The recoil is more on the 300 WSM if you are shooting the heavier bullets. Expect the same recoil from the 300 WSM as generated by the 300 Win Mag. Regardless of what Winchester says, if you push a 180 grain bullet from both the 300 Win Mag and the 300 WSM, you are going to get very simular recoil. I guess that guy Newton had something to do with that.