300 Prc for hill stalking deer and feral goat
- Thread starter HallyButt
- Start date
I don’t use a 300PRC but do use a 6.5PRC.
I can’t see a compelling reason to step up. Everything I’ve shot with my 6.5 has been very, very dead. Roe to red, ranges out to over 400m. Very good in wind.
Based on talking to people who do have 300PRC, there is a substantial jump in recoil - it’s nowhere near as easy to shoot well.
300WSM.....baby magnum......!! 300PRC lovely but unnecessary (I run one) - I'd go 7mm PRC if I were looking now. I also run a 6.5PRC BTW - and Mungo isn't wrong. There is something about shooting a 212gr at 3200 and playing with the big boys with 230 A-Tips though......
The 300 PRC is a bit of a beast.
I would be looking at at the 7mm PRC the 180gr bullets exceed the 6.5 ballistically and they aren’t a huge increase in recoil. To get similar ballistics you need to jump up in weight for a .30 cal and increase that recoil dramatically.
I’m a true 7mm fan. Although the 148gr yewtree .30 cal look interesting.
I would be looking at at the 7mm PRC the 180gr bullets exceed the 6.5 ballistically and they aren’t a huge increase in recoil. To get similar ballistics you need to jump up in weight for a .30 cal and increase that recoil dramatically.
I’m a true 7mm fan. Although the 148gr yewtree .30 cal look interesting.
I shoot a 300 Norma Mag as a stalking rifle. But only when I need to based on the wind and range. It does what it supposed to do and kills whatever it hits. But it’s not the easiest to shoot, with recoil just a bit over what you’ll generally experience with a 300 PRC. I also shoot a 6.5 PRC. Simply fantastic shooting 147 ELDM at 3000’ FPS. It kills everything at any range in the UK. Moderate recoil, and having shot many deer with a 30-06 I’d say a little less recoil than the .30. However, my 7 PRC arrives this month. It’s absolutely the sweet spot ballistically and I’m hoping will render the 6.5 and 300 Norma as obsolete for stalking when energy isn’t as important as placement. My advice would be to go PRC but in 6.5 or 7. Easier, cheaper and all the energy you’ll ever need on this fair isle!
This is a situation that arises a lot in the mind of shooters , however its so way better to learn the skills of shooting in the wind than up the cartridge . The 6.5 creed is a very well proven rifle in competition in open class.
BTW i do not own a 6.5 Creedmore i shoot 260 rem , which is basically shooting the same bullets
Nothing can actually buck the wind better until you increase the recoil via putting a longer higher BC bullet into a bigger gun ! Guess what though? The bigger gun tires you faster when carrying it around more and recoils more unless you add more weight
Play with different bullets and loads , unless you are planning a trip for Larger or dangerous game you will struggle to find any tangible gains in the Uk fields and forrests
BTW i do not own a 6.5 Creedmore i shoot 260 rem , which is basically shooting the same bullets
Nothing can actually buck the wind better until you increase the recoil via putting a longer higher BC bullet into a bigger gun ! Guess what though? The bigger gun tires you faster when carrying it around more and recoils more unless you add more weight
Play with different bullets and loads , unless you are planning a trip for Larger or dangerous game you will struggle to find any tangible gains in the Uk fields and forrests
dont overthink it .... im a believer in that i think most folk get too hung up on calibers ...i was same when younger .... pick one that will cover everything in uk & not blow hell out carcass on smaller species so get some meat out of it after all.
brothers went to a 6.5prc and what a tool!!!! seems to have that "thump" / hammer feel about it .....bit more meat damage on roe but still acceptable
pick a cal... shoot it, learn it and its drops etc and enjoy it
Paul
brothers went to a 6.5prc and what a tool!!!! seems to have that "thump" / hammer feel about it .....bit more meat damage on roe but still acceptable
pick a cal... shoot it, learn it and its drops etc and enjoy it
Paul
What bullets are you using in the 300 Norma? Do you see any runners with chest shots?
Utectok
Well-Known Member
All deer legal calibres are fine and will work perfectly in normal shooting. Every time I change calibre I think what a waste of money to shoot the same deer just as dead at the same range as the last rifle. Personally I think the only real difference is at a certain point the recoils means it’s difficult to shoot and you loose the shot picture which is really helpful to identify misses and deer reaction to shot. How controllable a rifle is depends on weight, stock design, calibre and shooter. I shoot a 6.5x55 which kills reds easily out to 350m which is about as far as I shoot
Bigger faster i have little real time for personally in UK deer stalking! The only way you stop a death rush is a spine or brain hit ,or breaking both front shoulders . loosing meat or carcass price depending what you do with them .
The advantages of a more powerful tool as I personally see it on UK deer is , some mitigation for poor shooting , yet the bigger the boomer the heavier the carry and the problem of recoil management that in itself harms the accuracy especially in fast improvised field stances .
A 243 is quite capable on all uk deer as far as the owner is competent and they choose thier ammo well. The real dodgy ranges as regards the kit that is past around 500 yards thats around double the distance most are truly capable of on deer without a sighter shot .
The advantages of a more powerful tool as I personally see it on UK deer is , some mitigation for poor shooting , yet the bigger the boomer the heavier the carry and the problem of recoil management that in itself harms the accuracy especially in fast improvised field stances .
A 243 is quite capable on all uk deer as far as the owner is competent and they choose thier ammo well. The real dodgy ranges as regards the kit that is past around 500 yards thats around double the distance most are truly capable of on deer without a sighter shot .
swagger700
Well-Known Member
It's nice read the above. I'm no professional but people do get these big caliber rifles thinking they can revolutionize the wheel but that's only if they are competent with the gun. Like the above says I've seen 6mm rifles shoot like Lazers on all UK species with no issues with right person pulling the trigger. I don't doubt these big caliber stuff are more capable at range but only if bullets in right spot
Heym SR20
Well-Known Member
I have used 300 magnums a few times. They were a useful tool in the days pre rangefinders to give you another 50 yards of point blank range - ie to improve from 200 and a bit to 250 and a bit.
They probably have a usefulness on open ground / mountains where realistically most shots will be on the long side at big animals.
But if you want more power for big animals (eg on driven boar) you are probably better going up a bore size or two with a bigger bullet.
In the UK, especially in these days of good monolithic bullets with good penetration and expansion you can shoot a ballistically efficient bullet fast enough out of a 30-06 for it to be able to take any beast out to long ranges.
They probably have a usefulness on open ground / mountains where realistically most shots will be on the long side at big animals.
But if you want more power for big animals (eg on driven boar) you are probably better going up a bore size or two with a bigger bullet.
In the UK, especially in these days of good monolithic bullets with good penetration and expansion you can shoot a ballistically efficient bullet fast enough out of a 30-06 for it to be able to take any beast out to long ranges.
If Magnum then might as well be a 30. I am on my third 300wm and the last one is my favourite rifles. With proof carbon barrel and ultra lightweight carbon stock she balances and feels just perfect. I love hunting with this beast, using 208gr at 2800fps is not OTT. The rifle is balanced is such a way that recoil comes back straight so I can see impacts off-hand or off a bag. I must admit for our deer she is way too much unless shooting past 400m. Recon there is not a huge difference between a 300PRC and 300WM.
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