300 WSM

[truck driver]

I have some questions for the guys and gals who own and shoot rifles chambered for the 300 WSM.
Being advertised as a short magnum is the action length short or standard length?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of this cartridge compared to say a 300 RCM?
What is the felt recoil compared to a 30-06? What are the inside dimensions of the frame rails.
I'm thinking of rebarreling my 338WM and was wondering what if any mods I would have to do to the action to get this to work.

 

[mjcmichigan]

Hi Rodger,
I have 3006, 300WSM, and 300WM. I like shooting all three of them. The 300WM has the most recoil. My 300WSM was manga-ported before I bought it. 24” Barrel, not counting the Magna port.(threaded the old barrel and extended it two inches.
I think it’s similar to the 3006. If it’s more recoil, it’s not by a lot.

1) 300 WSM uses a std length action
2) it would be easier to convert the 338WM to a 300WM. Chamber would be the same or very close.

You could port it as well and that should help reduce recoil.

I’d tell you the 300WSM will do everything a 300WM does until you are in heavy for caliber range, then case volume makes the difference. In general loads in the 300WSM at 10gn lighter than the 300WM, and 3006 runs 10gn lighter than 300WSM


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[26NosFan]

It is a true Short action cartridge, 2.86" COAL. There is no advantage to RCM over WSM. The RCM has less capacity and has and has pretty much faded away. Ruger isn't even chambering it any more. Hornady is the only factory ammo available, but they have 7 different loadings. the WSM has all of the majors and a lot of the minor and boutique manufactures loading for it. It is here to stay. Felt recoil is relative but it is slightly above 30-06 recoil with like projectiles. A friend of mine has a 300 WM that weighs the same as my 300 WSM. Same make and same stock config. With full house loads the WM recoils much harder than the WSM. Conversion of a .473 LA to a .535 Short action fat cartridge poses many problems. new bolt face, rail work, mag box spacer and follower work. Honestly, sell the 338 and buy a WSM.

 

[mjcmichigan]

...
Honestly, sell the 338 and buy a WSM.

That! And seriously consider the 7mm WSM! Really a great Family. I think Dr Mike has the whole family and especially loves it on the ends.. the 270 and 325.



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[IdahoCTD]

I've hunted with my 300wsm pretty exclusively for the last couple years. It's a custom built rifle on a long action Remington to get the most performance out of the case. You really need a OAL around 3.2" with the heaviest bullets to squeak the most performance out of the case. I built my hunting buddy a 300wm at the same time I built mine and he shoots the same velocity as I do but with more powder and more recoil. Also his OAL is 3.76". With 69grs of R-26 and a 215 Berger in a 26" barrel my gun shoots 2960fps. His does the same velocity with 77grs of H-1000. You can feel the recoil difference between the two rifles when you shoot them side by side.

Your 338wm has to have at least a 3.4" mag box length which would make it ideal for a 300wsm. Even with Remington long actions we have to run a extended mag box for the 300wm due to it's 3.76" OAL. You will probably have to open the feed rails .020" or so to get it to feed correctly and you might have to window the mag box at the shoulder of the case like Remington does but that stuff is pretty easy.

The 300RCM is based on the 375 Ruger and is smaller in diameter and has less capacity. I don't shoot a 30-06 so I can't compare the recoil but I'm sure it will have more due to the additional powder charge weights. BTW I'm on the 6th reloading with some of my Winchester brass and the primer pockets are still tight. Peterson is suppose to introduce 270 and 300wsm brass some time this year. Their brass is pretty top notch in the calibers I've tried it in.

IMO use the action to build what you want if you can. I would rather see you put a good barrel on your action and chamber it to get the most performance from the case rather than selling it and buying a factory gun with a short mag box that doesn't let the WSM reach top performance. The Winchesters SA's do have 3.1" mag boxes but the SAAMI specs for the 300wsm don't let you use it. The throat is too short.

 

[truck driver]

Thanks for all the replies. Not sure what I'll do just yet. I would like some measurements to compare the distance with my M77 before I do anything.

 

[truck driver]

Maybe a 308 Norma Mag would be a better fit.

 

[IdahoCTD]

308 Norma is basically the same length as the 338wm. The 300wsm is a better choice for a 3.4" mag box IMO

 

[26NosFan]

Send it to JES and have it rebored to 358 Norma and buy a 300 WSM that you like.

 

[gbflyer]

308 Norma Mag is a cool old round, I have a weakness for the wildcat 30-338 Win Mag version. Mine is throated a little short so the 210gr Bergers and ELDX’s fit in a 3.5 AICS pattern magazine. I get 2900 out of a 26” using IMR4350. Not too shabby. It’s really what the 300WM should have been. There is a factory loading or 2 for the Norma, and factory brass. Expensive.

I like the idea of the short mag. Never had one. But if you need a full length action to get the best out of it, why bother?

 

[truck driver]

308 Norma Mag is a cool old round, I have a weakness for the wildcat 30-338 Win Mag version. Mine is throated a little short so the 210gr Bergers and ELDX’s fit in a 3.5 AICS pattern magazine. I get 2900 out of a 26” using IMR4350. Not too shabby. It’s really what the 300WM should have been. There is a factory loading or 2 for the Norma, and factory brass. Expensive.

I like the idea of the short mag. Never had one. But if you need a full length action to get the best out of it, why bother?

The full length action is not a problem for me and would prefer it over the short action.
I'm the guy who built a 257 Roberts on a Rem M725 long action which feeds and works great. With the extra mag space you can really seat the bullets way out there and still have room in the mag.
The 30-338 could also be an option but I can get Burtren Brass for half the cost of Norma. Don't know how good the Aussie Brass is but 1/2 the price can't be all bad and I have lots of 338Win brass along with 7mm Rem that I could fire form.

 

[Elkman]

Being late to the party, and seeing you already have excellent adivce, i have one question? What is the 338 not achieving for you, that a short magnum will accomplish.
I personally love the 300Win Mag., as i have used one for almost 50 years, nothing mentioned here will out preform it at game ranges, and its a drop in fit for your action. Once again the ramblings of an old man .

 

[IdahoCTD]

Comparing a 300wm to a 300wsm in a 3.4" mag box, they are about equals but the 300wsm will have less recoil and use less powder. A 300wm in a longer mag box, and with certain powders, will start to run away from the 300wsm at the expense of more recoil. As you go lighter on bullets the mag box length isn't nearly as important for the 300wm because your using up less powder capacity with the bullet.

A 30-338wm is shorter and pretty close to the equal of the 300wm. I shot a lot of rockchucks and quite a few game animals over the years with a 30-338wm.

 

[truck driver]

Being late to the party, and seeing you already have excellent adivce, i have one question? What is the 338 not achieving for you, that a short magnum will accomplish.
I personally love the 300Win Mag., as i have used one for almost 50 years, nothing mentioned here will out preform it at game ranges, and its a drop in fit for your action. Once again the ramblings of an old man .

The 338 is doing what ever I ask it to and probably more it's an awesome caliber. I bought it on a whim and really didn't want it.
It's a little more recoil then I need or want. My thinking is a 30 cal a step up from my 30-06 would be what I'm looking for. Your 30-06/AI was interesting but not quite enough difference between it and the standard 30-06.
The 308 Norma has always intrigued me and that might be the way I go with this.
I'm also bored and need a new project.