Can't help but wonder what a 300 saum would be like for hunting big game,in colorado antelope to elk . I have shot a 300 win mag for 25 years and it is getting tired, Stick with the tall dark and handsome 300 or try something new short and fat?.

If I really wanted short,I would go with the 300wsm since the 300saum is on the way out.However,the truth be known,if you handload,the 300win mag does offer slightly more performance than the 300wsm.

The rem short fat 300 reminds me of a 30-06 AI ballistic wise.

Hello All
What 7 STW said +1.
nelson

-took the words right out of my mouth.

Dober

And that's a good thing!

so there is, on average, say, 100fps difference? Doesn't sound like much to me. And the WSM's that I have handled would be much easier to carry up an elk mountain.

I think the 300 WSM is the best of all the WSM offerings. It is easy to load for, gives top performance & is accurate. As lon as one understnds it is not nor will it ever be a 300 Win or 300 Wby, a man could be very very happy with a 300 WSM. I admit, those little short cases are way cool. I have a 7 WSM the I DO NOT like! I also have a 7 SAUM that I truly love.

I have a 300 saum in a model 7 and it gives me 200 fps over my .30-06. It's light weight and it was by FAR the easiest rifle that I've ever put together a load for. With nothing but a new bolt shroud and a trigger job, it is the most accurate rifle I own.

If I went short I'd go saum. Prolly only because I like to be different!! A saum in 7 or 300 in a model 7 would be a great gun period! I wish I had one.

I went saum and would not go back....

Do you mean not go back to SAUM or Win Mag?

If your a handloader, and your looking for a good short action... look towards the Lazzeroni cartridges.

I think the 300 WSM is the one that will survive and thrive for decades to come, but personally I think the .325 WSM is the pick of the litter.

-jeff

I meant I am happy with the SAUM....Lots of brass, I reload, life is good...I also have a 300 winnie....Like it too, but really love the SAUM.....Don't regret not going 300WSM...Shoulda been a little more clear in the first post....

I'd just go out and buy a new 300 Win. Mag. to replace your old, tired one.

AD

Or re-barrel it...

-jeff

Rebarrel it.
Over a chrony a 300short has about 100-150fps over a -06 with 180's. A real 300 has about 250fps over a -06.
Not theory.
To "ME" it's a 30-06 or move up to a 300wm.

Dave, that's where I'm coming from as well........

AD

Up at elk camp, a guy traded off his 30-06, with which he'd killed several elk BTW, for a 300 WSM and I had to sit there and listen to how fast it was, how powerful, how much better, yada yada yada. Meanwhile, I have a particularly fast-barreled 30-06 and I've always been tempted to set up a chrono with him but... why ruin how he feels about his rifle.

I'd bet money he's not going more than 100 fps faster than than my hot '06 handloads from my fast barrel...

-jeff

From my guns (more than one each)
180's at what would appear similar pressure---
30-06 2750 - 2800fps
300short - 2900
300WM - 3050

A short action 700 will end up about 4-6 oz lighter and 5/8" shorter than a long action. I'm not good enough to know the difference....

Dave, that's my experience with these cartridges over the chronograph as well. I've had a couple of 300 Win. Mags. that would give 3100-3150 with 180s, but most of them produce 3050-3100 fps. with 180s........

AD

Winchester got it right with the .300 Win. Mag.. I certainly wouldn't replace one with a .300 WSM...

If they weren't so darn $$ hungry they would sell a heck of a lot more rifles, ammo and reloading equipment. Disagree, how much for either loaded ammo or 20 pieces of brass?

The ballistic difference is so minimal that it is not worth the extra $$ to operate it.

Here is a little hint ($2-3) per piece of brass? $100 for box of ammo? 1-888-492-7247

Yeah, if I can't afford to shoot a rifle a bunch, then I don't want to own it. No safe queens in my safe!

Besides, the only real reason to shoot an uber-magnum like that would be on the theory that it bought you a bunch of range. And if there's one thing that's mandatory for ANYONE who thinks they are a long-range rifleman, it's practice, practice, practice...

-jeff

Daveh, I think you are a little low at 2900 for the 300 short. I get 2983fps out of my 300 WSM without pushing it too hard. I've owned a 300 Win and I currently own a 300 WSM, with 180 grain bullets I would say they are about equal as far as velocity goes. The 300 WSM makes for a lighter rile and is way more accurate than the 300 Win however, so I'm not planning on going back to the 300 Win.

action -

If it was me I'd stick with the .300 Win unless the barrel is going south. In that case though, I'd get another .300 Win or rebarrel.

The .300 SAUM is destined for the trash heap of history.

+1 for what Coyote Hunter said.

I have both and like them both. If I wanted an ultra light I'd go with the shamu. If I wanted a sporter wieght or heavy I'd pick the Win. The saum will never come close ballisticly to the Winchester, but that might be ok with you. Think of it as a really hot 30-06 in a short action.

My full size 300 is more accurate than my saum, but a pound and a half heavier.

Yeah, that extra 100 - 150fps REALLLLLLLLY makes a big difference!!!

My saum shoots 168 TSX's into 3/4" groups all day long @ 3060fps.

Couple that with a rifle that goes under 7.5lbs all up.

The naysayers hunt different than I do, I'd expect. I've killed plenty of deer and elk with a 300 Wby mag, 300 winmag, 300 saum and .30-06.

Considering the WHOLE package AND how I hunt, the saum is damn tough to beat.

Why anyone is shooting a 180 out of their short mag is beyond me ...

I shoot 180 TSX's out of my .300WSM because the 168 grainers aren't as accurate in my rifle.
Like you alluded to an extra 100fps or so is meaningless.

BTW, what powder/how much are you using in your saum?

I'm getting 2950 fps with 165-gn Accubonds from my 30-06 FWIW...

Yeah, people get really hung up on the numbers. What's TRULY funny, when you first buy a chrono, is that you realize that there's legions of guys out there addicted to some number they THINK they are getting from their rifle, when in reality, they ain't! In reality, factory 30-06's shooting factory ammo are lucky to reach .308 speeds... factory .308's are lucky to reach 300 Savage speeds... etc.

-jeff

If my rifle of 2 weeks is any indication, that would be a real shame...

Muley,

Your 300 saum gets the same velocity of a 300 H&H and you will NEVER see anybody knock that round for not being up to snuff.

Know any 300 H&H's that are as light and compact as your rifle?

I think not.

Long live the 300 saum it will.

Well... I kinda like the short magnums, having a 325 WSM myself... and I don't really care one way or the other since I don't have a dog in the fight, but it sure seems to me that the 300 WSM has won the .30-cal short mag battle. Seems like even Remington is conceding that with the new Model 7 XCR available in WSM but not SAUM.

-jeff

Right on , Jeff. That's why ya handload!

Yeah, no kidding! It's why I bought 5 bags of brass for my .325 WSM... THERE'S one that's dead in the water!

-jeff

You think so? Don't have one, so I don't pay attention. Thought it was doing pretty good?

.325 WSM? Well... I'm the only guy I know who has one, while I know several people (personally I mean) with 300 WSM's... but I dunno, maybe it is doing well. I hope so! I like I said, I think it's the most useful of the bunch, really. 30-06 trajectory, short action, hits hard...

A couple guys I know also have 270 WSM's. That one seems OK.

The SAUM series, on the other hand, seems pretty dead to me.

-jeff

Commercially again, very nice package in the flesh...