good situations. And you may find it hard to believe but I am sure that a bad hit deer with a magnum is normally still a dead deer. And a bad hit deer with a lesser cartridge is one you will have to chase down, or you may never retrieve. I have seen it way too many times.

The inability to massively shock a deer is the reason why so many bow hunters loose deer that they have shot. That and the fact that they do not know what to do when they hit a deer. Especially with a bad hit.

Again, I am not advocating taking a bad shot. But I am sure that a "SHOOTER" is better served with a magnum, over a "pea shooter". Just my opinion.

Do you realize that some people consider a 30-06 as a magnum, or overkill?? Tom.

crenshaw

I shoot a .300 Win Short Mag. The kick has never been an issue to me, and I shoot that gun better then any other rifle I have used. I orginally bought it for hunting out west when i lived out there.

Now living back east its my primary deer rifle too. I have a .270 but i dont shoot it nearly as well as my .300WSM. Granted my .300WSM is a nicer gun too.

Also, im not a small guy. I weigh 200lbs, work out,lift weights, the works, and contact isnt a big issue for me. I have a friend thats small and he is affraid of it cause it does knock him around.

I would say shoot what works for you and what is legal for what your hunting. A well place bullet is still the best method. I load my .300WSM light for deer, to try and offset and extra explosions that might ruin the meat.

I just like the fact that my one gun can cover a very large array of game and all i have to do is change bullets and re sight in.

homers brother

....and then....

So.....

MagnumsDON'T make up for poor shooting/shot placement, which you can not agree with.

Would you then agree that magnums DO make up for poor shooting/shot placement? That seems to beyour logic here.

But......

You don't advocate a magnum for someone who can't shoot.

Now I'm confused.

And a deer gut-shot with a magnum dies right there, eh? (sorry, didn't quote you, you'll have to read back to your post). I don't know whose world you live in, but there's no guarantee of that, either. A poor shot is a poor shot, whether in how its presented to the shooter or in how the shootercontributes toit. As the shooter, you have a choice whether to take the shot or not.

I burned up nearly1300 rounds ofvarious caliber centerfire rifle ammunition this summer, but since I might use a "pea shooter", I'm not a "SHOOTER"? Yeah,you have a point there, I guess. Aside from a few other things, "Magnum-itis"sometimes brings with it a certain arrogance toward anyone who doesn'tbow to"the great god, magnum". But that's just MY opinion.

kodiakhuntmaster

No one here is trying to say that if you don't shoot a magnum that you're less of a marksman or hunter. All we're trying to say is that the reasons why we use a magnum rifle are based upon real worldperformance, and not vanity.

JagMagMan

EXACTLY!
IF someone is "dropping 'em" with a gut shot, they are extremely lucky! No matter what caliber they are using!

What they are basically saying is that a magnum makes up for poor shooting! That is just not true!
Again, I'm NOT a magnum hater, I love mine!
Just try going back to a lighter caliber, it will cure your magnumitis!

HEAD0001

[quote]ORIGINAL: homers brother

....and then....



Please enlighten me as to how either of my statements here are wrong?? If you want to quote it that is fine, but please try to explain yourself??

Are you saying that a magnum does NOT do more damage???????

Are you saying that a bad shot is not possible?? Even if you are the greatest shooter and hunter on earth?? Or that a deer shot with a "Pea Shooter" will die faster than a deer hit with a magnum?? Obviously a deer(bad hit) will expire fasterwith the magnum---with the "Pea Shooter", you may not get him at all!!!

I guess the words "Pea Shooter" lighted a fire. Sorry about that. But I think a hunter owes it to the game to practice with his firearm. And that a fast kill should always be the #1 priority. And in the hands of a competent shooter a magnum will effectively kill faster. I really do believe that.

And I also believe that a hunter should not even be allowed in the woods until he can show complete competency with his firearm, but then that is a different subject.


There are alot of situations that a good hunter or a good shooter can get into-through no fault of their own. And that extra oooommmmph of a mqgnum can make a difference. How can you not agree with that?? I just can not understand ?? Sorry, just my opinion. Tom.

handloader1

I just purchased a German Weatherby .300 Wby. Mag., and I already love it!! Good luck.

kodiakhuntmaster

No one was saying that shooting a magnum makes up for poor shooting skills. In fact, it's just the opposet. If you want to get the most out of a magnum then you have to be a good shooter to begin with. What I will say is that if you do by chance ever make a bad shot, then you do have a better chance of recovering that deer if you're using something more powerful.

And I hunt with all my guns. This week I hunted with my 30-30 and 30-06. Far from curing magnumitis, I found that for my hunting area the .300 win mag was as close to a perfect rifle as I could have and I missed it :-(.

Much of this is because my other rifles aren't made as well as my magnum and like with anything else, you get what you pay for. I've gone through so much with my magnum and it's been the best rifle I've ever had. I wouldn't really be gaining anything by getting rid of itor using something else. Heck due to the stock design and weight, it kicks less than my 30-06.

James B

The magnum does not do more damage all the time. The bullet is what does the damage. The worst blown to hell deer I ever saw was hit with a 140 grain Speer Hot core bullet from a 280. Bullet weight and type have more to do with damage than velocity. Any animal hit right with almost any caliber is going to go down in short order. I have killed deer with calibers from 22 rimfire to 416 Rem Mag and 45-70.