This is for a planned hunt in Namibia. In general and where it doesn't compromise things too much, I prefer short action bolt guns. So, I'm considering a 300 Win short mag, with premium ammo of some sort (180s).

That'll work just dandy.....

I guess I should also mention that the plan includes Gemsbok, Eland, Kudu, and other smaller species.

Perfect but would be better if it were a .300 win mag....

The 300 Win short mag will work on anything from eland to steenbok as long as you shoot it well.

when I went to namibia I used a 300 win mag, two other guys in my party used 300 wsm's, the animals couldn't tell the difference.

Since your .300 WSM with 180s will pretty much equal the ballistics of the .300 H&H, you should have no trouble as long as you put the bullets where they need to be.

jim

180 gr Northfork, Barnes TSX will be devistating... At 300fps it will be like an electric shock...
But you will have to do your part, that is make the shot...


Mike

Has anyone tried 200 gr. bullets in the .300 WSM? If so, how well did they work?

Between Use Enough Gun and I we've taken the .300 WSM on 8 safaris. They were the only gun both of us took the first trip, and they've been back repeatedly. We've shot Steenbuck to Eland with it with no problem. I prefer the TSX and Use Enough Gun has usually used TBBC. It's an ideal plains game gun.

quote:

Has anyone tried 200 gr. bullets in the .300 WSM? If so, how well did they work?

I had some custom 200 Barnes X's loaded for Moose and Grizzly (just got back 2 weeks ago), the gun I use in Alaska is a M70 stainless/synthetic - not the one I take to Africa, but it really liked the 200's. The hunt was a bust (entirely diffent story for a different forum), but I had complete confidence in the load.

quote:

Originally posted by Bwanna:
Between Use Enough Gun and I we've taken the .300 WSM on 8 safaris. They were the only gun both of us took the first trip, and they've been back repeatedly. We've shot Steenbuck to Eland with it with no problem. I prefer the TSX and Use Enough Gun has usually used TBBC. It's an ideal plains game gun.

That sounds like a pretty good endorsement of the round. I've owned several 338s, and a 300 win mag, but never fired the 300 WSM. Is recoil comparable to the 300 win mag? Notably less than a 338? Thanks.

It's comparable to the 300 Win. I really like the caliber. I have 2, the one I mentioned in a weather resistant gun and a custom made thumbhole M70 that I've taken both when it was a stock gun and after it was customized. I also have a .270 WSM in a customized thumbhole that I've used, though I think the 300 WSM is more suited to all around plains game hunting. Here's Use Enough Gun and I with our 300 WSM's and a warthog of UEG's.


Here's a Gemsbok I took with the 300 WSM


And, finally here's a steenbuck with the 270 WSM - UEG shot his with a 300 WSM

Looks like you had a great hunt. Thanks for all the info and pics. From what I've read, the 300 WSM is quite accurate. I think I'm going to get a Kimber.

Just my .2,
A good mate of mine has just got a Tikka T3 Laminated stainless @ 220 yrds off a bibod using 150 gr Speer SPBTs he shot a .5" Not .5 MOA but .5" (.25 MOA)group with 3 shots. If I wasnt there to see it, I wouldnt have beleived him.
so I hope this answers your question on them being accurate and flat as well!
He has fitted a muzzle brake to it and one of them "limbsaver" recoil pads to it, with this combo its like shooting a .223.
Fantastic!!

Regards Runas

PS stand well back and fingers in ears when he gones to squezze that trigger!!

It works Great

My son used his Kimber Montana M8400, 300WSM, with Federal Premium 180 Nosler Partition bullets. This load was very accurate in this rifle and produced one-shot kills on five of six animals. He shot a little low on his Hartebeest and had to do a facing-away finish shot to drop him. All but that shot went all the way through and we had to do no trailing or tracking. The African hunters will tell you that you want a tough bullet that will leave an exit hole. Therefore, we did not recover any bullets, but the partition is a proven bullet. It is true that African animals are tougher than our domestic ones.

If the 30-06 works as a plainsgame gun, then the 300WSM will also work as it throws the same weight and caliber of bullet at somewhat higher velocities.

On the downside, due to cartridge case capacity you are limited to 180 bullets for all intents and purposes. Both the 30-06 and the 300 WinMag can more comfortably shoot 200 gr. bullets. Having said that, I would be perfectly happy with 180 gr TBBCs or Swift A-Frames in the 300 WSM, or any other .308 caliber rifle.

Another factor to consider is feeding reliability given the 300 WSM's steep case shoulder. With trophy fees riding on a reliable rifle it makes sense to ensure smooth cartridge feeding. I eventually had to get the feedramp polished on my Kimber 8400 in 300WSM due to rough feeding. Now it feeds as slick as any rifle I own.

I would have no difficulty taking my 300WSM on a plainsgame hunt, providing it had been tuned up for the hunt. Of course, that applies to any rifle you take to Africa.

If I were to buy a 300 WSM now, it would definately be a Kimber.

Howdy,

In 2004 I hunted Namibia for plains game including Mt. Zebra. I took two rifles, one 300 WSM and one 300 Win Mag - both loaded with 180 Partitions.

They worked perfect. The 300 WSM was loaded to 3000 fps with RL19 and the 300 Win Mag was loaded to 3100 fps with RL22. The Win Mag has a 26 inch barrel and that (IMHO) is the main reason for higher velocity.

I shot the Zebra at 260 yds off shooting sticks with the 300 WSM - fist size holes through both lungs.

I also load a 300 WSM for my cousin's wife and use 200 gr partitions - BC Griz, Moose (2), Black bear, Caribou,Elk, Mule deer all have been taked with her M70 FW in 300WSM and 200 partions using IMR4350, chronographs at 2800 fps using my Pact Pro.

I have also used the 300 WSM in PA for whitetails and with the 200 partition - works well as expected.

It is possible to load the 200 partion to 2900 fps with RL19 in the 300WSM - I've done it. The accuracy is not as good as with IMR4350 in my rifle.

May 2008 I will be in S. Africa hunting Eland, Waterbuck, Kudu and Nyala - the 300 WSM with 200 partitions is going along with a 338-06 and 210 partions.

Adios

Sport

The .300 H&H, .300 Weatherby and .300 Win Mag have proven over the years that .300 magnums work on plains game in Africa. The .300 WSM is in the same ballistic class. With appropriate bullets for the game being hunted it will work just fine.

-Bob F.

Bwanna,

Where did you purchase that beautiful thumbhole stock? I'd like one for a rifle I'm building.

Bobby B.

I agree with all the others who posted its a great round. I have done 3 plains game hunts in 5 years with a browning a-bolt .300 wsm and have taken 16 animals from steenbok and duiker up to gemsbok and kudu. All were one shot kills thankfully.

On my first 2 hunts I used 180 gr Winchester fail safes, this past year I switched to the Barnes TSX because the fail safes were getting hard to find. Both bullets performed flawlessly.

I'm taking a 300WSM and a 416 Rigby to Tanzania in November for a 21 day safari.

Haven't decided on which bullet I'm going to use yet, but it will be one of these two handloads - 180 grain Northfork @ 2975fps or 200 grain Nosler Partition @ 2800fps (actual chronograph velocity), both shoot <1" at 100 yards. I'm thinking about trying both bullets as the 180 grain Northfork impacts 2.5" high to the 200 grain Nosler Partition load.

My gun has a 23" barrel.

Used a 300 WSM on my 2004 plains game safari with 180 gr TBBC. Would not hesitate to use it on any plainsgame.

I've killed several truckloads of African game with the .300 WSM and 180 grainers - XP3, TSX, Accubond, and Trophy Bonded - and have never found it lacking. That bag includes a dozen or so kudu, 2 eland bulls, 6 gemsbok, 2 zebra, and 2 wildebeest, as well as a bunch of impala, springbok, warthogs, bushbuck, etc. Find a load it likes and get in a fair bit of practice and you won't have any trouble.

I've been shooting a Browning A-Bolt .300 WSM for 5 years. Both of my parents and I are going to Namibia on our first safari next year and all 3 of us will be shooting .300 WSM's.

quote:

Originally posted by Bwanna:
It's comparable to the 300 Win. I really like the caliber. I have 2, the one I mentioned in a weather resistant gun and a custom made thumbhole M70 that I've taken both when it was a stock gun and after it was customized. I also have a .270 WSM in a customized thumbhole that I've used, though I think the 300 WSM is more suited to all around plains game hunting. Here's Use Enough Gun and I with our 300 WSM's and a warthog of UEG's.


Here's a Gemsbok I took with the 300 WSM


And, finally here's a steenbuck with the 270 WSM - UEG shot his with a 300 WSM

Nice looking rifles and a hell of a steenbok, for UEG.

Do you have any feeding problems with the 300WSM?

Absolutely nothing wrong with this round for plains game. A client used his Browning to kill Giraffe, Kudu, Impala, Warthog, Waterbuck, Blesbok, Bushbuck and Blue Wildebeest with his - all one shot kills.

Here is a story of 2 brothers. I hunted with a .300 win mag. 200 grain federal factory loads. I dusted every animal with one shot, these included a zebra, kudo, warthog, and a huge croc. My brother shot a .300 WSM with custom 180 grain loads. He shot his zebra so many times it looked like swiss cheese...and they tracked it for 4 miles before they found it. Shot a puku 3 times before finally died. Even diker required 2 shots...a diker? He did manage to kill a bush buck with one shot. By the way, my brother can drive tacks at a 100 yrds with his .300WSM.

I suggest you get the .300 win mag...sako makes a great gun for the price....invest in a high quality scope. You can use this gun for everything in the States and pass it down to your kids. You will always get ammo for it too. No brainer.

quote:

Originally posted by daleW:
Here is a story of 2 brothers. I hunted with a .300 win mag. 200 grain federal factory loads. I dusted every animal with one shot, these included a zebra, kudo, warthog, and a huge croc. My brother shot a .300 WSM with custom 180 grain loads. He shot his zebra so many times it looked like swiss cheese...and they tracked it for 4 miles before they found it. Shot a puku 3 times before finally died. Even diker required 2 shots...a diker? He did manage to kill a bush buck with one shot. By the way, my brother can drive tacks at a 100 yrds with his .300WSM.

I suggest you get the .300 win mag...sako makes a great gun for the price....invest in a high quality scope. You can use this gun for everything in the States and pass it down to your kids. You will always get ammo for it too. No brainer.

There was definitely something else going on there. I would imagine it was either shot placement or something to do with his bullet or load. I use a .300 Win. Mag. quite often, too, and just don't believe there is a lick of difference in terms of on game performance given the same bullets and shot placement.

You'll be just fine. I used a .300 Win Mag.

I took my Browning 300WSM to Africa in 2002. One shot kills on the two trophies I went after, kudu and gemsbok, at over 200 yards with 150 grain Winchester Supremes. The next year the same results on Dall's ram with same load in NWTs.

dalW

Shooting at paper and shooting at game are two different things. Sounds like your brother isn't patient or developed a bad case of buck fever. I don't believe it would have mattered what caliber he was holding.