300wsm vs 7wsm

[J E Custom]

Hey guys,
I am going to have a 10lb gun built for a 600 yard deer rifle and I can't decide between the 7wsm and the 300wsm. All of the calculations I run show the 7wsm to out perform the 300wsm but for some reason I am wanting the 300. Who here likes the 300 and what are your experience with it versus the 7mm when it comes to killing game?
Thanks a lot

Authurj.

There has been a lot of good discussions and advice and it all has its merits, so it really
comes down to what "You" want because there is not a lot of difference between the
Saums and the WSM "Except" the 7 WSM is a slightly longer case than the other WSMs
and the SAUMS .

The 7 WSM has its own head space gauge and all of the other WSM use the same one.

The 7 WSM comes the closest to the 7 Rem Mag of all the Short Mags and that is the reason
I recommended it.

As to the brass issue, I use the Winchester brass in mine and it is easy to get and last long enough for me. (It is a little soft, but I don't load that hard any more),

Mine likes 140 gr bullets for white tail and 160s for ELK. My rifle weighs just under 8 lbs and
without a break it is pleasant to shoot and carry.

Just my 2 cents

J E CUSTOM

 

[arthurj]

JE Custom,
Thank you for your advice, I think I've finally settled on the 7WSM. 99% of my hunting with it will be whitetail, and if I ever get to go elk hunting it will do the job. For some reason I was tempted to go with the 300 but the 7 will fit my needs much better. Thinking it over, I am going to do this gun without a break. The recoil calculations I've done, show it to be very manageable, especially in a 10lb gun and those breaks are so loud it makes my head spin even with ear protection.
Thanks again

 

[BountyHunter]

I would go with the 300 WSM, simply for the barrel life being 3-4x better. the 300 is almost as flat as the 7 and can go to the 210 gr bullets right at 2900-3000 fps.

No one has gone over 800 rds in a 7 WSM while they have gone 4000 with a 300 WSM in comp guns.

6mmbr just posted a "barrel life" tool and the true cost of a barrel burner per shot.

F210 primers, Norma brass and H4350, MRP or RL17 powders are all very proven combos. sorted win brass is proven also. IMO Nosler brass is grossly over-rated compared to Norma and Win (sorted)

RL17 seems to give a significant boost over the others.

Here is my 300 WSM carry gun.

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f17/no-click-lr-carry-gun-48155/

BH

 

[arthurj]

Bounty Hunter,
One other reason I am concerned with going with the 300 is that I already have a short action for this project, and if I was going to shoot the 300 I would like to use the heavier bullets and I'm scared they wouldn't fit the short action. The barrel life of the 300 is one of the reason it is very appealing to me though!

 

[BountyHunter]

The 300 WSM shines with the 168-180 class bullets in hunting.

You need to remember, that you have exactly the same problem only greater for the short action and the 7WSM due its heavier bullets being really long also. So no difference except the issue might be more of a problem in the 7WSM

Wyatts mag box solves the problem in either though.

BH

 

[MontanaRifleman]

I have shot 210 Bergers out of my 300 WSM@ 2900+ with RL17. If you go with GS bullets, get a 9 or 9 1/2 twist. They are about the same length as the 210 Begers. In a 10 lb rifle, with a good decelerator type recoil pad, recoil should be very manageble.

Nothing wrong with the 7, but wow... didn't realize the barrel life as so short.

Any 7WSM shooters care to comment on that?

Mark

 

[arthurj]

Bounty Hunter,
I am going to do a wyatt's box either way for sure. Great, I thought I had my decision made up, but I'm now back at square 1!
Oh well I may just flip a coin

 

[4bycamper]

Bounty Hunter,
I am going to do a wyatt's box either way for sure. Great, I thought I had my decision made up, but I'm now back at square 1!
Oh well I may just flip a coin

Worked for me. My newest project is off at the gunsmith now. It's a Browning SA with a McGowen 26" barrel in 7 SAUM. The SAUM is not the best of all mags - just the best for me. I considered the 284 but it is a slave to one kind of powder if you want top velocities, where the SAUM or WSM will eat pretty much anything. Powder has been in short supply here in Denver. I am 'tech' enough to appreciate the lower powder consumption of the SAUM. I think this rifle will come in at 8 1/4 lbs plus scope and have very manageable recoil with 160's @ 3000.
Like the man says, you pay your money and you take your choice. Any of those 7mm or 30 cal rounds are gonna work for you.

What a delightful dilemma.

 

[liltank]

I have a 300wsm and it does fine. I can't get quite the accuracy that I would like for the simple fact that I am still on a factory tube. I would like to get a barrel 30 to 32 inches and build it to shoot the 208 a-max. I would like a 1:11 twist because it will allow me to shoot higher grain loads with less pressure. I did see a post by someone using a 1:12 twist with a RUM. He is pushing this bullet at 3100+ fps. I think this velocity is fast enough to negate the necessity of a faster twist. The wsm just won't push it that fast. Therefore I need to run a little tighter twist.

I was going to do a 7 until they just posted about only getting 800rnds. I need something that will do in the 3000rnd count. Can't afford to put a barrel on every season and I enjoy shooting to much to just let the rifle sit in the cabinet. I guess I am back to the 300wsm.

The 208 offers a BC of .645 which is plenty for me to get where I need to shoot my quarry. I am mainly a long range ground hog hunter, so terminal ballistics don't need to be near as high as for deer or elk. This will however allow me to get out to about 1100 yards for deer. This is plenty far enough for me.

Tank

 

[BountyHunter]

I have a 300wsm and it does fine. I can't get quite the accuracy that I would like for the simple fact that I am still on a factory tube. I would like to get a barrel 30 to 32 inches and build it to shoot the 208 a-max. I would like a 1:11 twist because it will allow me to shoot higher grain loads with less pressure. I did see a post by someone using a 1:12 twist with a RUM. He is pushing this bullet at 3100+ fps. I think this velocity is fast enough to negate the necessity of a faster twist. The wsm just won't push it that fast. Therefore I need to run a little tighter twist.

I was going to do a 7 until they just posted about only getting 800rnds. I need something that will do in the 3000rnd count. Can't afford to put a barrel on every season and I enjoy shooting to much to just let the rifle sit in the cabinet. I guess I am back to the 300wsm.

The 208 offers a BC of .645 which is plenty for me to get where I need to shoot my quarry. I am mainly a long range ground hog hunter, so terminal ballistics don't need to be near as high as for deer or elk. This will however allow me to get out to about 1100 yards for deer. This is plenty far enough for me.
Tank

Liltank

I would not go with a 30" or over in the WSM in a carry hunt gun. Not sure it is needed. We have run 210s at 3050 in 30s. I would think that a 28" would be plenty unless you are just wanting every fps you can get.

They have discovered you need to be careful which barrel you select for the Hornadys. They are fatter and do not like the tighter bores that are not true .308 such as Broughtons (.3075). They do like Harts for sure which are true .308). Last I knew Tim North at Broughton was working on a .308 button.

I would go with either the 1-11 or even the 1-12. Jim Hardy in NC has a 1-12 comp gun that has shot 10 shot groups of 3.XXX at 1000 with 210s.

1-11 is safe for sure though.

JLK and Berger both run 190s (.600+) and 210s (.640+) and JLK has a new 210 LTBT that is .680 plus.

I am running 168s TTSXs at 3250 so pretty sure I can reach any deer I want to hit. Like I said, not sure you need to go over 180 or so for deer.

BH

 

[liltank]

They have discovered you need to be careful which barrel you select for the Hornadys. They are fatter and do not like the tighter bores that are not true .308 such as Broughtons (.3075). They do like Harts for sure which are true .308). Last I knew Tim North at Broughton was working on a .308 button.

That would explain why my pressures are through the roof when I try shooting Hornady's. My factory Savage bore is tight and will not shoot the loads often people suggest. I hope to get my 208's up to around 2850. I have been hard pressed to get up to the speeds other are shooting as well. That is some good info. If I could get away with a 1:12, I should be able to really push those bullets. I have stayed away from 210's for cost reasons. I have considered the JLK's though. Their BC in the 210's are phinominal (.690 LBT VLD). Food for thought. I am going to change out the factory the first chance I get.

Is that .3075 in the 5R? Should I consider a 3 groove over a 6 or 8 groove? Purchasing a barrel is a whole new ball game for me. The Hart's have sparked an interest and also Lilja. My cousin has a Douglas and it is seems to work well with his Lapua. What is your thought on Douglas barrels?

Tank

 

[BountyHunter]

Douglass is building great barrels and especially for the money. Another option.

And yes that was in the 5C which is what Broughton calls it.

BH

 

[mmh]

Good info!