300Win Mag. Vs. 300 WSM
 

We are getting the kid a new gun and he wants a 300 WM, but it has been real hard to come by one that fits him well. Did find a 300 WSW that fit real well. I know this can starta huge debate but I am curious on if one is better than the other or are they pretty equal.

RE: 300Win Mag. Vs. 300 WSW
 

I think you mean the WSM. ;)

RE: 300Win Mag. Vs. 300 WSM
 

Yes I did thanks!

RE: 300Win Mag. Vs. 300 WSM
 

Oops, I guess I could have answered your question too. ;)

The WSM out does the WM by a little bit, but not enough to make a difference. Just buy which ever one fits best. I think that the WSM ammo is probably a little more expensive, but if you reload that doesn't really matter either. Hope it helps. ;)

RE: 300Win Mag. Vs. 300 WSM
 

Both are good, I have a 300 WSM in a Ruger M77 and it is very accurate. ammo is not cheap and you will not be able to find it as easy as 300 WM. If you handload the WM will give you higher velocities. The WSM will limit your COL to the length of the magazine well and with the heavier bullets it will take up some of your case capacity.Both are good, I would say get the one that fits the best. You will probably want to put a sims recoil pad on it also.

RE: 300Win Mag. Vs. 300 WSM
 

I will be handloading for which ever one I get.

RE: 300Win Mag. Vs. 300 WSM
 

The winmag is going to be alot faster than the WSM. I was able to get a WSM to push a 180gr bullet almost 3000fps, after several powders. But with slight pressure signs. I am able to push a 180gr bullet 3150fps with a 300win mag and with a 24" barrel. 150fps is pretty significant IMO. I know not everyone can get thiers to do this, but I was routinely getting 3050 with H1000, and RL22, and others.

[Deleted]
 

[Deleted by Admins]

RE: 300Win Mag. Vs. 300 WSM
 

I'd pass on the WSM because I feel it's a fad and in the long run the casings will be expensive. Also why box yourself in for only a marginal gain?

I refuse to own any WSM firearms.

Tom

RE: 300Win Mag. Vs. 300 WSM
 

Wow, thats cookin. What powder? Never tried a 150gr in my winmags, or WSM. But could only get 3400 or less out of my RUM's with 7828. Only tried once.

RE: 300Win Mag. Vs. 300 WSM
 

The two have almost identical ballistics, recoil energy, muzzle v., etc.
I think all would agree that both are more than capable of bringing down all North American big game (even griz).
So what are the intangibles? Assuming the cost is equal, you say the WSM "fits" better. I'd still take the WM and cut the stock down, save it, and glue it back on when he gets bigger knowing that I will still have a better resale value in the WM than the WSM. The only thing I can see that the WSM or any short mag gives you is a shorter action which should allow faster reload and shooting. Who cares?!

I still say gun makers "invent" rounds just to improve sales, not improve hunting success. Which is ultimately why we choose a particular gun. All magnums have dramatically changed the way we look at rounds. They provided "flatter" shooting projectiles and heavier forse at contact. The .300 WM is tried and true. I'd stay with it.
Some can afford to match a weapon to the game and own several guns, me . . . I got my .300 WM and take everything with it. Antelope, deer, elk, bear, moose. Even thought about taking it goose hunting, but it's against the rules!

RE: 300Win Mag. Vs. 300 WSM
 

Six of one, Half a dozen of another. You can't go wrong with either one. I like my 300 wsm quite well. Brass doesn't cost much more than 300 wm so for me the ammo cost argument means nothing. You might save a little weight with the WSM but you lose the ability to chase the lands and still use the Magazine. Recoil, accuracy, Kinetic energy, & ballistics are basically identical. Of course if you want to push the envelope with the 300 wm you can exceed the wsm by some 1-200 FPS. I prefer to go with the most accurate load not the fastest anyway.

RE: 300Win Mag. Vs. 300 WSM
 

I have a Savage 300WSM and wouldnt trade it for anything else. Im shooting dead center at 100yds but then again I shoot 40/40 with an M16A2from 300 meters too."ARMY STRONG, ALL Day Long"

[Deleted]
 

[Deleted by Admins]

RE: 300Win Mag. Vs. 300 WSM
 

The WSM outdoes the WM in advertisers hype, and amy do so in a factory load.

However, one of the constant truths about firearms that will never change is that everything else being equal, theround with the greater case capacity can always be loaded to out-perform one of the same caliber that holds less powder.

The only way a .300 WSM can out-perform a .300 WM with the same bullets is if it is loaded to a higher pressure level. I have even heard of a few cases in whichfactory-loaded .300 WSM cartridges gave hard bolt lift and stretched primer pockets. Yet, either one out-performs the .30/'06 by a significant margin, particularly with heavy bullets. If it were I, I would buy the one in the rifle design I liked the best.

RE: 300Win Mag. Vs. 300 WSM
 

I think the recoil of the WSM is a little bit less. The of course, depends a lot on the individual gun, cut of the stock, type of recoil pad etc etc. I have shot Browning A-Bolts in both, and thought the WSM was a quicker sharp kick, while the WindBag was a longer whallop.

Performence wise, the WSM wins on paper. Buton target and on game, I don't think it makes much of a difference. If the WSM fits him better, then thats the way I would go. He will be much happier with a rifle that fits him well.

RE: 300Win Mag. Vs. 300 WSM
 

No way can the 300 WSM match the 300 WM for versatility. The only advantage of the 300 WSM is the short action if you call that an advantage. With the heavies bullets the 300 WM will out run the 300 WSM hands down.

RE: 300Win Mag. Vs. 300 WSM
 

And the WM should have a bit more kick. It does have more case capacity. And powder wieght is a huge contribution to kick even if both bullets from both guns are coming out the same velocity.

I love the WSM line. Don't get me wrong. Just know,it will not keepup with awinmag. At least thetwo I own. And I too notice the WSM's seem to be easier to work up a load for. Little more dynamic.

[Deleted]
 

[Deleted by Admins]

RE: 300Win Mag. Vs. 300 WSM
 

Big;

Just a few ?'s for you here. Not meant as arguements at all, just ?'s for my own clarification.

The performance of the WSM is nearly that of the WM, but, as you said the WM has a greater capacity. A quick search tells me the WSM has 80.4gr (water) and the WM 87.0gr (water). Thats quite a bit of difference isn't it? Why is it that the WSM is so close in performace to the WM when the capacity is (apparently) pretty drastically different? Is it just because the WSM is more effiecient? Something with the wider body of the shell or the like?

RE: 300Win Mag. Vs. 300 WSM
 

I wish I had an answer for ya swamp, but to be straight I don't know for sure.If one was to resize the shoulders on a WM to have water cap of 80.4gr, and taking away all factors like barrel dimensions or difference in barrels, I suppose the wider caseburnsmore efficient than the longer WM wildcat.

Some like eld might be able to chime in. I know there is alot of wildcatters on accurate reloading that could prossibly give the correct answer. But alot of people are going to tell you that the WSM is loaded to higher pressure limit than the WM.

There are loading programs out here like quickload, that one can play and model effects like this. But I am not a wildcatter, so I don't know.

RE: 300Win Mag. Vs. 300 WSM
 

SwampCollie - the short fat case burns powder more efficiently and is able to generate near magnum power with a lesser amount of powder. The statement "near magnum" is intentional. My recollection of the selling points of the short magnums was you right close to a magnum in power in a lighter short action rifle. Somewhere along the line the "better" discussion took over. IMO there is no "best" rifle; shoot what you like as long as the round is appropriate for the situation.

The WSM's tend to kick a bit more than their magnum counterparts. Yes, you are burning less powder and should have a reduced recoil, but with the shorter cartridge you can have a shorter action and maybe shave an inch off of the barrel. This gives you a lighter rifle which will negate the reduction in recoil. Its one of those "all other things being equal" situations as far as recoil is concerned.Other thingsdon't stay equal, and it kicks more (not tons more)

I do wish that the boxed ammo priced would've dropped more since their introduction. I stocked up when I bought my .270 WSM and haven't seen much price difference in the years since.

The short magnums are a viable choice for reloaders. However, I do recall reading that due to the COAL and powder capacityyou're restricted from loading the longer heavier bullets as they'd go too far into the case.

RE: 300Win Mag. Vs. 300 WSM
 

I shot the 300 Win Mag for quite a few years and I don't recall throwing away hardly any brass. However I don't hot rod any caliber. If I need more punch I move up to a larger caliber.