Magnums for deer...You say overkill I say so what

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chevelle383

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Lots of people trash talk about taking a 300 win mag or bigger deer hunting. Common arguments are...

"Your trying to make compensate for something..." What are you, 13?

"You just dont need it" No kidding, but if you shoot it well, why not?

"You get more meat damage" Bull...a double lung shot with a 300WM wont damage any more meat than the same shot with a .308. And a shot in the ass with a .308 will damage pretty much the same amount a .338 lapua will. (for all intests and purpose anyway)

"You are just trying to make up for shot placement" Its starting to stink...

"You just need further shots because your not good enough to stalk closer" Actually I bow hunt too, and I dont use a stand


What is with these people? I dont bash them for bringing a 30-30, thats great, but I'd bet my life I can outshoot you with my 300;)
 
I have no problem with magnums for deer, the only problem I have seen is when someone uses a bullet designed for deeper penetration than common sense dictates. I have seen a few deer that were lost due to a magnum using the wrong bullet, but the same can be said for many calibers. Shot placement is the number one criteria with any caliber. I have shot deer with a 30-06, 308, 280, 35 rem, 270 Winchester, 257 Roberts, 12ga 20 ga , 50cal black powder and a 30-30. I can say from experience none died any slower or quicker whit proper shot placement.

Today I use the 30-30 Marlin for 90% of my rifle hunting, and have anchored many deer. Magnums are excellent for those long shots that other calibers run out of steam with. I think some people do feel that subjecting their-self to what they view as unneeded and excessive recoil of a magnum is not logical. I also feel some people tend to flinch with these guns and view them as not being as accurate as say a 270. The real important issue is being proficient with the gun you use to make an ethical shot, and choosing the proper bullet to match the game.
 
Im tryin an interesting three shooters next year,,,.223 rifle, 44mag pistol, and 7.62X54 russian mosin nagant...... the last is a lil big.... open sights tho...no enhanced optics.
 
Why? Because a .25-06 shooting 100 grain tsx's will outdue any 165 grain .300 load to 500 yards or farther - don't hold me to this!:D

For deer though with a .300 win mag - the .130 grain tsx are a house on fire!
 
nothing wrong with liking the calibers, I have a 300 myself (not necesarily what I'd call an uber magnum), but I hardly ever shoot it (was my dads).

Its the idiots who "claim" they hunt deer at 5-700 yards, regularly. And granted there are some who do, but the percentage is so small to the number of people who claim they consistently can kill game at that range is what gives the uber mag crowd a bad name.

Up to 200 yards in a bolt action, Id put my money on the guy with a 30-30 loaded with spitzers, for outshooting you.

Myself I'm gonna try to use my dads old .303 this year (the thing killed a PILE of bear in its day) but lord that gun is as ugly as sin :(
 
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Chevelle383: Pugnacious aren’t we? :D

A 300 Win Mag has proven to be an excellent cartridge. It is an accurate one as 1000 yard championships and records have been set with it.

I don’t like Magnums because of the blast and recoil. I don’t like the attitudes I have seen behind magnums. I am also tired of reading put down articles by shill gun writers promoting the latest Wonder Mag. These guys always make negative comparisons of standard cartridges, and by the time you are finished with the article you understand just how bad, how really bad the 30-06 is because Wonder Mag has a 4” flatter trajectory at 425 yards.

As if people who don’t zero their rifles and don’t shoot 20 rounds per year should be shooting at anything 425 yards away.

"Don't worry, its a Weatherby!"

Down here in the deep swampy south, I don’t see a need for flat shooting magnums. A 30-30 will serve very well because you generally can’t see much further than 50 yards through the kudzu. The deer down are around 120 pounds average. A ninety pound deer is not hard to kill. And yet, we have guys who go out into the woods with Wonder Magnums.

Well maybe its good that they are at least out in the woods. But don’t try to convince me that magnums are needed because a standard cartridge is not enough cartridge.

So, why do you shoot a 300 Win Mag?
 
Think of the guy that can only have one hunting rifle or only wants one rifle. He would choose one that would cover as many bases as possible. I have known a number of business associates in the oil business that never know when they are going to be invited on a hunt. It may be in Alaska, Canada, or anywhere in the states. Could range from bear to deer. They choose Magnums.

If it were me, I would choose the .338 WM for that job.

As stated before, with proper bullet contruction for the game being hunted and proper shot placement, I see no issue whatsoever with a Magnum being used to hunt a variety of game as long as you can shoot adequately with the magnum. Especially if you are a handloader.
 
I like my 300RUM because everytime I pull the trigger all my buddies (no matter how far away) know I've killed something and without fail at least one of them will show up with a truck so I don't have to drive home with a deer tied onto the trunk of my car :D
Plus I like the way my eyebrows ripple in the blastwave everytime I set off a full power round :cool:
 
well...

I'm really curious as to what prompted the writing of the original post at 6:52 A.M. on a Tuesday. Kind of aggressive for that hour.
Shoot what ya wants ta.
Pete
 
@ Magman...I dont think your helping our cause much by branging that it makes a whole lot more noise (it does, but not that much more than say..'06) as Id say that one of the better arguments against one in the woods:rolleyes:

@ slamfire...I shoot it because its the most accurate gun I own and or I shoot it the best out of my rifles. I love to reload and as jeeper pointed out I can tame them out for deer or pack it in there for elk or moose. One rifle for any north american game, I do love that versitility.

And for what its worth I too agree that 30-30 is the all american deer round. I guarentee it has killed more deer than any other round. I also dislike people bragging about 300, 400, 500+ yard shots. I just dontthink most people are qualified to take that shot.
 
I used a .338 win mag on a couple of deer...

...did not mess up as much meat as my beloved .270 win 130 grs

The rifle is just a tool. I killed a hog with a 45 Colt round in my H&R .410, as long as it works...who cares.

We had a guy on the lease that got his 4 deer every year with a Win. 32.20,
he was almost 80 yrs old. Whatever works for you is good enough for us.
 
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I shoot a 7mm rem mag for all the big game i hunt. Know its not a 30 but i dont see the big deal with magnum calibers. People tell me all the time thats too much gun for deer, I say better too much than not enough!
Have a buddy that shoots a 300 rem ultra I really dont see the big deal, unless ofcourse your shooting deer with a 300 grain ball out of it
 
Shootin' a magnum for deer is like goin' hoggin' for women. Its not for everybody, but some fellas seem to enjoy'em. I like non magnum women & rifles.
 
Lmao thats what we say bout my buddy that shoots the 300rum, i love gettin him worked up. Then we pull them out and measure em.
The rifles that is!!
 
Hey who cares dead is dead am I right. Also why scrap by with the bare mininum a .223 can kill a dear but I like to use a .30-06 thats just what I prefer.
 
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