What do you guys running this cartridge find the best and worst about it? Especially compared to other magnum cartridges out there like the .300 Win Mag. I understand the obvious ones like action length and efficency of the case design.

Are there any real problem with feeding or using long bullets? Is there any reason why I should chose this cartridge over a .300 Win? To me the from all the stuff I've been reading if I want to shoot up to 165 grain bullets the WSM is the way to go but when I go to 180 and up it starts to loose its luster.

In all honestly, if you look at reloading manuals the 180-200 gr are marginally behind. Its funny when people here talk about differences between say 06 based and magnums where 100-200 fps doesn't make a difference but win mag to wsm 50 fps is life or death lol.

Choose an action that was built FOR the wsms (browning or win 70 which have longer boxes and wider mags) and you won't have issues feeding. Feeding problems are few and far between but the few that DID happen were really heated up through out the net. And more often then not, those that claim feeding issues.....read about them or heard about them, never had one themselves. More then likely any feeding issues that did occur probably happened either on very early models which always have kinks, or they were through "me too" rifles that probably just stuck a mag bolt face on a short action and called it good.

You live in colorado, so you will never not be able to find ammo unless its a truly podunk no where town. Same with rifles, Gander and Sportsmans have dozens new, I rarely see them used. Ammo is same price as win mag if you're buying factory, brass is about the same price.

I used 165s mostly....but I do that in wsm, win and wby 300 mags, personal choice. I shot factory 180s with no issues. I didn't have a chrono back then so I couldn't tell you the fps I was getting. Accuracy was always great. There probably is less felt recoil in identical rifles...but wsms tend to be lighter rifles lol so that got thrown out the window.

I have 300WSM in a tactical H-BAR built off a Savage action and another one (Savage action as well) as a sporter. No issues feeding on my end.

I mostly shoot 168 and 175SMK with some 150gr premium hunting boolits. All shoot well. I found IMR4007SSC works pretty well for me. I have read that RL17 works well 2.

Any reason to buy over a 300WM?? Only if you really need to save a few ounces and feel you need a short action. Not diminishing the round as I like it. But 300WM is a tad better velocity wise at the heavier end of the spectrum. Not that most animals can tell the difference....

I have two rifles in 300WSM and three rifles in 300H&H......the short mag doesn't feed as smooth as the long tapered 300H&H case. A plus is the short mag will go in a short action that makes up for a shorter overall rifle.

Ballistically or accuracey wise I can't tell a differance between the 300WSM & 300H&H.....and I do have a chronograph!!!!

My only issue with the WSM would be max loads with fast powder's like RL 17 are going to wear out the throat fairly quickly. So if you shoot lots, might be a better idea to go with regular Win. Mag and RL 22 at the same velocity. Bigger case, more moderate heat and better throat life.

To me, the 300 Win Mag is one of the most accurate, versatile, and best all-around calibers out there, from 150gr on Mule Deer hunts in Montana to 200 & 220gr on Eland, Kudu, and other heavy Plains Game in Africa. Never did see a reason to "fix" it.

quote:

Originally posted by MHC_TX:
I have two rifles in 300WSM and three rifles in 300H&H......the short mag doesn't feed as smooth as the long tapered 300H&H case. A plus is the short mag will go in a short action that makes up for a shorter overall rifle.

Ballistically or accuracey wise I can't tell a differance between the 300WSM & 300H&H.....and I do have a chronograph!!!!

I don't own either rifle at the moment and proably never will I've got a .300 H&H as well. I just have a friend at work who is hell bent on the WSM and I told him to look at the Win Mag as I thought it would handle 180+ grain bullets better. All he will ever shoot is factory ammunition anyway so I don't think it will matter one way or another. He just likes to shoot 180 grain bullets since that is the only bullet he shoots in his .30-06.

Thanks for the info.

taylorce1,

I use the 200 grain bullets in all my 300(s)......a 300 mag w/ a 200 grain bullet is a flat shooting, hard hitting package that is suitable for almost any thin skinned animal.

In my 300WSM I get 2850fps w/ the 200gr Nosler Partition.......my 300H&H will do a little better than that topping out at 2900fps, but there is no real differance over hunting ranges between the two.

I did not have a .30 cal rifle. I looked around the net and read up on the WSM, Mag, and the Roy. I found a Tikka in the WSM for a great price and bought it. I have friends who have the other two and both reload so maybe I should have bought one of those instead. I liked the idea of getting something different than ordinary and since shooting this rifle I am glad I did. My rifle feeds great and I have never had a feeding problem. I have a 270 WSM in Win M70 and it also feeds very well. I am starting to reload and can't wait to try different combos of both 165's and 180's to see how they shoot.
good luck,
Jon

You will be happy with both. I have an A-bolt 300wsm that really shoots well (though I am not happy until is shoots 1 hole at 300). I have 2 300wm and they are also great.
Pros: less powder to make same boom
Cons: none if you reload, finding ammo in little towns.
I shoot Berger 185s and they group sub moa at 300yds with 5 shots 95% of the time. The other 5% is probably me by technique or reloading.
I really like both calibers and I don't think you can go wrong with either.

the wsms are great rounds, in their own right... puts bullets on target

I've got a 300WSM,all I shoot in it is 165gr bullets.I really like it and it's very accurate too.Mine seems to have a short throat,so I really have to be careful with my seating depth.Comparing it to the 300 Win Mag,I'd have to say,the 300 Win Mag can out do it.It has a larger case capacity that allows for more powder and more room to seat heavy bullets and my 300 Win Mag has a much deeper throat too.The one real advantage the 300WSM has is,it does what it does with about 10grs less powder than the 300 Win Mag.The first thing I noticed when I got my 300WSM was how similar it was to the powder charges I was using in my 7mag.When I got my 300 Win Mag I noticed the same similar thing to my 7STW loads.So that's kinda the way I compare them,the 300WSM vs the 300 Win Mag is nearly the same as comparing the 7mag vs the 7STW.The smaller ones can do about the same thing with less powder and all of them are great rounds,flip a coin.

I have owned two .270 WSM's and never was able to get them to shoot accurately. I have had the same problem with customers .300 WSM's. I have never had a problem get the .300 RSAUM to shoot MOA or less. I own five of them now. I agree with Bieb's on the .300 Win Mag. I never saw a reason to "fix it". It does it all well. It's my "go to" African PG rifle....Tom

quote:

Originally posted by taylorce1:
What do you guys running this cartridge find the best and worst about it? Especially compared to other magnum cartridges out there like the .300 Win Mag. I understand the obvious ones like action length and efficency of the case design.

Are there any real problem with feeding or using long bullets? Is there any reason why I should chose this cartridge over a .300 Win? To me the from all the stuff I've been reading if I want to shoot up to 165 grain bullets the WSM is the way to go but when I go to 180 and up it starts to loose its luster.

All my WSM are done on Win action and I've never had a feeding problem and I have them throated alittle longer.

The new 300WSM have a Kreiger 5r Obermeyer twist as they call it (1/11.25).

The other 300WSM has a Broughton 5c 1/12 twist barrel and I've shot mostly 165/168gr bullets in that rifle. With 180's I've been around 3100fps not sure what a factory rifle would get.

There is no question the magazine will limit OAL/load density and some bullets about limit I would put on the 300WSM be 180gr bullets IMHO.

I like the 300WSM for what it is vs comparing it against another caliber.

The advantage with 300mag if you don't it like or what to change calibers you can just about build anything on that action.

Good Luck

Tapper,
I read a few posts about them sometimes beng inaccurate, and you owning 5 confirms that yours are not. I have yet to see one that was 1.25 MOA from the factory, with factory ammo, and a quick bedding/relieving job, with the same ammo, often results in submoa ... and then with handloads, even better.

I've had several, all of them shooting fairly well ... the RUM, not so much, but that's due to recoil