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Rookie Q; Explain .300 Win Mag

Kristian_Jensen

Kristian_Jensen

Resident Swedish Chef/Socialist
Banned !
Minuteman
Feb 6, 2013
454
194
US
So, from what I've read, .300 WM is a .308 projectile on a body with a short neck.

What makes. 300 MW differ from. 308? What makes Win Mag more powerful.

Could someone explain, a rookie like me, the awesomeness of. 300 Win Mag :)
 
308: 168grain bullet at 2600 feet per second, good to 800 yards (yes,, i know from the regulars - just helping get a point to Kristian)
300 win mag: 190 grain bullet at 2900 - 3000 feet per second and good to 1000 yards (either is good for 200-400 more yards with good rifle,shooter, and loads)

i load powder of 42.5 grains in .308 , the 300 winmag is a lot bigger case, it holds 72 grains powder - that is why it sends a bigger bullet at bit faster and farther

normal rifle stock magazine area will hold 5 rounds .308, the bigger 300wm will only hold 3 (detachable magazines in 308 will hold average 10, average for 300wm is 5)

this is all generalizations
 
A .308 is something like 2.6-2.8" OAL, a .300WM is more like 3.34" OAL. Simple physics, really.
 
Not trying to be a complete dick but....Google would be a good place for this question
 
I have googled, im now trying to understandthe "concept"!

I thought .300WM had a different projectile, but when I found out it was the same as. 308 and read about the cartridge I wondered if the only difference was the load, or if I've read the wrong information.

But basically, the .300 WM is merely a .308 in af bigger case with a larger load?
 
Kristian_Jensen said:
But basically, the .300 WM is merely a .308 in af bigger case with a larger load?
Click to expand...

Yes.

There are basically only ~7 rifle bullet diameters out there. There are a few oddballs, but nearly *all* of the thousands upon thousands of cartridges in existence use one of those few standard bullet diameters.

So, the cartridges vary from one another by how long and how fat they are. Longer and fatter cartridges hold more gunpowder. More gunpowder = more power and faster speed. It also means more barrel heat, more barrel wear and more recoil.

The 300WM holds almost double the powder the 308 does.
 
Shoot a 308, then shoot a 300 WinMag. If the rifle doesn't have a muzzle break and you don't hold the 300WM right or don't have much meat on your bones, you'll need to go ice your shoulder. (you'll get the idea).
You can look at ballistics charts but unless thinking mathematically is 2nd nature to you, it won't mean much. Telling you how many Newtons of force you'll experience is also somewhat meaningless unless you deal with that on a daily basis.
Do you have access to a 300WM in Denmark?
 
turbo54 said:
There are basically only ~7 rifle bullet diameters out there. There are a few oddballs, but nearly *all* of the thousands upon thousands of cartridges in existence use one of those few standard bullet diameters.
Click to expand...

Thx, that really helped me understand the world of bullets. I was confused off all the bullets out there vs the lack of different projectiles to match the number of bullet types. :)

I haven't reloaded a single round yet, got my license 2 months ago and got into the shooting scene 6 months ago, so I'm definitely a rookie.
 
We have access to all the same calibers as the US except the .50 cal.

I know the 300WM have more punch, I just wanted to make sure I wad reading it right when I saw it used the 308 projectile :)
 
I've read that the recoil is about 40% more / harder then the .308

However, I feel NO recoil from my cousins .308. The rifle has muzzle break.
 
Recoil is hard to calculate. For example when slung up I don't notice my palma load recoil that much .308 w/ 185gr Juggs. However if I shoot it from the bipod I do definitely notice it more. Same goes with two different loads my 155gr palma load is a quicker jab where the 185 load is more of a slow shove. Breaks are wonderful things but make sure they are allowed for whatever area your are competing in. For example in NRA here in the US breaks are allowed.
 
When you go to buy all the bullets, whether it be for .308 or .300 WM, the box will say .30 cal. Essentially any caliber with a .30 will accept this bullet. However, there is different load data for particular grains(weights) of the bullets. Comfortable weight for .308 is anywhere from 150-175 grain and for .300 WM, anywhere from 180-210. Their are certainly weights for each caliber the extend beyond the gamut I just gave, but these are the more common sizes for those calibers. I have a .300 WM and a .308 and the .300 kicks pretty well, even with a brake.
 
Guys, cut the guy some slack. I would say 70% of the folks in the EU have never held a gun much less shot one. Did anybody catch the "licensing" statement ? Scary, you need a license to roll your own over there. In Germany you need a 40 hour course and be a member of a club just to fish. Of course it's 3 grand for a drivers license too. Kristian, welcome to the addiction.
 
Trubester88 said:
When you go to buy all the bullets, whether it be for .308 or .300 WM, the box will say .30 cal. Essentially any caliber with a .30 will accept this bullet. However, there is different load data for particular grains(weights) of the bullets. Comfortable weight for .308 is anywhere from 150-175 grain and for .300 WM, anywhere from 180-210. Their are certainly weights for each caliber the extend beyond the gamut I just gave, but these are the more common sizes for those calibers. I have a .300 WM and a .308 and the .300 kicks pretty well, even with a brake.
Click to expand...

This is the info i didnt get from a Google search.

Anyway, thx for the input, I'm beginning to understand the connection and the difference between various calibers :)

Now I understand why I keep reading about 7.62 but with difference specs and ballistic :)
 
Ol' RD said:
I would say 70% of the folks in the EU have never held a gun much less shot one.
Click to expand...

I'd say closer to 98%

I have a large family, around 90 members if you count cousins and I'm the second to get a rifle, ONLY because my cousin got one and I realized it was worth the effort. In Denmark you have to acquire a license for hunting if you want to own a rifle. You can only go to the hunters exame twice a year, the school last for 14 lessons x 2 hours, and it cost around $700 to get. Then you have to have a license to make ammo. Cost additional $300.
Last but not least you need a rifle. We have crazy tax on equipment from outside EU (25% tax) plus transport and the dealer needs to earn a living, so a $1000 rifle end up costing around $1500.

What I'm trying to say is that people in Denmark don't know ANYTHING about weapons. We believe all terrorists use AK and all the good guys uses m16 :p
 
Kristian_Jensen said:
What I'm trying to say is that people in Denmark don't know ANYTHING about weapons. We believe all terrorists use AK and all the good guys uses m16 :p
Click to expand...

M16a4s but we got your drift. LOL! I work with a lot of German and that's one thing I like to do is take them out to shoot. Something most of us have done since childhood, and most take for granted. We here in the US need to stay vigilant of our second amendment or we will become like the EU.

As I wrote above, welcome to the Hide and the precision addiction. Hopefully it will stay with you for life.
 
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Ol' RD said:
M16a4s but we got your drift. LOL! I work with a lot of German and that's one thing I like to do is take them out to shoot. Something most of us have done since childhood, and most take for granted. We here in the US need to stay vigilant of our second amendment or we will become like the EU.

As I wrote above, welcome to the Hide and the precision addiction. Hopefully it will stay with you for life.
Click to expand...

I work for a German company and some of my Deutscher colleagues are leery of guns.
If you come to the US, poke hide members and go shooting! C'mon to Oregon, go skiing and shooting. If you want to go skiing in the summer, you'll have to do some climbing.
Or go to Texas and do boar/javelina hunting and fish in the Gulf. Hell of a vacation!
 
the real questions you should be researching is the price/ availability of the rifles/ reloading components for your location

also the possibility of having a place to shoot at the distances that make these cartridges worth using

it will likely turn out that a popular EU round like the 6.5x55 is much more practical for you
 
You're completely right about the EU "standard" being 6.5 and finding a shooting range with targets more then 300 meters away is almost impossible.

However, the availability of reloading components is fine, and I have a few private places I can shoot up to 600 meters.

There's no doubt that .308, .226 or anything in between would make more sense investing in, because the ammunition would be cheaper, the barrel will last longer and I rarely get the chance to shoot past 300 meters.

But have you bought something too powerful just because you wanted it, for NO REASON at all :) ?

My CBR900 can reach around 260KM/H which is useless since the max speed in DK is 130KM/H :)
 
But to be hornest, i feel that if I buy the .308 because it's the smart choice I won't be happy. I want something different from the rest of the shooters in DK. I know the ammunition will be a tad more expensive and my shoulder will be a tad more soar, but at least I'll shoot with something that makes me happy. :)

And if the recoil is too hard I'll get a recoil break and something for my shoulder. I'm currently shooting with an old 98K which fires .323 and kicks like a mule AND the butt of the stock is made of metal. ;-)
 
Although, if money were a factor, the ubiquitous .308 might make you more happy in a different way! One popular solution would be to just get BOTH guns! But this might not always be possible, so given the choice between .308 and 300 win mag, you should go with the .338 lapua! Lol!

And to make this all the more confusing, at least over here, when buying from midwayusa.com, I can't tell you the number of times I've almost bought something in .307 Winchester or .222 Remington. Also as you may already know, 7.62x51mm (the 308win) is not the same bullet diameter as 7.62x54R, and 9mm Luger is not the same diameter as 9mm Makarov. But .38 Special and .357 magnum are the same diameter. I just love it when naming conventions work out so well, don't you? >: (
 
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Kristian_Jensen said:
You're completely right about the EU "standard" being 6.5 and finding a shooting range with targets more then 300 meters away is almost impossible.

However, the availability of reloading components is fine, and I have a few private places I can shoot up to 600 meters.

There's no doubt that .308, .226 or anything in between would make more sense investing in, because the ammunition would be cheaper, the barrel will last longer and I rarely get the chance to shoot past 300 meters.

But have you bought something too powerful just because you wanted it, for NO REASON at all :) ?

My CBR900 can reach around 260KM/H which is useless since the max speed in DK is 130KM/H :)
Click to expand...

And if you're like me, you've taken your CBR as fast as it will fly....
 
Hey Kristian, Welcome to the Hide!! Funny that I tripped on your thread at this particular moment, as I was just listening to the new record from Volbeat. You guys make awesome tunes!! I'd love to offer to trade you any more of your great music in exchange for components ;-D

As Far as Caliber choice, What about something in 7mm??, The 7mm-08 and 7 Rem Magnum are just incredible choices for everything from hunting to 1000-yd shots. They are .284 caliber, so not much smaller than the 30-caliber choices you are considering.
 
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A 300 win mag can shoot any .308 bullet at much higher speeds then a 308 Winchester. It can also shoot heavier bullets with higher BC. Higher velocity and higher BC allows you to shoot Much farther.

A 308 win shooting a 175g SMK goes subsonic around 1000yards. A 300 Win mag shooting a 208g Amax goes subsonic around 1500 yards. So the 300 win mag will shoot farther, flatter and have a lot more energy down range.

So if you want extreme long range the 300 win mag is the way to go.
You can get some 6mm bullets that will shoot like a 300 win mag. But the 300 win mag will have more energy since its a heavier bullet.
 
Caliber choice is all based on what you are using the gun for. If you are just shooting long range and not worried about energy down range then some of the 6mm calibers are hard to beat.

If you want a long range bullet that has tons of energy for hunting then calibers like the 300 win mag, 300 RUM, 270 etc.
As far as 308 win goes. It's a great caliber and my personal favorite. It can kill any animal In North America. It's great for long range. I shoot it to 1000yards and some guys shoot it to a mile. Is very easy to shoot, low recoil, long barrel life, ammo is everywhere and in all kinds of flavors. Ammo and reloading components are pretty cheap and readily Avab. (Before all this craziness that is) . You can get a semiauto like a LMT 308 MWS that shoots just as good as a bolt gun or better. You can take multiple targets In seconds. So bottom line is the 308 win is very versatile and if I had to pick one gun and caliber it would be a semiauto in 308win.

Hope this helps. If you need any more info feel free to message me.
 
I think one of the greatest "EUREKA!" moments I ever had was when i stopped thinking about rifles and cartridges as independent objects, and saw them as a collection of assembled, standardized parts. At some point, you stop seeing a .308 cartridge and see it as rather, a .30 projectile of a certain weight, a small pile of powder in the 42-47 gr range, a large rifle primer, and case formed for a .308 chamber, all assembled according to certain standards, for a specific application. I suppose mechanics see it the same way, eventually, seeing an automobile as an assembly of frame, chassis, engine, transmission, fuel/oil system, electrical/environmental, etc., rather than just a Honda Civic.
 
Thanks for all the responses. I just had a baby girl so that's why I haven't answered for a few days :)
I'm one happy camper

:-D
 
BigB1216 said:
So if you want extreme long range the 300 win mag is the way to go.
You can get some 6mm bullets that will shoot like a 300 win mag. But the 300 win mag will have more energy since its a heavier bullet.
Click to expand...

I'm probably a bit of an US Army fan boy, and part of the reason I'm going with .300WM is because I want something that pack a punch (and because I read American Sniper by C. Kyle) *doh*

I have no doubt that all the other calibers you have suggested will fit my needs better, but I have to learn by my own "mistakes" :)

Funny story. When I had gotten my motorcycle drivers license everybody told me I couldn't handle a 900cc, it was too big for a rookie and I wouldn't learn how to ride it properly. Buy after a season I was able to knee slide, wheelie (not big but the front did lift ;-)) and ride it the way a sports bike is suppose to be ridden.

My point is that while I have NO DOUBT that it'll require extra effort handling a larger caliber, I do believe that the mentality plays a part :)

But don't get me wrong, all your advises have been read, and I have read about the calibers you've suggested so even though I don't choose what you suggest, I've still learned a great deal from reading your advises :)
 
Kristian_Jensen said:
Thanks for all the responses. I just had a baby girl so that's why I haven't answered for a few days :)
I'm one happy camper

:-D
Click to expand...
Congratulations to you and your wife (who did all the heavy work)!

Now celebrate by getting that .300 Win Mag! :)
 
usafabrad said:
One of the greatest "EUREKA!" moments I ever had was when i stopped thinking about cartridges as independent objects, and saw them as a collection of assembled, standardized parts. At some point, you stop seeing a .308 cartridge and see it as rather, a .30 projectile of a certain weight, a small pile of powder
Click to expand...

I just had the same moment after some of the answers in this thread. It all comes together now. :)
 
Congratulations on your new child and the many years of joy a baby cab bring.
I have a 300wm that weighs about 10.5lbs sporting a muzzle brake. I can shoot it all day without a problem, seems to kick less than most light 308's. If you do put a brake on it use a side discharge type. I briefly had a vias style brake (holes all the way around) and when in the prone position it would blow dirt, leaves, etc all over you.
You should take your bike to your neighbor Germany and stretch it's legs out a little. I've been on the autobahn a few times and had a blast.
 
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Kristian, welcome to our little forum. The .308 Winchester/7.62mm NATO is a man sized full powered battle rifle cartridge. A man with this cartridge will seldom be underguned. The .300 Winchester magnum is for large game (think Alaskan grizzly) or ranges beyond 800 yards. The 30~06 splits the difference.

Do you plan to visit us?
 
Get the 308, if the SHTF over there (which it seems to do more than here), you will have plenty of ammo laying around on the field. Civilians may not have arms but there are plenty of stockpiles there in Germany.
 
RTK said:
You should take your bike to your neighbor Germany and stretch it's legs out a little. I've been on the autobahn a few times and had a blast.
Click to expand...

I have actually done that. Been to Harzen on MC a couple of times, and I have reached 280km on the gauge but the bike has been geared down, so the real speed was probably only 260km which is max :-\
 
If we follow your logic, we should shut down all schools since everyone can find all information on the world wide Web.

Why don't we shut down schools?

Because most people need some help putting the information together. I have read a lot now I'm asking your to help me understand the information I have obtained. Teach me, like a teacher explain what the children have read during homework.

And if you feel I'm wasting your time, feel free to leave the thread. I didn't force you to read it or to reply. If you for some reason feel you have to be a smart ass to feel good about yourself, I suggest you should get a good psychiatrist and work out your issues.

Hope you get better, the world is big enough for all us :)
 
Ya don't take that guy personally. He's forgetting that www.forum.snipershide.com IS part of the "net". It's like the arfcom'ers with 500 posts saying "use the search function" (which is beyond awful by the way!)

Opinions on all things gun related from everyone (myself included) are so very very very very wide ranging and subjective. People that do sophomoric "pimping" (as we call it in the medical world) or berating, often have long forgot that they themselves also started out from level ZERO knowledge, as did EVERYONE! This is one of my pet peeves: belittling newcomers that are hungry for knowledge. (not to to say that I think you're at level zero or anything!) So a high tolerance for grumpy American gun people is a must, lest you become one yourself! *shudder* People post a lot of nonsense here, just ignore all of it. But still, this is a pretty good place to ask questions.

Moving on, 300WM, Check this one out,

Remington 700 5R - .300 Win Mag - 24" Threaded - Mile High Shooting

or one from my friends at GA Precision (they're close-ish to where I live)

Home - GA Precision

I'm not sure if you could import stuff like that though?
 
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Kristian_Jensen said:
If we follow your logic, we should shut down all schools since everyone can find all information on the world wide Web.

Why don't we shut down schools?

Because most people need some help putting the information together. I have read a lot now I'm asking your to help me understand the information I have obtained. Teach me, like a teacher explain what the children have read during homework.

And if you feel I'm wasting your time, feel free to leave the thread. I didn't force you to read it or to reply. If you for some reason feel you have to be a smart ass to feel good about yourself, I suggest you should get a good psychiatrist and work out your issues.

Hope you get better, the world is big enough for all us :)
Click to expand...

you may want to grow out of the thin skin here - there are limits here for what is acceptable and when crossed users are banned - none of the comments on this thread have come close to that line, so if you are already having issues, well .....
 
I've learned to like the kick of my 300 win mag. But if you have a heavy barrel and/or a muzzle break you can reduce the recoil quite a bit. My buddy has a 30-338 (wildcat, 338 necked down to a 30 cal) and it doesn't kick at all because of the muzzle brake, but it is a barking bitch.
 
Kristian_Jensen said:
So, from what I've read, .300 WM is a .308 projectile on a body with a short neck.

What makes. 300 MW differ from. 308? What makes Win Mag more powerful.

Could someone explain, a rookie like me, the awesomeness of. 300 Win Mag :)
Click to expand...
think about your bike as can perform now, and how could be if boosted with the nitrous oxide bottle_ (about performance and related wear)_
 
I do apologize. Been a FOUL MOOD.

Kristian_Jensen said:
If we follow your logic, we should shut down all schools since everyone can find all information on the world wide Web.

Why don't we shut down schools?

Because most people need some help putting the information together. I have read a lot now I'm asking your to help me understand the information I have obtained. Teach me, like a teacher explain what the children have read during homework.

And if you feel I'm wasting your time, feel free to leave the thread. I didn't force you to read it or to reply. If you for some reason feel you have to be a smart ass to feel good about yourself, I suggest you should get a good psychiatrist and work out your issues.

Hope you get better, the world is big enough for all us :)
Click to expand...

Sorry I "relay it", here. Dealing with Lawyers, over the past few days, makes me crazy. I'm "spending a few hours", looking for where my "mood" spilled out, and writing my "apologies".A good Reloading book is invaluable. Do they sell them where you are?To be more "helpful": I spend a lot of time, reading my reloading book. It gives all the info about each cartridge, and helps me understand the performance of each. The basic premise ,is simple physics. The more powder{force}X the Projectile{weight}=Lbs./ square ft., on target, and also translates to velocity, and trajectory. A 308, tops out, at about 2500 -2600 FPS, for a 168 grn. projectile. A 300 Win Mag, with it's "larger capacity of powder", can move that same 168 gr. projectile to 3100-3200 FPS. The 300 Win Mag "shoots" a flatter trajectory, and "maintains " it's lbs per "hitting power" at a greater distance, due to it's faster velocity.F=Mass X velocity.
 
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There's alot more, going on, with my "life". The bottom line is: We're all on this site, to learn, and chat about our "hobby". I was in a foul mood, and stomped on a guy. That shouldn't have happened. I hope he "comes back".
Diver160651 said:
You sure are being nice, everyone is stressed I'm sure, Since the 15th - we paid our taxes and the creeps left bomb in Boston


Sent from my iPhone

Jt
Click to expand...
 
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