I am building my first custom rifle and I am having a very hard time deciding on caliber between .300 WM or .300 WSM. This rifle needs to be a dual tool for competition and range shooting plus hunting(more so this than the range). I am stationed in California now but I am from Missouri originally, so hunting in both areas is key.

Pretty much the same ballistics.

Do you want a short action or long action?

What range are you thinking you will shoot with it?

Do you already have a donor action?

Well, I would re-think the dualcompetition/hunting uses. Ibought a Rem. 700 and sent the action off and had an M40A1 built and, like you, I wanted to use it for both competitions and hunting. I competed with it for a few years in F-class competitions and hunted with it once....and ONLY once. The thing was so damn heavy that I told myself that I'd never do that again. Will it shoot? Of course it will. But getting it from point A to B is a nightmare. I couldn't imagine hunting with it in the mountains let alone flat ground.

Point being, whatever your choice of caliber is really doesn't matter, as both will do the job. The platform that you choose will definitely be the most important decision though. Either goheavy barrel for target shooting or light weight for hunting. Heavy weight for hunting will only make you tired and light weight for target shooting will burn your barrel up sooner than expected.

I'll second this. Imagine what the Marine Scout/Snipers feel like carrying one around 24/7, eating, sleeping, humping (secure the dirty minds, a Marine vet will know what I mean), low-crawling hundreds and sometimes thousands of yards in a guille suit with a 25lb M40 sniper rifle in 110+ degree heat. All while every bad guy and his 10 brothers is doing everytyhing he can to hunt you down like a rabid dog because snipers are the most hated grunt on the battlefield...well, I'd say it'd be one tough way to make a living.[:@]

If you want a rifle for long range competition, you should build a rifle specialized for the type of competition you plan to participate in. If it's long range bench rest shooting, such as 1000 yard BR, you'd build it specifically for that so that you can be even stand a chance against the competition. I don't know enough about the different competitive diciplines to give you a good recommendation, but if you search the net you can find tons of info about the various rifle diciplines and what type of equipment is involved.

If you want a rifle for hunting, then you should build one for hunting. The specs for a practical hunting rifle are MUCH different than a competition rifle. That's not to say that a custom hunting rifle with a sporter-weight barrel and stock can't be remarkably accurate with hunting bullets, but it's not likely to be competitive with the full out competition guns you'll see in any serious event.

Good luck, and Semper Fi from a former 5811,

Mike

I also reccommend not having it as a duel use rifle. As said, a serious competitive rifle will be giving you a weight issue when using it for hunting. Been there, done that - they get heavy. I'd also be a bit leary about taking my competitive level rilfe in the field in case the unfortunate whoops were to occur. Nothing like banging that competition level scope.
As for chambering...as it's to be a competitive rifle, I'm sure for the utmost in performnace you'll handload right? That said, either would suffice and give darn equal results. Were you not loading I'd say go with the more available .300WM

I just don't see any need to go outside the 300 WM unless you want to build a 1000k monster. You might want to check in with the Long Range Hunting Forum if you are going that route.

Well, I expect from your name that you are sturdy and can shoot! So a stiff barrel is not going to put a dent into you, especially if you are already used to humping 100 pounds of gear. In my USMC days, snipers used Remington 700's, stiff barrel and a 3x9 Redfield scope. (I would go to a different scope brand now.) No reason that won't kill Bambi.

3rd Bn, 9th Marines.... back then.

Over 60% of longrange is won with a 30 cal. Check 6mmBR .com

Those were the old M40's. The wooden hunting stock, 3x9's, like you say, and a straight tapered varmint barrel. The M40A3's of today have the Mcmillan A4 stock that weights more than the whole M40 did back when. The A3's also have the heavy straight blank bull barrel, not tapered. I believe it's right at .9 from breach to muzzle. The Unertl scope that's used today is also a beast. It weighs probably5 pounds in itself. All steel. They need to be toung because if they aren't, Marines like us will break them! LOL!

Simp
1/8

I just wonder when the Corps will switch from the .308 to the .338 Lapua Mag. It has become quite popular with military and police snipers around the world, for good reason.

Mike