Tell Me About the 300 WBY

[MontanaJack]

I've only hunted deer on the east coast so I'm a newbie when it comes to magnums.

I've got a mid-90s Japanese Mark 5 in 300 WBY and I'm thinking about using it for an elk hunt in Montana next year. The guy I'll be using as a guide told me that the terrain is a little rough since I'm a nonresident and my general tag doesn't get the best draw I guess? So I'm worried about the weight being a little much at 8.5lbs and wondering if I should get a different gun in a different caliber, keep this one, or get a lighter Weatherby in 300 WBY.

Whatever you do, don't get a lighter 300 Weatherby! I wanted one for years. Finally found a great Mark V European 300 WBY. I never could find a handload to shoot sub-minute accuracy. I'm a long range shooter so that level of accuracy is an absolute requirement. I found the recoil to be punishing. Outfitters don't like muzzle brakes if they've got horses. I took a loss and sold the 300 WBY never to return. My custom 300 Win Mag made one shot kills out to 600 yards and hits a target at 1400 yards consistently and is nice to shoot without a brake. That said, I bought a Browning A-bolt in 300 win mag as a backup rifle for an Alaska moose hunt. It made one trip to the range and got dropped off at the consignment store on the way home. It had punishing recoil. My custom is too heavy to pack all day, but I'm too old to do that anymore which is why a focus on the ability to make ethical long range shots on game. I'm from Montana and have hunted and killed elk for almost 60 years. Killed most with a 30-06. IF this is your trip of a lifetime, get a rifle you can shoot accurately and quickly. Loose the 300 WBY if the recoil is a problem. Lots of glamor but there are effective alternatives that don't punish you everytime you pull the trigger. When you get a chance, odds are you'll only have seconds to make the shot rather than minutes. Practice off shooting sticks, fence posts, rocks..... simulate field conditions. Like a golfer, develop your pre-shot routine. You don't have time to figure it out on the hunt. Most important, get a rifle that loves you and you love back. If it kicks like a mule and it bothers you, it doesn't meet that criteria. Good luck. Enjoy your hunt. Frankly, the odds of filling an elk tag aren't in your favor so add some deer tags and take some meat home!! PS: I hear great comments about the 300 WSM, but never shot one. I expect some other folks can recommend some nice, off the shelf models. Just bought a Bergara for less than $1000 that shoots very good. Browning, Remington, Winchester all have variations of a mountain rifle. Ask around. Hopefully, shoot to try before you buy to make sure its your soul mate....Good luck!!

 

[jaw719]

The elk hunt is 6 days and they have about a 50% success rate. I am thinking about extending it to 10 days and trying to get a mule deer to guarantee some meat. Thanks for all the advice

 

[roughneck065]

Thanks. I will have to give it a try now that the weather is cooling down. I have used IMR4350 with 180 Nosler BT and IMR7828 with 180 Barnes TSX and RL 22 with 200 grns. Never tried with H4831.

With the heavier stuff imr 7828 was giving me stupid speeds l...if I ever go up in weight I'd make it work for sure..wakes up the weatherby to almost rum velocity's!

 

[Deadman Walking]

I have a 1970 Japanese made Mark V in 300wby. I've never had a chance to hunt elk, but I don't know if there is a much better round for elk except maybe the 28 cal/7m magnums. I have taken a moose at 270 yards and a dall sheep at 360 yards with 180 accubonds. I wouldn't want to go with a much lighter rifle in 300 mag. If I was worried about a pound, I would look to loose it in my gear. Get a comfortable sling and have a way to hang it off your pack and it won't make a difference. As long as you have confirmed it is accurate, your are comfortable shooting it, and that it is sighted in well- it will serve you well. (P.S I prefer a 300 yard zero as it is only about 3 inches high at 100 and 3.5 inches high at 200 give or take depending on your set up).