Well I didnt go out looking for a 300 winnie mag but I have looked at the ballistics on this cartridge and found it interesting. Whatever in North America you hit with it " Its gonna lay down"! One day I walked into a local hardware and farm supply store, one from which I had bought a gunsafe from previously ( so they knew I liked guns) and asked what have you got that I just cant live without? He went into his gun vault and came out with this Ruger . It was a little dusty and had been in there for a couple years , It had the scope rings together as a package . I think the reputation for heavy recoil shood most people off and the cost of factory ammo, made it a little harder to sell than maybe some other caliber. So we negotiated for a few days and I eventualy bought it for $500 even . I guess I really didnt need this much power I just wanted it . I fired 20 rounds with it today and that was quite enough to get it zeroed in to 1 inch groups at 150 yards I could have shot a few more but that was enough. I dont suggest it as a target rifle by anymeans, but it is fun to shoot , not for the faint of heart.Glad I bought it !!!