Considering my first gun purchase and would like some opinions about recoil mostly concerning these two rifles. I have virtually no shooting experience, but did shoot a friends 7mm mag and a 300 wby. I found it hard to be objective about the recoil since up till now I've been a bow shooter. Definitely going to get a muzzle-brake on either one. I spoke to one gun smith and he told me that the 300 win is not going to kick more than a .243 with the brake and if it is made to fit me right. Going to be hunting elk for sure and maybe black bear someday. I hunt in the mountains of Colorado so maybe that will answer some of the shot distance questions. Any help appreciated!

Well, if you are dead set on a brake, I would opt for the 7mm, just because of ammo availabilty and price. Just keep in mind their are better options out their for you. Having hunted with a brake, I can assure you it is not at all pleasant. You need to utilize hearing protection, or damage will occur. Also, the amount of debris that thing can throw in your face is amazing, especially if you take a shot in the prone position. My wife can shoot a 270 win with an 8 pound rifle/scope (combined weight) with no problems. She doesn't shoot 100 rounds a day, but can manage ok. Another option is the 7mm in a Browning BAR. That semi-auto action is gas fed, which takes down the kick a lot. I had one in 30-06 that felt like a 243, and I imagine the 7mm would feel about the same. This was going to be the outfit I was going to buy my wife for an out of state deer hunt before plans had to be changed. Except she wanted the BAR in 270. Good luck, hope this helps. If you would like to talk to my wife about it, drop me a PM and I will have her read it and respond.

Thanks for the reply. I did know about the hearing protection issue with a brake, but not the debris. I did think briefly about a .270, but this is probably going to be the only rifle I will ever buy so I want to make sure all the bases are covered. The guys I work with and the gun smith I mentioned are the only people I am around who know anything about guns so I thought that my best choices were the 7mm and the 300 based on what I am being told. Although my coworkers are dead set against me getting a 300 win.

either of these cartridges is more than enough to shoot a lady hunter.

As others have recommended, a rifle with a muzzle brake is unbearable to fire without ear protection. And the notion of wearing electronic ear protection while you are hunting - day after day - is not all that practical. They are uncomfortable and you don't hear as well at distance as you do normally. They tend to really amplify things close to you and not reveal sounds at distance very well. I tried it for awhile - hunting with a T/C Contender pistol. Couldn't make it work.

I would recommend getting a rifle without a muzzle brake. Semi auto's kick less than bolt guns. Heavier rifles kick less than light rifles. The best recoil pad is the Limbsaver/Simm's. Rugers kick more than Remingtons or Weatherby's (stock design). Take a look at the 7MM-08 orthe .280 Remington. They will kill anything in North America, with good bullets and good bullet placement,as long as you keep your shots inside 300 yards.

The 280rem might be the ideal choice in this situation.With a good recoil pad,recoil would not be excessive.

As a gunsmith my recommendation for all first time shooters, ladies or men, that want a single gun for everything is a mid weight .30-06 with a quality recoil pad such as the Sims LimbSaver or the Pachmyr decelerator. Recoil is manageable in all loadings and if you find that it is hitting you too hard, there are a wide variety of lighter loads that you can step down to. The '06 can handle anything from long range antelope hunting to dense cover big game up to and including the big bears and moose. Practical ballistics are equal to the 7mm mag (unless you're shooting super long range, which a newbie shouldn't be doing anyway) and it doesn't have the recoil. It'll be much more pleasant to shoot than either the 7mm or the .300 which means you'll enjoy it more and spend more time with it at the range. The added proficiency will more than make up for any small losses in ballistics it gives up to the .300 mag. and the ammo is cheaper which also means you'll shoot it more. And, it won't require a muzzle break which means you'll enjoy shooting it more. (If you haven't guessed, my take home message is; whatever you get, shoot it a lot.) The big key in getting your first rifle is getting one that fits you properly. Shop around and fondle as many different styles and makes of rifles as you can before you buy. Have fun!

Okay, so if I consider the .280 how easy is it to find ammo, and for that matter how common is the gun to find?

The 30-06 I am familiar with a little bit. Is a 300 yd. shot pretty typical for even an experienced shooter in a hunting situation? The fellows I work with talk about commonly taking 500 yd or longer shots in the field. Now I know that I will be taking close shots until I am proficient, but what about later. I have heard that a 30-06 drops like a rock. I was also told that a woman is built differently than a man and cannot judge the recoil on a rifle unless it is built specifically for her.

I would try out a 270. It's enough for an elk, but should be much for managable for a lady. Plus, there's lots of loads available.

You could also go for the 7mm Rem Mag or 300 Win Mag, andbuy Remington Managed Recoil ammo, and I think Federal makes recoil ammo as well. It does decrease the recoil, but you may have to special order it in.

Although the 280rem is not nearly as common as the 30-06,there is a fair variety of loads available and ammunition isn't usually hard to find.It is very similar to the 270win,but it does handle heavier bullets.The 7mm-08 is very similar to the 280rem,with even less recoil,and the selection of ammunition is greater.