300 Win Mag
Justin Connaher

The .300 Win Mag Cartridge, and What It's Best For

The .300 Win Mag cartridge has plenty of good attributes, and it's great for a variety of applications.

Take a look at any hunting rifle, and there's a multitude of calibers it could be in. Depending on what wild game they're going after, hunters have a lot to choose from.

There's a special place in hunters' hearts for the .300 Winchester Magnum cartridge, a great long range bullet that's great for a number of American big game species.

Plenty of ammo brands pump out good .300 Win Mag factory loads, including Federal Premium, Winchester, Hornady Norma, and Remington.

Shot from most quality bolt action rifles, the .300 Win Mag represents a popular cartridge for hunting. But what exactly does it excel at?

Because of its above-average accuracy, ability to handle the right ballistic coefficient for long range, higher velocity than the .30-06, and relatively low recoil (compared to other, larger .30 caliber magnum rifle cartridges), the .300 Win Mag makes a really good open country hunting cartridge.

When Winchester created the .300 Win Mag, they essentially took the .338 case (which was 2.5" in length), and extended it to 2.62". They also went about reducing the neck dimension to 0.264", and developed what some consider the most versatile large game bullet.

300 Win Mag

Since there's such a large variety of bullet weights available in this caliber, a .300 Win Mag gun could be viable for anything short of Cape buffalo. From smaller game that typically requires long distance shots (like pronghorn or sheep), to larger species (like moose or black bear), it's a good all-around choice. Heavier bullets could even take on some African plains game species.

Most notably, the .300 Win Mag caliber bullet is an excellent elk choice. Rocky Mountain and western hunters swear by it for its ideal muzzle velocity and impressive accuracy.

300 Win Mag

When looking for a rifle chambered in .300 Win Mag, it's worth considering a Winchester Model 70, Savage 110, Remington Model 700, or Weatherby Vanguard. They're all reputable choices.

Though comparable to the .308 Winchester and .30-06 Springfield, there's just something about the versatility of the .300 Winchester Magnum that sets it apart.

NEXT: EVERYTHING YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT WINCHESTER DEER SEASON XP AMMO

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