Weatherby 300 mag vanguard deluxe question
- Thread starter Dano4734
- Start date
Felt recoil depends solely on how the gun fits you. I have a Mark V in 460 that fits me fine and I can shoot it with no ill effects. Of course I don't shoot more than 5 or 6 rounds per session.
I got rid of a Rem. M700 in 30-06 back in '73 because no one could shoot more than 4 shots.
Matter of fact, if I was going on your moose hunt, I would be perfectly happy with one of my '06s with a 180 gr. Partition.
You gotta be careful with a hot rod cartridge with close shots. Driving the wrong bullet that hard up close is an invitation for wounded game from bullet fragmentation.
I got rid of a Rem. M700 in 30-06 back in '73 because no one could shoot more than 4 shots.
Matter of fact, if I was going on your moose hunt, I would be perfectly happy with one of my '06s with a 180 gr. Partition.
You gotta be careful with a hot rod cartridge with close shots. Driving the wrong bullet that hard up close is an invitation for wounded game from bullet fragmentation.
Moose are large but not terribly hard to kill. I doubt you need a 300 Weatherby for moose, but there are usually bears where moose live, so you want to be prepared. That said, I will agree with Dufus that a 30-06 would probably serve you well and not strain your injuries. Or put a good muzzle brake on the rifle to reduce recoil.
Most folks consider the recoil of the .300 Weatherby to be somewhere between "stout" and "kicks the ever lovin' snot out of you!!!"
Rifle weight, stock design and FIT to your individual measurements make a huge difference in how the recoil feels. And a good muzzle brake can tame a hard kicker, but at the cost of making the gun LOUDER to everyone nearby.
The Vanguard does not have the Weatherby Mk V action or stock design. I've shot a .300 Mk V, and it beats me worse than my custom Mauser .458 Win Mag. Stock design and fit matter.
One fellow I knew used a .300 Mk V during his trips to Alaska, it was his "caribou rifle" and he loved it. One time, he took it deer hunting (it was a 3 day outing), and came home with his deer, a black eye, cut eyebrow and the whole right side of his face heavily bruised.
Seems that the first morning, a deer jumped from some brush at about 40yds range. He snapped the gun to his shoulder and shot. He got the deer, but because he had not taken the time to get a good solid mount with the gun, it beat him, rather severely. Again, stock design and FIT are important.
There are rounds that have more recoil than the .300Weatherby Mag, but not many that are as "sharp" and as heavy. If you have an injury that could be aggravated by sharp, heavy recoil I would not choose a .300Weatherby, UNLESS it had a good muzzle brake. If you go with the Vanguard in .300, I would spend the extra money needed and have a good muzzle brake installed. May seem expensive, but its cheaper than hospital bills and therapy if you damage your old injury again due to the vicious recoil a .300 Weatherby can have in some rifles.
I would also point out that in Scandinavian countries the 6.5x55mm Swede (which has less recoil than a .30-06) is considered a good round for moose. And their moose are approximately the same as our moose, even if the name they call them translates to "elk".
I would also mention that there places in Alaska where bears are heavily outnumbered by moose (have been on trips where bear sign was seen, but no bear, and moose were EVERYWHERE), and a moose with an attitude (which happens A LOT) can be every bit as bad for your health as a bear, maybe even worse.
Good luck, and good hunting!
Rifle weight, stock design and FIT to your individual measurements make a huge difference in how the recoil feels. And a good muzzle brake can tame a hard kicker, but at the cost of making the gun LOUDER to everyone nearby.
The Vanguard does not have the Weatherby Mk V action or stock design. I've shot a .300 Mk V, and it beats me worse than my custom Mauser .458 Win Mag. Stock design and fit matter.
One fellow I knew used a .300 Mk V during his trips to Alaska, it was his "caribou rifle" and he loved it. One time, he took it deer hunting (it was a 3 day outing), and came home with his deer, a black eye, cut eyebrow and the whole right side of his face heavily bruised.
Seems that the first morning, a deer jumped from some brush at about 40yds range. He snapped the gun to his shoulder and shot. He got the deer, but because he had not taken the time to get a good solid mount with the gun, it beat him, rather severely. Again, stock design and FIT are important.
There are rounds that have more recoil than the .300Weatherby Mag, but not many that are as "sharp" and as heavy. If you have an injury that could be aggravated by sharp, heavy recoil I would not choose a .300Weatherby, UNLESS it had a good muzzle brake. If you go with the Vanguard in .300, I would spend the extra money needed and have a good muzzle brake installed. May seem expensive, but its cheaper than hospital bills and therapy if you damage your old injury again due to the vicious recoil a .300 Weatherby can have in some rifles.
I would also point out that in Scandinavian countries the 6.5x55mm Swede (which has less recoil than a .30-06) is considered a good round for moose. And their moose are approximately the same as our moose, even if the name they call them translates to "elk".
I would also mention that there places in Alaska where bears are heavily outnumbered by moose (have been on trips where bear sign was seen, but no bear, and moose were EVERYWHERE), and a moose with an attitude (which happens A LOT) can be every bit as bad for your health as a bear, maybe even worse.
Good luck, and good hunting!
when i sight the big boys(.300 wthy-.375 H&H- .458) in i use my lead sled with two 25lb bags of shot on it and that takes a lot of the sting out of sighting them in. when hunting and shooting at game recoil never seemed to bother me. and i use a scope with the longest eye relief i can find. eastbank.
Recoil is measured in FT LB's of energ. It is calculated based on 4 things.
Weight of the rifle
Weight of the projectile
Weight of the powder Charge
Velocity of the projectile
A 180 gr bullet fired @ 3200 fps from an 8 lb 300 WBY mag has about 34 ft lbs of recoil. Just for comparison a 30-06 will typically be in the upper teens or low 20's. depending on the exact load and rifle. The 308 around 14-16. Less than 1/2 the recoil.
More bullet speed from a magnum round doesn't kill big game any deader than the same bullet from a 308. The difference is that a 180 gr bullet from a 308 slows to the point at around 400-500 yards that it will no longer reliably expand on contact. The advantage a 300 magnum offers is that it will still be fast enough out to 700-800 yards before bullet expansion is a problem. At 300 yards or less no game animal will know the difference if it is hit with a 308 or 300 magnum.
Unless you plan on shooting very large game at extended ranges there is no need for the 7mm and 30 caliber magnums.
The big bore magnums 375 and larger are intended for truly large game at moderate to close ranges. The 7mm and 300 magnums are intended for the same game as 260, 7-08, 308, 270, 30-06, etc., just at longer ranges.
A 30-06 is never a bad choice, but realistically anything 26 caliber or larger with bullets designed for deep penetration will do what you want to do.
Weight of the rifle
Weight of the projectile
Weight of the powder Charge
Velocity of the projectile
A 180 gr bullet fired @ 3200 fps from an 8 lb 300 WBY mag has about 34 ft lbs of recoil. Just for comparison a 30-06 will typically be in the upper teens or low 20's. depending on the exact load and rifle. The 308 around 14-16. Less than 1/2 the recoil.
More bullet speed from a magnum round doesn't kill big game any deader than the same bullet from a 308. The difference is that a 180 gr bullet from a 308 slows to the point at around 400-500 yards that it will no longer reliably expand on contact. The advantage a 300 magnum offers is that it will still be fast enough out to 700-800 yards before bullet expansion is a problem. At 300 yards or less no game animal will know the difference if it is hit with a 308 or 300 magnum.
Unless you plan on shooting very large game at extended ranges there is no need for the 7mm and 30 caliber magnums.
The big bore magnums 375 and larger are intended for truly large game at moderate to close ranges. The 7mm and 300 magnums are intended for the same game as 260, 7-08, 308, 270, 30-06, etc., just at longer ranges.
A 30-06 is never a bad choice, but realistically anything 26 caliber or larger with bullets designed for deep penetration will do what you want to do.
I am in love with this weatherby vanguard 3006. With the Redfield accu range 50 mm scope it istthe best shooting rifle I ever held.. Amazing.. Thank you for all the advice. I am glad I got the 06
I didn't think I would like a two stage trigger but now I love it
I didn't think I would like a two stage trigger but now I love it
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Geezerbiker
New member
Have you considered having a muzzle brake installed? A friend of mine has one on his Win70 in .338 Win mag and the recoil is about the same as my .308 Win...
Tony
Tony
Geezerbiker
New member
I have a Howa in .223 Rem and I can see why you like them. They're well made and good shooters.
Tony
Tony
A 300 Weatherby Magnum has a sharp, vicious recoil that is genuinely unpleasant to shoot. Personally I'd rather shoot a 458 Win Mag. The 458 recoils more, but it's a slow push (OK, a BIG slow push) that you can roll with. The 300 Weatherby is a sharp, hard jab like getting punched in the face. I wouldn't recommend it, especially if you have neck issues.
A muzzle brake would help, but don't use one unless you and everyone anywhere near you is going to wear plugs and muffs every single time you shoot it, including hunting.
If you own a 30-06 I'd practice to get used to its recoil, load it with a premium 180 grain bullet and go moose hunting.
A muzzle brake would help, but don't use one unless you and everyone anywhere near you is going to wear plugs and muffs every single time you shoot it, including hunting.
If you own a 30-06 I'd practice to get used to its recoil, load it with a premium 180 grain bullet and go moose hunting.
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Nat yes I would have to shoot one with a muzzle break before buying one. This 3006 seems to workjjust fine for me. Even that somewhat mild recoil causes so pain but nothing of concern. I have lots of steel in my neck so I do have to be wary.. I would love to have a 300 with a break if I was sure my body could handle it.. Thank you my friend