300 wsm.

[YukonBrett]

No offence taken here...realistically my use is for primarily moose, bison, caribou and sheep, in that order. Have yet to need to shoot much longer than about 200 yards, although could see stretching that out to 300, but 400 seems unlikely for me with enough certainty very soon...

 

[dgradinaru]

I had the 325 wsm, and with a 200gr bullet I was getting 2930fts. Im sure you can do the samething with the 300wsm. The 30-06 will normally be around 2500-2600with a 200gr bullet. So there is a pretty big difference there. I had mine in a m70 featherweight and with scope weighed around 8.5-9 lbs, the recoil was not that bad. it was very similar to a 30-06 with a stout load. I thinking of getting another wsm cartridge most likely a 325 again, I prefer the 8mm bullet over the .30 cals. In my opinion the wsm class cartridges are one of the best all around cartridges that have come out more recently.

 

[skidderman]

I have had 4 300 wsm's & no feeding issues. For me a shorter balance rifle is a pleasure compared to carrying a tree. The only concern I have is with brass life. Jury is still out for me on that. I can handle the recoil of the wsm but the 300 mag is too much for me.

 

[1899]

I respectfully disagree, in so much that I hand load for one: the shorter & rounder case (from my observations) burns most powders more efficiently so I find a cleaner barrel, less barrel heat, and better accuracy beyond average ranges. I also find the short action easier to work with as I do not have a long bolt coming back a long ways: easier to cycle and I didn't need to trim down a cheek riser as a friend with a 300WM had to.

However, this is my preference... and my "go to gun" for all large game in open fields every year, with success every year. It is a simple .308 I use for pushing bush, short cut lines and the like: anything under 200 yards, and it works just as well.

Maybe someone else can find the test, but there was a review looking at the .300 H&H vs .300 WSM. Both of these cartridges have nearly identical case capacities. Using the same bullets, powders, charges and barrel lengths showed equal performance.

 

[Dogleg]

Haters are going to hate regardless what anyone else says.

The only way to compare the 300 WSM cartridge is to pit it against other short action cartridges. In long action rifles the 300 Winchester or 300 Weatherby will always be "superior" and the hand-loaded 30-06 will be nipping at it's heals. The true value in the WSM cartridges is seen only when they are mated to a light-weight short action. Putting the WSM in a long-action fitted with magazine spacers (Read T3 here) leaves a lot of potential on the table.

I personally like the 300 WSM cartridge as it does offer noticeable velocity gains over the 308.

That is an interesting way of looking at it, and valid enough. I'm so used to people wanting it to be the equal of the bigger magnums that it never occurred to me to think that it blows the .308 out of the water. I suppose that's because I care so little about short actions; but there are those that do.

 

[Mad_Mikee]

I already had a Ruger in 30-06 that was dialed in to shoot 165gr bullets but I wanted try a different brand of rifle, so I bought an Abolt in 300wsm and figured I'd go with some 180's.

All my reloading equipment is in storage while my wife and I move homes so I'm forced to use factory ammo with the 300wsm this year if I want to hunt with it.
I've been to the range a few times but cant seem to find anything that shoots half-decent. A 6'' group at 300 yards isnt acceptable to me.

 

[POPS]

For many years I had a 1964 model 70 and a model 700 laminated stocked Remington.both in .30-06. I finally sold them and bought a nice SAVAGE in .300 win mag.
does the SAVAGE do anything the '06 could not??? probably nothing much......am I happy with the .300?Yep!!!!! but then ,I have quite a few other s as well.
If you don't have any plans for the GREAT BEARS then you can't go too far wrong with the '06...especially if you hand load...220/250 grainers and its a force to be reconed with.