Brooksrange, there's no need for confusion. Go ahead and get a 300 Win. Mag. built. It's a lot more gun than a 308 Win. The 300 Win. shoots flatter, and delivers more energy at all ranges. Ballistic capability is what it is, pure and simple. Feel-good pronouncments be dipped, it DOES iron stuff out better than the lesser 30s, and I'm not speaking from guesswork or out of the side of my mount on this either. If that wasn't so, then in the same manner the ol' 45-70 would be just as lethal on buffalo as a 458 Lott........
Trust what Bob Hagel said in his great book, 'Game Loads And Practical Ballistics For The American Hunter', page 176:
"No cartridge will kill any better than than the cold, hard ballistics show it will, providing the right bullet is used for the velocity delivered."
Every word of that simple statement weighs a pound, and in a nutshell underscores what I've observed myself in 33 years of hunting. There's no mystery to this stuff. When it comes to rifles, 'less' is only 'more' if you can't shoot the 'more' with confidence and precision. With practice and a positive attitude, most guys can.............
AD
