I only have experience with one 300 WSM, a Win. M70 Super Grade. It definitely kicks more than my 30-06 which is a Sako M85 Finnlite. For what it's worth, the 30-06 has been my most unlucky caliber when hunting. Have only once had a shooting opportunity when carrying an 06.
Mostly my annual fall hunting trips are for moose. For years a .270 Win. worked just fine. For variety a number of other calibers were tried. Eventually settled on a .338 Win. Mag with a muzzle brake. It is now my flat out favourite.
For anyone primarily hunting deer I would say the 30-06 would be the preferred choice of the two alternatives mentioned. For me it would probably be the .270 Win.
I've taken game with every thing from .243 to .338 and have found the handling and portability of the gun being used to be more of a factor, depending on the game being hunted and the hunting conditions, than the cartridge being fired in the gun.
My .02, Jim
