Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 300 wsm

I can't believe nobody has posted anything about this new cartridge. [img]images/icons/crazy.gif" border="0[/img] I sure hope this doesn't mean I've bought an orphan that will be hard to find brass and ammo for because of lack of interest.<P>Mine is a Browning composit stalker. It is a heck of a fine gun and I'm very happy with it! [img]images/icons/laugh.gif" border="0[/img] A 23 inch barrel and with a cheapie tasco 3x9 silver antler scope it weighs in at 7.5 pounds. I've had it for almost a month and have loaded for it from the start. Of course the only source for brass is to buy the expensive factory ammo! [img]images/icons/mad.gif" border="0[/img] I ordered redding dies from midway that arrived before I picked up the rifle. Loading data is available from winchester on their website and Hodgdon has data on their website now. I e-mailed accurate arms when I first got the gun, they responded later with some preliminary data for their acc 4350 and acc 2700.<P>Anybody interested in my chronograph readings and accuracy findings?? If so I can post them here or e-mail me and I will send you some. [img]images/icons/smile.gif" border="0[/img]

TT, I am interested. I have not yet picked up a .300 WSM but I intend to for no other reason than I want one. Post what you find out, I would like to know.

i'm interested! i've been waiting for some reports to come back before i buy one. interested in accuracy, chrony, and percieved recoil.<P>before i buy one, though, i would like to see the other manufacturers pick it up. any word on if/when rem savage, etc might consider it?

This one will probably make it... From reports I have read, the cartridge does for the 300 Win. Mag. what the .308 did for the '06: Equal performance, less powder needed, less recoil, and better accuracy.<P>The Winchester name attachment will help those so fond of the 300 Win. Mag. be a bit more accepting of the cartridge.<P>Wizard

for well over 80 years now an array of different wildcatters have established a number of rounds to push the envelope of cartridge design so as to enhance a product for a perceived advantage which in most cases does not warrant the powder charge used to accomplish said performance.<BR> and actually the first and foremast thought has,was,and always will be profits,atleast in the past 50 years or so. initially some wildcatters actually wanted to enhance performance for personal use, but the perceived enhancement in 90 percent of the cases is really of little use cause 90 percent or more of these weapons far outpace shooters ability.<BR> the great american ideal, change it quick cause we ain,t making no money, or hurry up cause our competitor is out selling us we need something new attitude which is why all these new -old? rounds are showing up.<BR> this being said try what you like, or want nothing wrong with that, just remember perceived advantages is in many cases a matter that resides in the mind of the shooter in many instances.

I'am interested. We have only seen one wsm here, it was also a browning, and lasted about a day. I am waiting for a m70 laminated, and its killing me. The wsm looks like a great cartridge, and I would love to see what it will do with good handloads. Have you hand any trouble chambering the 180s?

Winchester's new offering is seemingly a sound one. I think we can all agree that the 300 win-mag is an effective cartridge for large game although maybe not our personal favorite. The 300 WSM is more efficient; using less powder, and producing less recoil (around 18-25% less depending on the source) than the 300 WM to duplicate or better the performance. This is fact in all bullet weights up to around 180-200. Over the 200, the 300 win-mag outshines the short cousin, but I don't know of many uses for over 200 gn 30 cal projectiles. I am eagerly awaiting the next offering, 7 WSM. That outa' be a real charmer.<BR>-Will

Will:<BR>I have a problem. You say the 300WSM duplicates the ballistics of the 300 Win Mag with 18-25% less recoil. If you are correct then winchester indeed has a startling developement in this cartridge as they have found a way to short circuit the laws of physics. I will entertain the idea that a cartridge shape can effect the efficiency and the accuracy. I will believe that short fat and long skinny (with case capacities equal) will deliver roughly equal performance but I sir don't belive winchester or anyone else can change the laws of physics, yet! good luck the gunnut69

For anyone who is interested, Widener's in Tennessee supposedly has .300 WSM brass available for $39/100. Phone # is 800 615 3006. I haven't called them, since I don't have a .300 WSM, so that is why I use supposedly. <A HREF="http://www.wideners.com" TARGET=_blank>www.wideners.com</A>

Don't know about the300wsm but look at the 30/338 compaired to the 300winmag. <BR>165gr. to get 2900 fps. with IMR4064.<BR>300Wm 62.3.<BR>30/338 57.9 <BR> with H380<BR>300wm 66.7<BR>30/338, 59.7 <BR>ya like slower powders,<BR>H4831, say 3000fps<BR>300wm,77.1<BR>30/338,70.6<BR> no big secret just better use of space, probably less pressure too, 18 to 25% may be stretching it a bit though...

Gunnut 69:<BR>No big secret here, less powder, by about 20 to 25%, 18-25% less recoil. But hey, don't believe me. The shooting times did a big workup on it. Now they may be tainted by AD dollars but they published the figures.<BR>-Will

Gunnuts 69, the laws of physics do apply they are just applied differently in the case of the 300 WSM vs.300 mag. Winchester is doing more with less or perhaps in this case equaling more with less. How ever there is a trade off you have to give something up and they did it was recoil. We are also involving the laws of thermodynamics. Physics alone do not make a gun work.<P>Bullwnkl.

Okay here goes. I bought 1 box of ww super x in 180 power points, brass case, and 2 boxes of nickle plated 150 ballistic silver tips. <P>The first range session was to shoot some groups and break in the bbl. I lacked time to set up the pact chronograph. The groups ranged from 2.200 to right at an inch for both types of ammo. shooting 3 shot groups and then cleaning for the first 5 groups. The barrel was so smooth it required little break in.<P>The first time I set up the chrono, I had saved 5 of the 180's to check velocities. They went at an average of 2998fps for 3 shots. the 150 bal tips went an average of 3229 fps./4 shots.<P>I got tired of waiting for hodgdon to get data out, so I used a max 30-06 load of H 4831sc for a starting load. Also checked how much the case would hold, 69.0 grains of h4831 sc. I was using the 168 gr. sierra matchking. Starting at 62.0 h4831 sc and going up 2.0 per increment to top off at 66.0. The first one clocked throught the chrono at 2567 and then it quit reading [img]images/icons/mad.gif" border="0[/img] <BR>62.0 .530 group one load at 2567<BR>64.0 .700<BR>66.0 1.230<BR>These used the brass cases and wlr primers.<P>I also tried the loads on the winchester website using 760 powder. This time with the Hornady 168 gr. a-max. starting at 65.0 gr 760 and wlr primers, again the brass cases.<BR>65.0 av 2963 group .980<BR>66.5 3039 1.360<BR>68.0 3121 .920<BR>the 68.0 gr. load had difficult bolt lift but no other signs of high pressure.<P>Next experiment was with what I hope to hunt with this fall for whitetails. I think the Hornady 165 SST will be just the ticket for whitetails. Since I had good results with H 4831 SC I went with it for the SST's. In the nickle cases and wlr primers. Chrono still on the blink so I'm not sure of the speed. <BR>64.0 .870<BR>65.0 1.440<BR>66.0 1.560<BR>67.0 .600<BR>68.0 1.00<BR>I had a 600 yd. shoot the next weekend so I loaded 20 of the SST's with the 67.0 load of h 4831 sc and went to the shoot. I shot a 61 out of a possible 75. The gunsmith that set up the scope was scoring and watching the wake though a spotting scope. He said it was extremely flat compared to a .308 or 30-06. This was quite a mild load and I don't see the need for any more velocity for deer.<P>Gunnut69, around 30-40 percent of a rifles felt recoil is due to the fast hot jet of gases coming out of the muzzle. Like a rocket engine it develops thrust. More powder=more thrust. A WSM burns less powder and all other things being equal it will kick less. As far as mine goes it kicks hard period. I only shot one win mag before many years ago so I can't judge well. I went and bought a past mag recoil sheild so I can shoot a lot comfortably.<P>Mark, no trouble chambering the 180's Mine has a very short throat so I can seat within .025 of the lands with the SST's and still work them through the magazine.<P>It flies it dies, thanks for the tip I will be ordering some brass tomorrow. Factory gets to darn expensive.

I thought I might post the loading data sent to me by accurate arms powder co. for the 300 WSM. If you want your own copy, e-mail them and ask for one.<BR> start vel max vel psi x 100<BR>150gr.speer<BR>soft point<BR>AA 2700 61.7 2919 68.6 3243 60.9 <BR>AA 4350 64.1 2973 71.2 3303 62.2<P>165gr. speer<BR>grand slam<BR>AA 2700 59.2 2777 65.8 3085 61.3<BR>AA 4350 61.2 2823 68.0 3137 61.8<P>180 gr. hornady<BR>BT soft point<BR>AA 2700 58.5 2683 65.0 2981 61.1<BR>AA 4350 60.3 2722 67.0 3024 61.3<P>200 gr. speer<BR>grand slam<BR>AA 2700 54.4 2743 60.4 2748 61.2<BR>AA 4350 53.8 2460 59.8 2733 61.4com<BR>ressed<P>Structurally enhanced bullets<BR>165 gr. nozler<BR>partition<BR>AA 2700 60.7 2818 67.4 3131 61.5<BR>AA 4350 61.0 2827 67.8 3141 60.8<P>180 gr. swift A frame<BR>AA 2700 57.6 2663 64.0 2959 60.6<BR>AA 4350 58.2 2690 64.7 2989 61.3<P>200 gr. nozler partition<BR>AA 2700 55.8 2514 62.0 2793 60.6<BR>AA 4350 56.7 2546 63.0 2822 60.8 comp<BR>ressed load<P>Compared to the recently released loads by hodgdon, these loads are hotter. These actually come close to the factory loadings and the info put out by winchester. I guess hodgdon has a new lawyer working for them, or their pressure gun needs an overhaul.<P>I left out a reduced load, who wants 30 carbine velocity levels from a magnum. If anybodys interested I will put that up.

Interesting thread. I don't want to jump into a new board and start trying to challenge anyone, but I believe there are some things that should be stated about the calculations that go into determining recoil.<P>Recoil is expressed as a composite factor. It is in foot/pounds/seconds. That means that you have both weight and velocity. The two biggest factors are velocity of the projectile and weight of the weapon. The velocity is squared and mulitiplied by the weight of the projectile then factored by a number that brings grains to pounds. The weight of the powder charge is also a factor, but is divided by a factor the brings the grains of powder to pounds of powder. Then the number is multiplied by a gravitational constant of 64.8. The result of this calculation is then divided by the weight of the weapon. <P>The velocity, being squared in the calculation will increase the factor to a power of 2, while the effect of the powder charge will have minimal effect on recoil. specially if you are only talking 7 or 8 grains difference. The weight of the weapon, since it is already in pounds, will have a direct result on the answer. (No conversion factor involved.) This is most of the factors that are involved in recoil calculation. <P>Perceived recoil is a different matter. The largest components of perceived recoil are things like stock fit, shape, physical condition of the shooter, etc. If you look at the old European Sporting stocks and at some of the early Weatherby stocks where you see things like offset, cant, and drop, you will see stocks that are designed to minimize percieved recoil. Things that change the direction of the thrust of the recoil. Make it go up and away from the shooters shoulder. I believe that Winchester, with their Featherweight stock design have one of the best stock designs around for reducing recoil. [img]images/icons/cool.gif" border="0[/img]

I resently read a related artical in Guns&Ammo mag. they did some exparimenting with wildcats. I think is was a cupel months back, so don't run out looking for it is stors, but any way it didn't look like it was all that usfull as a wildcat. <P>In that artical they were discribing the .300 WSM as less that a .300 win. and more that a 30/06 because of it powder chage.In reality a .300 WSM gives you a speed of 3300fps at muzzle with a 150 grain. The Win Mag gives 3260 with a similer bullet. With the 180 grain they the Win Mag dose alittle better than the WSM. The WSM uses it less powder to it full potenchal. This makes it a vary similer gun to the Win Mag that uses less powder for the same efect. <P>From what i've gatherd shorter fatter loads burn the powder quicker that the longe thin ones. This makes more presher quicker so that the bullet has full force behind it for more of the barel. With short fat round you can use a shorter barrle and get better speed that with a long cartridge which would spew berning powder out the end of the barel.

I'm wating for ammo to be commun to buy my 300WSM.<P>I resently read a related artical in Guns&Ammo mag. they did some exparimenting with wildcats. I think is was a cupel months back, so don't run out looking for it is stors, but any way it didn't look like it was all that usfull as a wildcat. <P>In that artical they were discribing the .300 WSM as less that a .300 win. and more that a 30/06 because of it powder chage.In reality a .300 WSM gives you a speed of 3300fps at muzzle with a 150 grain. The Win Mag gives 3260 with a similer bullet. With the 180 grain they the Win Mag dose alittle better than the WSM. The WSM uses it less powder to it full potenchal. This makes it a vary similer gun to the Win Mag that uses less powder for the same efect. <P>From what i've gatherd shorter fatter loads burn the powder quicker that the longe thin ones. This makes more presher quicker so that the bullet has full force behind it for more of the barel. With short fat round you can use a shorter barrle and get better speed that with a long cartridge which would spew berning powder out the end of the barel.<P>________________<BR>I got the data for Winchester at <A HREF="http://www.Winchester.com" TARGET=_blank>www.Winchester.com</A>

The .300 WSM should prove to very popular and successful. They seem to be hard to find, but if anyone lives in the Bakersfield, CA area Valley Gun at 2728 Chester Ave has the Winchester Model 70 stainless. They are a fine looking piece of hardware.