Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Single Shots 300 Savage or 308?

I'm considering a project gun....again. Due to ease of procurement I'll probably go with the #1 action. IMHO the Savage is the original short mag and is a classic deer cartridge. The 308 has no dust on it and is a very accurate candidate. I have bolt rifles in both calibers so would probably sell that to help fund the new one. The 300 savage is in a Remington 700 classic and the 308 is a pre 64 M70.
What would be your choice and why??

If the pre-64 is a shooter, I'd keep that.

Blue, walnut, #1, 300 Savage.

Read that ten times and tell me it doesn't sound awesome.

The M70 is a very good shooter. I have favored case colored metal on the last three guns I've had built two #1's and a High Wall. English Walnut would be used for the stock. I'm thinking a 24 inch tapered octagon barrel would be a nice touch.

Octagonal barrel????

This shouldn't even be a question.

Jeez, blue, walnut, #1, 300 Savage AND OCTAGONAL BARREL?!?!????

In an action that has the strength to hold the same pressures and when using 150 and 165 grain bullet the 300 Savage will do everything the 308 will do.. But nothing better.

And 300 Savage brass is hard to get, or must be made from 308s and when you have made some you get nothing more then what you started with. The 300 has no advantage in a bolt action over the 308, unless you just like the 300 better. If that's the case I see no reason to ask the question.

So for me, if those 2 chooses were mine I'd go with the standard 308 in a bolt action because I see nothing at all that can be gained from a 300 in that rifle. I am a 300 savage fan, and I own 2 of them, but in this case I would go with the 308.

Man, I love the old .300, took my first and several other deer, and a coyote with one. But for pure practicality, the .308 wins. Brass availability and a longer neck are just two of the reasons. But my Dad told me that when he was a young man, with a .300 Savage M99 he figured he could hunt everything that walked....the cartridge has class.

Given the components you've laid out, and the outcome of the other beautifull customs you've had built, it would HAVE to be chambered in a classic cartridge. IF it were my build (big if there), I would go a step back to something like the .30-40 US or even the .303 Brit and have the equivalent ballistics of the .30 cal Savage and Winchester rounds. Since it's your build, and between the two rounds mentioned, I would choose the .300 Savage. One of the reasons is that you already have a classic rifle in the pre-64 .308 Winchester Featherweight, and if I had to sell one, it would be the Remington 700. No flies on the .308, but in my mind the rifle you have envisioned deserves something with a bit more "panache".

I agree that the ballistics between the two choices are virtually nonexistent. This would be used mostly on white tails with a possible trips out west for mule deer. I'm not concerned with the availability of brass for the Savage as I have a good supply now. Goalie what issues if any do you have regarding the octagon barrel? It came out real nice on the 7MM/08 and I used a half round half octagon on the 38/55.

I considered a 303 British and the 30/40 when I did the 300 H&H as I wanted to use a replica of a Frasier action. However it requires a rimmed case and I had the 38/55 completed prior to the this and I have a 450/400 so my choices were somewhat limited to what I wanted regarding caliber. If I were to do a build on a rimmed case again I'd go with the replica Frasier action and reconsider the 303 British or the 30/40. At the end of the day I wanted the 300 H&H so went with the #1 action.

Issues???

More like awesome. Octagon DESERVES the 300 Savage was my equation.

308 through an octagonal barrel wearing #1 would be like me putting a Super Sniper on my 45/70 instead of a 2.5x Leupold. It may not be "wrong," but, given the options, it ain't right.

Thanks for the clarification Goalie.

Goalie, That line made me chuckle...

GSP: I can[t fault you for considering yet another project... Nor I can fault you for considering either of your choices. If accuracy were the deciding factor, likely the .308 would be a superior choice. That said, however, for a hunting rifle, the choice is moot. I had a #1 in .300 Win Mag, that I didn't need, and an extra take-off M-70 bbl in .308, so I had Kip take the two and make one. I've not fired it as yet, but if after doing so, I may just make it something else.

I had recently decided to make up a .30 cal. rifle for exclusive shooting of cast bullets. Debating, the chambering choices, I settled on the .300 Sav. But cast bullet shooters generally don't like the Sav as a cast bullet case because of the short neck. Then I thought maybe I'd just make up a case of my own design like the .300 Sav with a longer neck. Now, I don't mind custom forming brass, but it's kind of an exercise in futility when there is a factory case with near identical capacity without the need to form brass. Thus, I revised my thinking to the .30 TC. The nice thing about that is that one can have near .30/06 performance with factory ammo.

I have 3 other .300 Savages; a M-722, a M-600 and a M-760 pump. And more .308's than I can remember...

Given what I read here, I'd be in 300 Sav camp.

Selling off the Rem action to fund it is an easy choice for me - never had a Rem I loved or would consider "special" in any way and I'd rather hold onto a pre 64 for another project (308 not something I care for either).

So my reasons likely dont line up with others but I think we end up at the same answer.

Well I have had a Savage M110 WLE in 300 Savage for some years the M99 EG I picked MANDATED THAT I keep my ammo stocks for both well marked and separated. The 30-40 krag would get the nod from me to keep it real simple and to venture forth with 220's in the chamber. Mb

I think you have that pegged "Spot on"! Seems I remember reading the late Ken Waters as opining that the .300 Sav is the quintessential Eastern deer cartridge...

I'm thinking the Savage gets the win here. I like the classic cartridges hence the last project in 300 H&H and the previous two were in 38/55 and 6.5X55. I'm kind of leaning towards a replica of the High Wall action but not sure at this point. I looked on GI for a #1 and they were in short supply and expensive for a donor rifle. The barrel will be octagon but do I go with a tapered barrel, non tapered or half
octagon half round?

I have an action (Ruger #1) on the way. so the fun begins again.

I made a little .300 Sav for eastern whitetails.. I love it but don't use it much any more... As for the .308, never had one, never wanted one.. The guy that uses a .308 the most that I have great respect for is McKay.. Enjoy..

This 300 Savage will get an octagon barrel but I haven't decided if it will be a straight barrel or a tapered one. I did a 7MM-08 with a 24 inch tapered octagon barrel several years ago and it came out very nicely.

30-40 Krag definitely.

If you have a source for brass, the Savage would win the cool award. I personally still prefer a 308 but that's just me.

I have the brass for the 300 Savage

300 savage all day every day!!

The action is on it's way. It will get some special treatment while I decide on the barrel, I'm thinking octagon but haven't decided to do a straight or tapered barrel. No sights this time and I need to find some wood.

The barrel decision is made. Half round half octagon with some taper and a 24 inch length.

I bought a 2 pc blank from Cecil in Las Vegas. It arrived late last week. I'm trying to finalize my decision on what 'smith to use for the build. One can do the metal and wood. The other has to send the wood out and I'm having difficulties in finding a good wood smith.

Super! I applaud your choice!

From where are you sourcing it?

The barrel will come from McGowen.

I'd go with 308. You could always load it down to 300 ballistics. Or stoke it u to 308 performance and consider it a 300 Savage +P. My point is that for a new build the 308 gives you more flexibility. However, benig the fan of the 99 and 300 I am, I personally dismiss that action in 308 becuase they usuall go for a premium, the 300 is a solid performer, and because I don't think the 99 action is really all that well suited to the 308.

The 30/40 Krag should be a strong consideration.....if you already have a 300 Savage and .308. Many moons ago while at the range the fellow a couple benches down was shooting a Ruger #3 in 3040 Krag and let take a few shots.....what fun! My brother had a #3 in 45/70..still remembering the jolt the rifle delivered.

Had to fix the spelling