Originally Posted by
Blackelk
I shoot both magnums and non magnums. I have never been engrossed in the way of thinking it takes that added ft lbs to kill an animal... I'd rather spend my time worrying about accuracy and my loads, the rest is threading the needle. It don't take a magnum to kill but if it's accurate in your hands then why not.
I'm with Blackelk on this, although I deleted the part about 600 yard shots as I've never shot that far at anything.
My first rifle was a .30-06, and for about 10 years it easily kept my freezer full of mule deer, elk, and pronghorn antelope meat. Usually 150 grain Hornady spire points for deer and antelope, and 180 grain Sierra Gamekings for elk.
Then in the late 70s, my hunting partner showed me a .30 Gibbs case (an improved .30-06) and it looked so cool that I just had to rechamber my .30-06 to it. It pushed 180 grain Partitions at just under 3000 fps which was close to .300 Win mag performance. For the next 20+ years a pile of elk, 2 shiras moose, and a few other big critters fell to that cartridge.
My gun safe has a variety of both magnum and non-magnum rifles and pistols. I enjoy shooting and hunting with all of them.
At the same time as I made the Gibbs conversion, I built a .257 Ackley Improved for deer and antelope. For the last 35+ years this has been my favorite deer and antelope rifle. I've also taken a number of bighorn sheep, a caribou, and an elk with it, all with Sierra, Hornady, or Nosler cup and core bullets.
About 15 years ago, I bought my first magnum rifle, a Remington 700 ADL in 7 mm Rem mag. I used that rifle on my first African hunt and also for a caribou and muskox hunt in the Canadian Arctic. I later "upgraded" that rifle to another 7 mm RM in a Stainless Rem 700 BDL. I've also used that rifle in Africa, and for a variety of Montana animals, including elk. I keep it as a foul weather back up rifle.
Ten years ago I booked an African cape buffalo hunt, and since many African countries require a minimum of .375 caliber for buffalo, I built what I consider the ultimate .375 caliber rifle, a .375 Rem Ultra Mag. I then used that rifle on two trips to Africa, easily taking a variety of animals from 35 pound steenboks to 1500 pound buffalo and eland. I haven't seen a North American animal that needs the power of a .375 RUM, but I haven't hunted coastal Alaskan brown bears.
For about 45 years I've admired and wanted a .300 Weatherby rifle. Six years ago I finally bought one. I custom stocked it in fancy walnut, and it has fast become my favorite rifle. I've used it for just about every major hunt that I've done in the last 5 years. I tamed it's recoil with a KDF muzzle brake and an in stock recoil reducer and I enjoy shooting it almost weekly. It's a beautiful, accurate rifle that is fun to shoot.
My gun safe has a variety of both magnum and non-magnum rifles and pistols. I enjoy shooting and hunting with all of them.