300 win mag , 300 WSM or 30-06

[Heym SR20]

For boar I would go 30-06 - more than enough and 1 extra round in the magazine. And ammo readily available.

The 300 win mag has enough recoil to make it uncomfortable and ammo is expensive. It’s more a long range calibre for wide open spaces on bigger game.

As for travelling with ammo. I put my reloads into factory ammo boxes of the same calibre. Probably worth making sure the bullets look similar to the ones on the box “Why have the boxes / seals been opened sir” - “i always buy three boxes as want to check my ammo before going on a trip and try a few from each box to check zero etc - i then make up two full boxes that I take” I reply.

 

[A Guy Out West]

30/06 is all you really need. I have 2 of them.

 

[gixer1]

I would say go and shoot all three, I found the 300wm recoil significantly more than the 06 (like, a headache type recoil!) although it was an unmoderated rifle with factory ammunition - you will most likely be shooting unmoderated if going abroad for boar. I think the recoil is like 30% more for the WM over the 06.

the 06 has and will kill just about anything that still walks the earth, you will get ammunition anywhere, it has what I think is a nice slow recoil, and can be loaded with anything from 110 to 220 gr,

With the WM and WSW you are probably talking 8-10gr more powder per bang, brass will more likely be more expensive and as has been said for boar you will get a shorter barrel (although it’s probably not that big a factor)

rifle availability in 06 will be much more common too...

regards,
Gixer

 

[User00033]

BUT, and this is why I'm not so keen for driven, to get the benefit from the 300wm, or in fact most magnums, you want a circa 24-26" barrel, and that's a lot to swing quickly, at very short ranges, common on driven hunts.

I’ll disagree with this. A very popular and proven magnum hunting rifle here is the 20 inch .300 WSM (or .270 WSM), with an over-barrel magnum moderator. Everything is a compromise, and this particular combination excels as the shooter gets a compelling package of power / recoil & noise suppression / handiness. The right reloading recipes equal 100% powder burn and plenty of 180-200gr bullet velocity.

The option I would recommend is a solid (i.e. slightly heavier) stock, thus maintaining balance and further dampening recoil.

A suppressed driven game rifle is something that often makes the purists choke on their black pudding, but unless you’ve used one a fair bit, its not really on to write them off. We only use suppressed rifles these days (unless shooting downloaded rounds) and have no difficulty whatsoever with speed of target acquisition.

 

[Magnificent 7]

Have a look at the 300 PRC before you decide

Cant see that ammo being so readily available if by chance yours is lost in transit though

 

[Drum123]

I had a 300wsm for over 10 years,moved it on this last year.I found that i just didnt need it anymore, i can do pretty much everything i need with a 7mm08.
My findings with the wsm was that it wasnt particularily bad on recoil,was easy to load for and components were easy enough to get hold of.
Down side was the price of quality brass and lack of a readily available factory ammo.

 

[Lateral]

I’ll disagree with this. A very popular and proven magnum hunting rifle here is the 20 inch .300 WSM (or .270 WSM), with an over-barrel magnum moderator. Everything is a compromise, and this particular combination excels as the shooter gets a compelling package of power / recoil & noise suppression / handiness. The right reloading recipes equal 100% powder burn and plenty of 180-200gr bullet velocity.

The option I would recommend is a solid (i.e. slightly heavier) stock, thus maintaining balance and further dampening recoil.

A suppressed driven game rifle is something that often makes the purists choke on their black pudding, but unless you’ve used one a fair bit, its not really on to write them off. We only use suppressed rifles these days (unless shooting downloaded rounds) and have no difficulty whatsoever with speed of target acquisition.

I can only comment on my personal experience, and that of the people I hunt driven boar with regularly, in the general conditions we shoot.

A 20" barrel, or shorter is the most common. Moderators are illegal in most of Europe, so we don't use them. If recoil is an issue, then we can use a muzzle brake. Hearing protection is almost universally used, commonly electronic.

It will differ from country to country, but a lot of the shooting is in wooded, areas, or in the hills/mountain, with pegs on narrow rides/tracks, 5-7m wide, just used for getting forestry trucks, and hunters around.

It's common to have a peg, where you don't see the pig until it's crossing, and concentrating on sound, to hear them coming, and being ready "gun up", is the only way you'll shoot something consistently. This is not to say that you can't be successful with a long barrel, it's just more difficult for most.

Almost any rifle can be loaded to work, but I don't see the point of a magnum cartridge, with a case capacity of 80gr +, designed to be run in a circa 26" barrel, being forced to work like a non magnum, what's the point of having a magnum ? What if you don't home load ? I'm not saying it can't, or shouldn't be used, just don't see the point, unless it's a compromise to shoot driven, because it's all you have.

Ultimately, it's all personal preference, and what the individual is most comfortable to shoot !

Portugal. Typical peg on a track. Looking across the track from shooting position. You can just see the peg up the track on the right. I took the picture from where the boar dropped. Hungary taken from the peg, not a lot of time, where the boar became visible. There was a safe backstop. Peg on a track Portugal, stone wall either side, next peg just over the brow, but the hunter kept coming to the top. My friend standing where the boar crossed right to left. I did see this one coming, as it jumped the wall on the right, and then the wall where my friend is. I actually had to wait until the boar climbed the wall, to get a safe shot, as the next hunter decided to come to the top od the brow, to see what was going on

Just some examples, and a 520mm 9.3x62 is my personal choice.

 

[Namman]

Have a look at the 300 PRC before you decide

For boar I would go 30-06 - more than enough and 1 extra round in the magazine. And ammo readily available.

The 300 win mag has enough recoil to make it uncomfortable and ammo is expensive. It’s more a long range calibre for wide open spaces on bigger game.

As for travelling with ammo. I put my reloads into factory ammo boxes of the same calibre. Probably worth making sure the bullets look similar to the ones on the box “Why have the boxes / seals been opened sir” - “i always buy three boxes as want to check my ammo before going on a trip and try a few from each box to check zero etc - i then make up two full boxes that I take” I reply.

I always put my reloads into old factory ammo boxes. I find that the more you shoot your .300 win mag, the less you notice recoil, however it is always more noticeable off the bench when zeroing. I am never aware of recoil when shooting game with any calibre. Apart from my first safari in 1983 I have always taken along a .300 win mag and in my experience, with plains game , as long as you use 200 or 220 grain bullets it is as effective as a .375. and shoots flatter.

 

[25 Sharps]

Cant see that ammo being so readily available if by chance yours is lost in transit though

That is true, same could be said for 300 WSM though which was the quote I was responding to

 

[Jax]

I’ve said a couple of times in the past, but I used to get 2,950 fps with a 180 grain Gameking in a 26” barrel 30-06 with RL-22. That’s 300 win mag factory performance with the same length barrel.

I miss the performance, but don’t miss stalking with a 26” barrel plus a 4” mod on a long action!

I’m not clued up on the magnums, but to get any improvement over a 308 you need a long barrel with the 30-06