300 WSM and 300 Win Mag.
 

Hi i am in the market for a new rifle for an upcoming black bear hunt this fall, and a possible elk or moose hunt the following year. I have a 270 right now for deer and looking at a larger all around caliber and looking for inputs on the 300 WSM VS the 300 Win. Mag. i like the shorter action of the short mag but the 300 Win mag can shoot heavier 200 grain bullets so i am ready to flip a coin. Will the 180 grain in a supreme bullet do the job out of the 300 WSM for black bear, elk, and moose? and yes i know its all about shot placement. ;)Thanks:)

RE: 300 WSM and 300 Win Mag.
 

if you like the short action get it. the 180 gr bullets will do the job in elk and moose

RE: 300 WSM and 300 Win Mag.
 

I have loaded for both and find, I usually can outrun the WSM with a win mag by 50-100fps. Thats just my experience with my guns. I am still amazed at the performance you can get out of a win mag. I can get 3100fps with 180gr partition with good accuracy. I havn't been able to do that with a WSM. Not saying someone on here can't.

I used to load up 200gr bullets for moose and such for my 300win mag and RUM's. But I quit that. 180gr is just fine. I found 200gr full tilt loads out of a 300RUM had much more percieved felt recoil than 180gr. And found it wasn't all needed.

RE: 300 WSM and 300 Win Mag.
 

LIKE BC said, your getting about 100 fps more with a 300 win mag

RE: 300 WSM and 300 Win Mag.
 

ttt, any more opinions?:D

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RE: 300 WSM and 300 Win Mag.
 

180 gr. factory loads its almost a coin toss (WSM slightly better). I would choose the WSM cause its newer technology, and you can get a lighter factory rifle. Plus I noticed this year that Cabelas sold out of WSM, but had pleanty of 300 Win. This means: 1- a shift to WSM which will make factory loads more available down the road, 2- less WSM so they sold out. I tend to lean towards the first. However, you can hand load a 300W much hotter/heavier. I agree with cma though, if a 180 TSX wont take it down, you best run.

RE: 300 WSM and 300 Win Mag.
 

Moose are not hard to put down. More moose are killed every year with .308 wins and .30-06 rifles than all the magnums put together. My choice would be a .300 win mag for the extra velocity should you ever hunt elk which would likely give you a longer shot and tougher animal to anchor. It also leaves the option of using 200 gr bullets if ever you want to at better velocioties than a WSM. A .270 and a .300 mag is an excellent arsenal.

RE: 300 WSM and 300 Win Mag.
 

It is really a matter of personnal preference. It doesn't make any difference if one is 100 fps faster the animal will never know the difference. Both are great rounds and it is more a choice if you want a shorter action or a long one. Each one has a it's own advantages. We have a ruger #1 in .300 WM and it shoots great and if I got another one I would probably get the .325 WSM. It has the ballastics of the .300 but can shoot a little heavier bullet.

RE: 300 WSM and 300 Win Mag.
 

If it helps, I bought a 300WSM with the intended primary purpose of deer hunting with 150 gr. and hopefully elk hunting in the future with 180 gr. Many people use the old tried and true 270 for elk hunting.
The recoil on the 300 wsm is very reasonable.

RE: 300 WSM and 300 Win Mag.
 

WSM!!!

RE: 300 WSM and 300 Win Mag.
 

I feel the 300 win mag is more versatile, especially with the bigger bullets. I also handload so it would be my pick.

RE: 300 WSM and 300 Win Mag.
 

WSM. If you need better performance out of a hand loaded 300WM, you probably need a differenct caliber. The WSM are becoming more and more popular, and down the road the factory loads will reflect this.

RE: 300 WSM and 300 Win Mag.
 

I have a remington 700lss in 300wsm. I shoot 180gr ballistic silvertips. Its a new rifle and I have shot 2 deer with it. One, you could fit a football in the hole it left in her briscuit (150 yds) the other you could fit 2 fists in the hole it put in his back (120 yds). The plan was to use a 150gr but, the bullets started "floating" at 300yds and I couldnt get the rifle as accurate as I would like it. I will end up switching to 180gr accubonds for next year. It is more than enough gun for elk, moose, or bear.

RE: 300 WSM and 300 Win Mag.
 

I think for the game you mention, it probably comes down to preference on your part. However, I've had Tikka T3 a .300 WM for about 5 years hunting Elk. It's been a terrific caliber and rifle for me. Zeroed at 200 yds. on a steady rest and accurate reading from a range finder last year I was comfortable shooting a big Elk at 299 yds with the .300 WM. It really puts the hit on a large animal like that, with a well places round. None of the Elk I've killed with it have gone far with a 180 gr Nosler Accubond or Failsafe slug through or just behind the shoulders.
It's also a caliber that's been around for awhile and you'd be able to find a wider variety of factory ammunition loads for a .300 WM.
Good luck.

RE: 300 WSM and 300 Win Mag.
 

"Wider varitey of factory ammunition" ???

This used to be the case, but not anymore. Federal has 8 factory offerings in both WM and WSM. Winchester had 7 WM and 8 WSM. Availability may be an issue now but in the short future will change. My local Cabelas was sold out of WSM and Sportsmans warehouse had very limited supply. Both had ample WM. Online Cabelas was sold out of WSM and had pleanty of WM. Not sure if its that they stock more WM or the WSM is more popular, I think the later, but thats my gut feel. I am a huge 300WM and 338WM fan, but went with the WSM because of a lighter rifle, less bolt movement, new technology, same balistics from factory loads.

RE: 300 WSM and 300 Win Mag.
 

I shoot a Tikka T3 in 300 WSM and love it. It is accurate enough to kill deer out to 500 yards when i do my part. Im not planning on trying to shoot that far anytime soon but the rifle is more then capable of it. As for the shotrer action that really dosnt bother my in a regualr rifle but i got it because i wanted alightweight rifle.

RE: 300 WSM and 300 Win Mag.
 

Both have equal number of advantages and disadvantages...
But the bottem line they are both have more than enough energy to be moose bear and elk killers out to 500 plus yrdsyrds..
Walk to the service counter and flip the coin......:D
Do it once, slap the money down and walk out without looking back....
You'll be happy with either or......