is the 300wsm a good choice for big game
12-02-2003, 05:58 AM
#12
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location:
Posts: 1,491
RE: is the 300wsm a good choice for big game
I think sometimes we are " picking nits" on these threads. Truth of the matter is for 90% of the hunting any American hunter will do on this continent....it doesn' t make a squat of difference if you stick a 150grain .277 caliber bullet through the lungs, a 180 grain .308 caliber bullet through the lungs, or a 210 grain .338 bullet through the lungs. (Or for that matter you fill in the weight and caliber!)
If the velocity is sufficient for you to accurately place " said bullet" through " said lungs" and comparable expansion between " said bullets" occur.....the animal will expire without too much fuss. And in the final analysis any thing more than that...is just that, superfulous.
But hey....this is all about what makes you happy!
Rob2974....pick the cartridge that appeals to you most....I doubt either will dissapoint!
Good luck!
If the velocity is sufficient for you to accurately place " said bullet" through " said lungs" and comparable expansion between " said bullets" occur.....the animal will expire without too much fuss. And in the final analysis any thing more than that...is just that, superfulous.
But hey....this is all about what makes you happy!
Rob2974....pick the cartridge that appeals to you most....I doubt either will dissapoint!
Good luck!
12-02-2003, 06:18 AM
#13
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Texas
Posts: 2,695
RE: is the 300wsm a good choice for big game
I think sometimes we are " picking nits" on these threads. Truth of the matter is for 90% of the hunting any American hunter will do on this continent....it doesn' t make a squat of difference if you stick a 150grain .277 caliber bullet through the lungs, a 180 grain .308 caliber bullet through the lungs, or a 210 grain .338 bullet through the lungs. (Or for that matter you fill in the weight and caliber!)
If the velocity is sufficient for you to accurately place " said bullet" through " said lungs" and comparable expansion between " said bullets" occur.....the animal will expire without too much fuss. And in the final analysis any thing more than that...is just that, superfulous.
If the velocity is sufficient for you to accurately place " said bullet" through " said lungs" and comparable expansion between " said bullets" occur.....the animal will expire without too much fuss. And in the final analysis any thing more than that...is just that, superfulous.
If one rifle has just a little more velocity, is a little more flatt shooting , has little more energy, well we want it. Do we need it prolly not, we just want the best, hey it' s in our nature. God bless america.
12-02-2003, 10:25 AM
#14
Fork Horn
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Jackson MS USA
Posts: 387
RE: is the 300wsm a good choice for big game
Wow, just toss a coin! To be honest pick a gun first and then pick the caliber. I really love my Browning 300 WSM. With a 180 grain premium it'll do all I need from it. However I don't need to shoot 200+ grain bullets from it, I have my 375 H&H for anything big and bad that I can't take with the 300. Yeah, the older 300 mag does work better with those heavy bullets, but we would be just "picking the fly$#!+ out of the pepper" to worry about it. Pick whichever you like better and don't look back, in the real world there isn't enough difference between the two rounds to worry about. However, there is a difference in the rifles they come in so that would be my main concern.
Gordon
Gordon
12-02-2003, 01:50 PM
#15
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Wall SD USA & Jamestown ND
Posts: 11,474
RE: is the 300wsm a good choice for big game
If I was buying a new 300 Mag. I would buy the Short version. If I already had a 300 Win Mag, I would not trade it in for the short mag. There just is not enough PRACTICLE difference to matter. I would opt for the shorter action if I was starting from scratch. I must add however that I agree with AK Anything from the 270 on up is more than plenty of gun for all North American Big game. IF YOU CAN SHOOT IT WELL.
12-02-2003, 07:10 PM
#16
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location:
Posts: 1,491
RE: is the 300wsm a good choice for big game
Hi zrexpilot,
I agree that most of us like to have "the best". But newest, fastest, doesn't always mean the best. There is nothing wrong with wanting a new gun (in a caliber) just for the sake of wanting something different. I do it myself all the time. But the truth of the matter is for the vast majority of the hunting most of us do.....there isn't squat for difference between any of two or three dozens of cartridges....when they hit game!
I enjoy shooting a variety of guns....and have a large variety. They are all fun in there own way. But I can't tell you how many people I have seen that have difficulty shooting even a .30-06 "really well"....only to have them turn around and go purchase something BIGGER. Many people would be better served if they picked a cartridge "just big enough" to get the job done...and spent some time, money, and practice learning to shoot it! A "sufficient" bullet through the lungs will accomplish much more than a "monstrous" bullet through the intestines. And it does indeed boil down exactly like that all too often!
Someone hits their deer poorly with their .30-06 and it doesn't kill well. Next time you see them at the range they have a .300 Magnum (and the newer, larger, ones as well). And of course they sit at the bench to zero their rifle and proceed to flinch, wince, and jerk a half of box down range....pack it up..."that's good enough" and off to the woods on opening day. Next time you see them talking about some new .338 or .375 Ultra T-Rex slayer that they're planning on getting next. Most of them would be better off with a .257 Roberts that they actually can shoot.
But, it is after all.....all about fun and games! And as long as they aren't needlessly wounding and losing game....have at it!
(Before I get inundated....if you have a magnum, any magnum.....and can shoot it. Please by all means use it!)
P.S. And yes...I have, shoot, and hunt with magnums sometimes too!
I agree that most of us like to have "the best". But newest, fastest, doesn't always mean the best. There is nothing wrong with wanting a new gun (in a caliber) just for the sake of wanting something different. I do it myself all the time. But the truth of the matter is for the vast majority of the hunting most of us do.....there isn't squat for difference between any of two or three dozens of cartridges....when they hit game!
I enjoy shooting a variety of guns....and have a large variety. They are all fun in there own way. But I can't tell you how many people I have seen that have difficulty shooting even a .30-06 "really well"....only to have them turn around and go purchase something BIGGER. Many people would be better served if they picked a cartridge "just big enough" to get the job done...and spent some time, money, and practice learning to shoot it! A "sufficient" bullet through the lungs will accomplish much more than a "monstrous" bullet through the intestines. And it does indeed boil down exactly like that all too often!
Someone hits their deer poorly with their .30-06 and it doesn't kill well. Next time you see them at the range they have a .300 Magnum (and the newer, larger, ones as well). And of course they sit at the bench to zero their rifle and proceed to flinch, wince, and jerk a half of box down range....pack it up..."that's good enough" and off to the woods on opening day. Next time you see them talking about some new .338 or .375 Ultra T-Rex slayer that they're planning on getting next. Most of them would be better off with a .257 Roberts that they actually can shoot.
But, it is after all.....all about fun and games! And as long as they aren't needlessly wounding and losing game....have at it!
(Before I get inundated....if you have a magnum, any magnum.....and can shoot it. Please by all means use it!)
P.S. And yes...I have, shoot, and hunt with magnums sometimes too!
12-02-2003, 08:19 PM
#17
Fork Horn
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Jackson MS USA
Posts: 387
RE: is the 300wsm a good choice for big game
akbound, I agree shot placement is EVERYTHING! And that takes practice, bigger and faster is better but only if you can handle it. I wouldn't turn a 16 year old loose with a Ferarri, nor would I recommend a first time hunter get a magnum...but they both have their place as we both agree.
Gordon
Gordon
12-03-2003, 01:23 AM
#18
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 917
RE: is the 300wsm a good choice for big game
akbound's last post is some of the greatest wisdom ever to appear on this forum.
His reasoning is why I am so quick to recommend the .257 Roberts to deer hunters, and the .260 Rem and 7mm-08 Rem to all hunters.
His reasoning is why I am so quick to recommend the .257 Roberts to deer hunters, and the .260 Rem and 7mm-08 Rem to all hunters.
12-03-2003, 09:10 AM
#19
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location:
Posts: 1,491
RE: is the 300wsm a good choice for big game
Hi GordonGekko,
We both agree that shot placement is the most critical aspect, and we both agree that magnums do indeed have their place. But Africa is full of professional hunters, (many of which have witnessed more animals harvested then many of us will see in an entire lifetime), that would argue the point that "faster is not always better....and frequently too fast is counterproductive".
The projectile needs to be fast enough to have a usable trajectory for the hunting in mind (realistic ranges). And of course speed does translate to kinetic energy. But beyond a threshold speed becomes counterproductive to penetration and wound channel ballistics. And particularly with standard bullet construction. But even premium bullets are strained at extremely high impact velocities, (not to mention wanton waste of edible tissue). So, depending on application, faster is not always better. Sometimes it is....sometimes it's not. And if someone is uncertain enough to need to ask some of the questions I see on the forum.....I try to take that inexperience into account. They may well not have the experience to judiciously apply that information.
When in doubt, (as in need to ask what is best), start a little light....learn to shoot....and work your way up if you feel the need!
We both agree that shot placement is the most critical aspect, and we both agree that magnums do indeed have their place. But Africa is full of professional hunters, (many of which have witnessed more animals harvested then many of us will see in an entire lifetime), that would argue the point that "faster is not always better....and frequently too fast is counterproductive".
The projectile needs to be fast enough to have a usable trajectory for the hunting in mind (realistic ranges). And of course speed does translate to kinetic energy. But beyond a threshold speed becomes counterproductive to penetration and wound channel ballistics. And particularly with standard bullet construction. But even premium bullets are strained at extremely high impact velocities, (not to mention wanton waste of edible tissue). So, depending on application, faster is not always better. Sometimes it is....sometimes it's not. And if someone is uncertain enough to need to ask some of the questions I see on the forum.....I try to take that inexperience into account. They may well not have the experience to judiciously apply that information.
When in doubt, (as in need to ask what is best), start a little light....learn to shoot....and work your way up if you feel the need!
12-04-2003, 08:23 AM
#20
Fork Horn
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Jackson MS USA
Posts: 387
RE: is the 300wsm a good choice for big game
I agree, "horses for courses" as they say. I prefer faster medium bore guns ,because I'm more likely to set up for a longer shot on the game I hunt with them, but if I'm going after something really big I'd want the biggest chunk of lead I could fling at it. And I agree there is the point where bullet construction fails, and that point can cause a serious problem (although bullet construction is usually only a problem in the "Supermagnum" category anymore), but as a general rule more velocity is good up to the point of bullet failure, given the ability to execute good shot placement that is. I was merely trying to point out that the hunter needs to be experience enough to handle their weapon well, and that a novice hunter (and many experienced hunters) do not spend enough time with their weapons to fully realize the potential of a magnum. However, I don't think I've ever spoken to a PH who thought that more velocity was bad as long as the caliber was sufficient for the job (and so was the shooter), the problem comes in when people try press small calibers into large caliber duty just because they have a higher velocity. But, I do know many who whince at the thought of a tenderfoot using a gun they can't handle.
Gordon
Gordon