Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters .300 WSM vs. .300 Win Mag

I'm considering purchasing one or the other. Of course I know the short action vs long action thing but past that are there other reasons to choose one over the other?

I think the short magnums are a fad.

To a certain they've already proven to be a fad. The .300 WSM is still the best-seller, but even it isn't nearly as popular as it was during the peak years. These days .300 WSM rifles are't selling nearly as well as plain old .300 Winchester Magnums, one reason .300 WSM ammo and brass isn't nearly as available as it used to be.

Probably the second most-popular SFRM (short far rimless magnum) is the .270 WSM, and it's way behind both the .300 and standard .270 in sales.

For me it would boil down to the rifles, i.e. which one I liked the best.

A 180 gr bullet at 3000 fps is what it is,no matter what case you use to get it there. I have owned quite a few 300 Win Mags and always liked the cartridge and hunted a lot with it.

Despite several 300 WSM's I have not hunted with one. IME there is no difference in accuracy between the two.Take your pic.

The 300 Winchester Magnum ain't never been broke.

It's been broke since '63, don't cha know...the neck is way too short to be accurate.

The whole "if it ain't broke don't fix it" thing certainly has crossed my mind. And of course rifle selection and ammo selection favor the Win Mag.

Oh yeah, there is that.

.300 Win Mag.

I roll with a 26" 300 WBY for all-around to longer range hunts and a 300 WSM cut down to 23" in an Edge that is great to carry, especially on timber elk and deer hunts. Probably could use the WSM on everything but the WBY has been very good to me and I really trust it. I typically take the WSM as backup or for specific hunts where the lighter weight and handling make a difference.

moose, I have had a .300 WM since the early 70's.. It is my most trusted game rifle.. Having shot big game with everything from the .22 Hornet though the .45-70, it is my favorite.. I have messed with the .300 Rem. Ultra, H & H, WSM.. The WM is still my favorite.. I gave my super grade .300 WSM to a very good friend.. There were little things with the WSM I didn't care for.. But if you like the caliber or rifle, it wouldn't make a bit of difference which you choose.. I do feel the WM has an edge on the WSM, just as the Wea. has an edge on the WM..

On a technical basis I see no reason why the short mags should be so hard to make into a good shooting rifle. And there surely are some good ones out there.

Have numerous friends and acquaintances that have tried the .300 wsm. I reckon about half of them have left it behind in disgust over accuracy issues which were in some cases chamber dimension flaws.

My model 700 winnie was chambered and barreled by a shade tree gunsmith in a mobil home park. It is and has been a tremendous performer since 1978.

Remarkable how few issues are ever seen with the winnie and rifles so chambered, of any make...

They are accurate, the neck is short, true facts. However, the 308 Norma is better.. . If I were going to really rock a 300 magnum, it would be a pre 64 model 70 chambered in 300 H&H. 4 in the magazine and 1 in the chamber. It's the ballistic twin to the WSM and treads very closely behind the 300WM. No feeding issues, like you run into with the WSM on occasion.

The 300 WSM was never intended to compete with the 300 WM. It was initially called the 300 Jamison before Winchester stole the idea and hung the "magnum" label on it. This probably hurt the chances of success because people keep comparing it to 300 WM.

It is a good round giving 150-300 fps more speed (depending on bullet weight) than a 30-06 from a lighter more compact short action rifle. With the hotter loads it will somewhat overlap lower end 300 WM loads, but with the best loads is always 50-100 fps slower. The 300 WSM works very well with shorter 22-24" barrels whereas the 300 WM really needs 26".

In equal weight rifles recoil is almost exactly 1/2 way between 30-06 and 300 WM due to 50-100 fps less speed and about 10-12 gr less powder than 300 WM. Or you can shoot a 300 WSM in a 1/2 lb lighter rifle and get about the same recoil as 300 WM.

For someone putting together a lightweight mountain rifle and wanting more punch than 30-06 with manageable recoil it is a good choice. If you want that last 100 fps and don't mind more recoil or a longer heavier rifle any of the other 300 magnums will out perform it.

Good post.. I too gave up 2 WSM's for certain reasons that seem maniacal to some, but issues that erked me none the less..

Very fair and accurate in my opinion! I like the WSM's personally, because I prefer the short action and lighter rifle. I don't need that last 100-300fps of a Win or Weatherby Mag. But if I didn't reload, I would probably not choose it.

So since I already have a good .30-06 the WSM would be redundant. Sounds like the Win Mag is the way to go then.

Essentially so... Ask yourself what you want the extra velocity for.

The 30-06 will do all that most bullets are meant to do, and it'll do it a fair ways out there.

Adding velocity really only helps to overcome added distance or wind deflection conditions.

When you really get out there and the wind won't stop, the fast .30s and a bullet like the D46 (or newer and better) make a real difference.

Me too.

I will not leave it in the silly 30/06 length box,but will put it in a H&H box, seat bullets long in the skimpy neck and load 180-200 gr bullets about the same as a 300 Weatherby, but in a 24" barrel. (Actually only a few fps behind a top end Weatherby).

I know this because I have done it. Thee is no difference on any BG animal.

More magazine length is good.

Bob,with todays choice in powders,you think it's possible to nudge Wby velocities in the .300 Win without the long box?