Ten years ago, when my father was a spry 70 years old, I bought him a Rem. 700 in 300 Weatherby.

A friend owned it, didn't like it, and swapped my 7mm Rem Mag for it.

I stuck a Gentry Muzzle brake on it, loaded for it, and presented it to my dad for his birthday.
It was unbelievably accurate (0.5 to 0.75 inch groups at 100 yards with handloads), and an interesting rifle to shoot.

Since then, everything shot with it has succumbed to single shots (even when I borrow it), except for a large Eland in Zimbabwe that he had to put a finishing shot into.

My father turns 80 next month, so I took him to Texas this past weekend for a scimitar-horned oryx hunt, and the species moved closer to extinction after a single shot of his at 75 yards.

I think part of the secret is he never sights it in (that is my job, and he'll tell me what bullet he wants and how he wants it sighted), and he only shoots it at game. He swears it doesn't kick.

He won't shoot it for fun anymore, as he was showing a friend what it was capable of, and as he rested it on a jacket across the hood of his jeep it cracked the windshield from the muzzle blast.

I see posts on here about how most people can't shoot the magnums and shouldn't own them....maybe the trick is that you should be over 70 to own one.

Garrett

Or not shoot them enough to develop a flinch.

George

Sounds like your dad has a great deal going here. Some how he has gotten the son to do what fathers are suppose to do for there son's. All kidding aside, he is shooting game, and well when you shoot game, you don't notice recoil. The break helps some, but there is still a bit of muzzle blast with the 300 WM. The Key to shooting rifles that recoil heavy recoil, is to shoot offen but not a whole lot of rounds at a time. I hunt a lot with a 338 Winchester, I shoot it well, what I do is never shoot more than 5 shots at a time, but I shoot three times a week and at least 50 shots out of a 22. Once I have my rifle zeroed, I'm off the bench all together. I like putting out balloons filled with water out from 20 yards to 250 yards or so. And its either off hand sitting knealing or prone. I also think that your dad is a fine game shot, and maybe at one time, spent a lot of time on rifle ranges.

Uh... it's got a muzzle brake and since Dave's is one of the better one's of course it doesn't kick, 70 year's old or no. I personally won't own, shoot or stand near a braked rifle. It's also my observation that 300 Mag owners in general and 300 Wby owners in particular have more unfounded confidence in their firearm's "knock down" ability than almost any other group... except, maybe, 7mm RM shooters! Shot placement and bullet construction count for more.

I'm glad your dad likes his rifle and I'm glad he's still huntig at age 80... that's great!

It's pretty amazing to see him still hiking around at 80, and I realize I am lucky to be able to share this with him for this long.

That said, he bugs me just the same as he did when I was 15!
(And I am sure he would be able to say the same about me)

Garrett

Nice to hear your good ol' Dad is still shooting and feeling good at 80.

It's good to hear about an 80 yr old man still actively hunting, muzzle brake or not. Glad to hear he got a good animal. It's good of you to take care of him in such a manner, even if you bug each other sometimes. My dad and I both get on each others nerves occassionally but thats part of what makes memories. Good story.

I have been shooting the .300 Weatherby since 1963 and have more one shot kills with it to ever relate. Some really spectacular ones always come flooding back to cause daydreams. Hunting with your parents/grandparents are memories that are the most cherish that no one can ever take from you. Great story. Lawdog

quote:

Originally posted by N. Garrett:
...He won't shoot it for fun anymore, as he was showing a friend what it was capable of, and as he rested it on a jacket across the hood of his jeep it cracked the windshield from the muzzle blast....

I can see why he would consider the windshield getting broken not a lot of fun. Though he probably gets a grin or two from it now.

Sounds like an excellent rifle using an excellent cartridge by a skilled hunter/shooter. That is what it is all about.

Continued good hunting and clean 1-shot kills to both of you.

My first rifle (rather Blaser barrel) was a .300 Weatherby. I've been hunting with it since I was 16, I'm 23 now and I too have had one shot drops on everything. I love it.

It does kick, and it is loud with the brake but damn does it work!

I am extremely confident with it. It is my go to in any hunting situation.

I had a M700 SS in 300 Wby. Great cartridge but I have just as many one shot stops with my .270 Win. Shot placement is everything.

BTW, my M700 seemed to have some recoil and a lot of muzzle climb, I'm guessing the muzzle break helps that. It, too, was very accurate.

I own a Classic Mark in 300Wby and have used it in Africa and North America. I don't ever get bogged down in "this round is better than that one" arguments too much since we have a lot of cartridges that work and calibers over lap, BUT I stay amazed at what I see the Weatherby do. I once read a Jon Sundra article about how great the 7mms were and how the 300s were too much or too little,and he sold me for a number of years until I got a 300 Wby. He was dead wrong. Apparently he never had a 300 wby. or is recoil sensitive. I have had a number of immediate one shot kills. No running, no standing around, just the bullet hitting the animal and the animal hitting the ground. I even hit an eland once and it rolled it over on its back with all four feet in the air (Same results as from my 375). Its a great round but recoil is a factor for some. I will always have one.
Doug

I bought one of those cheap little Weatherby Vanguards in .300 Weatherby way back in 1991. It is way too much for deer sized critters, but I have used it for nearly everything else, and even for two mule deer bucks taken while on combination mulie/elk hunts. When properly hit, game dies. Of course you can say this about nearly every big game centerfire cartridge. The rifle is deadly accurate. I handload either 180 grain or 200 grain bullets for it, depending upon what I will be hunting. So far, I have taken a whole lot of critters with it, most with one-shot kills, but some requiring a follow up shot. Unlike others, I ain't perfect.

A few years back during a moment of weakness, I had a muzzle brake installed. While it cuts down on the recoil, I am certain it has an effect on my hearing (What?). If I had it to do over again, I would not have installed the muzzle brake. I shoot my .416 rem. mag. without a brake, so recoil isn't a major issue with me.

I have a bunch more rifles than I need, but the .300 wby has a special place in my heart. Every scratch on that stock has a story connected to it. The first was put there on a caribou hunt in 1991 by my hunting partner, a chiropracter from Minnesota named Mark Bichler. Mark, if you read this, I still remember it well. It was a helluva caribou, wasn't it? My gunsmith told me he could take all the scratches out, but I don't think that is a good idea. Scratches on a gunstock give it character.

Kudos to visionaries like Roy Weatherby. He invented a wonderful round. Those like me who like it, really love it. Others hate it with a purple passion. Could anyone ask for a greater compliment than to have such strong feelings about one of his inventions? I think not.