i'm not sure if this is the right place to pose this question, but anyway... i'm in the market for a new deer rifle/north-american game rifle. i've decided on the 300 wsm. now what rifle? i think that i've narrowed it down to either the tikka or steyr prohunter (steyr has informed me that the prohunter will be available in the wsm calibers by mid-july). i've always been a fan of steyr, but the tikka seems to be making a lot of noise. the one thing that i don't like about tikka is all of the plastic parts. any and all knowledgeable advice is appreciated. thanks!

WHY? Get a Winchester Model 70 controlled feed.

Blue

Better yet, how bout' one of these, CZ USA Model 3.

I would question your choice of caliber for Deer. This past season I used a 300 SAUM on a Doe and if there is any such thing as over kill, this was it. The exit wound was approximately the size of a softball. Granted this was a close shot, inside 50 yds, but the tissue damage was massive. If you are looking for a long range rifle, of are thinking more of larger game such as Elk, than go ahead, otherwize I'd consider a smaller caliber. I'm thinking of a new Deer rifle myself and am thinking about 7mm-08 or 7X57.

Take a look @ the Kimber, nice rifle for the money. If you are only hunting deer why not drop to a std. .308?

i know that the 300 wsm may be a little over-kill for deer, but i could use it for anything else in n. america(w/ the possible exception of close quarter brown bear hunting). i have been using a 270 on deer for about 15 yrs. i just want a new rifle and i like the 300wsm.

i would be more prone to recommend the .30/06, but if you are committed to a wsm, i would second a vote for the cz #3.

How can you guys reccomend something you've never seen or handled let alone used? The new CZ is an unproven action made by MRC for a round that's fussy in its feeding requirements.

Winchester Mod 70 or the Browning are both nice rifles at competitive prices. They are chambered in all the WSM calibers.

I've got a Mod 70 SS in 270 WSM that has almost 400 rounds through it no problems/no jams. Love the 270 WSM caliber.

I have owned a number of Model 70s, both pre and classic.
I especially like the classic featherweight models for their easy of carry, and the short barrel that doesn't get held up in the brush as easily. they are a great deer rifle. and they are reasonably priced.

I have been using a 30-06 deer hunting for about 30 yrs now-i am beginning to get interested in going out west for Elk so I went and bought a 300 Win. Mag. [26" barrel] then when I really got to looking at ballistics ie 30-06 vs 300 Win.Mag. vs 300 WSM there is not much difference between them- except the WSM is a bit lighter and shoot about the same -then came looking at ammo prices- also looked at the availability of said ammo- not everyone carries 300 Win or 300 WSM

I liked the Winchester model 70 comes in various calibre ,great safety, well made rifle
and not a bad price at Wally World

by the way I only use 180 gr ammo in my 30-06
to date it has not failed me

but the gun you get is up to you

brad -

i can recommend it because i have dealt with cz and have dealt with mrc, and i trust them both. putting the two together into a rifle, even if it is one i have never seen and used, would be, in my opinion, a good thing. when you have two good parents, the child is probably a smasher as well.

Cannot comment on the 300wsm as I bought the Tikka stainless/synthetic in '06 - Load it how you want, its good to go. Ammo availability is universal across the range of bullets and weights....worldwide.



With the 'added Oomphf' factory loads it will replicate 300wm if you feel it necessary.



Rifle has proved to be the most smooth and accurate 'out of the box' firearm I have handled. Thoroughly recommend it.



Rgds Ian

You have a lot of blind trust friend.

I've been using the WSM's since the first month they were available. In that time the only action I've seen that handled them really well was the redesigned Ruger MKII SA. I'm hoping the new Kimber will do as well.

Do you have any actual, firsthand experience with the cz/mrc that makes you believe they got it right?

MRC is a very small co. with legitimate QC question's.. I'm more than skeptical until I have one in my hands and have cycled a full magazine of dummies through the rifle.

Obviusly I'm being testy, but I get tired of those on these forums reccomending sh*t they've never actually used, let alone seen... don't even get me started on the gunrag plagirism...

I just got the Savage Model 16 "Weather Warrior" in a 300WSM and it is great. I got it for 400, it was last years model and was on closeout. This years model has the accutrigger on it and it is a little more expensive.



The rifle shot nice groups right out of the box.



Good Luck!



Reloader

brad -



i'd have to agree 100% on the gunrag issue, and don't presume that we need to carry that one out any further. we'd just be preaching to the choir.



as for first-hand experience, i own a cz m550 in 7x57mm, and have been nothing but happy with that. it is a top-quality product and the company has been very helpful with any questions or concerns that i have had. friends who have cz rifles have expressed similar feelings.



my first-hand experience with mrc is not what i want it to be. i dealt with the company and found them to be FIRST CLASS in customer relations; and i think that their product will prove to be outstanding. i had ordered one of their short actions, and had paid for it, but i had to cancel that order due to a family financial crisis, and i needed the money. i will not hesitate to order an mrc when we are back on our feet. friends who own mrc actions have had nothing but good thigns to say about them.



<added later>Rod at Serengeti (former MRC guy) has posted that it has a MRC barrel, which is a damned good barrel. If you add it up and if you ordered a MRC and had them install their barrel it's about $830. The CZ lists for $840. Rifles almost always sell below MSRP, so for the same price you get a complete rifle. A good deal if you like the chamberings.<added later>





regarding the wsm issue, i concede that i have zero experience, and in fact would never recommend one to anyone for many reasons. keep in mind that i stated my own preference toward more "standard" cartridges, and would recommend a .30/06 or 6.5x55mm over a wsm. the original poster, however, wasn't really asking about the chambering, as he is committed to a wsm. he was asking about opinions on the rifle itself. all i am saying is that based on my experience with cz and mrc, i would believe that they could certainly produce a rifle that is no worse than any currently being produced, and would go a bit further and say that it is quite a bit better than most. if this is blind trust, then i am guilty as charged.



my best advice would be that the original poster could get the facts on the cz m3 himself by clicking here.

No .308" caliber is overkill for deer. The bore size isn't critical, the bullet you use is. On that note, 30 cal has the versitility, it is up to the hunter to take advantage of it.

I have run about 350 rounds through my M70 Stainless 300WSM, from 110 Gr Sierra's to 180 Gr Nosler BT and Partitions, Hornady SST and Interlocks. I keep coming back to 180 gr. 8 Deer have gone down to it in the last 2 seasons, from 35 to 250 yards. Meat damage is a function of bullet construction and shot placement, both of which the shooter can control to some degree.

In short, don't worry about it being too much gun. Get good with it and place your shots well, then you won't have to worry!

My only criticism of my M70 was so-so accuracy (1.5" normally, 180 gr BST and FS) with early factory ammo. Nothing but handloads and easy sub-MOA accuracy since!

YMMV.

While I can't speak for the Tikka T3's that come chambered in the WSM's ..both of my Tikka WhiteTail Hunters, a 270 and now also a 300 WinMg, shoot factory off the shelf stuff in little bitty holes. I've been shooting the 270 for 3 years now and it is absolutely is scary accurate for an out of the box rifle with 130 or 150 gr Fed Prem Sierra Game Kings. I just got the 300Winnie and zero'd it in using some Rem 180 Corelokts that are really really old that my Savage 116 won't shoot at all under 3"s and it normally is a 3/4" shooter, the Tikka held the CoreLokts around 1 1/4" and then using Fed Prem 180 GameKings gave me some groups that I could cover the entire group outside to outside with a quarter. I saw some Tikka T3 wood stocked rifles listed in a Bill Hicks Catalog recently and if I had a preference that would be the way I would go. I personally don't care for the T3 synthetic stock...and am not to crazy about my 300 WMg WTail Hunter's synthetic stock either but it is better IMHO than the T3's. I am thinking about swapping out the synthetic stock maybe for a Richards thumbhole laminate or something fun. My 270 is in a factory wood stock, Std Grade with great looking heavily figured wood. Check out the T3's in wood before you make a decision would be my advice.
Ron

Bottom line... there's a world of difference between a 7x57 and any WSM and I wouldn't own any rifle chambered for a WSM unless I could "prove" the action myself by loading the magazine full of dummies and cycling them.

I plan on a Kimber 8400 "Montana" when they're finally available later this year but I'll have to be satisfied first-hand before I give a reccomendation that's more than theoretical.

Brad

Stoon -

Don't let all these experts buffalo you...the 300 WSM is a fine choice for an all around rifle. It is more than you need for deer, but it is not obscene in the overkill dept and it is a very accurate and well designed round.

If you handload, it is even better as it can be tuned with remarkable accuracy to 308 Win or 30-06 levels and still launch a 220 gr Nosler Partition at a big bruin at over 2700 fps. Hey, its a 300 Win Mag in a short action that reloads better than any .308 case out there.

They weigh a couple of grains MORE than a 300 Weatherby case, and the strength is in and around the web, where it needs to be.

The best choice for this round is the Savage. They are accurate out of the box, feed well and will save you enough money that you can splurge on some very nice optics. Go with nice optics as the 300 WSM is a primo varmint rifle with 110 gr hornadys at 3800 fps, driven by W760. The same powder will launch 125 gr Ballistic Tips at 3650 fps for antelope out west. Sighted in at a 300 yd zero its 7.2 inches low at 400 and never more than 3 high at 100 or 200. Not bad for a round that will drop a Griz.

>>>there's a world of difference between a 7x57 and any WSM<<<

very true, and i wouldn't presume to say different; however, my comments were not intended to compare the 7x57mm to any wsm. they were intended to speak from my experience about my opinion of a rifle manufacturer and their attention to quality and customer satisfaction. in short, if cz-usa (or kimber, for that matter) puts out a rifle, i fully believe that it will be a well-made, well-functioning rifle, based on my expereince with them. i "trust" that they are not going to unleash a rifle onto their customers which will be defective or sub-standard. it was my way to contribute what i knew to the poster's original question, and was not meant to be anything more than an opinion based on my own experiences.

when/if you get the kimber, please let us knkow how it performs. i have a very high opinion of them, but no personal experience. based on your wanting to "see for yourself" and the value that you palce on first-hand experience, i would certainly take your opinion on the kimber seriously.

Well, some of the posters here seem to want experience, not guessing, so I will put in my two cents worth.

My dad recently purchased a new Winchester Model 70 Classic Camo Ultimate Shadow (long name, but a great rifle). He bought one in the 7mmWSM. I am quite impressed with both the cartridge and the rifle.

The cartridge is giving 7mm Remington Magnum performance in a shorter, handier rifle. The accuracy is good, to boot.
In fact, my dad's buddy bought one at the same time and they are both shooting groups under an inch.

In regard to feeding, my dad has had no problems with his.
Just last weekend I saw him drop three wild hogs in rapid succession with that gun in a very short time. Actually, I shot the lead hog of a bunch of 13 and made a good shot into the shoulder. However, the angle was such that while my 160 Partition broke the shoulder it penetrated down the side of the hog not getting into the vitals enough. While I was trying to finish the lead pig off my dad shot three more;just bang, bang, bang, with that 7mmWSM. Then the fun started gutting and dragging four nice hogs.

Anyway, I can FROM EXPERIENCE, recommend the new Winchester rifles chambered in the short mags. I am, in fact, enduring the dreaded 10 day waiting period here in California on my new Model 70 in .223 WSSM. I think it is going to be one hell of a coyote rifle.

R F

StoonAucoin,
I will not try to change your mind about caliber or case. I don't think it's a bad choice at all.
I have a Tikka Whitetail Hunter in .280 Rem and don't care for it. If you havn't yet go play with on a little. To me they just don't feel right. To me it seems poorly fit, magazine rattles, the bolt feels strange, and it's a push feed.
Should you be able to get past these things, they do shoot pretty well it seems. Mine is unfired, I won it at a RMEF dinner but even at the price I don't care for it.
A Winchester Classic Featherwieght would be my choice depending on expected conditions... not everyone hunts the same.
Fun to HAVE to deside!

Since a lot of experts have already had their say I took the time to review StoonAucoins other nine posts to see what his battery was like and perhaps find out where he lived since deer hunting was mentioned. Money counts for so much and it's good to be practical.



All I have found out so far is that he has a SS Stalker in 270. It's not clear if he will sell that to get a 300 WSM or not but it seems that he will keep the 270 which has a "Seeladler" scope on it, whatever that is. He seems to be looking for the bigger scopes and total rifle weight does not seem to be the #1 issue. The 300 WSM is considered to "handle almost anything in NA." In other posts he is looking at Tika and Steyr rifles.



My first choice for this rig is a 3-9 Conquest scope. There has been plenty of discussion already on this and it's at the head of the pack for performance and value. We are into about $400 here.



As to a rifle I favor the Winchester line in general but they do not have a good stock on the SS Classics yet. If a wood stock is ok then the Featherweight is a nice rifle. Should price be a big factor the Super Shadow will be functional.



For myself I would wait for the new Kimber 8400 Montana.





Keep in mind that I am very satisfied with my M70 SS Classic in 7mm WSM but only after restocking it.



I would not bother with a Steyr rifle as I think they have rear locking lugs and a detachable magazine.

Hot core
I was using 165 gr. soft points. Remington factory loads.
Terry

I hunted for several years in Loudoun county Va. with a buddy who used a 300 win mag. One year he shot a really nice buck for the area, about 185 lbs. The deer was standing about 225 yrd.s out. It was a quatering shot through the left front shoulder bone, through the chest out in front of the liver. He was a reloader and I don't know what bullet wt. he used. The front third of the animal, including both shoulders and much of the tenderloin, was 'blood shot'. Usless. I hunt with a .270 using 130 gr. bullets if I figure I'll probably be shooting inside 250 yrd.s (I've taken them to 325 with the rig), and a 7mm Mag shooting 175 gr. if I figure I'll probably be shooting beyond that range. I'd feel really comfortable with the 7mm to 450. I only shoot the heavy bullet because it's a good bit more accurate in my gun. The short of it is I eat a lot more venison than my buddy does.

I have 2 Steyrs an 80s Steyr-Mannlicher Model"M"Professional in 30.06 and a ProHunter in .243. Both are incredible rifles! If I could convert my Model"M" to a 300WSM I would. That's great news that Steyr is going to offer the 300WSM in the ProHunter. If I wasn't so deep into my .06 I would make the switch.
As far as deer go just load up a medium speed(2800fps) 180grn Partition or SpeerGrandSlam and never look back. Stay away from thin walled single core bullets that come apart- BallisticTip, GameKing, etc..
The way I think about it-
On most loads a 30.06 averages about 150fps faster than a .308 with the same bullet and the 300WSM has the same ballistics as a 300WM so it's 150-200fps faster than the 30.06 with the same bullet.
The 300WSM is a great platform to load anything you need for the job at hand.
..hope you buy the SteyrProHunter- great rifles !

Skinner has the right idea forget the M70 and go for a cz in said caliber