Quick sanity check on my sanity (300 WM X-bolt)

[benCa]

Well.. Bergara rifles are out until 2023. I started with wanting to look at those, the B14s. They look sublime. So if you want those, you are SOL.

And, hang on to your fake news horses, because I don't know if you've tried to buy any ammo over the last 2 years, or any firearms at all last year. I bought a new Lowe boat, ordered in December, and according to Go Fast Marine up in Hemet, me, and 2 other people are the only people getting the 3 allocated boats from Lowe in 2022. I don't expect mine until June.

So now when I see anything I know I'm going to buy.. eventually.. I try to nab it now. BTW, pricing is also going way up across the board. If anyone has a tip on finding good ammo, let me know!

 

[FISHNFRANK]

X Bolts are great rifles, I’ve had a number of them. my current one is one of the last stainless stalkers chambered in .280 Remington. I had a 300 WSM in the stainless but it was light and the recoil was too much for me. 300s have recoil that is quite a step up from the .30-06 but heavier rifle with a brake will be better.

forget Turners. They’re not a store that caters to hunters. Fine firearms is not close to me but one place I would recommend in Sportsman’s warehouse in Temecula. They’re pretty well stocked. But it will be hard to get away from 6.5 everything these days haha. I like powerul but lighter recoiling chambers like the 7mm-08, .270 and .280. With Barnes bullets we really don’t need .30 Cals anymore but Ill always have a soft spot for the .30-06

frank

 

[paulfishes]

Lots to sift through. Great questions.

First things first; get what you want. You won't regret buying and owning a 300 win mag.

Next, you're splitting hairs between the big 4: 270/7mm, 30-06/300wm.

All of the standard calibers have been around for a long time, and have ethically taken hooved mammals all over the world. As you know, any well placed shot, with adequate energy, penetration, and quality modern bullet construction, will put brown down.

The 6.8 western is a Johnny come lately round. It's a repackaged 270 WSM. Nothing more, nothing less. The 270 WSM has already faded well behind the original 270, in terms of sales. With that said, the 6.8 western is a modern hunting round and will effortlessly take deer and elk, to reasonable distances. It wont do anything the 270 can't do, and it certainly won't beat the pants off the 300 win mag. You are buying marketing when you buy the 6.8, or the 6.5 for that matter. The 6.5 CM will not out perform the 270 on game. The 6.5 will outperform the 270 on paper targets with match grade bullets at 1000y. No question. The 6.5 will kill deer and elk within reasonable distances, but it won't make the 270 obsolete, and it's not a superior hunting round over the 270. It's just hyped up by talking heads in marketing departments. It's been around as a 6.5 swedish caliber and dropped moose, caribou, and bears as standard medicine for 100 years.

The 300 win mag will outperform the 30-06 in just about every category, aside from bullet weight options. As far as being more expensive, that's a usless argument. If a man can buy a box of premium 30-06 copper hunting rounds for 55 dollars, but cant afford a 60 dollar box of 300 win mag, he's in the wrong sport or his brain is broken. Your gun will be a grand, your scope is over 800 bucks, you will get a bipod, a sling, a case, a safe, cleaning supplies for your rifle, and so on. Your out of state elk tag for Colorado is 700 dollars. Gas, food, lodging, horses, and on and on. Saving 5 bucks on a box of ammo is a poor reason to reduce the moment the bullet hits your once in a lifetime elk by 1000 pounds of energy.

Your caliber selection pales in comparison to the time and effort you should spend actually shooting in real world situations. Absolutely zero in your rifle on a bench rest, then stretch out your confidence and hit 8" targets at 500 yards, or whatever your benchmark may be.

At the end of the day, you lay in bed dreaming of your 300 win mag. Don't settle. Be confident that your decision was the right one. Realize that any of the calibers will do the job under the right circumstances.

Be in mountain shape, be mentally strong, don't make excuses, know your limits. Let the bullet bounce off the backside of the opposite end of the rib cage and rest inside a pink sponge, or blow right through it. Now if you want to drive yourself crazy, ask yourself why you wouldn't buy a 338 rum. Just kidding, get what you want.

It's not the surfboard, it's the surfer.

 

[benCa]

Paul, thanks for that, and to think I almost missed your post. Now that's a 'sanity check,'

Funny you mention the 338 RUM because I've been listening to the Back Country podcast, and that guy has a 1 hour show going over why that is the ultimate, near perfect, Alaska rifle.

For now, I'll have two hunting rifles; the 6.5 and the 300wm. I think this will hold me over until I'm rich.

And, regarding money, man, I had no idea that hunting was this intense of a financial commitment. I had these romantic visions of buying a box of ammo, binocs, and coming home with game 1 out of 2 times. All I can say is thank god my wife doesn't manage the money.

 

[GUNDOGLOVER49]

Paul, thanks for that, and to think I almost missed your post. Now that's a 'sanity check,'

Funny you mention the 338 RUM because I've been listening to the Back Country podcast, and that guy has a 1 hour show going over why that is the ultimate, near perfect, Alaska rifle.

For now, I'll have two hunting rifles; the 6.5 and the 300wm. I think this will hold me over until I'm rich.

And, regarding money, man, I had no idea that hunting was this intense of a financial commitment. I had these romantic visions of buying a box of ammo, binocs, and coming home with game 1 out of 2 times. All I can say is thank god my wife doesn't manage the money.

That kind of romantic hunting goes back at least 60 years.

 

[180ls1]

Paul, thanks for that, and to think I almost missed your post. Now that's a 'sanity check,'

Funny you mention the 338 RUM because I've been listening to the Back Country podcast, and that guy has a 1 hour show going over why that is the ultimate, near perfect, Alaska rifle.

For now, I'll have two hunting rifles; the 6.5 and the 300wm. I think this will hold me over until I'm rich.

And, regarding money, man, I had no idea that hunting was this intense of a financial commitment. I had these romantic visions of buying a box of ammo, binocs, and coming home with game 1 out of 2 times. All I can say is thank god my wife doesn't manage the money.

It does not have to be that intense of a financial commitment. Be a little careful listening to podcasts and the hunting industry in general. They will make you think you need all this stuff and that the new stuff is twice as good. It's actually kinda sad seeing some of my friends trying to get into the sport spending all their money on gear.

When I first started (15yrs ago) I didn't even have binoculars for several years and still managed to kill deer, elk and pigs with my same old .270 that had department store Bushnell scope. I still use that gun today and it puts the hammer down.

 

[GUNDOGLOVER49]

It does not have to be that intense of a financial commitment. Be a little careful listening to podcasts and the hunting industry in general. They will make you think you need all this stuff and that the new stuff is twice as good. It's actually kinda sad seeing some of my friends trying to get into the sport spending all their money on gear.

When I first started (15yrs ago) I didn't even have binoculars for several years and still managed to kill deer, elk and pigs with my same old .270 that had department store Bushnell scope. I still use that gun today and it puts the hammer down.

Yup, old school has, and still does kill many animals.

 

[benCa]

Well.. I remember my first hunting trip, happened to be boar in Paso Robles in 2019. The guide sent me an equipment list of sorts. Things like "good shoes, rifle, license, hat, sunscreen, water, snacks, knife, and copper ammo." There were a few other things. I got all of it. The only thing I spent money on was a rifle and a mid-range scope.

30 minutes into the hunt, I shot my first animal, a good, clean shot, it dropped instantly, was around 120 pounds. My guide says to me "get your truck so we can pack this thing into your cooler."

Um, "truck" and "cooler" were NOT on the list. I had a small mazda, which I drove 4 or 5 miles off road to get there, and no cooler at all. I assumed he took care of that part.

So I added "truck" and "cooler" to my wish list. I already had too many experiences with camping/backpacking to know I needed something larger than a Mazda 3.

I had no idea that good size coolers are triple digits. I had no idea that a good butcher costs well into triple digits! And you guys know how this goes. You get a shotgun because guided $800 hunts isn't going to be a regular thing. Next thing you know, you're off buying decoys, blinds, wister fees, these duck shells aren't cheap.. It's 30 degrees and I'm on a boat turning into a woman, I make a note "look into better clothes."

Guys, I know you can take a .22, or a 20 gauge, and go small game hunting. But if you love this stuff, if you're stuck between getting under the sheets with a beautiful woman or going hunting.... LOL, I hope you're doing well with an emergency fund and a budget. The woman is, by far, cheaper (until she divorces you).

 

[JakeSCH]

Larry?

 

[180ls1]

Well.. I remember my first hunting trip, happened to be boar in Paso Robles in 2019. The guide sent me an equipment list of sorts. Things like "good shoes, rifle, license, hat, sunscreen, water, snacks, knife, and copper ammo." There were a few other things. I got all of it. The only thing I spent money on was a rifle and a mid-range scope.

30 minutes into the hunt, I shot my first animal, a good, clean shot, it dropped instantly, was around 120 pounds. My guide says to me "get your truck so we can pack this thing into your cooler."

Um, "truck" and "cooler" were NOT on the list. I had a small mazda, which I drove 4 or 5 miles off road to get there, and no cooler at all. I assumed he took care of that part.

So I added "truck" and "cooler" to my wish list. I already had too many experiences with camping/backpacking to know I needed something larger than a Mazda 3.

I had no idea that good size coolers are triple digits. I had no idea that a good butcher costs well into triple digits! And you guys know how this goes. You get a shotgun because guided $800 hunts isn't going to be a regular thing. Next thing you know, you're off buying decoys, blinds, wister fees, these duck shells aren't cheap.. It's 30 degrees and I'm on a boat turning into a woman, I make a note "look into better clothes."

Guys, I know you can take a .22, or a 20 gauge, and go small game hunting. But if you love this stuff, if you're stuck between getting under the sheets with a beautiful woman or going hunting.... LOL, I hope you're doing well with an emergency fund and a budget. The woman is, by far, cheaper (until she divorces you).

I feel you on that one. I was so clueless. When I first started I didn't even know you had to watch the wind or that animals would smell you and runoff. It definitely can be expensive, my post was more saying that you don't need the best of the best and every new thing that comes out. I have some nicer stuff now and it helps for sure but it's not needed.

As for my wife. We talk prices on all bigger purchases and she encouraged me to get a better pack this past year along with a new (used) bow this year. I guess it just depends on your relationship and financial position but I always err on the side of transparency.

 

[benCa]

LOL, well, I'm just making jokes..for the most part. When I informed my wife that I, impulsively, bought a duck boat, she just stared at me for a for a few, with that face "WTF is wrong with you?" We've been together for almost 30 years (holy crap, 30 years last year), so 'romance' is so rare, she has nothing on me!

I love buying this stuff man, I love that feeling of "what does this allow me to do I couldn't before?"

Back Country podcast had a guy ask a question about the one and only rifle he can afford after hunting, for years, with a .303 Enfield. I poured one out for my broke homey, may god bless his soul and fill his freezer. He's way more of a badass than I'll ever be.