RE: .270 WSM vs. .300 win mag
Raymond270,
If your friend is losing too much meat on deer he could try using a slightly " tougher" bullet. For instance...if he is shooting a 150 grain .30 caliber for deer, (which is surely sufficient), he could try switching to a " tougher" 180 grain for instance. As an example a 180 grain Trophy Bonded or A-Frame would be a little slower to expand....and maybe reduce some of the trauma and " bloodshot" tissue surrounding the wound channel. Of course when using a cartridge like the .300 Win Mag it is inevitable that any hit to large muscle or bone is going to ruin " a lot" of meat. One option, when possible, is a shot through one side of the ribcage and out the other side. Not much to eat between there...(if only we could get deer to " behave themselves" and always present nice broadside shots)!
Of course you can handload and reduce the load...but the Magnum' s case doesn' t lend itself to that very well. And of course the only other solution is to use less gun when hunting deer. (Of course in a pinch I would rather lose 10 lbs of meat and cleaning kill the deer, than not cause enough trauma....and lose the whole deer.)
When it is all said and done, " pay your money and pick your poison" !
Good luck with your decision!