Do you hand load, does heavy recoil bother you, how much do you plan to shoot. All these questions make a difference. If you don't reload then the price and availability of ammo becomes a factor. The 300 Ultra mag has more recoil than the 300 WSM. If ammo is a concern and recoil isn't then I would consider the 300 Win mag, it has cheaper and more available ammo. If recoil is a factor then you need to go with one of the standerd cartridges. If ammo and recoil are not a problem than I would pick the 300 WSM because of recoil. I have a 300 RUM but it is a 9 pound rifle and the recoil is not that bad. I don't know how it would be in a lighter weapon and the 300 WSM should have recoil close to a 300 WM which I shoot all the time and I belive is very manageable.

I just returned from 2 weeks of deer hunting. I left my 300 WSM at home - it's my moose rifle. I used my deer rifle a Winchester Compact Classic 7mm.08 with 140 gr. Fail Safe's and it did a fine job again this year. I shot 3 deer the longest shot being just under 200 yrds (later scoped with range finder), a standing broadside shot which demolished the shoulder lung & heart. The second was also a broadside standing shot at 110 yrds. which was equally as lethal as the first. The last was a 50 yrd shot in front of a dog - 2 shots, one in the uppper leg and the second fatal shot in the shoulder area. IMHP the 300 WSM is more than necessary for deer and recommend the 7mm.08 for deer. Accurate, flat shooting, light weight, little recoil and deadly on deer. It'll also look after a bear if you should come across one. gg.

"The instant you start talking about what you'll do if you lose, you have lost."

If I were hunting blacktails in Alaska I might like to use a 300 ultra mag. Not that it would be needed for the little deer. But it would be handy if one of their nasty neabours showed up.

Otherwise it would be like killing a fly with a baseball bat. It will do the job but a fly swatter works better.

Robin

Guys I promise you that it isn't that powerful of a round. I have shot animals with it and I can't see any huge difference in the wounds that I could with a 30-06 or 300WinMag. All your getting is another 450 or less fps.

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He's talking about the 300 ultra mag, not the 300 WSM. Not that it matters in my book, a 30 cal is a 30 cal. I find the 300 WSM a much more useful round than the ultra. If you want more killing power get a bigger bullet. The 300 ultra is a gimmack.

If you want to just go deer huning get something else. YOU don't need a 300mag to kill a deer. YOU can and it will kill a deer quite dead but you are beating yourself up for no real reason. If you are like me and just want one and that is a great reason to get one then by all means get one and go deer hunting with it as I will someday. But no you don't need it for deer especially at those ranges. A 7x57 or 7mm08 sounds just about perfect. If you just want a gun to hunt anything anywhere and any place and not worry if you have enough gun then a 300 ultra is very hard to beat. Not really the answer you want but hope some of this helps. Good luck

brian

Otis, read the post again. 450fps or less!!!!!!! and the discussion is not about the WSM only.

As far as what you need, you sure don't need a 30-06 to kill a deer. You sure don't need a 30-30 even. I have killed with .357 mag moving at 1300fps. Kill 80% with a bow. All you really need is a spear, or snare, don't even need a bow. So that argument of what you need is out the window. As far as being a gimmick, what do you mean boltman. I have found it to be a very versitile cartridge with great accuracy from 150gr to 220gr bullets with a wide range of loads. Have you not had the same success out of your RUM?

You guys might think I am crazy, but I would use the 300 RUM with a Hornady 220 gr. RN @ 3000 f/s 4396 ft/lb (handload), and hit the deer right behind the shoulder, and throw away the ribs. I love over kill. Good luck.

I shoot a Rem 300 ultra mag and I dont consider the recoil that bad. Its is more than you need for deer size game but still not a bad choice. I hunt white tails in florida with it, but also have taken large boar as well as blacktails. Stops them dead in their tracks. With the right bullet, meat waist is not an issue. The price and availability of ammo should be considered. If deer is your primary game then maybe go with something like a 7mm 08. Just my opinion for what its worth.