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Which 300?

I have both a WSM (26" barrel) and WM (27.5" barrel) on long actions. The WSM is loaded to just under 3.2" so you'd need a medium action if you wanted to shed a few ounces. To give a more equal comparison I built my buddy a 26" barreled 300wm (essentially the same build as my 300wsm) and we shoot the same 2960fps with 215 Bergers. He uses H-1000 and I use R-26. That isn't a totally fair comparison because he can get more with N-570 and R-26 maxes out a 300wsm. I have 6 reloads on my Winchester cases, and they are still going strong, so it's not a hot load. There is another node near 3100fps with a 300wsm and R-26 but you'd probably only get 2-3 loads from a case. Maybe if someone made some good brass for it then that would be doable. There isn't enough difference between the 2, when your maxing them out, to worry about. Like others have said the 300wm is a better choice for ammo availability. Neither are perfect with a SAAMI chambers to go long IMO.
 
Bottom line no matter how you wanna slice and dice it WSM dont work to there full potential in a short action.
Pick your cartridge and then pick the appropriate action.
 
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?
Inside 1,000 yards the 300wsm is fine, I don't understand the weight difference though? A 300RUM would be the best rifle in a 30 caliber. I have a 300 Norma mag .284 and it will our shoot any 30 caliber out there I think. I actually have a 300wsm and it's an awesome rifle an super accurate. I believe the world 1,000 yard championship was who last year by a 300 wsm.
Happy Hunting,
 
I have both, and you actually have to work at getting a 180 or above in weight to get the WSM to equal a WM. I had to go to VVN 560 to get a 180 to just over 3,000 which the WM will do just coasting. You put that WSM in a light weight gun and it will make your nose bleed, I gurontee... I have seen a number of those light weight but stompers for sale at Tulsa. Story is always the same, no fun was had by all.
Ed
If you have a problem with that try MRP. you will not have a problem any more. I was pushing 210s to 3000 in 28" barrel.
 
Ok guys. I've been leaning towards the WM anyway.
So that's where I'm going.

If I don't find something at the gun show this weekend, I'll place an order early next week.

Just have to decide now on which I'll go with:
CA Mesa $1100
CA Ridgeline $1700
Fierce Fury $2000
Xbolt speed $1000
The Mesa and Fierce are in the lead because they are 24"
Just bought a Sako stainless hunter little heavier than you might like. The 85 has a carbon and finnelite that are right at 7 pounds.

https://choose.sako.fi/global

My question still stands Ziess, Swarovski, or Steiner.
 
As much as I love my 300 Weatherby's,( I own 4 of them ) my pick would be the 300 WM for all around use. Rifle and ammo availability is excellent, performance is excellent with the heavier bullets. If you can find one with a 1-9 twist, you can shoot with confidence any practical bullet weight.
 
Uh...I dont have a dog in this hunt but even I don't think a soft point vs a partition is much of an apples to apples comparison. I can attest that nosler gives me about 50-70 more fps against just about every other bullet mfg in same gun with all other load parameters equal.

You realize the partition is a soft point bullet. Its the same difference between ibuprofen and motrin.
And a 26" barrel on the wm would make the velocity difference bigger.
nosler_partition.jpg
 
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. The WSM is a more efficient load and cheaper to load for. Components are very affordable. I run my WSM with a 180 Swift Scirroco Ballistic tip at about 3100 FPS. Anyways I own both, both are very capable of taking any North American game animal.

Or we have different ideas of what is considered long range. Im not referencing hornadys manual on velocity. I have both calibers and can assure you the win mag has more capabilities than the WSM. Love them both. But all thing being equal barrel lengths the win mag is faster with heavies. And like stated a few comments before. A win mag with 215s is an awesome combo that wont fight you on mag box lengths in most rifles you mentioned.
 
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Ok guys. I've been leaning towards the WM anyway.
So that's where I'm going.

If I don't find something at the gun show this weekend, I'll place an order early next week.

Just have to decide now on which I'll go with:
CA Mesa $1100
CA Ridgeline $1700
Fierce Fury $2000
Xbolt speed $1000
The Mesa and Fierce are in the lead because they are 24"
Just pointing out those are all 10" twist. I saw somebody earlier mentioning you might want a 9" for longer/heavier bullets.
 
A WSM wont fight you either on mag box length in a med. length action. Done on a med length action with a reamer that has
.225 freebore it will be knocking on the door of a WM in equall length barrel.
What action and reamer is your WSM built on? Everbody is gonna argue about which one is the best, they all will do what the O.P wants set up.properly.
 
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