I was very pleased with my 300Wby Vanguard topped with a Zeiss HD5 3-15x50 with the Z800 reticle this season fot elk and deer in Colorado. We practiced out to 800 yards getting ready and the rifle was automatic at 500 practicing from field positions.
I shot a large cow at 550 yards right behind the shoulder, she turned to face me and the next shot caught her right in the center of her chest, both exited just behind the off side shoulder and she cartwheeled down the steep slope several yards before lodging between tree branches - pretty spectacular results.
The only downside was damaged meat 6-8" away from the entry and exit holes including neck meat, flap meat and a piece of back strap. Not ideal but on a huge cow the lost meat isn't a big percentage. I shot a small buck on our last day hunting and took a 140 yard neck shot DRT and no lost meat.
I'm a huge fan of the 300 B for elk and since I picked up the Vanguard dirt cheap the set-up with the Zeiss and a Timney trigger is sub $1,200, hard to beat that bang for the buck on a longer range elk stopper.
