Don't forget about the "other" short magnum..the 300 SAUM..some great deals on these and there really isn't beans worth of difference between them and the WSM's. They are extremely accurate and I have seen some that will outshoot most other magnums on paper.. If you can find a Model 7 Stainless Magnum, it makes an outstanding carry firearms with all the power you'll ever need to harvest the animals you have listed.. I've seen some 700 stainless versions for $549.00 !! Don't sell the 300 SAUM short, if it weren't for "BIG GREENS" promotion problems it wouldn't be in the shape it's in, it is an awesome big game cartridge despite it's sales...
If those 300's were heavy enough guns, the recoil should not be much different from a .270. Did he say why he was concerned about recoil? I got hurt a while back and my doc took me off magnum calibers and anything else with significant recoil. I now shoot a .223, 7.62X39, and (this year).30-06 managed-recoil. I don't know how the new .30-06 ammo will work out, but I have been told the recoil is similar to a .243. If it was my job, I think I would have told him he needed a different gun each for deer, elk, and moose and maxed out my commission!
A good old .30/06
The guy obviously isn't a hardcore shooter so he will be buying factory. Ever hardware store in the world carrys Remington Core lock ammo. My favorite deer and elk gun is my Howa .308.
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It sounds to me like the guy didn't have much experience with rifles and, that being the case, I would NOT have recommended a magnum caliber. I would have suggested a .270, .280, 7mm-08, .308, or .30-06. Any of those would do the job at reasonable ranges using the correct bullet.
Everyone's tolerance for recoil is different. A .300 Magnum, for what appears to be a first "big game" rifle, is a surefire way to create a shooter who flinches...
Caliber Selection
