Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Educate me on the benefits of .300 WSM

Tempted by a rifle for sale here locally that is a 300 WSM.

I have never owned a 300 wsm and really didn't have it on my radar as a gun I was searching for. But, this rifle is of a model that interests me and the price is right.

I've always been a mid-range caliber guy and flat and fast is what I preferred so I am trying to learn about this particular chambering.


I tend to hunt deer, elk, coyotes and I hope wolves in the future. Current chamberings I have include 25-06, 270 wby, 7mm-08 and 260 remington.

Won't do anything your .270 Weatherby won't do. It will do it from a short action rifle though. It really falls somewhere between the .30/06 and the .300 WM. Probably a little closer to the .300 WM.

I suppose you can say that, but I would feel a bit more comfortable with the 300WSM on elk-sized game.

Otherwise, it's a supercharged 30-06, and will do about what the 300WM will do with bullets up to 180gr.

But the 300WM handles heavier bullets better.

Less recoil than the 300WM, even in a lighter shorter rifle.

Nice round.

The 300 wsm is an excellent cartridge. I was in the same boat a few years ago and decided to try the short 300. I liked it so much that I bought 2 . The cartridge itself is known for excellent accuracy and the case lasts forever. I get little to no case stretch with mine. It's like the energizer bunny!! Keep in mind that some of the earlier rifles had feeding issues. I've also seen some custom rugers chambered for this round with feeding issues. The newer Winchesters feed these cases like greased owl chit on a tin roof: Pretty slick in other words. I'm a hard core 30-06 lover, but the 300 WSM has made an impression on me and I don't think I'd give mine up. Good luck if you decide to try one out...

About right. The real advantage of any WSM comes when it's built into a lightweight short action rifle designed for the cartridge like a Kimber.

100 Fps faster than the 06 and a 100 fps slower than the WM. As said, an accurate, lighter, short action. I think I need one, but know I don't with .308's, 30-06's, and 300WM's, but it's cool!

I looked at the ballistics and agree there isn't a great deal of difference in my 270 wby and 300 wsm, except that this rifle is a mountain-type lightweight rifle. Appreciate the input. I guess I will take a close look at it and probably add it to the collection.

This is the 1st rifle I ever owned. Mine is a Browning A-bolt Medallion. 22" barrel I believe. Gun with 15 oz Ziess Conquest 3-9x40 weighs 7.6 lbs. Great caliber. Mine will shoot under inch @ 100 yards with factory ammo. No reloads as of yet.....still testing the water on that. I think you will be pleased. Recoil is manageable.

I want a 300 wsm but I can't for some reason justify the price of say brass 300 wsm brass seems really high to me

I chose the 300 WSM for a couple of reasons. First, it is capable of more horsepower than the 30-06 at a level of recoil that is tolerable in a light weight rifle. It is about max recoil I want to tolerate in a 7.5 lb rifle. I had a Kimber Montana in 300 WSM. It weighed 6lb 15oz and was a bit much with full power 180/200 gr loads. Second, I like the platofrms I've tried it in - Montana and Win M70 EW. My EW fits me very well, absorbs recoil well, and shoots where I point it.

On the cartridge itself, I've owned several 300 Win Mags and don't see much practical difference between the WSM and WM versions. My WSM gets handy to 3000 ft/sec with a 180 Partition. My other WM's would get 3050 and burn 4-10 grains more powder to get there. I'll take a lighter rifle and 50 ft/sec less velocity. Case life and case trimming on the WSM case is outstanding. Plus all 3 WSM's I've had have been accurate. Can't attribute all that to the cartridge but it is an interesting coincidence. I'll have one in my safe for the rest of my life.............

+1. Not sure if the stock didn't fit me right or what, but that 300wsm Montana w/ stout 180 accubonds recoiled right up there with a 300wby vanguard IMO. Of course in the field shooting at game that doesn't matter.

Biggest benefit is that the brass can be turned into 7 WSM

Then again, so can the rifle......

LOL

Now we're talkin'!

Good cartridge.

IME accurate, easy to load, hits advrrtided velocities with hanfloads easily. Good factory ammo and good bullets. Recoil is a skosh more manageable than the bigger 300s. I think the M 70s are well proportioned gor the cartridge. A great choice for big game hunting.

Anywhere from 200-400 fps faster than 30-06 depending on bullet weight and if you're talking factory loads or hot 30-06 handloads. Less than 50 fps slower than 300 WM with 180 gr or lighter bullets.

Recoil is almost 1/2 way between 30-06 and 300 WM, and it does it from a 308 size rifle. Anyone who can tolerate 30-06 recoil will never notice the difference when they move up to 300 WSM.

I love my 30-06's, but if starting over would go 308, skip right over 30-06 and go with 300 WSM as a bigger gun if I wanted more than 308 offered.

It's funny how that works.
The one I'm putting together turns 300 Win mag into 7mm.

Was waiting for this, I am quoting Nosler reloading, I know some guns are faster, etc. but I am going with manual published speeds. No need to respond Nosler is conservative, etc.... I get the point.

Iwould be very happy with any .308-180 at 3000fps in a handy package, this is why I think I need one. As you said my struggle is the Remy Ti would just sit if I do.

Where are y'all getting your ballistics from? All the tables I am finding, while shooting factory ammunition the 300 wm and wsm are nearly interchangeable the wsm being a smidge better