I want a new 300 Win mag and have narrowed down to three models:

Tikka T3 Stainless--Would add a different stock--Probably a B&C

Nosler 48. Can be had for about $1300.00 new

Kimber Montana

I have experience with the Tikka but not in a 300 mag. The Tikka price point would be close to the others by the time I added a stock and bolt shroud. I have no experience with the Nosler or Kimbers. I will be adding a 4x12 Meopta for glass. Please give the pros and cons for each model.

Is 300 WSM outta the picture?

Yes

I already have 300 win ammo and components

Nosler makes a good gun. My Nosler Outfitter has been very accurate and reliable.

I've had Kimber and Tikka. Wouldn't have either in a 300 WM. Too light for the recoil and the Kimber 8400 is not that well executed. The 300 WSM has enough less recoil that it would be my choice in those rifles. Especially the Kimber. The 8400WSM action is built around the WSM's and is a perfect fit.

If 300 WSM is off the table and it has to be 300 WM it would be in a heavier rifle. I'd be looking at Winchester or Ruger.

I've had two Tikklers in 300 WM, and one in 300 WSM (along with a 223 and 270). All are gone now and I have a Kimber Montana in 7-08 as my primary deer/elk rifle.

If you have any specific questions, feel free to ask.

Jason

I have a SS T3 300 Win in a B&C stock, changed the bolt shroud and topped with a VX3 3.5x10. It shoots 180's, 190's and 200's extremely well. Recoil is very manageable

I have a tikka super lite in 300 win mag put a limbsaver on it and no complaints at all. It's a tack driver and isn't picky either

What chambering is your Nosler?

I have Montana and T3 in 300. The Montana is very picky about what it likes the T3 shoots almost everything well. Limbsaver takes care of the T3 recoil.

Whichever one is heaviest.

Bring first-aid supplies for facial wounds caused by the scope.

The T3 in 300WM isn't a bad choice. The only gripes I have with mine is the short mag length, brutal recoil, and crap lugget they use. All that said, they typically shoot quite well. Hard to beat of the choices listed as far as bang for the buck.

Pretty funny right there. Even funnier would be to compare the same bullet in a 308, 30-06, and 300 WM and see whatcha "get" for the punishment.

Isn't it something like a 308 at 300 is a 30-06 at 400 and a 300WM at 500, but 90% of BG are taken at 200?

My last 300WM Tikkler was a SuperLight. I was shooting a 200gr NAB at 2900 fps. Recoil from prone was obnoxious after a few rounds. I had a 2-7x Viper and then a Leupo 6x42 on it. Never got scoped, but in some contorted field position I had my eyebrow tickled.

Previous 300WM Tikkler was a straight T3 Lite. While playing with Retumbo I had a mild load that went 2650 fps with the same 200gr NAB. Absolute pussycat to shoot. Not a bad compromise on paper.

edit - 2650 fps with 200gr should be attainable with a 30-06. Fairly manageable with decent ballistics.

There was an article a few years back, and darned if I can find it now, that told of a fellow who had been in on a whole bunch of elk kills. He couldn't see a difference between the 308 and the 300 Win Mag on elk within 300 yards, which is where the vast majority of elk were shot anyway.

Of course dudes coming out West to hunt always want to arm themselves for the "what if" situations, like buying a new 300 mag for the 600 yard elk shot or packing a three pound 44 magnum on their hip for a bear attack. Neither of which is going to happen.

Instead they should be working out to get their office softened bodies in shape for the mountains, and spending money on practice ammo for their current rifles instead of on a new gun. But I sound like a broken record....

One day I'll wise up and sell all my schit, buy an '06 and a coupla cases of ammo, and live a little.....

We tend to boutique ourselves to death with this stuff. I reckon you can be smart enough to know the difference or dumb enough to think it matters.

35 Whelen.

Never mentioned going west-----I have several smaller caliber guns-- 6.5 Creedmoor being my current favorite. Never said I need a 300 Win Mag, just stated I wanted one. I also have a 338 Lapua and 375 H&H. I get the recoil thing just wanted input on the rifles mentioned. Not pissed but somewhat aggravated on how these post always go into someone's view on caliber selection.

Think I am going with the Nosler 48 in 300 Win Mag.

Most of these threads are more interesting when they go "off topic".....

I haven't owned, or even shot a Nosler rifle but I did handle one a couple of weeks ago and was turned off by the thickness of the wrist. I have slightly larger than average hands and it was too thick for them to fit comfortable, the wrist was just too bulky and made the rest of the rifle not feel right. Try to handle one before ordering.

drover

If I were considering a 300 Win I'd want an M70 Featherweight but an Ultimate Shadow or Extreme Weather would be fine. The Nosler is a well made rifle, but a Stainless Howa would be just as great a choice.

I don't see how any of those rifles would be a bad choice, but unless it were a dedicated LR rig, I don't think I could justify not going with the Montana in 300 WSM. That is hands down the handiest package available. As a do-everything rig it would see a lot more use. It "feels like" about 1/2 the recoil of the Winny.

I have a lot of 300 Win brass too, but it was worthwhile buying 500 pieces of 300 WSM brass.

I think that may end up being a lifetime supply.

That's why I asked initially. The Montana WSM's are done right, IMO, and sample of one. A bag of brass is hardly a bad reason, especially with all the other components on hand.


But I ain't paying the bills......

I love my Kimber Montana in 308 but cant imagine shooting one that light in 300WM! My Ti in 06 is all the pain I want.

A Winchester Extreme Weather would be nice!

I had the same initial impression when I handled one, but after coming back to it a few times it started to feel really good to me. I just had to rethink my grip a little . . . not a strangle hold but more of a loose grip. My hands are pretty large though.

On the Nosler Outfitter I handled, the iron sights were instantly aligned for me, even with the straight stock style.

The 8400 in 300WM is about 1 pound, 10 oz. heavier than your 84M 308.

The 8400 WSM is about a pound heavier that your 84M 308.

"Montucky 7WSM is greatest killing machine on the planet"



Said a wise dude.....

A pound here...a pound there...you're still comparing some fine rifles that you have to look real hard at to find fault with.

When using the 300s as an all-around, you don't have to load them to fire-breathing levels to make them work. Back in PA if I was going to be walking some of the coal mining areas that might stretch a shot, I loaded my Weatherby to 30-06 levels...that wasn't why I did it, but it kicked less than my M94 30-30.

My point was that both the 8400 WSM and the 300WM are pretty shootable weights for those chamberings.

On the light side for sure, but shootable.

Maybe so, but either of the other two WSM chamberings can't be too far behind.

Schit no, and alot closer than most will admit once you throw mono's in the loop. The Montana WSM's are a pretty well thought out deal. Mine's a 270WSM and I've no intention of putting another tube on it. Throat, magbox, weight, balance, trigger, stock...what's not to like?

Might actually shoot it one day, literally....

If you�re not taking the 300 Win Mag for a Western hunt, then for purpose are you buying it? Africa? Red Stag in Argentina? It sure isn�t needed in the southern US, and really is completely unnecessary anywhere in the lower 48. If you want to buy it �just because you want it�, that�s fine, but it�s about as useful as a guy in Florida buying a snowmobile �just because�.

Also, if threads didn�t veer off from the OP, this would be a pretty boring place.