.300WM vs .300WSM

[LostinTexas_45]

Here is another little poll. Cast your votes. Give us a reason why you chose the caliber.

 

[Divernhunter]

They are about the same. The WSM was the answer to a question that was never asked.

 

[curtism1234]

I am a fan of the 300wsm. It's one of the only short action hot cartridges that came out at the same time that is popular to this day.

If you can handle the recoil of a lighter rifle, I think it is much better choice than lugging around a 7 1/2 - 8 pound rifle without a scope.

 

[flat8]

I have both, and appreciate both. But I have to give a nod to the .300 Win Mag.

 

[enysse]

My brother owned a Browning Bolt action rifle in the 300 WSM and I shot it very well, recoil was tolerable, accuracy was excellent. My brother didn't like the gun and sold it. I own a 300 Win Mag in the Browning A-Bolt and I put a muzzle brake on the gun. It shoots flawlessly. I have seen my brother shoot running deer at 300 yds with it and drop them like it was nothing. I would never do it but he was an exceptional shot with that gun. I took the 300 Win Mag on 2 safaris and killed a lot of animals with it. Right now it's a safe queen but I might take it out West this year..........

 

[ChrisG]

Full size Win mag or go home. I had a WSM until I realized that it burned up the same amount of powder as a .30-06 but couldn't shoot bullets heavier than 180 grains without straining its tubby little body.

 

[BeeMaa]

300WM

Currently own a 300WSM, a decision I wish I could take back and exchange for a 300WM.
WM shoots heavier bullets and doesn't suffer from the lack of case capacity when loading the 200gr up to 220gr handloads
Ammo is easier to find and less expensive.
300WM has a more streamlined case and feeds easier than the short, fat 300WSM with a more severe shoulder angle.
Shooting 300WM out of a 7.5-8# rife is very doable, even for my wife.
I believe resale of a rifle in 300WM would be easier than a 300WSM for all of these reasons.
The 300WSM I have is a safe queen awaiting a new home at this very moment, have a friend interested but hasn't bought it yet.

 

[Therack]

The nice thing about a WSM is the short action and that usually means a shorter barrel. @enysse is correct about the Brownings, they are very accurate. I own the WSM, but I don’t care for long barrels out in the woods.

 

[MAdcox]

I own a Kimber 300wsm. I love the rifle. Very easy to shoot, extremely accurate, and I have had no issues with feeding. I hand load 165 gr Barnes TSX and 180 gr swift A-Frames and it shoots both around 1/2 inch at 100yards. I will carry this rifle from now on and enjoy it.
That said if I was shopping for a 300 now I would buy the WM. The ammo is available anywhere in any weight and less $. It is easier to reload and handles the heavier bullets better. I grew up shooting my dad's and I guess I decided to be different and buy the "new gun" instead of going with tried and true. Damn independent streak.

 

[BeeMaa]

The nice thing about a WSM is the short action and that usually means a shorter barrel. @enysse is correct about the Brownings, they are very accurate. I own the WSM, but I don’t care for long barrels out in the woods.

If you compare a Winchester Model 70 Featherweight in 300WM and 300WSM, the WM is 1/2" longer and 1/4# heavier.
And most other manufacturers are right around those numbers when comparing the two.
Would you allow that little bit to be the deciding factor between the two cartridges?

 

[postoak]

A 180 grain Barnes TTSX is a long bullet. In the WM it compresses the powder. I'd hate to try to load it in a WSM.

 

[MAdcox]

A 180 grain Barnes TTSX is a long bullet. In the WM it compresses the powder. I'd hate to try to load it in a WSM.

Why I had to go A-Frame to get the 180 gr in my wsm. Had the same opinion as you about those long Barnes bullets in that short case.

 

[Boyd Brooks]

Like the 220gr partions in my 300 Win Mag for moose, can't load them in a short mag.

 

[Nosler guy]

300WM


WM shoots heavier bullets and doesn't suffer from the lack of case capacity when loading the 200gr up to 220gr handloads
Ammo is easier to find and less expensive.
300WM has a more streamlined case and feeds easier than the short, fat 300WSM with a more severe shoulder angle.
Shooting 300WM out of a 7.5-8# rife is very doable, even for my wife.
I believe resale of a rifle in 300WM would be easier than a 300WSM for all of these reasons.
.

This post pretty much says it all for me. Have a 300 Weatherby, shot it for years (its a brutal beast - kills at both ends). Borrowed .300 Win Mags on two different African hunts - great plains game calibre - fell in love with them, much more user friendly than the Weatherby, with out giving up much ballistically. Decided I needed one in my gun cabinet, ended up stumbling onto a good deal on a 300 WSM, and took it home instead. I like shooting heavy for calibre bullets and it didn't take long to realize that wasn't the strong point of the Short Mag. And just like other guys mentioned, the Short fat guys never feed as well, noisy, choppy, just second rate compared to the longer Magnum cases. Well I got lucky - had a chance to sell the WSM rifle for what I had in it - that was any easy decision and those dollars put a decent .300 Win Mag in my cabinet, a lot happier now ...

 

[Ray B]

My answer is neither. I don't care for the short-wide body and I don't care for the belt. That and inMO the .308" bore is a compromise. Smaller game is better suited with .257 - .284" and larger game is better suited with .338 - 375".

 

[enysse]

The nice thing about a WSM is the short action and that usually means a shorter barrel. @enysse is correct about the Brownings, they are very accurate. I own the WSM, but I don’t care for long barrels out in the woods.

When I put that muzzle brake on the 300 Win Mag it made it SUPER LONG. It was hard to carry in the brush unless you carried it in your arms. My brother said the extra length to him made it point well. I can't argue with him, because my shooting was exceptional too.

 

[Therack]

If you compare a Winchester Model 70 Featherweight in 300WM and 300WSM, the WM is 1/2" longer and 1/4# heavier.
And most other manufacturers are right around those numbers when comparing the two.
Would you allow that little bit to be the deciding factor between the two cartridges?

No, not 1/4”. I was referring to the Browning A Bolt lineup, the WSM is 3”shorter, 23” versus 26”. To me a 26” barrel in a medium caliber gun is too much, but that’s just me!

 

[ChrisG]

No, not 1/4”. I was referring to the Browning A Bolt lineup, the WSM is 3”shorter, 23” versus 26”. To me a 26” barrel in a medium caliber gun is too much, but that’s just me!

I have never let the way a firearms manufacturer built their gun deter me from buying a specific caliber if I wanted it. Least of all the barrel length. Chopping a barrel to the desired length is the absolute easiest thing to modify on a rifle. I would bet, even with a slightly shorter barrel, the Win mag outperforms the WSM.

 

[Divernhunter]

My personal take on the barrel.
1st If I want a short barrel I will not be using a mag. I have short barreled rifles in 308win(18" and 5.75lbs), 30-06 a 6.5lb 20" one and a 18" one), Tikka T-3 Lites in 308win, 7-08, 6.5X55. I have some other rifles with 22-24" barrels including mags(338win mag and 300win mag and 7mmRem mag) but prefer the 26" barrel with my 257W and 264win mag. The barrel lengths on those 2 have never been a problem. I would gladly take a 26" barrel on the other mag rifles.
I do NOT use any muzzle brakes but have a few Mag-N-Ported that does not add length.
You really seldom need a mag cartridge if you are in brush that makes a 24-26 barrel a problem.

Bottom line is use a firearm suited for what and where you are hunting. Which is a good reason(excuse) to buy more than one firearm