looking for new whitetail & a few western hunts cailber

Country Bumpkin said:

I stopped using my brake about half way through this last summer (once I got through load development). I'm right handed, shooting probe off my pack as a rest, my right hand just barely holds the pistol grip (barely) and my left is used as a rear support for fine adjustments. My shoulder is also just barely making contact, just enough so it's not free-recoil. So basically I'm allowing the rifle to rest with as little input as possible. This obviously isn't the optimal method to manage recoil very well.

Even with my 8.25 lbs rifle, as long as my body and shoulders are square to the direction of the rifle, it jumps up and sets right back into place. I can spot hits for anything past 350 (assuming that I'm maintaining good form and everything is square). I mentioned before that I got sensitive to recoil after shooting RUM's for a few years. Shooting my 7RM is actually fun to shoot. I'll put a box of 20 through it and maintain my own level of accuracy from first to last. It wouldn't be much fun for competition where you are shooting 60-100 rds a day (or more) but I don't shoot competition - and you already own a bull barreled 308 for that.

Click to expand...

Pull it in tight and relax your back allowing your body to just absorb the recoil and you'll have a lot better results.

Out of your two choices I would go 300 WM as it can handle nearly anything distances to 1000 with all the bullet options available. For an all around gun though I would take a hard look at the 7mm cartridges (7 RM, 28 nosler, etc). They are proven LR cartridges and won't quite have that effect of the 300 WM on deer at those closer ranges. The 6.5mm are also a great option and would be better suited for anything from pronghorn through mulies, but are definitely capable of harvesting elk at long distances.

55stone said:

not that im overly concerned with recoil but how is the recoil on 7mm RM?

Click to expand...

It all depends on the load, bullet weight and weight of the rifle. Even a factory 7mm 700bdl isn't bad.

WildRose said:

Pull it in tight and relax your back allowing your body to just absorb the recoil and you'll have a lot better results.

Click to expand...

I'll try that, I'm headed out with the kiddos after naps to get some plinking/gonging!

Creedmoor shooter said:

I'm going to say 7mm rem mag. I shoot a 8.5 lb 7mm rem mag and with a stiff load of rl-26 and a 162 eld at 3125 fps the recoil is manageable. I can sit down and shoot about 20 rounds before I start to get recoil fatigue. If you get the browning x bolt with the 8 twist barrel you can run bullets like the 180 eld and the 195 eol which makes it a different critter. It will easily run with a 300 win mag in all departments minus the energy but with less recoil. Quality brass is available. Plenty of factory ammo if your ever in a pinch. Its hell on whitetail

Click to expand...

Well, while I like the 7RM no, it won't run with the 300wm if you're comparing apples to apples. There are much higher BC bullets available in .30cal than can be produced in 7mm.

6.5 creedmoor is my choice.
Cheap, available, accurate ammo.
Easy to load for
Don't need a brake to spot hits
Kills way better than it should.
I know it's not very macho but they are good on deer to 800 and elk to 600 depending on bullet and elevation.

WildRose said:

Well, while I like the 7RM no, it won't run with the 300wm if you're comparing apples to apples. There are much higher BC bullets available in .30cal than can be produced in 7mm.

Click to expand...

Agreed a 300 mag is a big ol hammer--more than a 7 mag for sure--one thing I have seen in shooting with a lot of folks over the last 10 years in LR. Guys tend to handle a 6.5-284 thru a 7 mag better than anything bigger. the 7 mag is kind of the line i have seen. we have a 30-378 and while it wears a brake, and is really a puppy dog to shoot-- most start flinching after about 4 rounds after the big 30 starts barking. I have 2 6.5-284s and its amazing guys start clanging steel after just a few warm up shots. We have found when you get to the 7 mm mag accuracy starts to fall off--not scientific fact--just a ol guys observation. muzzle blast in our business does as much as the "kick"... my 338 norma bucks a bit (with a brake)--but nothing like my 375 rum or my 470 double rifle...and if I am not careful I am flinching pretty bad after a few shots as the muzzle blast of my 338 norma is substantial ( so is my 300 norma for that matter). If I had to do it all over again--I'd start with like a 6.5x47 and shoot a bunch... stick with one type of reticle and system then step up incrementally. I love what a 338 does...but hate the way it blasts and backs up..300 mags are great tools--but the price is they are serious kickers and "muzzle blasters" with 190-230 grain bullets, and i kind of look at it--if I go to a 30 cal-- I might as well go 338...

I'd roll with a Tikka T3X in 6.5 creedmoor or 7mm08. I live in Indiana also, and a 7 mag or 300 mag is not necessary here. The 7mm08 or Creed will be easier on your shoulder, more economical to buy factory ammo or reload with less powder (hence you willlikely shoot more) and will handle whitetails, mulies and antelope with no issue. Elk, too, if you know your limits.

The 7mmRM will have nearly identical drift to a .300WM out to 1000 yards. Run the numbers with a 180 Berger in the 7mm at 3000 and the 215 Hybrid at 2950 in the Win Mag. The .300 will have 250-300lb more energy and the same wind drift. I'm a .30cal guy, but you can't tell the difference between the two in the wind. I'm also a Hornady fan and when comparing the 162 ELD at 3100 in the 7mmRM vs. the 208gr ELD at 2950, the 7mm Remington hangs right with it in wind drift and beats it with a 180 ELD at 3000. Running the 225gr ELD at 2800 or the 230 Berger at the same speed will net a slight advantage in drift on the 7mm with 162-168s and the 180 Bergers but equal to the 180 ELD. There's no real advantage other than energy with the .300 Winchester. The 7mm will drop less, have the same drift, and recoil less.

The 270 with 150gr Accubond long range will kill anything east or west past 1000 yards. But my favorite is a 280 Rem with 150gr Accubond Long Range not quite as good BC as the 270 ABLR but all 3 of mine are tack drivers. My 28" barrel TC Encore 280Rem is pushing 3100fps, that is not too far away from a 7mm rem mag without the kick. I hunted for years and killed a lot of deer and elk with a 300WBY and 340WBY. But there just isn't a reason to take the punishment as long as you limit your shots to less than 1500 yards on animals. With the ABLR if it's traveling 1300fps your good to go. 16 elk and lots of deer (WT, Muley, Antelope) in 6 years all DRT 50 to 630 yards.

WildRose said:

Well, while I like the 7RM no, it won't run with the 300wm if you're comparing apples to apples. There are much higher BC bullets available in .30cal than can be produced in 7mm.

Click to expand...

Run the numbers on a 180 eld-m at 3000 fps. I think you'll be suprised. Then there also the 197 smk which is a monster. I compared the 180 eld at 3000 fps and a 208 eld match at 3050. I think that's a fair matchup. The 180 eld gets to 1000 faster, flatter, with less wind drift. I've ran the numbers with a 225 but the bc gain doesn't really over come the speed of the 208. The same is probably true for the 215 and 230 berger.

Timnterra said:

I don't mean to discourage you from buying another rifle, but I think you would better prepare yourself for long range western hunting by upgrading a scope rather than Changing calibers. I watched a YouTube video last week of a guy harvesting a cow elk at 800+ yards with a 308 Winchester. The bullet will do it's job if you can put it where it needs to be. A simple 3-9 cheapo will do fine for 100yds but if you want to hunt out west and shoot further your money is better spent on a scope. If you already have a good long range optic then by all means pick up a 300 win mag. I think it is the most versatile killing-cartridge ever created.

Click to expand...

THIS^^^^^^ A year and a half ago I was in the same spot, I chose the Bergara b-14 hunter in .300wm, and for my long range optic I chose a leupold vx5hd with the impact 29 moa reticle. I am very happy with my setup it shoots .5 moa. I can recamend the same for you. Good luck in your search.

I would encourage you to get away from the idea of one do-it-all rifle. Why one? You said initially that for the next couple of years you'll likely only be shooting at medium-sized game. So get the perfect rifle now for that game. Hunting the west generally means carrying a rifle around all day, so for me, a great medium-game rifle is lightweight and shoots an equally light-recoiling caliber that is still more than enough for deer/pronghorn out a long ways. 7mm08 and 6.5 CM have both been mentioned here, and I agree.

Then, once you get closer to that elk/moose tag, get the perfect large-game rifle. It will be heavier, I assure you (cue the 7RM/300WM/etc. debate). But don't spend the next couple of years hauling around that elk rifle until you need it.

My opinion, developed after making the same mistake.

jebel said:

I would encourage you to get away from the idea of one do-it-all rifle. Why one? You said initially that for the next couple of years you'll likely only be shooting at medium-sized game. So get the perfect rifle now for that game. Hunting the west generally means carrying a rifle around all day, so for me, a great medium-game rifle is lightweight and shoots an equally light-recoiling caliber that is still more than enough for deer/pronghorn out a long ways. 7mm08 and 6.5 CM have both been mentioned here, and I agree.

Then, once you get closer to that elk/moose tag, get the perfect large-game rifle. It will be heavier, I assure you (cue the 7RM/300WM/etc. debate). But don't spend the next couple of years hauling around that elk rifle until you need it.

My opinion, developed after making the same mistake.

Click to expand...

Not everyone is as lucky as some of us. They may lack the budget or the wife to allow for more than one at a time.