Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters How much is “Enough”?

I own a 308 Norma mag in a light Springfield 1903 action. The bolt on recoil hits my hand so I can't get comfortable with it. It groups but it hurts.

I don't hunt with it because I am askeerd of it.

Don't hunt with a gun you are timid about.

But if you are green or inexperienced, follow common sense rules about sectional density in cup and core bullets, and velocity on impact with monolithics IMO

....... I shoot better, and enjoy more, shooting smaller, lower recoiling cartridges. ......

I believe the old saying went something like "Beware the man with one gun, etc". In the past 30 some years I've done the bulk of my hunting with a 300mag. Prior to that I tried about everything from the 243 clear thru the 375 H&H to hunt deer, elk, antelope and varmints.When I finally got around to getting a 300 Win mag things changed, it shot great and didn't belt me into tomorrow, and boy did it put things on the ground right now! About this time I started hunting a lot, and that 300 came along on virtually every trip. Killed my share of most everything on license and never once had a 300 in my hands and wished for something different. For me, it's proven to be the single best cartridge I've ever used and one I have the utmost confidence in. I never had to try it but my old buddy Allen Day even shot 2 cape buffalo with his 300 after his 458 developed problems while on safari. I used larger calibers on dangerous game where mandated by law or the stern advice from the outfitter but except for those species I've killed virtually everything with the 300s. Many deer, elk and antelope have fallen to smaller calibers as well, in particular the 270, but when the chips are down or the big money has been spent on a far away hunt, there's no question which rifle I'll reach for. I don't care if others want to shoot 30/06s or 270s or any other cartridge, they all work in the right hands. I just never bonded with any of them like I did with the 300.

The 30-06 is "Enough".

Jerry,

In other words, how do you know what is "ALMOST ENUFF" gun?

"Enough" in one man's hands may not be enough in another's. Headstamps and BC's don't kill, shot placement does.

I'm one that believes a guy can buy and use whatever he desires as long as it's legal. Based on what is seen nowadays, as well as the pics a guy can see on various forums, in a hunting situation, seems like most people are over-scoped, and over-rifled.

Not judging others gear/choices....but I sat next to a guy at a local range years ago, he had 2 custom Jarrrett built 300J's with 3K plus optics aboard. He shot MOA or so groups and hunted in the South for deer. I commented, nice rifles, you must get some long shots. He replied, yeah, shot one at about 285 yards.

Meanwhile I reflected on dropping deer with the rifle I was using. A 6BR on a Ruger No.1, Kepplinger trigger (cost about 1k when built) with a $300 B&L scope, which I had shot groups sub-half inch....once at 330 yds, and taken deer at 400. I smiled at his comment........he enjoyed his gear, and I enjoyed mine. I did not enjoy the blast out of the braked rifles he was using............

Many ways to skin a cat they say. On Dangerous Game, shoot enough gun....that you can shoot well, using good bullets and placement. On non-dangerous game when not in DG territory........many folks could enjoy less blast and recoil. Perhaps something many 6.5 Creedmoor fans came to realize which helped it grow, on top of the accuracy and ammo prices.

It's just what you want to do....and how you want to do it. My choices follow my experience.......other's choices might include other rationale.

There are many tools for a job, no doubt the '06 and 300 WM get much play, especially in NA for the one gun hunter. I've yet to NEED more than modest 6-7mm's for the bulk of what I do, but once enjoyed a 338-06.....but have shot 338 WM, 375, and 416 RM at paper. All great rounds, for their intended purposes.

So to answer enough...it's Subjective....and in some cases "it depends"

WAM,

In the context of this thread, your post would be far more informative if you'd list some of the inadequate cartridge/game disasters you mention.

I bought a .35 Whelen 29 years ago because I felt undergunned with a .308 Win in Montucky with ol’ griz wandering about. About a dozen years ago I bought my 7mm Weatherby to reach out a bit farther in open country. Eight or nine years ago I stumbled upon a like new .300 Weatherby Fibermark at an absolute steal while looking for a .257 Roy and never looked back. With the right load, those 3 will kill anything on the planet.

One such incident was a couple of yahoos chasing a wounded bull over onto the private land we were hunting. I watched them hit the bull 3 times with a .243 and they finally killed it. It had been initially hit over the ridge on BLM land before they came trespassing onto the ranch. When they traipsed down the hillside to where the landowner and I were standing, their sheepish comment was “Guess we need bigger rifles”. Said perps had a .243 and .308 Win with Lord only knows what ammo. Another hunter in our party brought his son one year and he managed to cripple several deer with a .243 Win. Both he and dad are banned from the ranch these days. I have bumped into other such situations huntin here in WA on public land. Happy Trails