Reduced Recoil .300 win vs 6.5x284

treillw

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I'm planning on getting my wife a lightweight rifle - about 8.5 pounds with scope and bipod. I want to play with it too though!

Would there be any harm in getting a .300 win and loading it up with ~150 grain bullets and a lighter powder charge or would you be better off with something like a 6.5x284?

If you shoot a 140 grain bullet at 2800 fps from a .300 win and a 140 grain bullet at 2800 fps from a 6.5x284, aren't they going to recoil pretty much the same?

I would like the .300 to work for us because I want it to put a good hurting on elk when she does shoot something. We could load the bullets hotter for her for hunting too. I also like the idea of me having a lightweight 300 that I can shoot 215 bergers out of for running around the mountains.

She shot my buddies savage .300 win the other day. 10.6 pounds with bipod and factory savage muzzle brake. She shot 180 grain bullets out of it at full velocity and walked away smiling and saying it felt like my 243. Going down to a 8.5 pound gun will change things however. I do plan on getting a more efficient brake than the savage had.

Thoughts? Thanks!
 

FURMAN

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What will be your max shooting distance?


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treillw

treillw

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What will be your max shooting distance?
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We'll shoot as far at animals as we can accurately - time will tell. Shoot as far as we can see at targets. :)
 

FURMAN

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If you intended to shoot at game to 1000+ I'd go 300 with a good Brake.


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AXEL

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I detest brakes, consider a .300Win. at 8.5 lbs rigged to be a medium-heavy rifle, especially for "running around the mountains". I was born, raised and started shooting 1958, packing rifles, 1964, just north of you in the Kootenays of BC. I have packed a lot of rifles from 6 lbs. all up to 11 lbs. all over BC, much of AB and a bit in the Canadian northern territories.

My feeling for what you want is that a Kimber Montana, .280AI, Talley QDs, braked and your choice of scope about 4.5x14 would be preferable to both the choices you mention. My KMA, two silver VX3-3.5x10x40s, silver Talleys, runs the 160Npt. at 3000 fps-mv and shoots very well. I would look at a good bipod, as I am about to do and go from there.

IMO, the Elk does not walk that will be "too much" for this load and it does NOT "kick" as any .300 mag. does. You gotta hit 'em to kill 'em and this is perhaps the best overall rig available at present, if you handload of course.

JMHO.might help.
 

GKPrice

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I detest brakes, consider a .300Win. at 8.5 lbs rigged to be a medium-heavy rifle, especially for "running around the mountains". I was born, raised and started shooting 1958, packing rifles, 1964, just north of you in the Kootenays of BC. I have packed a lot of rifles from 6 lbs. all up to 11 lbs. all over BC, much of AB and a bit in the Canadian northern territories.

My feeling for what you want is that a Kimber Montana, .280AI, Talley QDs, braked and your choice of scope about 4.5x14 would be preferable to both the choices you mention. My KMA, two silver VX3-3.5x10x40s, silver Talleys, runs the 160Npt. at 3000 fps-mv and shoots very well. I would look at a good bipod, as I am about to do and go from there.

IMO, the Elk does not walk that will be "too much" for this load and it does NOT "kick" as any .300 mag. does. You gotta hit 'em to kill 'em and this is perhaps the best overall rig available at present, if you handload of course.

JMHO.might help.

AND if you don't handload do the exact same set up in 30.06 - with modern bullets there isn't an animal walking that would know the difference between the 2 cartridges when it's hit
8.5 lb is not a "lightweight" rifle
 

cooperjd

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Dec 30, 2016
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felt recoil depends more than only weight/cartridge. recoil pad, cheek pad, design of stock, how it fits, also play a part.

are you and your wife a similar height (to have the same LOP)? or are you planning on getting a rifle with adjustable LOP?

without knowing how your wife tolerates recoil...this is tough imho.... my best friend started his wife on a t/c dimension .300wm, no brake. she shoots it ok when she doesnt' flinch...but she developed a flinch almost immediately...started her with way too much gun.

with a good brake and a good fit she can probably handle either rifle just fine. but if there are enough size differences between the two of you it may be more beneficial to get one specifically for her, in which case i'd go for the .280, .280ai, or one of the 6.5's....etc...
 

GKPrice

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same mindset different people ... I "customized" a Kimber Hunter 6.5 CM for my 9 1/2 y/o grandson - 20" barrel, 12 1/8" lop, limbsaver recoil pad and I have him shooting 130's at midloads from the Nosler manual - I also put a bipod on it, he's shooting it very well with less than 2 boxes through it so far (100 yards) 4x Leupold scope set for him with tapered crosshairs that he sees clearly - he carries it well and isn't the least bit scared of it - he clearly understands the importance of hearing protection at this point too - it's "HIS" rifle
If my wife were so inclined I would do precisely the same for her
 
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