To me even in a light rifle the 300 WSM feels more friendly to shoot than the 300 Win mag. sporters, and I read ln this forum some people think the 338 is also more friendly to shoot than a 300 Win mag.
The 338 has been described as more like a heavy push rather than the sharp jab of a 300 Win mag.

So, it brings me to asking for opinions is the 300 WSM more friendly to shoot than a 338 Win mag.?

Not in my experience. A lightweight 338 shooting 250 sucks. A lightweight 300 WSM shooting 180's is tolerable but not fun. Of the two, the 300 is more user friendly in similar weight rifles.

SD-

Have both the .338 Mag and the 300WSM. Both are sporter varieties and both sit in Bansner Sheep Hunter stocks so they're pretty close in an apples-to-apples comparison. (though the SA WSM is obviously a bit lighter) Relative to recoil, I'll take the 300wsm every time but the .338 is still pretty tame until you get to the 250's, then things get a little sporty.

IMHO the 338 mag is one of the worst kicking guns I have ever shot. Even more so than my 375 H&H. It feels like more than twice the 300 in most of the 338's I have had the opportunity to shoot. Although, they do kill stuff very well.

I can only compare 325 WSM and .338 WM, both in sporters.

The 338 has "more" recoil. Both are quite shootable though.

I put my .325 about square between a 30-06 and .338. I'd expect a 300 WSM to be a scootch lighter in recoil than my .325, but just a scootch.

(it's always fun to type "scootch"!)

Given the same rifle weight, the 300 WSM should feel a bit more user friendly in the recoil dept than the 338 Win as I have fired many 338 Win rounds..

Though when using 180 to 200 gr max loads, my `lil 300 WSM Ruger Frontier shorty carbine at 7.5lbs w/scope does have bite. Pull the trigger and you definetly know it.

More recoil = more challenging and stimulating fun!!!

i have and had both.

my favorite l/w rifle is a 300 wsm laminated classic now residing in a mikey edge l/w stock.
i am running 150 gr., tsx's at about 3300 fps, and it's a pleasure to shoot.

i had a ruger s.s. in a plastic stock, then into a pretty wood stock.
it plain old kicked !
shooting at an elk in the timber one year, i had to bend at the waist to get a shot off to my hard left, when i got busted sneaking thru the big timber.

guess i hit a limb or ? but there was more blood in the snow from the scope cut where i stood than the nothing i found where she was standing !!

after a few years of abuse, i sold it to a member here, with a recoil warning.

i'll take my 2 300wsm's over any 1 338wm any day.