Best 300 Win Mag Rifles: Ultimate Guide
.300 Win Mag is a hugely popular hunting and long range cartridge that has served Americans well for nearly 60 years.
From the deserts of Arizona to the snows of Maine, .300 Win Mag puts a lot of power in the shooter’s hands. Picking a rifle from the sea of options isn’t easy, so we’ve picked our favorites to help guide you!
Best .300 Winchester Magnum Rifles
 | Best Long Range
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| Smoothest Factory Bolt
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| Editor’s Pick
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| High Roller Money
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| Best Budget Rifle
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| Most Options Offered
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Best .300 Winchester Magnum Rifles
- Browning X-Bolt Max Long Range
- Tikka T3x Lite
- Bergara B-14 Ridge
- Gunwerks Magnus Rifle System
- CVA Cascade
- Savage 110 Hunter
Best .300 Winchester Magnum Rifles Reviews
Now we’ve had an overview and looked at our list, let us take the time to individually review each item. In this section we’ll be revisiting our specs, speaking into the product and looking at the pros and cons.
1. Browning X-Bolt Max Long Range
Browning X-Bolt Max Long Range
Built for long range hunting, the X-Bolt Max Long Range has a ton of features to make your trip easier but doesn’t break the bank.
- Shootability A+
- Reliability A+
- Ergonomics B+
- Accuracy A
- Value A
Our Grade
A
Reader’s Grade
A+
Based on 1 Reviews
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Browning X-Bolt Specs
- Weight 8.7lbs
- Overall Length 46.1″
- Barrel Length 26″
- Trigger Style Single Stage
- DBM or Fixed DBM
Browning X-Bolt Max Long Range Review
A little heavy, a great muzzle brake, an outstanding trigger, and a stock that feels great to shoot with — this is a surprisingly modern take on a classic hunting rifle and is very well done in every way.
I don’t recommend long range hunting unless you absolutely know what you’re doing, but if you’re going for long range shots on game — you need a rifle that can get the job done.
Short of a custom rifle, this is a great option.
300 Win Mag and a muzzle brake go really well together, the target style stock gives you solid ergonomics and fundamentals to work with, and the slightly heavier overall weight makes recoil management a lot easier.
Something that really helps the X-bolt stand out is the 3-lever feather trigger. Adjustable between 3-5lbs this is a zero creep, zero overtravel trigger that has a perfect glass-rod feel to it.
I would have liked it to go a little lower in pull weight, but 3-lbs is a good amount for hunting.
Overall, you won’t be disappointed and will have a great rifle to work with.
Browning X-Bolt Pros and Cons
- Built for long range hunting
- Great muzzle brake
- Amazing trigger
- 60-degree bolt throw
- A little expensive
- Weak aftermarket support
Browning X-Bolt Deals
2. Tikka T3x Lite
Tikka T3x Lite
Made in Finland and imported by Beretta USA, the Tikka T3x Lite is one of the best imports you can buy.
- Shootability A-
- Reliability A+
- Ergonomics B-
- Accuracy A
- Value A
Our Grade
A-
Reader’s Grade
Based on 3 Reviews
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Tikka T3x Lite Specs
- Weight 6.5lb
- Overall Length 44.5”
- Barrel Length 24”
- Trigger Style 2-Stage
- DBM or Fixed DBM
Tikka T3x Lite Review
My first hunting rifle was a Tikka T3x in .270 Win, so Tikka holds a special place in my heart forever.
Even without that bias, Tikka is objectively one of the best factory rifles you can find.
Known for having the smoothest bolts in the business, you’ll never bind up a Tikka bolt or miss a shot because you couldn’t cycle fast enough.
Tikka is legendary not only for their bolts but their triggers too. Simple triggers that have an amazing feel to them with zero creep or over travel, Tikka rifles tend to be very accurate in even the most novice of hands.
All of that said and as much as I love Tikka — I have to say that their stocks continue to disappoint. On the bright side, your money goes into a fantastic action, trigger, and barrel — this is really what matters most.
The downside is that Tikka factory stocks are kind of crap. Thin, plastic, and way too light, they serve your basic needs but that’s it.
No adjustment, a cheap toy feel, I really can’t say much good about the stocks Tikka uses.
They work — it’s not like they break if you look at them, but they feel icky.
This is a great excuse to upgrade the stock if this is your go-to rifle, but not all of us are looking for that.
Tikka T3x Lite Pros and Cons
- Super smooth bolt
- Lightweight even in a magnum caliber
- Very accurate rifle
- Stock feels thin and cheap
Tikka T3x Lite Deals
3. Bergara B-14 Ridge
Bergara B-14 Ridge
A Spanish-made perfected version of a classic American rifle. There is a new king in town.
- Shootability B+
- Reliability A+
- Ergonomics B+
- Accuracy A
- Value A
Our Grade
A-
Reader’s Grade
A+
Based on 3 Reviews
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Bergara B-14 Ridge Specs
- Weight 7.7 lb
- Overall Length 44”
- Barrel Length 24”
- Trigger Style Single Stage
- DBM or Fixed Fixed
Bergara B-14 Ridge Review
Based on the ever-popular Remington 700 footprint, Bergara has cemented its name as the best option in a post-Remington world. If you’re not hip to the history, Remington designed the R700 footprint and it became the defacto standard for bolt action rifles. Sadly, Remington stopped producing quality rifles after being bought and sold multiple times.
Bergara, based in Spain, has for many years produced rifles that have been impressing shooters around the world.
If you want an R700 pattern rifle, and most of us do, Bergara is the brand to go to for a quality rifle that doesn’t break the bank.
The Bergara Ridge is everything you want in a hunting rifle in a classic format and a great design. With a smooth bolt, a great trigger, a good barrel, this delivers what you need and where you need it.
All of my Bergara rifles have been outstanding straight out of the box.
If you need a single Goldilocks rifle, here it is.
Bergara B-14 Ridge Pros and Cons
- Compatible with Remington 700 triggers, stocks, and chassis
- Threaded barrel
- Reliable and generationally durable
- No comb adjustment
Bergara B-14 Ridge Deals
4. Gunwerks Magnus Rifle System
Gunwerks Magnus Rifle System
If you’re living a silver spoon life you might have the money to burn on this rifle, but it’s not as bad of a value as you might think. For a complete turnkey hunting solution, this checks a lot of boxes.
- Shootability A+
- Reliability A+
- Ergonomics A
- Accuracy A+
- Value B+
Our Grade
A
Reader’s Grade
B
Based on 1 Reviews
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Gunwerks Magnus Specs
- Weight 7.6 lbs
- Overall Length 40.7”-46.7”
- Barrel Length 20-26”
- Trigger Style Trigger Tech single-stage
- DBM or Fixed Either
Gunwerks Magnus Rifle System Review
No way around it, this is a lot of money. Starting at around $11,000 for a complete package the Gunwerks Magnus has a sticker shock factor that will blow your socks off. So how can this be remotely worth it?
To start you get one of the lightest and best rifles currently being made. With a scope, this rifle weighs less than most rifles do without a scope.
Everything Gunwerks touches has insane quality control and custom work. The stock is custom designed and made of carbon fiber, the action is custom made from titanium, and the barrels are magnificent.
This accounts for most of your money spent, but not all of it.
Gunwerks custom packages are sold as complete packages — rifle, scope, and even load data.
The scopes are S-tier only, things like Kahles, some top-tier Leupold, and Nightforce — this accounts for $2,500-3,500.
Finally, Gunwerks also includes custom load data and a custom ballistic turret for your scope. You can opt to use that data to handload your own or buy custom-made ammo from Gunwerks. The turret is matched so that the ballistic range markings actually match what you’re shooting.
And yes, the ammo is insanely high-quality.
$8,000 for the rifle, $2-3k for the scope, and another grand for a fancy turret and load data equals a ton of money. But custom gunsmithing isn’t cheap and this really is one of the best you can buy.
Is it worth it? That’s up to you. But if you want a complete turnkey package that you can trust from the start, this is a compelling option.
If you just want the rifle, give Gunwerks a call and see what they have on the shelf ready to go. You’ll save a few thousand, but you’ll be missing out on the turnkey service.
Gunwerks Magnus Rifle System Pros and Cons
- Lightweight
- Custom Perfection
- Super accurate
- Extreme Price Tag
Gunwerks Magnus Rifle System Deals
5. CVA Cascade
CVA Cascade
Shockingly cheap but delivering a stunningly good rifle, CVA Cascade is an unsung hero of the budget rifle world.
- Shootability A
- Reliability A
- Ergonomics A
- Accuracy B+
- Value A+
Our Grade
A
Reader’s Grade
A-
Based on 2 Reviews
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CVA Cascade Specs
- Weight 7.25 lbs
- Overall Length 45.5”
- Barrel Length 24”
- Trigger Style Standard
- DBM or Fixed DBM
CVA Cascade Review
When I got my CVA I really had very low expectations. My competition rifles are both almost 10x the cost of the CVA, even my main hunting rifle is at least 4x the price. To say that I’m used to some of the finer things is completely fair.
So looking at this ultra-cheap little hunting rifle… I didn’t have high hopes for it.
It proved me very wrong and I kind of love this rifle now.
For the price, this rifle kicks ass. The bolt feels amazing, the trigger is better than average, the stock feels good with the soft-touch over-molding, and it’s surprisingly accurate.
Shooting the Cascade just feels nice. Everything about it, is nice. Nothing is super amazing or revolutionary, but everything is nice.
Having a rifle this budget-friendly and not having anything majorly negative to say about it — that’s actually really impressive!
Something I would strongly recommend for a CVA in .300 Win Mag would be to add a brake. This increases your cost a bit since it doesn’t come with one, but the barrel does come threaded already.
Get a good brake and help tame that .300 Win Mag recoil. On your first range trip when you yeet more than a couple of rounds you’ll be thanking me.
CVA Cascade Pros and Cons
- Overmold on stock for extra grip
- Very budget-friendly
- Great bolt feel
- Lightweight
- Add your own brake
CVA Cascade Deals
6. Savage 110 Hunter
Savage 110 Hunter
Lightweight, inexpensive, wide range of calibers offered, this is a simple and to the point hunting rifle.
- Shootability A
- Reliability B+
- Ergonomics A
- Accuracy A
- Value A
Our Grade
A
Reader’s Grade
A
Based on 5 Reviews
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Savage 110 Hunter Specs
- Weight 7.55lb
- Overall Length 45.25″
- Barrel Length 24″
- Trigger Style AccuTrigger
- DBM or Fixed DBM
Savage 110 Hunter Review
I’ve never been a huge Savage fan, but I gotta admit that the Savage 110 Hunter is a pretty decent offering from them.
Savage rifles are accurate, well made, and offer a lot of flexibility not only in the factory options they provide but also in the fact that the barrels are super easy to replace if you want.
One of the largest manufacturers of factory-built rifles in the world, Savage has a long history and reputation as being a rock-solid brand.
With amazing customer service, reliable quality control, huge range of options to choose from, there are a lot of things going for Savage as a brand.
The 110 Hunter gives you exactly what you need in a good hunting rifle and skips most of the fluff.
One super nice feature they do give you is the AccuTrigger. A wonderful trigger that is a huge step up from most factory options, this feels like an aftermarket trigger you spent a lot of money on.
The only real negative to the 110 is that it does have Savage’s weak spot — their extractors. Savage rifles are well-known for having weak extractors that aren’t so much a question of if they will break but when.
The good news is that this normally happens on rifles that are run a little hard, like PRS shooters that slam their bolt around and shoot a ton of rounds. For most hunters, you’re unlikely to run into this problem.
And if you do — it’s easy to fix.
Savage 110 Hunter Pros and Cons
- Budget friendlyish
- Decently lightweight
- Lots of extra grips where you want it
- Well known extractor problems
- Nothing adjusts quickly
Savage 110 Hunter Deals
Buyer’s Guide For The Best .300 Winchester Magnum Rifles
.300 Winchester Magnum (Win Mag) is an old cartridge that has been around since 1963. This is a big cartridge designed to knock down big targets at long distances.
While a bit outdated by modern standards, it still serves in the US military (for now) and is a favorite among big game hunters across North America.
From deer to moose, .300 Win Mag won’t let you down when you need to smack something with a whole lot of energy.
But how does it fit into the modern arsenal and what you should look for in your next .300 Win Mag rifle? We’ll cover that and more!
When To Choose .300 Winchester Magnum
Right off the bat — I really only recommend .300 Win Mag for people that need raw energy on target and normally that means hunters.
Hunting is really where this cartridge shines. Yeeting .30 Cal bullets from 165gr to 220gr bullets at 3,300-2,900 FPS, the .300 Win Mag delivers a lot of power exactly where you want it.
For almost 60 years .300 Win Mag has harvested every type of game in the nation. When you’re looking for a classic cartridge for that once-of-a-lifetime moose or elk hunt, most of us turn to .300 Win Mag.
Long Range Precision is the shooting sport that I love most, from benchrest to F-Class to PRS. One of the most common amateur mistakes I see is when someone buys a magnum as their first long range rifle.
There is a long list of reasons why any magnum is a bad choice for your first LR cartridge and .300 Win Mag is no exception.
From the massive recoil making spotting shots very hard to the short barrel life to the expensive ammo to the fact that magnums really don’t give you any advantage inside of 1,000 yards when shooting paper and steel, it all adds to one simple answer; don’t buy a magnum for your first long range rifle.
Now if a .300 Win Mag is all you have, roll with what you got. Never let the lack of “perfect” equipment keep you off the shooting range.
What Specs Matter Most
Because .300 Win Mag really is a hunter’s cartridge, I’ve approached this list and these specs with that in mind.
If you’re planning to use .300 Win Mag for something other than hunting, you might want to reevaluate that choice.
Weight is often the enemy when it comes to hunting, but when you’re working with a beast of a caliber like .300 Win Mag, a little weight can be a good thing.
Weight soaks up recoil and less recoil means a nicer day at the range, less flinch, better tracking after you pull the trigger and more effective training.
Granted, too much weight means hiking will really suck — so it’s a trade-off that only you can be the judge of.
If you go lightweight I strongly recommend making sure your barrel is threaded or comes with a brake. A big brake or the right suppressor makes a lot of difference.
Overall Length isn’t really a huge deal. Longer is longer and longer is harder to stalk with, but half the point of .300 Win Mag is giving yourself more range to work with. While stalking and movement are harder to do with a long rifle, you’ll have to do less of it if you can shoot from further away.
Barrel Length 24” is about the minimum for most .300 Win Mag rifles. Not because it performs poorly with a shorter barrel, but because if you’re shooting a magnum then you want to take advantage of that and get as much muzzle velocity as you can get.
26” barrels aren’t uncommon with .300 Win Mag and give you even more of a boost. But be warned, a 26” barrel plus a brake or suppressor and your rifle quickly turns into a lance.
If you want a brake or especially a can on your rifle, try to get a 20-24” barrel.
Trigger Style is basically two categories — single-stage and 2-stage. 2-stage triggers have more movement to them, the first “stage” is basically a lot of planned creep before you get to a “wall”. The wall is when the trigger really gives you firm resistance. Overcome that wall and the rifle will fire. Single-stage triggers forgo that first part and basically start at the wall.
Single-stage triggers are normally seen as being better for precision shooting since you have a consistent and light trigger to work with.
2-stage triggers are a little “safer” because it takes a more deliberate pull.
Personally, I like both for different reasons. But it really comes down to personal likes and dislikes.
Threaded barrels are something I look for in any rifle I buy, but for a magnum like .300 Win Mag, I would say that I absolutely require it. I’m a big fan of muzzle brakes in any rifle and .300 Win Mag really benefits from a good brake.
Even if you don’t want to hunt with a brake, using one during range days makes shooting a lot more comfortable and lets you shoot longer.
DBM or fixed magazines are totally up to you. If you’re the kind of mad lad that wants to take your .300 Win Mag to a PRS match, opt for a detachable box magazine rifle. Otherwise, DBM or fixed really doesn’t make a difference.
Extra features like brakes or adjustable length of pull and cheek rest add a lot of value to a rifle. It also means a higher price tag, but at least you get more for your dollars — normally. I also love a folding stock to make packing the rifle easier. If you’re rolling with a 24”+ barrel a folding stock really helps.
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About David Lane
Learning how to shoot at a young age in the Boy Scouts, David now spends most of his time working on or with firearms. Be it shooting, upgrading, building, tinkering, or writing about them -- sharing his passion and knowledge of firearms with others is an everyday occurrence.
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