Which 300?

[Lee Freeman]

I'm about to pull the trigger on a new rifle. I want it in a 300 for bigger animals such as elk although I will use it for deer here in Oklahoma at times.

Question is: 300WM or 300WSM

The reason I'm even considering the wsm is for the weight savings. I hope to have this come in at 8.5# or even less. That's hunting weight.

If I'm wanting to possibly shoot longer ranges, how much difference is there? Which should I go with?

I currently have a few .30 cal rifles from 300 WSM to the .30-.378.

The 300 WSM is a great option, I currently have one I shoot 190 Accunond LR out of and it performs very we, very light, minimal recoil, it's great.

With the being said I am currently building a new .30 cal rifle. The 300PRC it out performs the .300 WSM and 300 WM on every level and is not a belted magnum like the Ultra mag but get you very close to the same data. What's great is factory ammo is a available to get you started with 2 options a 212 grian and 225 grain options. These are big heavy, accurate well preforming bullets. The 300 PRC is basically a .30-375. Like I mentioned above i shoot a .30-378 but it's a heavy rifle but hits extreamly hard and fast.

This new build I hope to have weight in at that 6.5 pound mark when finished (not including scope) that's with a full 26" OMR carbon barrel and using our Ti action. Good luck hope this helps you out just a little.

 

[Racemike]

I have them both 300wm 300wms I've had good luck with both 300wms is a lighter rifle, then the 300wm. Both have muzzle breaks. I have had good luck shooting 180g nosler part out of both and nosler accubond 190g. Each rifle have taken elk and mule deer out to 400yds my son now packs the 300wm about 2 1/2 pounds heavier, and I take the 300wms. Don't think you would be wrong witch ever you buy. Ballistics are very similar, in fact so close it's not worth mentioning. The only thing I do agree with is that if you don't reload 300wm Ammo is double the availability of 300wms.

 

[JAYgs8163]

I currently have a few .30 cal rifles from 300 WSM to the .30-.378.

The 300 WSM is a great option, I currently have one I shoot 190 Accunond LR out of and it performs very we, very light, minimal recoil, it's great.

With the being said I am currently building a new .30 cal rifle. The 300PRC it out performs the .300 WSM and 300 WM on every level and is not a belted magnum like the Ultra mag but get you very close to the same data. What's great is factory ammo is a available to get you started with 2 options a 212 grian and 225 grain options. These are big heavy, accurate well preforming bullets. The 300 PRC is basically a .30-375. Like I mentioned above i shoot a .30-378 but it's a heavy rifle but hits extreamly hard and fast.

This new build I hope to have weight in at that 6.5 pound mark when finished (not including scope) that's with a full 26" OMR carbon barrel and using our Ti action. Good luck hope this helps you out just a little.

What action are you using to build your PRC? I've been looking at one of these by Montana Rifle Company.

 

[Wolf76]

Sorry, but I would have to disagree with the WSM not being a long range elk capable rifle. It's very capable and if you review reloading manuals it's even faster. Looking in my most recent version of Hornadys 10th edition and the Hodgdon online recent version it's about 50fps per second faster shooting almost every bullet. 200 grain ELDX out of WSM at 2950fps and 300WM at 2900 fps.


This is just factually false. Online manuals and real world don't align in this case. There's no time you can load a 300 wsm faster than a 300 wm in standard configurations.
The difference on fps with bullet weights up to 180gr is negligible at best.

 

[RemHutch50]

How many of you guys think I should go with the 26" over the 24".
I'm just thinking for packing, that 26" is gonna hang in everything.

 

[Thomas r Miller]

I'm about to pull the trigger on a new rifle. I want it in a 300 for bigger animals such as elk although I will use it for deer here in Oklahoma at times.

Question is: 300WM or 300WSM

The reason I'm even considering the wsm is for the weight savings. I hope to have this come in at 8.5# or even less. That's hunting weight.

If I'm wanting to possibly shoot longer ranges, how much difference is there? Which should I go with?

Might as well do the rum although both 300 are awesome

 

[Tom Wright]

I'm about to pull the trigger on a new rifle. I want it in a 300 for bigger animals such as elk although I will use it for deer here in Oklahoma at times.

Question is: 300WM or 300WSM

The reason I'm even considering the wsm is for the weight savings. I hope to have this come in at 8.5# or even less. That's hunting weight.

If I'm wanting to possibly shoot longer ranges, how much difference is there? Which should I go with?

As always there are lots of considerations--many already mentioned. Personally any time you are using a round that you can't buy almost anywhere, you create an issue. My vote is for a 300WinMag, but I'm an advocate both in ownership and use--my "go-to" gun. I have shot it more than any other gun, from Canada to New Mexico to Florida, Spain to South Africa. I've shot everything from antelope, mule deer, whitetail, axis and aoudad in the US to red and fallow deer and ibex in Spain to all sorts of plains game in Africa.

The cartridge has been perfect for animals from 10# steinbuck to 800# kudu. My gun is an off-the-shelf Browning xbolt, and yet I've learned to shoot it in 150-200 grains, and with the knowledge can adjust so I can put in the appropriate grain bullet for the job w/o scope adjustment. So I'm prejudiced! Shoots out to 450-500 yards predictably, with one round kills. With a Leupold scope it sits around 9 pounds, but it proved itself when I took a val rhebok at about 450 yards up a mountain at about 60 degrees in a 15-20 mph crosswind.

A lot of time, money and print is spent trying for the "perfect" round/rifle combo, but most times the fit of the rifle, confidence with a lot of shooting and track record/time in the field with the rifle make the most difference.

There's this HUGE push for long range shooting, but it's interesting that schools that teach it and include hunts with their package, don't let students shoot beyond 400-500 yards after the schools. You see all the shows with teams of folks there to give all the wind/drop/distance info into the computer to get the right hold position. All that's cool if you're a tv personality, but I never hunt with a crew, so I have no desire to try. I also don't want to shoot an animal so far away that it isn't hunting anymore, and that I might not be able to find on my own.

But anyway--have fun. Just remember--1/2 pound difference in weight doesn't compare with a rifle that fits you and your shooting ability to the proverbial "T".

 

[Rick Richard]

How many of you guys think I should go with the 26" over the 24".
I'm just thinking for packing, that 26" is gonna hang in everything.

Accuracy does not change, however speed does. I like balance over speed and for my short LOP it ma be the 24 inch.

 

[sodakota]

I don't like short actions and I like the 300 Win Mag.
Short actions prevent a shooter from stretching the length of the cartridge when the throat starts eroding.
I've gotten rid of almost all the short action rifles. I still have a 22-250AI however.
If you are going to shoot 20 rounds a year you probably won't need to worry about throat erosion. If you are short in stature you might like the short action also.
As a gun writer said "short actions are for short people."

 

[5Spot]

Considered the x-bolts. But the weight is that Lr is why they're out.

My 24" barrel Cooper Model 52 in 300 WM weighs in at 8lbs, 1 1/2oz. with Talley light weight rings and Leupold VX6HD 3-18X44 - all in. Nice rifle!

 

[Ron Burton]

I'm about to pull the trigger on a new rifle. I want it in a 300 for bigger animals such as elk although I will use it for deer here in Oklahoma at times.

Question is: 300WM or 300WSM

The reason I'm even considering the wsm is for the weight savings. I hope to have this come in at 8.5# or even less. That's hunting weight.

If I'm wanting to possibly shoot longer ranges, how much difference is there? Which should I go with?

You're going to find if you hit a deer it is going to blow it up

 

[JAYgs8163]

Ok, to each their own but factually it's not false. Data shows it. They just about mirror each other.

 

[TBell]

I reload 300 win mag.
I use a Hornady 208 gr ELD great BC shooting out past 1000 yards with .5 MOA. Cases and ready made Cartridges cartridges readily available (not in 208 gr) but others. Have taken lots of white tail, pigs, and at least 14 turkeys over the years (have not lost any meat on the turkeys. Through base of neck or through back as they peck at the ground)

300 short mags less available where I have shopped

Would think would be great on Elk but have not had a chance.

 

[Snowboy]

The WSM cannot reach it's full potential in a short action unless you wanna shoot it as a single shot.

If it helps I have taken several moose at over 400 yards with a 300 WSM. None have ever taken more than 5 or 6 steps before falling. The ammo was Federal Premium 180 grain. I think the WSM performs just fine compared to my 300 WM. I never use the 300 WM except for targets now. My 700 Remington short action with fluted barrel is much nicer to carry and is at least 2 lbs. lighter than my 700 Long action.
I feel like the 300WM may be more overkill for deer. Just a thought from someone who usually walks 6 to 10 miles a day until I locate the game.