I'm considering my next rifle. I was thinking about a 300 WSM Browning ABolt, but my local shop has a Browning Abolt SS in 300 RUM. I want the rifle for maybe some deer hunting, but primarily for trips out west for Elk and such. I'm just wondering about the level of recoil from a 8 1/4 lb rifle w/o a brake. I have a 270 WSM ABolt (powder puff) and a M700 Sendero in 7mm STW. The sendero is my field tower deer rifle and the recoil from it is noticeable but not bothersome for 20-30 rounds or so at the bench. If the Sendero wasn't so heavy (10 LBS.), I would carry it. I'm wanting a 30 cal magnum preferably. Truth be known, I'm just wanting a new rifle , I'm just making excuses for one. But, I would appreciate any replies. I'm just trying to make up my mind about the 300 RUM or the WSM and the recoil level will be be the deciding factor. Too bad I don't know anyone with a 300 RUM.

[ 01-31-2003, 04:50: Message edited by: br6ppc ]

Get it. Put a THICK Pachmayr Deccelerator on it before you shoot it, though. This comes from second hand knowledge, as the nastiest thing I've shot (in civilian life ) is a 300 Win Mag, which isn't mean at all.

I bought a 300RUM a little over a year ago. I was repeatedly warned by sales jockeys not to get one because it would kick too hard but I wanted one bad so I bought it anyhow.

I don't regret it at all but when shooting off a bench I stick a sissy pad over the existing recoil pad but I'm gonna switch to a shoulder worn recoil pad for shooting off a bench.

Handling 20 rounds off a bench isn't that bad to me but anymore than that and it isn't much fun anymore. In the field I don't notice the recoil at all although I did bounce the scope of my forehead shooting a bear in the spring. Didn't cut me though.

First shot I put through it was not bad at all. "shit is that the terrible recoil they have been warning me away from?"

Its survivable. Depends on what you want to shoot with it though. I bought mine for moose elk and bears with maybe some deer. but now I feel a mite bit overgunned on deer so I am thinking of something smaller for deer.

Mark

I don't have a 300 ultra but I shoot a 338 ultra and a 300 win mag, recoil is really not that bad in an 8lb gun and non existent when shooting at game. Kick eez is the recoil pad I would suggest to recoil sensitive shooters .

The Bottom Line is IF YOU LIKE & WANT THE RIFLE GET IT.The only way to know about the recoil of it is to Shoot it yourself.
When the 300 RUM came out I wanted one but since I don't care for Remington Rifles,decided to wait for a Win. or Browning.In the mean time I started hearing about how BAD the recoil was of the 300 RUM.I backed off form getting one.The OL' GOT TO HAVE IT finally won out.Glad it Did.
Using 150 gr Bullets I found that the Winnie I got,Recoil isn't any worse than the 3006 or 300 WSM with the same wieght bullets ( 150 grs).

By way I don't Think Winchester or Browning is makeing the .300 RUM for 2003,at least I didn't see any of them listed in thier Rifles on thier Web Pages.

[ 01-31-2003, 10:46: Message edited by: Tiny ]

I have a Rem 700 LSS in 300 RUM. The recoil isn't that bad. I've had the gun two years and have shot it nine times But I will say it is not the recoil in my shoulder that is the problem, it is the scope into the shooting glasses that I do not like. I'll get around to buying a scope with longer eye relief one of these days.

From the bench, it isn't all that bad. Use the recoil pads and all is good. In the field, you won't feel it. Unless you reload, I would go with the 300Win Mag. I love my RUM, but really want a WSM now.

I shot the 300 UM this year and loved it and was quite impressed with the FLAT trajectory. As far as recoil...I shoot my 338 Win mag with my t-shirt on...no bid deal and neither was the 300 UM...

I love my 300rum.It kicks quite a bit,but consider I went from a 30 30 to the 300rum.To me it is not a target gun,but once sited in is an awesome hunting rifle.

Ok...might as well get in oooon this one too...
I have a Sendero 300RUM, and a Sako 300 Win mag.
The Sendero has a muzzlebrake and kicks about like a .308, not bad.
Before the brake was installed, my 300 Win Mag "hurt" worse.
I think Weatherby's and Win Mags have a more pronounced, sharper kick than the Ultra Mags "thud".
What am I saying, you ask???
Get the damn thing!!! And get a brake....you WILL love it...I promise.
It's a superb elk round, and thats what you want.

Of course its gonna kick hard. Maybe you can handle it , but i would certainly go with a 30-06, 300wsm or 300 win mag instead. Youd get less recoil and better bullet performance with a slower round. Sounds good to me. I guess if you are into long range hunting, the ultra mag would be an advantage, providing you could shoot it well. But i dont know anyone in my area that actually does that kind of "hunting". At all the ranges ive seen elk, the only thing youd give up by going with the 300wsm is recoil, not killing power.

If the recoil is tolerable in a 300 ultra, why not get a 338 win? Then at least you gain something.

[ 03-15-2003, 06:24: Message edited by: SeanD ]

The difference in balistics between a win 300 and a ultra 300 is similar to the difference between a 30-06 and a 300 win/in terms of velocity and ft/pds of energy.

In terms of velocity and kinetic energy thats true, but i wouldnt think so in terms of terminal ballistics as as in reliable bullet deformation and controlled expansion.

It is well known that penetration goes down as velocity increases (after a certain point) due to faster bullet deformation, but i dont think it would be a linear decrease. Especially above 3200 fps.

[ 03-15-2003, 10:49: Message edited by: SeanD ]

br6, I wouldnt let recoil determine if I bought a rifle or not.
If Iam shooting alot off the bench, or for competion, then I might.
You owe it to the animal you are hunting, to use the best cartridge at your disposal.
Alot of people use .270, 30/06, and such for elk.
I wouldnt, only because I like, and Own bigger, more powerful calibers.
I feel they offer me the most potential for a quick, clean kill.
I know, I know, thousands of elk have been killed with .270's, .06's, thats true, but with the short magnum craz, muzzlebrake systems (like mine on my Sendero), recoil is really a non factor.
For me at least....and please, no hate post from .270, and .06 fans!!!...sakofan..

Dear sean.. You sound like an experienced elk hunter so I do not want to come off like a big mouth.At what point does velocity,energy make penetration irrelevant?In the case of whitetail, penetration is a mute point due to the overwelming power the 300 ultra has.A shoulder shot drops them.Are elk that much tougher?

sean, the 300ultra is more powerful than a win 338.for instance the 200gr bullet has about 200fps difference.

If you consider energy your measure of killing power, i guess thats true. But i dont beleive for a second that a 300 ultra is a better killer of elk size animals than a 338 win. Velocity and energy never make penetration irrelevent. Velocity and energy dont kill, the destruction caused by the bullet does.

[ 03-16-2003, 03:07: Message edited by: SeanD ]

ill add... if you want to use a 300 rum for deer, you obviously arent going to need a lot of penatration deer arent that tough. But for elk sized animals, i think a premuim bullet is in order so that you get enough penetration. If penetration was irrelevant, than you could use a factory bullet or a premium and both would be equally effective because they have the same energy. We know that not the case, because its not the energy that does the killing, its the work done by it via the bullet. I think a bigger wound channel at the lower velocity (and energy) from the 338 win will result in more tissue destruction than the 30 caliber at the higher velocity.

I agreed with about everything you said.You are probably much more knowledgable than me,but bullets being of equal construction I d rather hit home with a bullet 20grs. larger at the same velocity.Sectional density would also be much higher.That bullet will do more work.I was just reacting to your statement ,get a 338 then you d have something.final point...300rum much more powerful than 300win.300rum is at the very least is as powerful as a 338win.

Hammerhodder, check out this website. It really goes into detail explaining some of the fallicies in why the thoery that energy is an accurate measure of killing power is wrong.

terminal ballistics

There are obvioulsy at least two or three different common opinions that guys have to understand how killing effectiveness is measured. It is my opinion that extra velocity over 300 win mag levels is pointless, unless you need the velocity for extreme long range performance. Bullet performance is not as predictable at super high velocity, and performance in my opinion is less desirable. If i wanted more killing power than the 300 winchester has, id much rather use a rifle with a heavier and bigger diameter bullet, at any reasonable velocity range. Id rather have 338 win with 250's at 2700fps, or even a 35 caliber a bullet at a "slow" 2500fps because i think either has more power. Power is the amount of work done in a period of time, and I think more work will be done in terms of tissue damage with the bigger bullets, regardless of what your energy tables tell you.

[ 03-16-2003, 05:48: Message edited by: SeanD ]

Sorry it took so long to reply, COMPUTER TROUBLE . I wimped out and bought a 300 WSM . So far, with the weather we've had, I haven't had a chance on my days off to get to shoot. Thanks for all the info and replies.

sean thank you for your response and not getting defensive. I am just high on my new rifle.A good indicator of power I would think is powder capasity.....not completely some cartriges burn powder better,but any cartrige that can fire a bigger bullet at the same velocity is more powerful,or so I thought, bigger dia. bullet does change that equation,but I do not know how much.

I will check out terminal ballistics. thankx.

Something that is overlooked regarding recoil is that your subconscience remembers the recoil even when shooting at game, although you do not feel it.
This is not bad as long as you have time to take a deliberate shot and squeeze the trigger. However, if shooting at moving game when you know when the gun is going to fire, you will probably flinch.

I recall when I shot skeet how some would say, "Recoil doesn't bother me." But when they would get a misfire they would almost jump off the station. I enjoyed saying that for someone who recoil did not bother they sure had a bad flinch.

If you want to see if you flinch get someone to load the gun and see. Another way is to shoot fast as if you were firing at running or charging game and see how the group is and also have someone load the gun with one or two rounds short of the capasity of the mag.

I realize that the pros who shoot pistols probably never flinch, but everyone I personally know does sometimes, and throws the shot low. It isn't that the gun recoil hurts, but the nervous reaction to work against recoil is a natural thing and is difficult to beat.

Heavy rifles are just as bad or worse because they do hurt, as are shotguns. I recall that Jack O'Conner was recoil sensitive. I have learned that I am also. I shoot magnums when I need to, but prefer .270 class of cartridges more, as I can shoot them rapid fire without flinching. I cannot with a magnum.

I suspect at least 90% of those who shoot 300 Mag class and above flinch when they know the gun is going off. If it hurts on the bench and you shoot it much off the bench then you will develop a flinch and it will cause you to flinch when shooting at game also if you know when the gun is going off.

Jerry

I shoot my 300 Win alot. At least a few hundred rounds a year. If I take some time off (a few weeks or a month), I can tell that I have a flinch. It takes consentration and practice to shoot well all the time.

Bowhunter..............................I have not as yet started reloading,and my gun experience is pretty low as I only own 4 guns.I will read more and speak out less.I want to learn as much as possible.I wish I had your set up so I could personally compare them.I was just spuing facts from this sites reloading page.

my 180 load from my 26 inch bbled 700 BDLSS goes 3435 and sighted zero at 300 is never over 3 inches high and 9 low at 400 and 20 at 500.

all the Rem 700`s in any of the RUM`s have 26 inch bbls.

Saeed got 3300 with the 200 and 3090 with the 220 in his Sendero.and 2980 with the 240.
a 200 308 partition should retain more energy at long range than a 210 gr 338 partition,if they are started at the same speed.

I dont have a 338,but it is hard to believe you can get closer than 200 fps to the 300 RUM with equal weight bullets.

[ 03-24-2003, 06:06: Message edited by: mr.big ]