Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 300 wsm or 300 wm

I can't decide. Both are M70 EW BACOs both shoot factory ammo under and inch (so I know both will shoot).

What I like about the win mag:
Ammo availably and price
Brass availability and price

What I don't like:
26" barrel
Stupid spacer in the mag box limiting COAL

What I like about the WSM
24" barrel and shorter action
3.1" mag box

What I don't like:
Ammo availably and price
Brass availability and price

Which one would you keep?

What do you intend to do with the rifle?

I've had both. I don't need anything that potent and sold them all, but I'd choose 300 WSM 10 times out of 10 if I were going back. My 300 WSM was a SS 70 Classic that I put in an Edge stock. It weighed 7 1/2 lbs scoped and recoil was tolerable in a rifle that light. Not so much with a 300 WM.

The WSM gives up 50-100 fps compared to 300 WM, but the 300 WM needs 26" of barrel to do it while the 300 WSM does fine in 24". Even 22" for that matter. It still beats 30-06 by 200 fps. It also burns about 10 gr less powder than 300 WM to do it. The combination of less powder burned, and giving up 50-100 fps means noticeably less recoil. When I ran the recoil numbers when I had mine I showed about 22 ft lbs from a 30-06 with 180's, about 26 ft lbs from my 300 WSM and 30 ft lbs from my 300 WM. I simply never noticed the 4 ft lbs difference between 300 WSM and 30-06, the 8 ft lbs between 30-06 and 300 WM I noticed.

I haven't been in a store in years where 300 WM was sold that didn't also have 300 WSM and they are priced within $2 of each other. I did have trouble locating unfired brass. But was able to buy Federal factory loads in 300 WSM for $10-$20/ box. I'd shoot them and reload the brass.

Ultimately I decided that my 308 was as much gun as I needed, and I had 30-06 rifles with a lot of history. The 300's became expendable. But I did like the 300WSM round and the rifle I had.

I'd choose the 300 WSM because its shorter and lighter than a 300 Win...........Hb

I just can't stand the way the 300 Win. mag chamber has so much slop around the shoulder region of typical new brass.

I choose the Win, with a long box magazine.. It will allow me to load to the potential of the caliber.. Had a nice super grade WSM gave to one of my best friends..

Wow! You gave him your rifle? I need some buddies like you 😁👍.....Hb

I am a wsm fan.

My choice, too.

My gun is throated to reflect the long, 3.6” box bag. There is plenty of room for long bullets and I like that.

Regarding brass being loose around the shoulder, depends on how it’s chambered. And, after the first shot, you have a chamber fitting case.

I like to neck size with Lee Collet dies, bump with a body die as needed.

DF

I've owned both, My choice and the one I currently own is the 300 WSM. In the rifles I've owned it's the most accurate.

It's the first shot fit I can't stand. When the difference in fired vs new brass is quite obvious to the naked eye it's just too much.

WSM... the 26” WM barrel sucks.

Take them to 300 yards and see which one shoots. Shorten the 300 barrel if need be
300 is so easy to load for

300 WSM, never saw a shortage of ammo or brass.

A lot may depend on the individual rifle.

DF

In that platform, I’d take the WSM and not look back. No 26” barrels for me!

I've owned both as well. I'd pick the wsm over the win mag everyday of the week and twice on sunday.

I argree.

Depends on the use. For a light packing type rifle with light to mid weight bullets I like the WSM. For a long range rifle utilizing a detachable magazine and throated for heavy high bc bullets I prefer the standard WM.

I have both a 300 WSM Montana that runs either 150’s or 165’s for packing and a 28” custom 300WM shooting either 208 ELD-‘M’s or 212 ELD-X’s.

Both have valid uses and both see equal use depending on the goal of that day/hunt.

Would go with the WSM. As mentioned the mag box spacer limits COL. This can be removed to gain flexibility but the bolt stop and ejector will also probably need to be modified to eject reliably. Can get about 3.5 COL out of my SG M70 but it took some doing and still not touching the lands and yeah the 26" spout is not optimal. Currently using 208's but switching to heavier bullets when my stockpile runs out so I like to seat them way out there. For the WM the 700 is probably a better platform can get almost 3.6 out of the box and still have it feed and no tuning involved.