Author Topic: .300RUM (Read 1797 times)

Copper · « **on:** October 25, 2003, 02:52:41 PM »

What do you think of the .300 RUM as a hunting caliber?

Robert · « **Reply #1 on:** October 25, 2003, 03:58:44 PM »

within 200 yds, I think a 30-06 is better.

jdt48653 · « **Reply #2 on:** October 25, 2003, 04:32:16 PM »

the dinosaurs have already been taken out!however i seen a reigndeer on
a sporting show taken out with one at a 1000yds ,impressive!

eroyd · « **Reply #3 on:** October 25, 2003, 06:19:22 PM »

Quote from: Copper

What do you think of the .300 RUM as a hunting caliber?

I think it's a little ridiculous for a hunting round but for those that need to have the biggest, fastest etc. I guess it's the ticket (this year). Bet the powder companies love it. Myself, I'm more interested in the new short mags.

jamie · « **Reply #4 on:** October 25, 2003, 09:01:33 PM »

I agree, it seems to be a waste. Realistically you don't need that much power, a -06 will do 90% of what needs doing. And if you buy to have the biggest baddest then you are still wasting money because as far as I know John Lazzeroni has that covered with the Warbird.

Lawdog · « **Reply #5 on:** October 26, 2003, 09:29:18 AM »

If you look at the number of models that Remington used to offer for their Ultra-Magnum line you will see that they are cutting models but only in the UM line. This means they are not selling as well as Remington would like so the "bean counters" are making cutbacks. The only reason Remington brought out the UM line is to say they had a cartridge that was faster than the Weatherby. Then Weatherby raised the bar by topping them with their .30-378 and .338-378. I just don't see a need for these monsters(both Weatherby's and RUM's). Like others I'm more interested in the new short magnums. So far better accuracy is being recorded and that's what I'm after. They did a survey a number of years ago and the consensus form that was the average distance that animals were shot was something like 175 yards. You don't need monster cartridges to kill at that range. Give me accuracy instead. Lawdog

eroyd · « **Reply #6 on:** October 26, 2003, 09:58:28 AM »

The Ulta-mags (and like) it seems are a rather backwards way of thinking reminiscent of the blackpowder days when if you wanted something to go faster you put more powder behind it. More power? Bigger engine! Ye-ha!!!

The short mags squeeze standard mag performance out of a smaller more efficient case and get rid of that annoying belt to boot. Kind of what the .308 win. did to the 30-06. A .338 or 358 short mag would be the ticket for my hunting needs.

Short mags don't require special long actions or extra long barrels so they can be built into a more practical hunting rifle.

Copper · « **Reply #7 on:** October 26, 2003, 12:02:11 PM »

:-D Still if one wants a flat shoot cartridge for those once in a lifetime long shots I would say it gives a person that extra edge, as firearms progress I would say it is a good thing.

akpls · « **Reply #8 on:** October 26, 2003, 12:22:52 PM »

I have a friend who shot a moose 2 seasons ago with a .300 RUM. He put the moose down with a good lung shot, but the bullet had completely disintegrated with only small pieces being recovered. No problem on moose, but grizzlies were active in the area and he wasn't feeling very prepared if he was confronted by one. I believe he was using the 180 gr. Remington factory load which IMO would not have penetrated sufficiently to take care of Mr. Bear. Lot's of speed, but no penetration. He recently picked up some Federal's loaded with TBBC's which should give better penetration when pushed by all that powder.

TopGun · « **Reply #9 on:** October 26, 2003, 01:06:24 PM »

Sorry guys. I love my 30-378! :grin: Yes it is inefficient. Yes it's loud. Yes it's fun grouping big heavy slugs at very long ranges. Sacrifice accuracy for velocitiy--check out the 1000yd matches and records!! :eek:

I shoot all and luv em all. :grin: 223, 270, 308, 30-06, 35 whelen, 338, 444, 45-70. When I start deciding that I don't need a new one, I'll sell them all. It's want, not need. I love to play with balistics. I have yet to match Weatherby's pub'd numbers, but I do get an honest 3415 fps with a 180 barnes-X. Flat? You bet. :grin: Snatches the life from a big Bull Elk at long range like I've never seen before and I've seen many!!

I know, how dead is too dead? but I luv watching them fall NOW! Not ito tracking through bowdowns and black timber. BTW-when playing with these guys, a premium bullet is a must. I have yet to recover even a small piece of my Barnes bullets.

This is just my humble opinion. I still hunt Elk with my JDJ's, and deer with my 243 and 270. I luv my range time with anything I can.

Copper · « **Reply #10 on:** October 26, 2003, 01:25:15 PM »

Another plus with this flat shooting caliber is it is a bit more forgiving if a person under estimates thier range.

eroyd · « **Reply #11 on:** October 26, 2003, 02:53:58 PM »

I must confess after portraying a negative opinion of these powder burners, my main hunting arm is a 300 Weatherby. I have shot moose out to 400 meters with it and never had to aim off the animal. These rifles are certainly capable of long range clean kills. I guess when you get to a point where your looking across a valley at a once in a lifetime trophy on the last day of a hunt, a 50 BMG Barrett wouldn't be out of line.

As noted, premium bullets are a must. I shot a moose with factory 180gr. Hornady's at close range and that bullet acted like a varmit bullet, fortunately my back-up was packing an '06. :wink:

Lawdog · « **Reply #12 on:** October 27, 2003, 08:15:09 AM »

eroyd,

I'm with you. My favorite rifle is my .300 Weatherby Mark V that I have used every where I have hunted. I just don't see the need for something bigger. With the reports coming in on the improved accuracy of the new short magnums I'm really thing about trying one out. If the "short fats" do end up being better then I don't see a bright future for the "long fats". Lawdog

TopGun · « **Reply #13 on:** October 27, 2003, 03:30:32 PM »

I have a Rem 700 in 300 Rem short action ultra mag and it is fast, but not with heavy bullets. :shock: The best I can get is 3200 fps with a 165--that's a huge difference from a 180 at 3400 or a 200 at 3200!! :eek: Is it accurate?

Right out of the box! The benchrest technology works. If you're into lighter to medium heavy slugs, then they are the way to go. I don't think the Laws of physics will allow equal velocites at safe pressures otherwise?

IMHO--For general big game, not including Elk or Moose at longer ranges, I thing the new shorties are awesome!! Short actions, light rifles, it all has a price. :grin: Like I said, I luv shootin em all!!

DirtyHarry · « **Reply #14 on:** October 28, 2003, 08:07:13 PM »

Cooper,
I love my 300 rum, I have taken everything from groundhogs to elk with it. With handloads in a factory rem 700 bdl I shoot 1.2 inch groups at 100 yards. Better than that further out. Do I waste a few cents per cartridge when shooting it? Yep. Does it produce more recoil than my 30-06 Yep, but in my opinion it will do anything an 06 will do and some things an 06 will not do :wink:

Omaha-BeenGlockin · « **Reply #15 on:** October 29, 2003, 04:34:09 AM »

Too much of a good thing IMHO.

SHW · « **Reply #16 on:** October 29, 2003, 04:56:53 PM »

If we are so worried about being innefficent, why don't we sell our trucks & suv's & all buy YUGO's. It may be wasteful & innefficent but it is faster & flatter shooting than any short mag. Probably more than we most need, but I like mine. They do kick.

BattleRifleG3 · « **Reply #17 on:** November 04, 2003, 09:55:33 AM »

I have a Savage 111G in 300 RUM and am just slowly getting the hang of it. The huge difference between 300 RUM and the 300 Weatherby isn't their energy, but their shape. 300 RUM is based on the modern beltless design which headspaces on the shoulder, meaning more inherent accuracy, if your skill is worthy of it. Also, I think the 300 Weatherby burns more powder. Not sure, but I thought so. And the 300 RUM gives you a choice between several manufacturers. Weatherby's the only gun I've seen that fires 300 Wby.

The other side is that 300 Wby ammo costs less. But if it uses more powder, RUM might cost less to reload.

I guess I see it as doing what a 30-06 does with a flatter trajectory and at greater range. If I ever tried it with Mr Bear, I'd be backed up by someone with a shorter range, heavier caliber gun in case my shot wasn't as "surgical" as I'd intended.

Yukon Jack · « **Reply #18 on:** November 04, 2003, 10:08:58 AM »

I don't get why people think that you MUST headspace a belted cartridge on the belt. You don't, at least not until there isn't enough shoulder to headspace on. The belt provides no hinderance whatsoever. This "problem belt" is just a marketing gimmick to sell more "beltless" mags. Create a need you didn't know you had.

Lawdog · « **Reply #19 on:** November 04, 2003, 10:28:31 AM »

BattleRifleG3,

Quote

. 300 RUM is based on the modern beltless design which headspaces on the shoulder, meaning more inherent accuracy

Not really. The added recoil of the .300 RUM tends to make people flinch more. Also most reloaders of belted calibers use an old benchrest shooters trick. I do this on all belted cartridges. Set the die so it sizes on the belt and shoulder at the same time. Now the cartridge fits the chamber perfectly by also resting on the shoulder.

Quote

Also, I think the 300 Weatherby burns more powder.

No the .300 Rum uses more powder than the .300 Weatherby.

Quote

Weatherby's the only gun I've seen that fires 300 Wby.

The .300 Weatherby is chambered in rifles made by Ruger, Winchester, Remington, Sako/Tikka, Howa, etc., etc.. The list of manufactures goes on. This list does not include custom rifles from many of the top custom rifle makers of the world. Lawdog

BattleRifleG3 · « **Reply #20 on:** November 04, 2003, 05:06:02 PM »

Thanks for the corrections, I've never seen a Ruger, Winchester or Remington in 300 Weatherby.

So what advantages does the 300 Wby have over the RUM?

Robert · « **Reply #21 on:** November 04, 2003, 06:45:21 PM »

....can be head-spaced properly...Enough to be plent accurate. Although I have never tried one. I shoot a 300 Ultra-Mag, and I must admit I fell more in love with it today, after loading some rounds to sight in a new scope and going to the range. The fist time I sighted it in, it was living hell. But I guess I learned a few tricks the first time. This time with the new scope was sheer joy. I came back home and ..., based on the results, I loaded 10 special beauties for this year's Elk. ....95.0 grs Re-25 with Speer 180 Mag-Tips. Now if somebody would do a factory 350 Whelen Ultra-Mag Ackley Imp from hell.....Now there would be a gun. They have a 338, but it dosen't have the powder capacity. The 338 Ultra-Mag is what the 338 Winchester is to the 300 Winchester... Bigger bullet, but smaller case. The 375 Ulta-Mag is the same case as the 300...but that is just too much (don't get me wrong, I will take one) But the 35 is more than sufficient. That would be one fine gun.

BattleRifleG3 · « **Reply #22 on:** November 04, 2003, 08:07:17 PM »

Glad to see I'm not the only one that wishes there were more 35 caliber cartridges and guns chambered for them. I'm all for a 350 Win Mag, a 350 WSM, and a 350 RUM. Heck, I'm also for 350x39mm.

Lawdog · « **Reply #23 on:** November 05, 2003, 10:36:13 AM »

BattleRifleG3,

The main advantage that the .300 Weatherby Magnum has over the .300 RUM is ammo availability. You can get ammo for the .300 Weatherby Magnum world wide, even in some of the most out of the way places. There are many places in the U.S. where you can't get .300 RUM ammo. Also if you can't get .300 Weatherby ammo you can always use .300 H&H Magnum ammo(I had this happen to me on an Elk hunt in Idaho a number of years ago). What are you going to do if something happens to your .300 RUM ammo and can't buy more? Lawdog

Copper · « **Reply #24 on:** November 05, 2003, 11:30:20 AM »

:roll: I also shoot a .340 Weatherby which shells sometimes can be a little bit harder to find but the issue of having to buy shells in a remote area has never been an issue for me.

BattleRifleG3 · « **Reply #25 on:** November 05, 2003, 07:48:36 PM »

You can use 300 H&H in a Weatherby??? Please explain how this is feasible and safe.

stv · « **Reply #26 on:** November 06, 2003, 01:58:37 AM »

I liked the guy saying a 30-06 can do what needs done. I would expand the list a little however, Add 308, 7MM08, 270, 280, and even 300 savage. If you want different, 338 -06 and 8 mm 06, or any of the 35's. At the bottom end 25-06( My favorite)or any of the 6.5 's. Many have said it and I firmly believe that shooting beyond 300 or 350 yards is irresponsible. Many of the old favorites can do it very handily within the reasonable yardage limit. By the way barrels last a lot longer also!!!

Joel W. · « **Reply #27 on:** November 06, 2003, 02:53:15 AM »

I don't have any use for one. that said, if YOU DO, then get one and enjoy it. I am migrating in the other direction. I hunt with a 7mm/08, and this year, a .257 Roberts. both shoot flat enough to any distance I might be shooting, that I don't have to hold "off hair". Both are pretty well known for their killing ability.

eroyd · « **Reply #28 on:** November 06, 2003, 04:22:06 AM »

300 H & H in 300 Wby? The 300 Weatherby is based on the 300 H&h as are many modern magnums. The case head dimensions are the same. I don't know how accurate it would be but by firing an H & H in the Wby you would be fire forming new Wby cases.

Lawdog · « **Reply #29 on:** November 06, 2003, 09:22:55 AM »

eroyd,

How right you are. I have no problems shooting .300 H&H ammo in my .300 Weatherby. In fact I have come across a few sales on .300 H&H brass and I always purchase them when needed. I load them up as mild target loads and fire form them at the range. I also do this with my .375 Weatherby. I fire form .375 H&H brass because it's cheaper. Accuracy doesn't suffer, you just loose a few more fps. then the H&H ammo.

BattleRifleG3,

The .300 and .375 Weatherby's are .300 and .375 H&H Magnums with blown out shoulders and straighter case sides. The same process is done with every improved caliber. The .30 Gibbs is just a .30-06 with blown shoulders and straighter case sides. All the Ackley Improved cartridges are the same just to name a few. Lawdog