HOW DOES THE 300 WSM STACK UP AGAINST THE 300 WEATHERBY USING 180 GR. NOSLER PARTITIONS. ANYBODY HAVE ANY EXPERIENCE WITH THE 300WSM. I LIKE THE 300 WBY., BUT MAY ACQUIRE A 300WSM FOR SOME FUN.
Posts: 510 | Location: pa | Registered: 07 May 2003
I can't imagine there's any notable difference in performance on game with the same bullet. The .300 Weatherby's a good old classic that's been working well for 60 years and will continue to do so. But if you want something new to play with, get the .300 WSM!
Posts: 1325 | Location: Bristol, Tennessee, USA | Registered: 24 December 2003
MY 300 wby with 26" barrel does 3300 with 180 noslers. I'm guessing a more compact 300 wsm is gonna be 200 fps short of that. (Maybe a little mroe) On game performance and trajectory differences would still be minimal out to 400 yds.
Posts: 2002 | Location: central wi | Registered: 13 September 2002
What Kraky said. The Wby is at least 200 fps faster, but the game will never know the difference. All these short magnums were over hyped when introduced ("as fast as a [fill in blank here with medium length magnum's name]). As real world results show up, it's not turning out to be true. They are however, much more efficient, and reach a high percentage of the original magnum's theory with much less powder. FWIW - Dan
Posts: 5284 | Location: Alberta | Registered: 05 October 2001
Think of it like this: The WBY will launch a 200 grain bullet the same speed the WSM launches a 180. Or it will launch a 180 the same speed the WSM launches a 165. (Roughly speaking, here.)
That's the real advantage. If it's something you want or not is up to you.
Posts: 920 | Location: Mukilteo, WA | Registered: 29 November 2001
Since I own both they are within less than 200fps, My Wby has a 26" barrel and the 300wsm has a 24" barrel. I'm almost 80 grs of powder in the Wby and alot less in the 300wsm. To be honest I didn't get the good groups with the 300wsm but got good velocity with 180 gr bullets. I fired pretty close to 250 rd looking for the right load, tried 150 and 165 gr bullets. (switch scope,bedded and trigger job)I was at the range one day and the guy next to me had a 300wsm firing factory ammo 180gr and was getting groups 1/2" to 3/4". That was the case with most of the 300wsm I'd seen at the range. I'd even tried some of his ammo. Well hopefully today I will be picking up my new rebarrel (ss match 5r 1/12 twist) 300wsm rifle and see how it will do. I don't plan on selling my 300wby,30-378wby nor my 30-338 in favor of the 300wsm, I just added to my hunting rifles. Tom
Posts: 1098 | Location: usa | Registered: 16 March 2001
From identical barrels (if such thing were possible), there would be a tad over 200 fps difference in the two at similar pressures.
With the "standard" magnum case, you get at least one more round in the magazine (if this is important to you).
Also, with the standard magnum, rounds will actually move from the magazine into the chamber without manual intervention, as some WSM rifles refuse to feed reliably (again, if this is important to you).
As to whether there is any practical difference in the field, I would suspect that practically no game struck in the same place with the same bullet propelled by a .300 Savage would act much differently (once again, if this is important to you).
Posts: 13239 | Location: Henly, TX, USA | Registered: 04 April 2001
I think the WSM pretty well falls out with bullets over 200gr when compared to the Weatherby. As to the 300 Savage comment, I can make this observation; You haven't seen very many animals taken a 300 Weatherby. The difference between and a 06' is pretty dramatic, so I suspect the difference with the 300 Savage is even more so. Thoghts? jorge
Posts: 7145 | Location: Orange Park, Florida. USA | Registered: 22 March 2001
Quote: As to whether there is any practical difference in the field, I would suspect that practically no game struck in the same place with the same bullet propelled by a .300 Savage would act much differently (once again, if this is important to you).
I've seen quite a few animals taken over the years, and many of those were with 300 Weatherby magnums. There is a vast difference between a 300 Savage and a 300 Weatherby. I've twice seen animals literally blown off their feet and body slammed to the carpet like they were tackled by The Incredible Hulk, from 180 grain Noslers out of a 300 Weatherby. It's not a magic cartridge, a 300 Winchester, 300 RUM or anything else with similiar velocity will do the same thing. But let's face the facts, close to 4000 foot pounds of energy at the muzzle tends to get the attention of live flesh
Kraky, What load are you using to get 3300fps with 180gr in a 300wby? I get 3408fps with a 180 in my 30-378 wby so you are closer to 30-378 and 300rum loads than a 300wsm. Tom
Posts: 1098 | Location: usa | Registered: 16 March 2001
In regard to that Weatherby Vanguard for $389: I bought one with a fantastic test target and it shot Patterns not groups until I put it in a Bell and Carlson stock for $230. Now it shoots as good as the test target. I like the rifle a lot but the stock Weatherby put on mine was woefully inadequate to say the least.
Posts: 1275 | Location: Fla | Registered: 16 March 2001
A 300 wby will launch 180-200 grain projectiles in a velocity the WSM only can dream of. I know two who have 300WSM rifles and they have trouble reaching the 300 win, 308 Norma mag velocity with 180 grain bullets. 300 wby is a classic cartridge. heavy bullets has to be seated really deep in the WSM case to work in a short action.
My plastic-stocked Vanguard does shoot as well as the .8" test target. Haven't seen any need to change a thing. Could be I've just lucked into loads it really likes, but it's done well with several different bullet weights, 2 powders, and both Weatherby and Remington factory ammo. The factory targets are shot with Weatherby factory 180 grain stuff.
Posts: 1325 | Location: Bristol, Tennessee, USA | Registered: 24 December 2003
Like everybody said, there's a 200-300 fps difference between the two. I like the Weatherby, but it deserves a full size rifle with a 26" barrel. The .300 WSM can be made in a much shorter, lighter packages. This increase in length & weight for the Weatherby does not bother some guys, but for others it might be more important than the 200 fps considering the WSM already generates 3000 fps or so with a 180 gr bullet.
-Lou
Posts: 333 | Location: Dallas, TX, USA | Registered: 15 January 2001
The Vanguard .300 Weatherby has a 24" barrel and weighs about 8 lbs. The ballistics quoted above are easily achievable. I'd rather have a 26" or longer barrel, but you don't give up much by having a 24" barrel, certainly no 200 FPS.
Posts: 1325 | Location: Bristol, Tennessee, USA | Registered: 24 December 2003
Tom--re the 3300 with 300 wby I'm using max loads of 7828. I also use Rem brass which is probably a little less capacity than wby brass. I actually have gotten 3330 with no signs of bolt lift problems but slight extractor marks. I think I have a tight chamber (just got lucky) as it seems to take very little effort to resize the brass that comes out of this jap built mark V. In regards to your 30-378 I just happen to have one in a sako TRGS. I had such a good thing with the 300 wby I just had to get the 30-378. Anyhow my 30-378 won't get much better than about 3425 with a 180 bullet. The 30-378 has also been a real fussy shooter. This particular gun has a bad reputation for having a small recoil lug. It does pretty good with lighter bullets and will push a 150 just under 3700 with pretty good accuracy. I use barnes 150's in the 30-378. I've settled on barnes 180xbt's for my 300 mag. I moly them myself and get right around 3275fps. With the super ballistic coefficient of the barnes 180 it is very very flat shooting. It will shoot 3" groups at 300 yds.
Posts: 2002 | Location: central wi | Registered: 13 September 2002
Kraky, I'm at a full load of IMR 7828 also with a 26" barrel but cann't get that 3300 fps velocity. Just got the 30-378 last year so have more shooting to do with it. It's one of those plain jane from Wby so had H&S make up a stock, kind of want it to shoot the 200 gr bullets for elk. Got my 300wsm mon so got to break in the new barrel tues so will try for some load work up today. Looks like it's a shooter. Well good luck1 Tom
Posts: 1098 | Location: usa | Registered: 16 March 2001
, from 180 grain Noslers out of a 300 Weatherby. It's not a magic cartridge, a 300 Winchester, 300 RUM or anything else with similiar velocity will do the same thing. But let's face the facts, close to 4000 foot pounds of energy at the muzzle tends to get the attention of live flesh 
