300 - Win Mag or PRC?

[wilkup]

I have gone round and round on this in my own head arguing merits of both and can't seem to arrive at a clear consensus.
I'm not building this one, I'm buying myself a Bergara Ridge.
300 PRC
- Fast 9" twist barrel
- Can shoot high BC heavies
- Inherently accurate?
- Only 2 rounds in mag
- Expensive ammo
300 WM
- Ammo available everywhere
- 3 rounds in mag
- Slower 10" twist barrel
- Won't shoot the long high BC bullets

Am I missing anything here? Can someone help tilt the scales in favor one way or the other? I'm feeling paralyzed lol

 

[memtb]

For myself…..it would come down to how far I intend shooting!

If, really long distance is on the menu, where a fast twist barrel for "loooong" bullets is a must have…..the PRC is a better choice.

If for a more "pedestrian" use……hands down the 300 WM. memtb

 

[K.E.C. Darkside]

What is the purpose.
What distance.

Older guys will vote 300Wm.
That's my Vote.

 

[wilkup]

What is the purpose.
What distance.

Older guys will vote 300Wm.
That's my Vote.

Primarily use will be for hunting. Distance is an ever evolving concept for me. I used to say 300, then 450.
Now it depends on conditions and my confidence level but I'd feel comfortable with shots on fur out to ~750 yards under the right circumstance.

 

[K.E.C. Darkside]

Have you ever had a 300Wm,
What kind of components have you collected- brass, bullets...

Both will do the job.

 

[wilkup]

Have you ever had a 300Wm,
What kind of components have you collected- brass, bullets...

Both will do the job.

Never owned any of the 300 magnums only the 300 Blk, 308, and 30-06.
I've mostly used various 7mm and dabbled with 6mm, 6.5mm, and 270 Win over the years.
So regarding any components - plenty of bullets for plinking, but no brass or dies for anything.

 

[xsn10s]

I bought a 7mm RM over getting a 7 PRC so similar comparison. At the time there wasn't a good selection of good brass. Now there is plenty available. Same can be said about 300 PRC. It might be easier to size a non belt magnum. But both are great cartridges so I don't think it matters too much. If it's over the counter ammo the belted mags might still have more available ammo.

 

[xsn10s]

300 WM
- Ammo available everywhere
- 3 rounds in mag
- Slower 10" twist barrel
- Won't shoot the long high BC bullets

A 1-10" twist still should shoot some high BC bullets. The 215gr Hybrid, 208 gr ELDM, or 212 gr ELDX. I'm sure there more that it could shoot.

 

[wilkup]

A 1-10" twist still should shoot some high BC bullets. The 215gr Hybrid, 208 gr ELDM, or 212 gr ELDX. I'm sure there more that it could shoot.

To take advantage of shooting those longer bullets in a Win Mag, would the throat need to be changed?

 

[JimIsland]

As some have eluded to it really boils down to it's intended use. For hunting the 300 WM can probably kill beyond your ethical capabilities. (Apologies if I'm wrong) If I wanted to get into banging plates out 1000 yards or greater, I would probably go PRC.
Yea, I'm an ole timer and it's 300 WM for me. A frigging absolute hammer and ammo everywhere.

 

[Mike Matteson]

You can change out the barrel for a different twist rate in a 300WM rifle to shoot longer bullets. The only real problem is. You can go to a gunshop and get the 300PRC, and the 300WM you probable have to order a barrel in a faster twist rate, and have it chamber, and fitted to your action if you have one. So gettng the barrel is the big problem. If you have the time.
The PRC cases and others are changing the way of thinking, and it's interesting. From what I have been looking at the 300PRC to the 300WM cases the 300win has more case compacities for powder. I haven't looked at it real hard, but that's me feeling presently. Correct me if I am wrong. I for one not afraid to work up powder loads above the manual max load. You do need to know what to look for and check your case or at lease I do every time I fire a round. The other is I don't use double base powders, if ever possible.

 

[xsn10s]

To take advantage of shooting those longer bullets in a Win Mag, would the throat need to be changed?

For the Bergara I really can't say. It might but then again I'd shoot it and determine if you need to. For instance my 7mm RM it shoots 180gr ELDM 2800 fps very accurately. I was thinking of going higher velocities but given the construction 2800 fps might be a good velocity to take game from 300 yards to 700 yards. Which is generally the distances I might encounter elk in the area I got the rifle for. So no added work needed for that bullet rifle combination. If I change to say a 180gr Hybrid then things might be different. Now in the 300 WM with 215gr Hybrid going 2850 fps would still have over1500 ft/lbs of energy and going 1800 fps out to 970 yards @ 2200 ft elevation. That's where I might hunt so more than enough power for 700 yards which would be my max distance right now. YMMV

 

[xsn10s]

I should say this is going off JBM's ballistics app. I double check my trajectories in hopes of verifying impact velocities. But without an additional screen or figuring out a doppler radar system it's just a guess.

 

[wilkup]

For the Bergara I really can't say. It might but then again I'd shoot it and determine if you need to. For instance my 7mm RM it shoots 180gr ELDM 2800 fps very accurately. I was thinking of going higher velocities but given the construction 2800 fps might be a good velocity to take game from 300 yards to 700 yards. Which is generally the distances I might encounter elk in the area I got the rifle for. So no added work needed for that bullet rifle combination. If I change to say a 180gr Hybrid then things might be different. Now in the 300 WM with 215gr Hybrid going 2850 fps would still have over1500 ft/lbs of energy and going 1800 fps out to 970 yards @ 2200 ft elevation. That's where I might hunt so more than enough power for 700 yards which would be my max distance right now. YMMV

That all makes sense.
I like to hunt with monos and plan to shoot either the 182gr Hanmer HHT (.261 G7 BC) in the Win Mag or 201 Apex Afterburner (.346 G7 BC) in the PRC. The different factory twist rates are what dictates my bullet choices.
The 300 Win Mag should hit ~3200-3250' with the 182 HHT.
The 300 PRC should land somewhere ~2950-3000' with the 201 Afterburner.
Both rounds would obviously stomp an elk or big bear I might run into around here.