King of the .30's

[STW]

My vote is for the 300 RUM. Just like JD338 said earlier you can load the RUM down but you can't load the smaller 30's up.

 

[HeathSexton]

I have shot my 30/06s on steel out to 600yds with the 180 NBT and they have done great. If I was going to get one .30 cal for everything a 24" barreled 30/06, either a Rem or if I really wanted to drop coin a Forbes or a NULA. I would top it with a VX3 3.5-10x40 in Talleys and honestly I'd shoot the 180 NBT, maybe the 180 NAB. I can get 2700fps with 180's from my 22" barrels without making anything sweat. My limit on live big game animals is 400yds, an old outdated 30/06 with a 180 started 2700fps is still moving 2000fps and packing 1700+ ft/lbs of energy, put that with a good bullet and stuff dies.

A 30/06 is convenient to shoot as far as ammo, it's not tough on the shooter, it's tough on the shootie and it's killed pretty much everything that needs oxygen.

 

[HOGWILD338-378]

I thought the 300 RUM was out done by the 30-378 a few years ago as being the # 1 30 Cal ?

 

[Anonymous]

The only thing I am somewhat fearful of in going down the WSM route once again is whether or not the 300 WSM is here to stay or will it be gone into existence some time in the future. ..

I have to say that after having the WSM for a number of years it does seem popular enough that it will be around for a long while. Lots in circulation and a lot on the shelves..unlikely that it's going anywhere for several decades.

 

[RMiller]

What do you plan to hunt with it?

My current 30 cal is a 308. I really like them.

I have shot with 30 cals:

308 win ..one black bear, one dall sheep, one moose.

30-06..one antelope

300 win mag.... 8 Sitka blacktail deer

300 WSM.... one mule deer and two whitetails.

My 14 y.o. son uses a 30-06 and has shot 4 whitetails and one mule deer with it.

IMHO you cant go wrong with a 30-06.

My first rifle when I was 15 was a 338 win mag. I shot 2 moose, one dall sheep and four Sitka blacktail deer with it.

 

[w8n4rut]

honestly, if my 06 couldn't do it where we hunt I would skip the other 30's and go to .338. and that's from someone with a m77 30-06 , ruger no.1 300win, ruger no.1 300 ultra and ruger no.1 30-378.

 

[Bruce Mc]

Plenty of opines about the best .30 caliber. I'm not much of a .30 cal fan so I won't add. Hogwild338, I can see your point about a 3 lb timney trigger on that 338-387. I'd want to add as much weight to the rifle as I could to help with the recoil too. Though from time to time I've thought about a 300 win mag in a model 70.

 

[HOGWILD338-378]

I have a few 30 caliber rifles in the safe BAR 300 WSM, Vanguard 300 WBY, Mini 30, and next week I will be adding a 300 Win Mag and if I was strictly staying with a 30 caliber it would be the Win Mag but it's too much fun squeezing a 225 gr TSX 338-378 off at 3180 fps as it really makes ya smile and I promise ya the animal will know the difference as well as long as ya do your job! I just like a fast 225 gr on larger animals but the 300 Win Mag has been getting it done for so long it is a no brainer! Now I guess we need a thread on the best optic :lol: for a 30 caliber :mrgreen:

 

[sask boy]

The best thing about a 30-06 is you can make some great cartridges out of it :wink:. You can shoot a 225gr AB at 2700fps out of the 35 Whelen :mrgreen: & it has some real thump when it gets there. But if I was going to 30cal mag I would go with the 338win mag. and they are as flat as all heck .

Blessings,
Dan

 

[bobnob]

Know I have spoken already but in reflection I remember a year ago trying to decide on a 30-06 vs 300 WM. The WSM wasn't an option as the rifle I wanted doesn't come chambered in that.

I simply went with the 30-06 because as I never shoot beyond 400y I couldn't see the need for the extra MV. 180g spitzers in the 30-06 at 2800fps is a heck of a lot of gun.

Of course I had to assuage the magnum itch so I recently acquired the 338 WM. Perhaps I like it because the trajectory mirrors that of the 30-06, which as I said serves my purposes re range and clout well enough.


Hey Hogwild, maybe we need a King of the 338s thread?!

 

[HOGWILD338-378]

I would like to have a 30-378 as well, it's cheaper to shoot a 50 cal than my 338-378 :mrgreen: I just like the option to shoot the larger pills at 3180 fps!! Military getting 2970 out of their 300 Win mags with I think it's a 210gr OTM ! you will be hard pressed to beat the 338-378 Accumark ! Bigger and faster is always better NO :lol:

 

[Wincheringen]

I vote 30-06 as well. There is little need for the Magnums in my humble opinion.

 

[Oldtrader3]

Charlie,

Aleena would be right there with you. She loves 300 H & H and has used it to hunt Europe, North America, Africa and New Zealand. My wife shoots the 300 H & H and it works for her as well. We recently purchased a 325 WSM BLR to be used as an all purpose/all family gun. We will carry it on the snowmobile, and horse, as well as use it for fishing protection and hunting in Alders. My wife and daughter have trouble with the 45/70, so the 325WSM will be able to be used by all members of the family

Sean, I have not fired a .325 WSM but I would imagine that it would pretty much equal the .300 H&H in power with a little more sectional density for being 8mm. That should also be a great caliber for the youngsters and ladies that can handle the recoil. It certainly should be adequate for anything up to and including grizzlies with the 220 grain Partition.

 

[Africa Huntress]

ajvigs

I have received several requests to share my thoughts with you on this thread.

Over the years while hunting with my grandfather, father and husband, I have had the opportunity to use the 30-06, 300 Savage, 303, 308, 300 WM, 300 WSM, 300 Wea, 300 ultra, and the 300 H & H

The 300 H & H has hunted with me in Africa, Alaska, Canada, Argentina, Russia, New Zealand and Europe. To date it has not let me down regardless of the weather conditions or animal sought.

the plus's

efficient powder burner
Very smooth feeding
operating pressure: eliminates problems when hunting equator countries, gives one better case life, barrel life,
less recoil

The negatives:

longer action required ( I prefer the pre 64 model 70 )
few production models
more weight, ( length and weight can be reduced if you can find a Ruger 1 A)

you should not belief the published data about the 300 H & H. If you reload you will be right on the heels of the Win and Wea mag's

I did not just wake up one morning and say the 300 H & H is the best 30 something caliber for me. My belief that it is one of the best, if not the best, came from many hours of hunting with a variety of different 30 calibers on a wide variety of game.

Having said all that, any and all of the ones mentioned in this thread are fine choices and I wish you all the best with the one that works for you.

I was a bit surprised when reading your thread that only Gerry, Charlie and Sean understood how well the H & H performs in the field, so it is possible that I, like the 300 H & H is simply out of step with the times

 

[Guy Miner]

I think that most of us simply haven't had much exposure to the H&H.

I've never shot one, and have seldom even seen a .300 H&H rifle, while .300 Win mags (and now WSM's) are as common as fleas! The H&H is a classic, and performs like a thoroughbred according to the users.

Guy

 

[truck driver]

I've never shot a 300 H&H either but won't keep me from trying one if I get the chance. No doubt about it the old girl will get the job done and like the 06 has been the parent of many a wild cat and ammo could probably be found in most gun shops around the country.

 

[DrMike]

I was a bit surprised when reading your thread that only Gerry, Charlie and Sean understood how well the H & H performs in the field, so it is possible that I, like the 300 H & H is simply out of step with the times

All a question of availability, Aleena. It was displaced by the 300 Win Mag and the 300 Weatherby Mag (anything new is always better, if you believe the magazine writers) and ceased to be chambered by current rifle manufacturers. Did you note the enthusiasm generated by members of this forum when it was reported (wrongly, it appears) that Winchester would be chambering the 300 H&H? For sure, I would be compelled to pick one up in that case.

 

[Guy Miner]

Mike - the last new .300 H&H I saw was a Ruger Number One, produced a couple of years back. I know at the time I was pretty enthusiastic about adding a .300 to go along with my .375 H&H Number One.

Would have made a real nice pair of classy rifles in classic cartridges.

There are more reasons than just ballistics for choosing a particular cartridge.

Guy

 

[Vince]

A,

I don't always adhere to newer is better thinking and you have me yearning to try a .300 H&H. It's bonafides have been established for quite a while and in looking at my reloading manuels I was quite impressed with the data.

It's a pity that more fine rifles aren't currently chambered in this caliber.

Vince

 

[HOGWILD338-378]

http://www.willoughbymccabe.com/d.php?gid=1622

:mrgreen: