Thanks for the answers. I have considered a win mag instead but, still thinking of a wsm.
If you are thinking of the 300WSM, you might as well drink the Kool-Aid. I actually prefer the short mag over the wm, but not because it's short and fat or because it has no belt, but because you get a more efficient cartridge that treads on the heels of the wm, while burning up less powder. Like others have said, it doesn't kick as much, but you get damned near the same ballistics. However, There are some idiosyncrasies associated with the short mag. These are mostly caused by the shoulder angle and lack of body taper. These issues cause hard bolt lift on some rifles (look up bolt thrust problems), feeding and chambering issues, and handloading problems. Some of these issues can be remedied, but are indeed issues a new owner needs to be aware of...
