Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Narrowing the Selection on New Rifle

300 WSM has already made it and gaining momentum everyday. If anyone is worried they could always get the 7 Rem mag.

Another angle is a two rifle combo, if flat trajectories are desired by a non reloader is to get the Vanguard in .257 Weatherby mag for deer hunting now. With experience gained from killing things with it, you would then be in a better position to decide later about elk rifle preferences.

Good information to have.

How many shots a week, month or year do you plan to put through it? Will it be solely for big game, or also varmints?

As much as I like the magnums, and a featherweight 300 WSM in paticular, it would not be my pick as a first rifle. I'd say look at something between a .243 on the low end and the 7-08 on the big end. Even better advice is finding a decent reasonably priced .223 to find what you do and don't like in a rifle, and then get exactly what you want in the future. The .223 is super cheap to feed, accurate, and great for varmints.

JLE,
What kind of shotgun loads have you been hunting with?
Any 12 ga. 3" mag loads? If so, you can handle a high power rifle just fine.

Listen to 458 Lott.
Cut your teeth on an inexpensive .223 in one of the rifle makes you are considering. If you don't like it, trade, lose maybe a few dollars, and try another.

If you like it, keep it and buy the bigger caliber. Then you have a two identical rifles for big game and varmints, and cheap practice with low recoil in the .223, so you will shoot it a lot more.
In new rifles, that means:
Browning A-Bolt II
Sako 75
Tikka T3
Remington 7 / 700
Ruger 77
Savage
Howa 1500

JLE,
Slip down to the local gun store (a well stocked one) and check out all of the rifles suggested. Rifles are no different than shotguns regarding feel and personal preference.
Some shoot better than others same as different scatter guns. Some feel better as well.
Anything recommended in these posts would serve you well some better than others and we'll be having conversations about which gun and in which caliber is best for this or that until all the cows come home.
Here's my two cents. For the money the Tikka T3 is a bargain and in 300WSM it will dispatch anything you shoot with it provided you put the bullet in the right place. It's light and handles nicely but may need cut to your LOP and a Sims or a Decelerator added.
Put a 3 x 9 x 40mm Leupold VXII in the furnished aluminum rings and go find a good quality 165g factory load (practically any of them will shoot good) and start burning gunpowder.
You'll be pleasantly surprised by a couple of things that I have observed about all of the Tikka's I have seen shoot and the two that I own. They all shoot good and the barrels are pretty smooth and clean up easy.
You could hunt all day in the rain and drop the gun in a mud hole and simply hose and dry it off when you get home, the trigger will adjust easily to any reasonable hunting trigger pull and the bolt lift and travel are short and smooth.

I'm not so sure that dealing with shotgun recoil automatically makes one capable of handling rifle recoil.

I know that I can pretty much handle any reasonable rifle and I won't flinch. That said I don't do well with handun recoil. I have a shooting buddy that can handle the stoutest handguns, but doesn't care for even moderate rifle recoil.

Starting out small and working up is sound advice, I only wish I had followed it myself.

458,
No question you are spot on. The light Tikka in 300WSM will kick especially when you line it up on a bench in a tripod to shoot some groups and site in.
The two that I own are identical in looks (almost). One is a 300WSM and the other is a .223 which they build with a 1 in 8 barrel. I find that having both guns so close in feel and size is a real plus.
The .223 is used a bunch just plinking, shooting water filled plastic laundry detergent containers etc. and it is good practice for getting prepared to hunt with the 300.
My 12 year old really likes the .223 as do I. The situation with JLE seems as though he wants one rifle to cover all bases. It can be done with other calibers that recoil less but if a guy wants a one size fits almost all it's tough to beat a rifle that shoots mid weight 30 caliber bullets over 3000fps.
If he can deal with a 3" 12 ga load in a pump gun he shouldn't have any trouble with the 300WSM.
Another option to help deal with the recoil would be to buy one in laminated stock SS as it is heavier. I believe it is offered in 300WSM too.

I just can't in good conscience recomend anyone start out with a 300 mag as their first centerfire rifle. I know most of us that have been shooting for awhile gain the skills to deal with recoil and aren't the best at suggesting what is tollerable for someone starting out.

It isn't hard to get a flinch with a 300 mag if you don't have your form worked out. And once a flinch is established it can be a bear to get rid of. I still fight a handgun flinch because I jumped right to a 44 mag with 300 gr loads as my "bear gun" when I moved up here. I already had a fair bit of experience shooting handguns, yet having a powerful gun as my sole handgun and putting too many heavy rounds downrange too soon has led to a flinch I still fight.

I'd hate to see someone do that with a rifle, and methinks starting out with a 300 mag could easily do that.

Shot placement trumps power, and the key to learning shot placement is having something that is fun to shoot, ie doesn't kick. Also having something cheap to feed goes a long way. So I'd say at most a .308 win as a starter is highly recomended to anyone with their first centerfire rifle if they want to develop good shooting skills.

I own a 300 WSM, besides being very accurate, it doesn't best a 30-06 by much, speed wise. The high energy loads, for the '06 are impressive! If you can visibly tell the differance between a 300 WSM and factory hopped up 30-06 ammo, you're doing really good.
As for recoil, there's not much more to be had with the WSM. Mine is a custom and feeds incredibly smooth. You won't get that from factory rifles. The '06 comes by smooth feeding naturally because of it's 17o shoulder angle.
So for smooth feeding right from the box the '06 has it. I choose custom rifles and don't own any factory rifles. I pride smooth feeding almost as much as accuracy. Both can be had with a good gunsmith and money. He is a firstimer. I'm not sure if he has a 'smith. If he does then the 300WSM or a 30-338, would be the best choice. As a competent 'smith can make a smooth feeding, accurate and softer kicking magnum rifle.

I started my sons out with a SAVAGE 270 win, they are nearly indestructable, dead accurate and CHEAP!!!(list is $600 but you can get them for MUCH LOWER, check your local area)

http://www.savagearms.com/116fhss.htm

all very good features for a first serious rifle

JLE,
I would recommend the Weatherby Vanguard, in .270 WSM. You don't need the .300 for deer, or even elk. I live in elk country, and my .280's and .270 WSM are my 'go-to' elk rifles.
I own a Wby. Vanguard, and find it to be a great hunting weapon- reliable and accurate, and at moderate cost.

I have a 12 gauge and have put quite a few rounds of 3" shells through on duck and geese. Not an issue on recoil at all. I've also fired rifles in my life, just never owned one. I'm 6'4" and about 200 lbs, so I'm not overly concerned with recoil, but I do like my shoulder. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> One friend suggested getting a muzzle break put on it, but my thought was to find the right rifle, fire it some and if the recoil was a real issue then consider that alternative.

I don't really want to go with two rifles. I'd just rather get one that's all purpose. I can afford to get a decent one at this stage in my life, so that's what I'd prefer to do. I don't plan on shooting any varmints. I also don't expect to be shooting every weekend, cause I got 3 munchkins and live near Houston...hard to get away on a regular basis. So while I will certainly practice, it will not be as often as I might hope.

Does that info change anyone's thoughts?

Texas! You're in prime gunsmith country!!! Find a reputable 'smith and get a magnum. Ask Charlie Sisk, or even better give him a PM. A custom rifle is something to behold!! Or a Sako, can't go wrong there either!!

Don't get a muzzle break until you've been next to a guy shooting a rifle that has one. Unbearable.

I am suprised there are not more comments on recoil. I shoot a lot of 3" 12 guage also, but they are NOT equivalent to a bigbore rifle. Sporting clay shooters will go through 100 rounds in a day. I would love to see someone go through 100 rounds of 300 win mag in a day. Moreover, its not about "taking" recoil. Its about being able to shoot well with recoil. Very different. I have seen some very large individuals who own 375s and 416s flinch with a 270. Doesn't take much to send that bullet 12 inches of course at 300 yards.

For elk, a 270 will do, but it is not ideal. Texas deer can be taken with a 243 so 300 mags are a bit of overkill. Thus, if I had to land in the middle, I would go with a 30-06 or my personal "compromise" favorite a 7mm mag.

Ideally, especially since one is just getting started, I would get a good gun for what you know you are going to hunt...Texas deer. If you do eventually hunt elk out west, a new gun can be justified. An out of state bull elk tag alone is equal in cost to some fo the rifles mentioned here. That does not include all the other gear one will need to hunt out west, plus transportation, plus taxidermy and meat processing fees...A new gun will be a drop in the bucket.

Before settling on a rifle manfacturer, you need to finalize your choice for chamber. I notice that most of your thoughts rest with the WSM family. The 7mm WSM may not hold up, but it is the logical choice for great game versatility and bullet choices. If I was not stuck on a SA, I would find a nice rifle in 7mm Rem Mag, it may still be the best choice for a one-gun inventory. You can look at the results of its accomlishments (almost 50 years of use) worldwide as it has flattened big game in Africa and NA, plus taken sheep, goats, mule deer and caribou at very long distances. I'm pretty sure the 7mm Rem Mag will be around for many decades to come. Its easy to shoot, has a multitude of factory loadings with several premium bullet choices. I think many view it as ho-hum these days, but it is a very fine cartridge with the balance and versatility you are looking for. A 7mm, 140 grain bullet at 3300 fps and 160 grain bullet at 3100 fps offer a serious flat shooting and hard hitting combination. No matter how they try to tell and sell the short 7mm mags as equal, they are not. Handloaded, they fall a couple hundred fps behind the Rem Mag and the Wby Mag.

My .02 is a 30-06 Ruger! It will do all you ever need to do. You can get a factory load to taylor the game. 165 shoots flat and 180 will hadle all your elk needs. I have several guns, but if I could only have one it is what I would keep. I have been looking at ballistic charts all day and in reality for deer and occasional elk it really does not matter, so get a rifle that feels good. The SPS is a nice rifle for th$$$$.

A 7mm WSM, I think is a great choice for Texas hunting. I just dialed one in for my son-in-law and it shoots great. It is for the most part nothing more than a 280 Improved, they take the same powder charges.

I think you should make no concessions and get a 7 WSM in the rifle you want it in. The Ruger is a very nice rifle as is the Wby Vanguard or even Mark V. The Remington is also very nice. You could get a Model 7 still in 7 Saum. I would buy that w/o hesitation if I wanted the gun bad enough.

My personal preference is the 7 WSM because it has the punch & it can be had in a compact package. Of course, I hunt with a 7mm Wby or 280 Remington. The 7 WSM was a misfit in my safe.

To answer your question though:

A buddy just took delivery on a 300 WSM. Remington chambers many of their rifles in it including the AWESOME Alaskan Ti with it's new stainless fluted barrel with a beautiful finish that'll make you drool. I have held one and it is a FINE looking rifle !!!

I like 7's but for you the options are plentious with the 300 WSM. If you choose the 7mm Remington Magnum, Remington is chambering the Alaskan in that too.

One more suggestion:

I have a Ruger 280 All Weather and like the others have mentioned; you can buy a Ruger, get a Timney trigger for it and it'll shoot till the cows come home. I really like mine. Of all my guns, that Ruger has taken more than any of them by a wide wide margin with Remington commercial 150 gr Core Lokts.

Hard to beat a Ruger, it's a lot of rifle for your money.

I'm done now.