I hate words like "proven" or "trusted" when talking about rifle cartridges. It means absolutely nothing. The only thing proven or trusted is that if you fire a 180 grain bullet at 3000 fps into the boiler room it will kill what it hits regardless of the shape of the case. Established is a word that works but the 300WSM is firmly established and going no where.

The old argument about the 300 Win mag having more available factory loads is no longer a concern as the 300wsm now has a very substantial factory list of loadings. The only major manufacturer that doesn't load for it is Hornady and for the life of me I don't understand why.

The argument about the Win mag being able to use the bullets over 180 grains better isn't of any concern either due to the construction of bullets available today. What one can do with a 200 grain soft nosed bullet another can do with a 165 or 180 grain bullet of better construction. If I need anything heavier than a 180 grain bullet out of a 300 magnum then I am stepping up in bullet diameter as well.

Rifle choices? Every single major manufacturer now chambers the 300wsm so rifle choices abound for both cartridges. And I don't know of any custom or semi-custom rifle maker that won't chamber for the wsm.


So it basically boils down to what you want.

Long action or short action?
Belted case or non belted case?
How heavy of a rifle do you want?

These are your only three real concerns with these two cartridges.

Personally, I will take a short action over a long and definetly take a non belted case over a belted one every time. If weight is of a concern hunting elk then the wsm generally be available in lighter weight rifles. It's usually only ounces but every ounce counts when huffing it up a mountain at 10,000 feet.