Help deciding on a 300 Win Mag

[Bad Internet Guy]

Hey all, first post here so be gentle.

Looking to buy my first 300 win mag rifle and not sure what I should be looking for. I was considering just getting a Remington 700 of some sort and then eventually swapping the chassis out to an Accuracy International one like this: this, but I'm not sure which rifle I should be considering.

Also looked at the Christensen Arms MPR, but again, I don't really know much of what to look for. I own several rifles in several calibers, but this would be my first bolt action and also my first 300 win mag.

Appreciate any help y'all can give me.

 

[diverdon]

Your Experience?
Your goals?
The first thing you want to do Is?
Total budget for rifle scope accessories and this summer's ammo?

But if you want a serious duty bolt rifle take a look at the sale Eurooptic has on Sako TRG's.

 

[Bad Internet Guy]

I have very little experience with bolt guns at all. As for goals, I mainly want a decent precision rifle for shooting with some friends, and maybe some hunting on the side. I've got a budget of around 2000 for the rifle and scope, plus around 200-300 for ammo. Probably isn't going to be a gun that I shoot everyday, so I won't be buying ammo as much.

 

[TxWelder35]

I have very little experience with bolt guns at all. As for goals, I mainly want a decent precision rifle for shooting with some friends, and maybe some hunting on the side. I've got a budget of around 2000 for the rifle and scope, plus around 200-300 for ammo. Probably isn't going to be a gun that I shoot everyday, so I won't be buying ammo as much.

200-300 isn’t going to get you very far with ammo seeing that match ammo is around $40-50/box.

What distances do you plan on shooting at?

 

[TxWelder35]

Really I think a magnum is a little big for a first bolt gun. Its not going to help your fundamentals at all.

I’d suggest looking into a 6.5 Creedmoor. Great ballistics inside of 1000, cheaper and plentiful match ammo, less harsh recoil better for learning.

 

[Bad Internet Guy]

Really I think a magnum is a little big for a first bolt gun. Its not going to help your fundamentals at all.

I’d suggest looking into a 6.5 Creedmoor. Great ballistics inside of 1000, cheaper and plentiful match ammo, less harsh recoil better for learning.

I was actually looking at 6.5 Creedmoor before a friend mentioned the 300 win mag to me. If I'm being honest, the main reason I started looking at the 300 was simply because of how fun the round seemed like it would be.

Is there a way to take a 6.5 and swap the barrel out to a 300 by chance?

 

[hafejd30]

I’ll make another suggestion to go 6.5. I own a 260 (6.5) and 300 WM. The 300 is used as a long range hunting rifle. 260 is primarily a long range target rifle. The 300 shoots 200 gr ELDX the 260 shoots 142 smk

If you don’t reload you will find yourself shooting less with the 300. Also recoil is going to be higher and depending on rifle weight/muzzle device makes it harder to spot hits/misses and fatigues you faster

My suggestion is go with the 300 if your primary use will be hunting medium size game (whitetail deer etc) over 600 yards or if the gun will be used for hunting larger game

If you don’t intend to shoot very much a 300 will be fine. But keep in mind you’ll be better served shooting targets and hunting with a rifle you can afford to learn and practice with more.

Having the extra knockdown power of the 300 won’t do much good if you can’t practice enough to make a reliable/ethical kill shots

More experience = higher hit %.

 

[TxWelder35]

I was actually looking at 6.5 Creedmoor before a friend mentioned the 300 win mag to me. If I'm being honest, the main reason I started looking at the 300 was simply because of how fun the round seemed like it would be.

Is there a way to take a 6.5 and swap the barrel out to a 300 by chance?

There is but definitely not in your budget. AI AXMC comes to mind.

I’ll parrot what the guy above said, if you don’t have plans to hunt deer and larger at extended distances get a 6.5cm. Even a 6.5 will have no problem taking game 600 yards and in.

For learning to shoot long range there isn’t something much better than 6.5cm. The recoil on that 300 isn’t going to make it fun to shoot higher round counts, which you will need. It’s hard to learn much only shooting 20 rounds when you go out. You will also be able to buy 2 boxes of 6.5cm for every one box of 300.


For a rifle look at the Bergera B14 HMR

Scope options
Gen 1 Vortex Razor

Nightforce SHV- https://cameralandny.com/shop/brand...139e-0138-78db-00163e90e196?variation=2085738

Bushnell DMR ii- https://cameralandny.com/shop/bushn...b23f-0137-15b2-00163e90e196?variation=1995546

 

[CrabsandFootball]

First thing, skip the win mag and find a 300PRC or 300NM. 300wm sucks to reload like all belted mags.

 

[Steel head]

I’d seriously consider a 6.5 of some sort.
They’re soft shooting and very capable at distance.
In fair conditions a mile plus is quite fun with them and they’re cheaper to feed.

If you do stick with a magnum I’d definitely consider 300PRC over 300WM, better chamber And brass design and easy to get factory target ammo capable at long range

 

[WeiserBucks]

First thing, skip the win mag and find a 300PRC or 300NM. 300wm sucks to reload like all belted mags.

I handload for several belted magnums and I don't have any issues.

 

[Bad Internet Guy]

Think I've pretty much been convinced to go with the 6.5 for now, and maybe get a 300 after I get some more experience.

As a final question, is there much of a difference between 6.5 Creedmoor and 6.5 PRC?

 

[roamin]

Think I've pretty much been convinced to go with the 6.5 for now, and maybe get a 300 after I get some more experience.

As a final question, is there much of a difference between 6.5 Creedmoor and 6.5 PRC?

6.5prc is 200fps faster than 6.5cm which in this comparison incidentally happens to extended all performance parameters out roughly an extra 200 yards. Meaning if the 6.5cm will be supersonic and produce Y amount of energy until X amount of yards the 6.5PRC will do the same at 200 yards further. Last I checked the 6.5PRC match ammo was $0.50/round more than the 6.5cm and 6.5prc doesn't have Sellier and Bellot cheap brass ammo for $0.55/round there will also be a bit shorter barrel life in the 6.5prc. IMO where the 6.5PRC really shines is in an ultra lightweight hunting rifle for something like sheep where weight's very important as the terrain is a bitch but you don't want the recoil of your light rig to be.

 

[300Norma1959]

Really I think a magnum is a little big for a first bolt gun. Its not going to help your fundamentals at all.

I’d suggest looking into a 6.5 Creedmoor. Great ballistics inside of 1000, cheaper and plentiful match ammo, less harsh recoil better for learning.

This, learn the fundamentals with low recoil before moving to a magnum. They will be much harder to master starting with a magnum

 

[gearguywb]

Yep, as many others have said.....why beat yourself up, spend more money, have more muzzle blast/recoil, higher cost? Go with a 6.5 (CM would probably be best), then down the road if you want something bigger, go for it.