Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Tell me about the 300WSM

I like Wby as a company and what they are doing in WY but I owned two rifles (both Win 70s) chambered in Wby cartridges (240 & 257) and I got tired of hard to find and expensive ammo and brass so eventually sold them and moved on to other chamberings. These days keeping it simple works for me ie 308 Win and similar.

257Bob,

I have had several cartridge choices since my original pick of the 308 in 1978. In the last three years I have returned to my first love. The 308 is fun to shoot, chambered in nearly every commercial bolt gun & gets the job done with no trouble.

Every round fired reminds me of why I chose it in the first place.

I did not intentionally set out to buy a 300WSM, but the Kimber Montana was priced so low, I couldn’t leave it on the shelf.

It fits me so well and just feels right in my hand. I knew I had found my rifle to take on my anticipated African trip.

The Federal Fusion 150gr shot less than an inch. My 168TTSX hand load will group 3 shots in a half inch.

It is my travel rifle, the one for tough hunting and bad conditions. I’ve used the handload on species as small as grey duiker to as large as Cape eland. It just works for me.

My son in law has one. I load 150 Barnes for him. Recoil doesn’t seem any worse than a 7 mag to me. I like it, but have never owned one.

I embraced 300 magnums in about 1992 and have mostly hunted with them ever since. Mostly 300 RUM and Win Mag, but also several years with the WSM.
The 300 WSM is very accurate and in the real world at average hunting ranges it works just as well as the other two I've mentioned. Despite the hype the recoil is the same as the 300 win mag in my opinion. One plus for the WSM is you don't have to deal with belted cases and the sloppy chambers belted cases often have.
With all this said I am now 46 and have watched my son pound the heck out of deer, antelope and elk with a 7mm-08 using the 120gr TTSX. I think If starting over a cartridge in that neighborhood is as good a choice as any.

My 7 Wby pushes that bullet @ 3650 fps with 1/2 moa. I have yet to draw blood with it, but I imagine it’d sure put ‘em down.

The .300 WSM is just a shortening of the .300 Win Mag, like how .308 was a shortening of .30-06. In this case .300 WSM is more expensive and harder to find because not many people need .300 Win Mag performance in a short-action.

Just think how many less rounds you are going to get on that barrel vs. a 7mm-08 too. Hopefully you don't shoot it much, because it's not going to be "1/2 moa" for long.

Of all the WSM cartridges the 300 is the one with some staying power.

Most guys have never worn out a barrel in their lives and never will. For a hunting gun the barrel life thing just isn't a factor for most.
The other thing is with the TTSX and LRX. Once you push them past 3000fps I am not convinced they work any better. Maybe because the petals shear off above that velocity?

Agree, tto much is made of barrel life for 99% of shooters

I have two 300wsm rifles. A model 70 Exreme Weather that I used in British Columbia for elk and mountain goat,and a custom with an Ed Brown action that has taken a bunch of deer,hogs and elk.

I like the Montana rifle in the WSM cartridges,I had one in 270 wsm that was a tack driver.

The 3.1 inch magazine is perfect if you handload,gives you lots of options.

A MRC in 300 WSM is a cool rifle. Buy it if you like it.

I am doing most of my hunting with suprressed rifles now, the velocity of the 300 WSM in a 18.5 inch suppressed would be a real advantage over the short barreled
308 and 6.5 Creedmoor that I hunt suppressed now.

I am thinking about cutting the barrel of the Extreme Weather and having it threaded. It would make a dandy of a hunting rifle.

Shoot a 28 Nosler much especially with 570 and get back later.

Why would one do that with a hunting gun?

What’s need got to do with it?

I had one put together 20 years ago. Have taken elk and caribou with it. Nice round. I do like short action guns, many disregard that feature. I also have a 300 Win Mag. They are pretty close, what one will do for all practical purposes the other will do just fine.

That being said I do most of my hunting today with a 308 and 270. Recently added a 7-08 that I am pretty happy with.

I think the component shortages are forcing many to consider downsizing what we reload for, specifically where there are overlaps in performance. Individuals are basically realizing what calibers they want to spend their time and money on to achieve their determined goal. You can fill in the blanks for the goals, Shooting time, animals to be hunted, types of firearms etc. Some will load only for a 30-06, 22 caliber and 12 gauge and these will cover 99% of their needs. But then you can never be sensible when you are a loony.