.300WM for Newb?

jj303

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Feb 9, 2011
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Would you recommend .300WM for a beginner shooter/hunter? Curious if this caliber might be too large and create bad habits in the initial stages of learning..flinching and the like?
 
IMO, yes......it's too big, unless it's got a brake on it.

I don't deal with recoil very well, and I like to shoot alot of rounds in a day. I don't enjoy having the snot knocked out of my nose every time I pull the trigger. Hell, even a heavy barrel 25-06 will bruise a collar bone after 100 rounds in a prarie dog town.

I think it's hard enough for new shooters to get in the groove and enjoy the experience without adding pain to the equation.

My grandfather used to shoot competition for the military and he said "A 243 or 308 or 30-06 is all the gun a guy needs, I've seen alot of good shooters ruined by those 7mm and 300 maggies!"

FWIW:)
 
Typically?...NO. But, it depends on the person. If one is well familiar with high powered rifles, the the 300 WinMag is a possible learning rifle for long range. However, if you're unfamiliar with most aspects of shooting, I would recommend a training rifle like a .22. Yes, I know it sounds like kindergarten, but a 22 is cheap as is the ammo. There is no recoil to develop that infernal flinch. You can mount a cheap scope and practice the fundamentals while you pull together the coin to get a quality 300 Win, glass and assorted accessories.

BTW...to deal with the flinch (which everyone developes repeatedly...at least I do), you dry fire in your house. Dry firing doesn't mask any problems the shooter has like the recoil of live fire does. It's free, doesn't wear the rifle, make any noise and it's great practice.

Good luck.
 
do you reload? will it have a brake? what rifle? the rifle is more important than the caliber.
 
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When learning to shoot you should not have to deal with heavy recoil that a 300 will produce. You could put a brake on it but doing that brings forth other problems especially when hunting that a beginner should shy away from.

From what I understand flinching is a subconscious reaction to recoil and noise that all shooters have to deal with at some time or another but for a beginner it can really screw up the learning process.

With my son as my father did with me it started with a BB gun then a 22 then a 257 Roberts then a 270 and now my son shoots a 300WM and is deadly with it. So I would suggest you find a rifle with mild recoil that will take deer size game with a well placed shot put the best scope you can afford on it and shoot the crap out of it.

Good luck in the sport. Once hooked it goes on forever!
 
I would look at 7mm before 30 cal. Recoil will be milder and bc is better. If you want to shoot long range a 7mm mag is a good choice with manageable recoil. If shots are to be under 400 yds the 7-08 is a very accurate and fairly mild recoiling round. Just my .02
 
the 300 wm mag is versitaile- you can load it to 308-3006 velocities. then when you want or need you can load it up. also very good components are available norma, lapua , nosler, rws brass. with a braek it kicks more like a 243 , less than a 308.
 
Started my kids out with 22, then 30-30...one likes my 308 the other flinches badly...I'd say for your first gun you Could, but a brake would help.

If I'm away from shooting for several weeks, it takes about 5 rounds for me to "remember" the loud noise and push don't mean me any harm...so now I take 5 rounds to practice my basics...and really focus on follow through after trigger pull and working the bolt...If I look forward to following through and working the bolt as I pull the trigger I don't seem to flinch. For me after a break from shooting it's 5 shots to get there,...or so.

Matt
 
do you reload? will it have a brake? what rifle? the rifle is more important than the caliber.


At this point I do not reload. Hope to be hooking up with people that do, so I can learn the ropes.

Yes, I do intend to have a brake. What suggestions do you have for brakes?

The rifle I have in mind at this point is a Sendero. Huskemaw optics.
 
vais brake and leup scope on mine. leup cheaper and clearer. jmo. vais - i wear muffs nd puffs when shooting from the bench,.
 
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Kirby is installing a Slim PainKiller version on my new 300 WSM. He stated that it will reduce recoil more than the Vias, and it won't throw nearly as much dirt up when shooting prone. I've got the same brake on a his Raptor 338 AX, but haven't shot it yet. All the 300 mags I've ever shot had brakes on them. One had a Vias, and it was good, the gun was plenty shootable.

Last fall I shot a 338 edge quite a bit, it had one of Shawn Carlock's brakes on it. I believe it is similar to Kirby's PK brakes, but don't quote me on that.

I have shot unbraked sporter weight 7mm rem mags, and didn't find them enjoyable to shoot at all. Heck, even my dad's old 270 with a steel butt plate just plain hurts after 3 shots!

Downside to muzzle brakes is the added concussion and noise. We can get around the noise with good hearing protection, but I still feel and notice the increase in the concussion (kinda like a really strong gust of warm wind hitting you in the face all the sudden). Still, I'd rather have a brake then not on anything 7mm mag or bigger, especially if it's a light rifle.

I've got a Vias style on a heavy very heavy 22-250. That rifle barely even moves when shot. But it's only shot off the bench.
 
Keep the rifle&scope weight at or above 10lb, and even without a brake it won't be much more to handle than an -'06. With a brake you will get the concusion, hmm tradeoffs! Use a sinthetic stock, will eat up more recoil.
 
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