Magnum obsession seems real

Guess I'm somewhat of a Magnum supporter as my primary "go to" here in Central and South TX is a 257 Wby Mag. I've never experienced quicker kills than what I have with the 257 Wby. Is it the 115 Gr Nosler Ballistic Tip at warp speed, or simply shot placement? Not sure, but probably a combo of both I suspect. Although my evidence is purely anecdotal, the ol' 257 just absolutely hammers game and drops them instantly, which is important to me. If you've ever had to track an animal through the Rattlesnake and cactus infested brush of South Texas, you'll know exactly what I mean.
 
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I think the only thing that bothers me about this discussion is this misnomer that because you shoot a magnum you don't care about accuracy or bullet placement. The fairy take "he pulled out this big magnum and missed several times in camp"! This slant of the magnum for the guy without skill to shoot a standard caliber to take game. I see it in every forum and I just laugh to myself. The guy who flinches with the mag is going to flinch with the 6.5 CM . The worst day I ever had at the range was a day a guy with a AR was shooting his 5.56 using a break . This muzzle blast fierce and even with double hearing protection effected my shooting. The 5.56 is no magnum and I was even shooting it.
I shoot both non mags and mags , I shoot both with equal vigor !I don't shoot the big 300's or the 338's for the Maryland and PA whitetails because the 6mm's 6.5's the 270 win and the 3006 have been more than enough. Though have only limited western experience the several Pronghorns and Mule deer I have taken were with my 270 win. Also more than enough rifle and bullet to do one shot DRT ! However in this time of limited tags and once in a lifetime chances of a dream hunt I'm going to bring the right rifle ! See I have time to develop the rifle /cal combo, I have time to practice , I have time to become proficient . What I don't have is a lot of chances to draw these tags so I'm going to pick the best rifle to cover my needs.
In a perfect world shot placement is no problem, standing broadside, a pause for the cause and the animal is DRT. No quartering shots in cover , no deflected bullets by a unseen limbs or brush . No steps while engaging the trigger. No wind kick up at the shot. I don't live in that world , I live in the world where sometimes there is need for a second shot , I live in the world where it may be a a less than desirable angle. I live in a world where I want enough gun. That all being said I will master my rifle and only take *Rule 1 Violation*al shots , I will use magnums to increase my chance of success!

Very good post & the first sentence I what I was referring to in my previous 2 posts. The use of Magnum (big rounds) and shot placement should never be mutually exclusive but shot placement is ALWAYS paramount and the magnums have their application, whether it's reaching further with the ballistics and terminal results you need or a big, tough bullet with alot of energy for really big animals. I am very fond of my 300 and looking at getting a 375 Ruger but most of my hunting is easily done with lessor rounds.
 
Very good post & the first sentence I what I was referring to in my previous 2 posts. The use of Magnum (big rounds) and shot placement should never be mutually exclusive but shot placement is ALWAYS paramount and the magnums have their application, whether it's reaching further with the ballistics and terminal results you need or a big, tough bullet with alot of energy for really big animals. I am very fond of my 300 and looking at getting a 375 Ruger but most of my hunting is easily done with lessor rounds.
If you get a 375 ruger, you're gonna like it. Mine's a ruger 77 setting in a McMillan M40 HTG, in GAP camo. Shoots like a dream with reduced loads and cast bullets all the way up to 300 grain Winchester silvertips.
 
If you get a 375 ruger, you're gonna like it. Mine's a ruger 77 setting in a McMillan M40 HTG, in GAP camo. Shoots like a dream with reduced loads and cast bullets all the way up to 300 grain Winchester silvertips.

Aren't the .375's "a hoot" with cast bullets! I wanna try some powder coated ones....just haven't done it yet! memtb
 
Aren't the .375's "a hoot" with cast bullets! I wanna try some powder coated ones....just haven't done it yet! memtb
Silvertips. I've seen some of the coated bullets, but haven't tried any yet. I've got about 250 or so for my 375 and about the same in 338 that I've shot in my Marlin lever action 338. With 5744 or Rel 7, they shoot pretty dang good. Mine are all gas-checked, so I can push them around 1900 or so without worry of fouling. The beauty of cast bullets is that you'll never ever wear out a barrel with them.
 
There was a little old man I used to work with who hunted at Least 5 days a week during hunting season. He shot( maybe missed) & lost the biggest buck of his life and he had killed more big bucks that any one Im personally aquanted with. Makes him sick till this day. He instantly went and bought a 300 win mag and now shoots 220gr bullets. That was his reason. Would more practice shooting helped? Probably. But he was convinced he didn't miss. He went to the extreme in order to eliminate any chance of that happening to him again. It was all the reason he needed. To each his own.
 
The most horsepower I have available to me at the present time is a 6.5-284. I don't like recoil and I'm not shooting far enough at anything big enough to warrant getting a magnum. That said, I do find them interesting and like hearing the stories about what guys can achieve with them. I think I shot a 7mm STW once and more recently a 300 WSM. Fun, but not my cup of tea.
That is a good enough reason in my book. I load my 300 Win Mag down for whitetails to 06 or 308 velocities.
 
The problem is, is that more horsepower doesnt compensate for a poorly placed shot. Still have to have trigger time. I shoot 12 months out of the year. Now maybe I only shoot 5 or 10 shots on really cold days, or I may only shoot 1 day a week, but still, not a month goes by that I'm not pulling the trigger on one of my rifles.
 
Many folks believe that a perfect shot trumps all. I don't totally disagree with this. But let's flip the coin on the other side. If indeed perfect shots Trump's all can a fellow take a 223 rem and set out after medium up to elk sized game for long range hunting? I wouldn't be inclined to do so myself, but if perfect shots really does Trump all as some say then they should be comfortable with this. So does perfect shot placement make up for underpower?
 
Many folks believe that a perfect shot trumps all. I don't totally disagree with this. But let's flip the coin on the other side. If indeed perfect shots Trump's all can a fellow take a 223 rem and set out after medium up to elk sized game for long range hunting? I wouldn't be inclined to do so myself, but if perfect shots really does Trump all as some say then they should be comfortable with this. So does perfect shot placement make up for underpower?
There's not even a smidgeon of comparison between a perfect shot and being undergunned as opposed to a lousy shot and overgunned. Makes no sense to me at all.
 
They hit harder, are moving at higher velocity, and have less drift (drops are easier to predict).
Maybe - it depends on what bullets you load in your magnum and at what distance. You guys who shoot a 180gr bullet in your 300 wm could easily have more wind drift than a 280AI shooting a 180gr bullet. Even if your WM starts out at much higher velocity.
 
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