300 weatherby for large game like elk and bear???

[K98K]

A 300 weatherby has a ton of recoil to deal with. Unless you have done a lot of shooting with a heavy recoiling rifle and are comfortable with it I think you'd be better off with say a 30-06.

I have a mosin now so im used to kick and we can always put a limbsaver on it

 

[laker]

I have a mosin now so im used to kick and we can always put a limbsaver on it

Just so you know the 300 weatherby will almost be double what your mosin is.

 

[jreagle]

how long have you been shooting center fire rifles?
if you were my son/daughter or niece/nephew, depending on your size, i would have you fire a long action 30 06 and a short action 308 for awhile and have you pick the one you like. You may even prefer a 6.5mm or 6mm/.243 for less recoil than the 30 cal options. Once you master operation and shooting either of those, then we would move up to magnums, if you feel you wanted to go that route.

Starting out shooting a magnum could induce a habit of flinching anticipating recoil and being smacked in the head by the scope while pulling the trigger, that would seriously hamper your chances at hitting your target. Ingraining good habits with more manageable calibers/rifles while growing would help with trigger control and just letting the recoil happen. just my 2 cents......

 

[K98K]

I also want to go out west and hunt so that is a big factor to my choice

 

[Elkeater]

I started out with a .30-06. That was too much I just didn't know any different. My wife who is 5'3" and about 110lbs started with and still uses a 7mm-08. My kids when they get old enough will probably start with the same 7mm-08. That cartridge is good for deer bear and antelope as well as elk out to about 300 yards with a good bullet.

I guess I'm just saying be careful assuming you can handle the recoil of the magnum rounds. Even though my go to is a 300WM I worked up to that and it is not as much as a 300 weatherby.

 

[laker]

I also want to go out west and hunt so that is a big factor to my choice

Elk and bears are killed every year with much smaller rounds. Wife tipped her cow elk over at 450 yards with a 7mm-08. Its all about where you put that bullet. Flinching from to much recoil isn't going to help that

 

[K98K]

Well im still Figuring out what rifle to buy this would be bought for my 15th birthday and christmas so I have plenty of time to practice with a mosin and i dont flinch so that shouldnt be a problem. And besides im already 5.7' so I will be about 6' next year im just skinny is the recoil concern

 

[Canhunter35]

I have a mosin now so im used to kick and we can always put a limbsaver on it

I have a 300wby and hated shooting it until I put a muzzle brake one it. Whether or not you are used to recoil the reality is recoil affects shot placement. But with a good brake you will be fine shooting it.
Good recoil pads allow a person to keep shooting without getting sore, they don't do as much as a muzzle brake at keeping your poi consistent.

Hornady makes some good ammo options, I think they make a precision hunter in 300wby, which helps cost

 

[Elkeater]

Well im still Figuring out what rifle to buy this would be bought for my 15th birthday and christmas so I have plenty of time to practice with a mosin and i dont flinch so that shouldnt be a problem. And besides im already 5.7' so I will be about 6' next year im just skinny is the recoil concern

I hit about 5' 9" at that age and that was it. Been the same size since then. always wished I was taller.

As for a rifle for your birthday. Get a Remington 700 of some variant in .308, 270, 30-06, even 7mm rem mag if you're really set on a magnum.. Cheap ammo available for all and you can find ammo at any gas station or hardware store in the country. Then get some decent glass like a Nikon or vortex or Leopold. Then shoot it a bunch.

 

[K98K]

The only issue is once I get one of those my mom will be like you dont need another rifle get a shotgun. So that is my issue with other calibers. My dad is a redneck and so am i but my mom is a bleeding heart liberal and is not a gun and hunting person. Like on my first hunting Trip she went with us and we made her look at the doe i shot and she was tearing up a bit

 

[Archerfish]

I was considering getting a 300 weatherby mag for elk deer bear etc. Is this good or do I need a 340 weatherby mag for bear and larger game? It' just sooooo much money for 340 weatherby mag ammo

I think most people will concede the 300 weatherby is a powerful round that can handle anything you are likely to hunt in North America. With that said, it is not a pleasant rifle to shoot because of recoil and may cause you to develop a flinch as you try to squeeze the trigger. As others have already suggested, you may be better off with a 270 or a 6.5 at your stage of the game. If you are dead set on the 300 get a muzzle brake and a good set of ear protectors. Above all be safe and have fun.

 

[werth338]

I am a Weatherby gmfan and own multiple and will agree with others that it is a lot of gun for a first gun. If you want to shoot regularly, I would go with something cheaper as 300 Weatherby loaded with premium bullets is expensive. I was hunting with my brother a few years ago and he dropped an elk with one shot at 350 yards with a 30-06 in New Mexico. If you do get one, a muzzle brake and good hearing protection are great advice.

 

[K98K]

I probably am dead set and ive heard the mussle break alot and i already shoot a mosin like ive said so the flinch is not the issue

 

[werth338]

If you are set in it, happy shooting and hunting. I would recommend looking at reloading if you want to shoot it very often. I was going to work up a round based on LRX bullet years ago but actually traded my 300 prior to completing the work up. I have had good luck with ELD-X in my other Weatherby calibers.