Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Anyone here using a 300wsm as their sole big game caliber?

I hunted with a Ruger m77 mII in 300WM and 180grn Hornady interlocks for 15 years. It was my only centerfire rifle. Longest shot with it in the neighborhood of 400 yards.

I got weird looks when I went coyote hunting with it though.

If I had to do that over, I would go with a .280 or 30-06, and shoot more for cheaper cost and less kick.

Just run the 30-06 and make life easy. If you're going for the "one gun for everything" life, the 30-06 makes it even easier than the WSM.

I'm not going 1 gun for everything, just the 300wsm on the larger big game. 6.5x55 will take care of the light stuff.

If you don't reload and the 300 WSM is your only rifle, you'd better have a pile of spare cash on hand. Ammo is expensive.

I have a Finnlight 300 WSM. It wears a custom stock by MG Arms. It weighs 7.2 lb ready to hunt. It is THE most repeatably accurate rifle I own. I can take it apart into all of its pieces and it will return to zero every time. Besides my 308 its easily my favorite gun.

I am not averse to recoil. So, a 7.2 lb 300 WSM presents no offense.

I did not intend for it to become my primary gun. But, it's way too easy to get along with.

This is my experience with my Swede. If the 300 is the same I'll move out a 338 or two.

Got any pics of that stock? I don't actually mind the duratouch but the way it picks up scars a stock replacement is inevitable.

Got my brass and dies today. I'll work up some 180 ttsx and 165/168 loads and see if there is a prefernce. Once the load is selected I'll cook up a few hundred and call it good for a long while.

What scope do you have on it and why?
I have a Sako Tecomate 300 WSM that is 6 7/8 lbs bare and can1t
decide on a scope for it.

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Barreled action: Sako 85 Finnlight 300 WSM - 5.8 lb
Stock: MG Arms Dakota Classic - 20 oz
Scope: Swarovski 3-10x 42mm - 12 oz

Swarovski 3-10x AV Habicht weighs 12 oz & is the best glass I have ever seen. So, it is lightweight, bright, durable & returns to perfect zero each time I remove/replace it. Can't say anything negative about it. Not particularly fond of variable scopes. But, they are much easier to find than fixed.

I've had a 300WSM for a few years and if I felt the need for anything bigger than 308 and smaller than 375 mag it is the round I'd choose. But lately I'm finding 308 does about anything I need to do.

Recoil is 90% between the ears. Put the word magnum on a headstamp and a lot of shooters tremble before pulling the trigger.

These 3 are as close to identical as you can get. All Winchester 70's, Edge stocks, and all weigh within 1 oz of 7.5 lbs. The 300WSM is 7.5 on the nose, the 30-06 +1 oz the 308 -1 oz. From left to right 300 WSM, 30-06, 308. When loaded with 180 gr bullets and calculated with recoil calculator.



300 WSM/2950 fps, 26 ft lbs recoil
30-06/2800 fps, 22 ft lbs recoil
308/2650 fps, 18 ft lbs.

I don't currently have a 300 WM, but have owned several in the past. At the same 7.5 lbs.

300WM/3000fps, 30 ft lbs recoil

My 300 WSM does recoil more than 30-06, but I simply don't notice the extra 4 ft lbs. When I move up to 300 WM I do notice the additional 8 ft lbs of recoil. And I hardly notice the 4 ft lbs difference between 308 and 30-06, but once again the 8 ft lbs difference between 308 and 300 WSM is noticeable.

I still think the 300 WSM is a good balance between recoil and bullet speed. I'd only pick up 50 fps going to 300 WM at the expense of 4 ft lbs recoil.

For 4 ft lbs of recoil I gain 150 fps over 30-06 and the 30-06 gains 150 fps over 308 for only 4 ft lbs recoil.

RL17 has no problem pushing a 180 at 3,030 fps+ from the WSM / 24" bbl. That's where I run mine. Obviously recoil increases slightly, but it also puts the WSM squarely in WM territory. Most 24" WM's will run a 180 in the 3,080 fps range from a 24" bbl.

I use my 300 WSM solely for running my 165's at 3050 fps. The gun likes it & I like it. My current 308 pushes my 155 Scenar's at 2900 fps & that's good enough.

Bought a new Sako 85 Black 308. It is getting a custom stock. Aint shot it yet.

My 300WSM is at it's best too with 165gr bullets running around 3050fps.It's shoots purty darn flat and delivers one heck of a punch when it gets there.With Reloader 17 I was able to clock some 165's @ 3200fps,but I never could get it to group very well.On the other hand,my 300 Win Mag loved Reloader 17 and I was able to push 165 @ 3250fps and 180's @ 3200fps.Win 760 can get me 3100fps with great accuracy and that's what I'm using in it these days.

The 300WSM I recently acquired runs 168 TTSX's with RL-17 at 3160 shooting tight little groups. It duplicates the groups with H4350 and 180 NPT's at 2950. Lots to like about that!