I've had a 300 WinMag for about 30 years that I use for just deer hunting. It is as it came from the factory with the exception of Leupold scope. I shoot factory available Federal 180 gr. and don't mind the recoil at all. The gun always shoots dead on at 100 yds which is the longest shot I can expect in WV. Mine is wood and the only drawback is the weight of the gun. It is tough on deer so I stick to head and neck shots after seeing what it has done to deer shot elsewhere.