Lightweight .300 wsm or .300 win mag and why

[roninflag]

my Remington 700 Ti is a true light weight rifle. it is awesome . 300rsaum. my 700 sendero in 300 win mag is heavier. it is awesome.

 

[MudRunner2005]

The 300 WSM case is here to stay. It is not going to go the way of the dinosaur. Guys are actually finding out that are accurate and brass lasts forever. In 1000 yard benchrest the belted cases like the 300 Weatherby, 300 WIN Mag and the 308 Baer have disappeared in the last 5 years. Almost nobody shoots them. The 300 WSM is just so easy to tune and so accurate. It holds most of the Heavy gun records in aggregates and single target for the 30 cals. It is becoming real popular in F-class also and holds some records. Another advantage is in a long action I can let bullets out to seat in the rifling and still eject them out of a gun. In the last 5 years this case has really come on and will continue to get popular. Matt

Just because you're a WSM/SAUM supporter doesn't mean the FL belted mags are obsolete.

 

[MudRunner2005]

my Remington 700 Ti is a true light weight rifle. it is awesome . 300rsaum. my 700 sendero in 300 win mag is heavier. it is awesome.

Of course... Purpose-built LW rifle with a Ti action vs all stainless beanfield rifle with a heavy barrel. There's gonna be a huge weight difference. You're comparing apples to oranges.

 

[Tikka 300wsm]

The tikka is a great choice i have one in a 300 wsm.....the animal cant tell the difference between the two especially at 500 and under...if your gonna be shooting lighter bullets go this the wsm if your shooting heavier bullets go with the wm...if i were you i would just go with the wsm cuz for under 500 you dont need to shoot bullets over 180 and if your shooting factory loads they load them a smidgen faster than the wm usually and it will have a bit less recoil and better barrel life.

 

[Bigeclipse]

I am looking for a new elk rifle and trying to decide between a WSM and a win mag. I am pretty set on 30 cal as I have several other rifles in 30 and I like having commonality with them. I'm not looking for a real long range gun. I have plenty of target rifles and this would mostly used for backpack elk hunting and shots would be 500 yards or less. I am an experienced handloader so factory ammo isn't a concern. I'm really thinking about a Tikka T3 lite. What are the advantages of the short mag and what about the original Win Mag? What are everyone's opinions on the Tikka? I've never had a truely lite rifle before, how does everyone shoot with their light rifles? Thanks guys. Sam

WSM will limit the powders you use with heavier bullets around 200grains due to case capacity...just a thought.

 

[dkhunt14]

WSM will limit the powders you use with heavier bullets around 200grains due to case capacity...just a thought.

No it won't. I use H4350 with a 210 Berger VLD and most 1000 yard benchrest guys use this because it is real accurate. I watched a guy last weekend test a 230 Berger with 7828 SSC and he was at 3150 and no pressure. It shot a 7.6 inch 10 shot group at 1000. Two weeks ago he tested Re 33 with the 230 Berger and went 3200 with no pressure. The group was around 8 inches for 10 shots. These were shot over a 35 P. Neither of these loads showed pressure. The bolt opened up with no resistance. Primers were good and no flattening. Now these are custom Heavy Barreled guns with the throats moved out for the big bullets. Although the groups were decent, they weren't good enough to win on a regular basis. If your gun isn't capable of shooting 10 shots in the 4 inch range with good conditions you are not going to win a lot. Matt

 

[Bigeclipse]

No it won't. I use H4350 with a 210 Berger VLD a ccubon1000 yard benchrest guys use this because it is real accurate. I watched a guy last weekend test a 230 Berger with 7828 SSC and he was at 3150 and no pressure. It shot a 7.6 inch 10 shot group at 1000. Two weeks ago he tested Re 33 with the 230 Berger and went 3200 with no pressure. The group was around 8 inches for 10 shots. These were shot over a 35 P. Neither of these loads showed pressure. The bolt opened up with no resistance. Primers were good and no flattening. Now these are custom Heavy Barreled guns with the throats moved out for the big bullets. Although the groups were decent, they weren't good enough to win on a regular basis. If your gun isn't capable of shooting 10 shots in the 4 inch range with good conditions you are not going to win a lot. Matt

Well you got lucky. Both me and a friend had bad experiences with 200 accubonds. Maybe you lucked out and had a large chamber allowing for longer bullet seating...actually arent bergers loaded into the lands? Try loading .050 off lands or just long enough to fit in a magazine on a factory WSM and sometimes you will have issues withlarge bullets and compressed loads. The issue was not pressure...it was the compressed powder physically moving the bullet seating over time. I would load mine and two days later they would be .010 longer. You can google this. It is a known problem...just sayin

 

[dkhunt14]

All my guns are single shot actions. Our guns are heavy and we don't carry them. I can shoot 10 shots in about a minute so I don't a mag. We sit all day and glass. I shoot most of them in the lands because that is where they are most accurate. My one reamer has a .210 feebore. We also have a throater and can throat out what we want. I also know of a guy that is shooting the 215 with 4831 SC and was a tad over 2900. If you put 7828 SSC in you could probably could get a lot more. I would try a 215 Berger because the bearing should be shorter and with 7828 SSC you should get it going pretty good. The RE33 was in a 308 Baer case not the WSM. But it seems you can get speed and accuracy from the 7828 SSC> Matt

 

[roninflag]

Of course... Purpose-built LW rifle with a Ti action vs all stainless beanfield rifle with a heavy barrel. There's gonna be a huge weight difference. You're comparing apples to oranges.

Mud- i am not comparing them. the ti was made by remington in 300rsaum. it is my light weight rifle. the sendero is the heavier one, and my Model 70 supergrade is the pretty one. it is not light weight though.

 

[bkondeff]

Not sure what your definition of "light" really is, but I just went lighter for a mt goat hunt and you will find it is not as easy to shoot a 6lb rifle well in the field that you can a 8.5lb rifle.

I'd find some balance there. I have a Tikka in 25-06, and at 6 3/8lbs it's not hard to carry and accurate, but the stock can be improved. I'd consider an upgrade there to a B&C. I think you will gain an ounce or two, but help the gun. I think the stock is $200 and change, but you can sell the stock Tikka for maybe $100.

My Mtn rifle is accurate, but whippy in the barrel, so form in shooting can take a .5moa gun to 1.25moa quick, but at 500 yards you can still keep it sub deer/elk for sure. Consider a break to help with this if needed. Not sure how much of a factor cost is?

I'd personally ignore the super light Kimbers unless you are looking at weight first, like for most sheep hunters.

 

[WildRose]

Mud- i am not comparing them. the ti was made by remington in 300rsaum. it is my light weight rifle. the sendero is the heavier one, and my Model 70 supergrade is the pretty one. it is not light weight though.

Light weight is a very relative term. If you are used to dragging around a Sendero, M40, M24 or a true heavy rig like my latest purchase a supergrade is like packing a fly swatter.

 

[MudRunner2005]

Light weight is a very relative term. If you are used to dragging around a Sendero, M40, M24 or a true heavy rig like my latest purchase a supergrade is like packing a fly swatter.

Yup.... I can carry around a 8.5-10lb combo all day long like it's nothing. Even carrying my Senderos are not bad, IMO. Everyone's capabilities are different.

I still think the OP needs a Sendero in 7mm STW, and that will solve all his problems.