I'm thinking about a .300 WSM in something light weight for a mountain rifle for game up to elk size. Tell me what you have or had, what was good or bad, and what you would do different, if anything

Antelope, 547 yards:



Elk, 90 yards:



Both with a 180 Partition... seems to work. Have also taken Cow Elk and Mule Deer with the round. This year my rifle is stoked with 168 TTSX's at 3,075 fps.

I had a Browning A-Bolt SS with a Zeiss Conquest 3.5-10x44. It was a great rig, wish I still had it. She liked fail safes best of all, 165 and 180. My next 300wsm is currently being built on a R700 SA, on a H-S stock that's being reshaped kind of similar to the Kifaru rifles, should be quite slim.

I wouldnt have done anything different at all. Its a great round if you're looking for punch a light weight rifle, thats for sure. If you're a reloader, dont overlook the 300 RSAUM, mostly, because rifles are C H E A P all across the country right now! Heck I'm temped to have one just because. Buy a rifle, 100-150 brass and call it a day.

You should get a Wyatt Magazine Box for that 700 or you may not like the way it handles the short-fats...

everythings being done by my smith, and I know he mentioned something about changing the magazine and all that jazz. I have total faith in him

Who's your smith?

quote:

Originally posted by loud-n-boomer:
I'm thinking about a .300 WSM in something light weight for a mountain rifle for game up to elk size. Tell me what you have or had, what was good or bad, and what you would do different, if anything

For me there are two outstanding rifles that fit your description given. One is what's in brads pictures, a Kimber Montana (though I'd prefer a different scope). The other would be a Sako Finnlite. Both are superb rifles but have a few differences between them.
The Kimber is a little lighter, has a stiffer and better stock, a claw extractor, a blind magazine, is American made and a little less expensive than the Sako.
The Sako Finnlite, has a removeable box magazine, IMHO a better trigger, fewer issues OTB, guaranteed accuracy. Better overall quality.

I think most people will prefer one or the other, I have a hard time choosing between them. Some people complain on the internet about problems with their Kimbers but I've had 11 of them and all have been sub-Moa shooters and fine rifles which I haven't done much tweaking on. I have 2 Finnlites and both are VERY accurate, smooth rifles but I don't like the stocks as well as the Kimber's.
My suggestion would be to shoulder both and if possible test fire both and see which suits you the best, both are great rifles.......................DJ

I used my Savage 11GL in Africa and with the 180 grain Partitions for a Warthog at 150 yards and a Springbock at 260 yards. It's boringly accurate and has been one shot bang-flops on every animal. The damn thing is so light that it whips my ass from the bench.

I have a Dakota M76 and a Kimber 8400 in 300WSM.

We took the Dakota 300WSM to Tanzania as the light rifle and took a lot of game with it.

It's a great round and would be my pick if I was building a light weight mountain rifle.

quote:

Originally posted by Brad:
Who's your smith?

Caleb Rutlidge. Met him on another forum, and in person after he moved 2 blocks away from me when he completed his schooling. Worked in the Fine Gun Room and the smith shop at Bass Pro, and recently got hired on at Midway in the smith deparment. Besides my Ultralight he has a 1903 action that we're not 100% sure on how to finish. Did a great job on a few of my brothers guns, and his own personal built rifles are dandys for sure


Back on topic! Has anyone checked out the new Browning X-Bolts? They are great! Very light, handle great, have a drop box instead of the hinged box of the A-Bolt, and the trigger makes your mouth drop. Thats another great choice in the upper end retail rifles (around 8-900)

Well, I've had brownings and Sako's and they were both very accurate. The one Kimber I had was plagued by a myriad of problems, and I returned it. The Sako's are smoother and feed properly without any tweaking. I had to work on the feed lips of my A-bolt, it then fed fine. It was when the WSM's first came out, so I think they have gotten better in that dept since. The X-bolt was not available then.

I agree with DJ, I don't really care for the factory Sako synthetic stocks. All mine have been restocked with McMillan stocks, I have one in an Edge stock, it was a Finnlite, all I did was put it into the stock and torque the action screws down, and it shoots like a dream! Very light, and I think would fit what you are thinking of to a T. I put leupold QD's on it, and a Swaro 3x10x42, it would be a great Mtn Rifle. I have been tinkering with the 130 gr TTSX's and TSX's, and they are very promising--and would be ideal for sheep I think. I did have to get up to Max powder charges for the groups to tighten up with those bullets--but they are shooting great now. For elk, I'd develop a load with the Accubond or the TSX in the 165-168's--should be plenty!

Another option now available would be one of the new Winchester lightweights, maybe worth a look......

Good luck!

I have to admit that I just have not killed that many animals with my 300WSM so far. Just a handfull of wild hogs. But it has worked great every time. One hog was every bit of 400 yards on the run and it dropped him on the spot.

I took it to New Mexico last week for a backup rifle to my 300 Wby Mag. I just did not need to get it out of the case. The 300 Wby Mag dropped a big old 6X6 at 434 yards.

My 300 WSM is a Remington 700 XCR (the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation limited edition). It shoots quite well and handles extremely well. It is not really a lightweight rifle, but seems to handle like one to me. It is a joy to carry.

I have had no reloading or feeding issues with it and the accuracy with any number of bullets has been excellant. It shoots really well with 180 Nosler Partitions or 180 Sierra Pro Hunters.

Due to the STUPID lead bullet ban in this part of California I have tested the 168 Barnes TSX bullets in it and it shoots them well under an inch as well.

The recoil is less than the 300 Wby Mag, though neither is abusive.

Broke a xbolt 300 wsm hunter in for a friend last week 3-9x40 zeiss conquest scope. 165gr federal fusion ammo. After brakin I shot 2 groups .69" and .71" for 3 shots at 100yards. This was with the rather heavy 4.75lb trigger. With a trigger job this is a 1/2" rifle. Very light handy rifle. The new pad browning is putting on plain works.

i had a m70 classic, s/s that i killed a couple elk and several deer with. it functioned well and was quite accurate. i replaced the factory stock with an hs precision sporter. i had no complaints with the rifle, but to me it didn't kill any different that my 30-06, so i sold the wsm. imo, the 300 wsm is a solid round that will be around quite awhile.

Kimber classic 300WSM. Only 1 8-point deer so far and some varments, 180 grain Hornady Interloc over 63.2 grains of RL-19 is my work horse load, then 180 Partition or Accubond over 69 grains of RL-19 for "what ever". I have been very pleased with the 300WSM, I like the huge shoulder its easy to get a snug fit in the chamber, my gun is accurate and with the light loads the cases last a long time. My gun shows a preference to 180 grain bullets.

I have a browning A Bolt in 300 wsm that I love. I have taken it to Africa 3 times and taken everything from duiker to kudu, all with one shot kills. Also have used it on deer, pigs and exotics in texas all with no problems.

Used 180 gr failsafes for a while and switched to barnes TSX. Both bullets performed flawlessly for me. I could not be happier with the performance I get for what I paid for the gun.

I have a Winchester Model 70 Featherweight in 300 WSM. I've used it to take mule deer and moose. It shoots straight and drops game cleanly. It is not particularly fussy about powders or bullets for handloads. I have now developed loads for about ten rifles, both custom and factory. None were fussy and all were capable of sub-MOA groups. It is a good calibre for North America, for certain.