Is the .300 Win Mag too big for whitetails?

D

deermaster

New member
I am looking at getting a new rifle, and have always wanted a 300 Win Mag. I will first off say I know is is not necessary, whitetails are easy to kill, and it will not make up for poor shot placement. I understand that. I want to get one because I have wanted that caliber for a long time, no other reason.
The thing is, if I get a new rifle, it will be become my main whitetail rifle, I dont hunt anything larger. What I mean by "too big" is will the bullet expand properly on a smaller deer? I have heard that some big calibers will not expand properly on smaller game, blowing right through and not shocking them, and therefore will not kill as quickly as a smaller caliber. Is this true? I dont care about meat damage. I shoot for the shoulder and even my little .243 will destroy the shoulders, a .300 will not be any worse. The price of losing a couple lbs of meat around the shoulders is well worth having the rest of the drop on the spot, or if it runs, not going far at all.

The size deer I normally shoot are adult does in the 100-130 lb range, and usually a mature buck or two in the 200-220 lb range.
I really appreciate any info.
 
I havent shot that cartridge, but the Army is moving to it now. They are (along with Remington) redoing the sniper rifle for Army snipers. It will now be chambered for the 300 Win Mag. They are going away from the 308 / 7.62. I would guess if it opens enough on a human target in Iraq or Afghanistan it would work fine on whitetails.

I have actually been trying to decide what my next rifle will be. I would like to basically build a sniper rifle. I was planning on the 308 but now that the Army is going to the 300 Win Mag I have to do some research and figure out which way I am going to go.

Good luck
 
I got a 300 win mag lil while back...and just got a 300 weatherby mag yesterday....I use a 30-06 for whitetail every year... which is also plenty big...but Ive always had good luck with bullet expansion at high velocities.
 
Ya its to big, but it will be fine for whitetails. There's no real point for deer, its not like they have flack jackets or anything.

I have ruger m77 (first model) that was my dads in 300 winmag, he shot it twice to try it out and I tried her out on one hunting trip, I actually wouldn't mind trading it to get a 243 instead, but it was the old mans gun so I have to keep it.

If I had to pick solely for deer, 308 would be nice.

Or just get a 45-70, and eat right up to the bullet hole.
 
Last edited:
Army going to 300 win mag for snipers

There is no doubt the 300 win mag is a great LONG range tool. If you really want one go for it, especially if you plan to shoot your deer at 300 yds and beyond.

But here's a question for you. If your .243 is doing a great job on the deer and I know you can put a whole lot more .243 rounds comfortably in a shooting session than you will through a .300 win mag. then why change?

But it is really the same bottom line for all of us, if you really want one, then get it.:D

P.S. ....... be careful....... the only scope bite I ever got in my life was from a .300 weatherby mag that I was helping my brother sigt in.........
 
Short Answer: Nope.

I have shot a few whitetails with a .300 win mag. The last one was a doe (field dressed at 118lbs.) Using 180 grain Winchester Ballistic Silvertip. Performance was everything I could have wanted.
 
A 300 Winchester Magnum is still a .30 caliber, just like a 30.06 or .308
It just has more powder behind it, so it travles faster.
It will work ok for Deer if thats what you want to use go for it.
 
the 300 win mag is an excellent cartridge even if all you do is punch paper. my only hunting experience with my 300 win mag was hunting javalinas. i shot mine across a valley about 200 yards. it was broadside on the side of a hill. it seemed that the bullet knocked the pig uphill about 6 feet. it was like shooting a steel silhouette, the pig was still sideways but up the hill. the pig never moved or even flinched, it was like it was struck by lightening. when i skinned it there was a small entrance and exit hole but there was bruising and blood clotting around the bullet holes bigger than a paper plate from the shock.
 
I have actually been trying to decide what my next rifle will be. I would like to basically build a sniper rifle. I was planning on the 308 but now that the Army is going to the 300 Win Mag I have to do some research and figure out which way I am going to go.
Click to expand...

Well if you are basing your choice in rifle by the military I guess you would have to ask yourslef why the Marines are sticking with the 308. As a matter of fact they have accomplished kills in excess of 1300yds. At longrangehunting.com there is an excellent article on long range hunting with the 308.
 
Man please the 300wm is a great deer round I've took lots of deer & hog with it. Just dont shoot the parts you want to eat. A bad shot will make a mess thats for sure but pic your shots its all good .:D
 
A shooting friend uses a 30-06 or 300 Win Mag.

Deer in Northern Alabama are not that big. I think the average weight is just over 100 pounds, a big one is around 150 pounds.

Friend said the longest shot he made was 120 yards, based on a range diagram in a hunting blind.

I don't think he needs a 300 Win Mag for these deer and at that range. But it is not my decision.
 
Is the .300 Win Mag too big for whitetails?
Click to expand...
Absolutely. Not only are whitetails not able to carry a heavy rifle, they are tremendously recoil-shy, and will have trouble buying ammo becasue very few of them live past age 5. If your whitetail wants to try a few shots with your 300 Win Mag, then let him, but be careful.

The question should be "I want a 300 Mag. You got a problem with that?"
 
I had one, but as I live in Florida where the longest shots are about 100 yards and the deer are only as big as German shepherds, it was way too much gun for me.

I consider it to be a .30-06 on steroids. It's best suited for long distance shooting, like 300 to 400 yards, if you can hit your target at that range.
 
My main hunting rifle is a 300WM, selected because I hunt elk and prepare to shoot out to 900 yds (only elk so far just shy of 700 yds). I have also shot deer and antelope with it at a wide variety of ranges.

Short answer, in general it is WAY unnecessary for deer, unless you are talking 400+ yards. Sure, it will do the job just fine, but you don't need it. In fact a couple critters I have shot with it I regretted as the damage was just obscene.

So you plan on getting a 300WM, then shooting deer in the SHOULDERS with it at relatively close range? That is such an incredible waste of good venison. I don't understand the need of people these days to hit deer with an RPG because they see a 50 yard run as some kind of failure. Are your tracking skills that bad?
 
Absolutely. Not only are whitetails not able to carry a heavy rifle, they are tremendously recoil-shy, and will have trouble buying ammo becasue very few of them live past age 5. If your whitetail wants to try a few shots with your 300 Win Mag, then let him, but be careful.

The question should be "I want a 300 Mag. You got a problem with that?"
Click to expand...

Best answer here.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top