300wm,300wsm or 338?????????
#1
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 192
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From: Denver, Colorado
I was wondering wat gun would be perfect for hunting Mule Deer all the way up to Grizzly bear? So i thought i would ask you Guys/Girls for your advice of what would be good?
#2
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 815
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From:
I'd say the 300WM or 338 , just because ammo on the WSM could cause you headaches in a pinch. Other than that any of the three would be fine. The bigger the gun the better(338) it sounds for griz though.
#3
Although the .338 might be a tad big for mulies, it's better for grizzles. Another option could be a .35 Whelen, ammo's harder to find, but it's a great big game cartridge
#4
I would have to say to go with the .300 Win Mag. 150 or 165 grain spitzer or BT's for deer, and load with a 200 grain premium bullet for grizzlies. I don't know what else would do much better, and still wouldn't cost an arm and a leg to shoot, and would destroy your shoulder everytime you shoot it. (Not to say the WM doesn't have any recoil, but it is certainly manageable by most people with a good stock and recoil pad).
#5
IMO none would be perfect they would all have give and takes associated with a range from Mule deer to Griz as you indicated. That said if Grizzly where on my radar screen the min I would take personally would be 338 wm. So if your serious about hunting grizzly's in the near future that would be my suggestion go big and tailor it to your needs for the smaller stuff. However if your wanting a rifle thinking the biggest animal you may hunt is a Grizzly, then the 300's will serve you well until its time to go after them big bears.
#7
Typical Buck
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 982
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From: Central Michigan
I would go with the 300 WSM it is more versital and its popularity will allow you to find ammo all over, maybe not everywere like the 30-06. My Ruger 77 MK II 300 WSM shoots well under 1" with my handloads and .5" on some handloads. My Barnes 180gr XLCs at 3000 fps will shoot a .6" group at 100 yards. This load is more than capable of killing anything on the planet. The 30-30 was used on everything up to and includeing moose before all of these new high power calibers came out.
#10
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 776
Likes: 0
From: SW Virginia
KonaBoy: Although the .338 might be a tad big for mulies, it's better for grizzles. Another option could be a .35 Whelen, ammo's harder to find, but it's a great big game cartridge


