Why not a 300 WSM?

[hseII]

oh please,----- I have yet to meet the man who prefers short and fat over tall and thin----wait, we are talking about bullets---and in that case I still believe the 300 H & H is a much nicer looking cartridge than the 300wsm and it loads and ejects much smoother, while preforming the same function.

Of course in reference to both my points they preform the same, but men are "visual", well apparently not the men on this forum, when you look at how many actually like the fat short one.

I thought I would jump on here and give a different perspective to the " everybody loves the 300wsm" posts--------

I know most will take this post the right way and to those with no sense of humor just put me on ignore, it wont bother me, as my husband ignored me for years lol

 

[Europe]

Now, April, since I'm short and fat...

Well, you get the picture.

Ah, but we are not visual, and therefore in our eyes you are perfect Dr Mike

Strong, handsome, charming, intelligent, kind, giving, protective, reliable, a christian

AND Employed!

Your wife is a lucky woman

_____________________________________________________

hseII----Thank you, I needed a good laugh right now!!!

 

[longrangehunter]

I realise the "short and fat is where it's at" cartridge case makes sense, but the "long and thin is what's in" does too considering back in the day those short and fat bullets didn't do so well........ They peeled back and lost their jacket, while the long sleek high SD bullets held up. My point here is it's the bullet that does the bulk of the work, how it gets there is like the make of the car...... fast of slow they all need/use gas and without good gasoline they don't run so well! :mrgreen:

It's the bullet and the person behind the gun that makes for a great hunting tool. How it gets their, really is UP to you! :shock:

 

[DrMike]

Now, April, since I'm short and fat...

Well, you get the picture.

Ah, but we are not visual, and therefore in our eyes you are perfect Dr Mike

Strong, handsome, charming, intelligent, kind, giving, protective, reliable, a christian

AND Employed!

Your wife is a lucky woman

_____________________________________________________

hseII----Thank you, I needed a good laugh right now!!!

Ah, April, you always did have a way with words. :mrgreen:

It's the bullet and the person behind the gun that makes for a great hunting tool. How it gets their, really is UP to you! :shock:

Bingo! Well stated.

 

[hunternyny]

Welcome back April. I have missed your posts and banter with Dr Mike and others

Perhaps someone else can shed some light on this for me. I remember Cheyenne saying that she preferred the 325WSM over the 300wsm. I have neither, as at the moment my 300 is a Weatherby, but perhaps others can tell me why the 325 is or is not a good choice, as it is obvious from reading this thread, the 300 is a very well liked cartridge. thanks

 

[DrMike]

The 325WSM is a fine cartridge that'll flat git' 'er done. I've harvested multiple moose, elk and black bear with mine. It delivers an accurate and hard-hitting bullet that takes the fight out of game quite quickly. Is it better than a 300WSM? It is different. I shoot 200 grain bullets in both my 300WSM and in my 325WSM. I can't see any practical difference in how animals die with these two cartridges.

 

[Europe]

thanks Dr Mike---for everything, btw

Cole--Exactly

John--Cheyennes has the 325 on the BLR platform and I think she shots 250 gr woodleighs out of it. As Dr Mike says the 325 shooting inside 250 yards with the 250 gr wood leigh is a real hammer.

Her hunting with that rifle and the hunting of the rifle the fellows on this thread are discussing are worlds apart. Hers is a lever, theirs are bolt. They shoot 300 yards plus-regularly, she shoots under 200 yards. On average the animals she confronts, not just hunts, are larger and even more aggressive. This is a very "generalist" statement, but it will give you food for thought.

If I were were ever convinced that the 300WSM was better than the 300 H & H, a 300WSM in a pre 64 win platform would be my choice, unless I was following Earle, Salmonchaser, Hodgeman, or Dr Mike around and then I would opt for the 325 in the lever as they all get up close and personal with the big bears.

 

[cloverleaf]

Sorry - I confess - Very visual.....but its all about the ratio's. My girl is short but oh my...... Hey this a family show.... CL

 

[SJB358]

Welcome back April. I have missed your posts and banter with Dr Mike and others

Perhaps someone else can shed some light on this for me. I remember Cheyenne saying that she preferred the 325WSM over the 300wsm. I have neither, as at the moment my 300 is a Weatherby, but perhaps others can tell me why the 325 is or is not a good choice, as it is obvious from reading this thread, the 300 is a very well liked cartridge. thanks

Same here, I have had a couple 300 Wins, a WSM and a few 300 Wby's. Currently have two of them in the safe, 1 MKV that was gifted to my son from my OLD hunting partner and a P64 that was a 300 H&H and was rechambered long ago to 300 WBY. I have had the P64 for quite awhile but someone had cut the wood stock down too short for me. It now resides in a Legend that fits me pretty well.. I really like the 300 Wby. I can't think of much it doesn't do real well from a hunters perspective.

Sorry to get off topic, but the difference for me between a 300 WSM and a 300 RUM isn't even factor since I wouldn't really utilize the extra HP of the RUM, so I just moved to the cartridge in the middle of the power range..

I have seen it quite a few times now though, a 180 at 3000 is a serious all arounder. If a person can handle it, they could probably start and stop there and never miss out on anything.

 

[Europe]

John, thank you for your kind words ----the reason I am answering you here on the open forum instead of via pm is I think many others here could answer your question better than I

I "think" you can get a new model 70 in the 300wsm that will weight around 7 pounds and the overall length would be around 44 inches. Your 300 weatherby ( depending on which one you have ) probably weighs 9 pounds and is 47 to 48 inches overall length, This might not be a big deal in New York hunting whitetails but it will make a difference when your in Montana hunting Elk.

The 325 BLR is even better ( lighter/shorter ) weight and length wise, which makes it a pretty handy rifle when hunting in close cover, but not so good when your shots are 400 yards in Montana.

There are possibly 100 folks here that can give you better and more exact information on all if this, than I. I continue to make a big deal about the 300 H & H only because I am old and old people tend to stick with what has worked for them, but from everything I read the 300WSM is equal to the other 300's and comes in a nice smaller, lighter package.

 

[DrMike]

See, John, "Short and fat is where it's at!"

April, not a bad summation. We may be old and set in our ways, but it doesn't mean we are unable to see what is happening. If you already have a 300 magnum, (whether a Weatherby, a Winchester, a Norma or whatever), it is difficult to justify a WSM. On the other hand, if you have a 300 WSM, there isn't much it can't do that a 325 WSM could do. In a similar vein, for the vast majority of hunting situations, the boring old 30-06 will do everything the magnums will do, especially if you're a hunter.

 

[Anonymous]

For me it just boiled down to the rifle... While I love the bigger .308 magnums, being able to replicate it in a short action rifle with a 24" barrel was just too good to pass up.

I briefly had a .300WBY...over 10 pounds ready to go. My .300WSM is 7.5 and I could easily get one under 6.5 if I wanted. 3 pounds doesn't sound like much until you pack it between your hands in the mountains for a week!

 

[Guy Miner]

You're using the Nosler rifle?

 

[NYDAN]

It is done! I went over to the LGS this morning and ordered a left-handed Montana X3 in 300 WSM. The deliver is 3 - 5 months. I guess I will have to get bases, rings, scope, dies, brass and bullets ordered now... I will have to pick up some factor ammo as well.

I am looking forward to setting it up and shooting it. Perhaps I will get to hunt deer with it this fall.

Dan

 

[Anonymous]

You're using the Nosler rifle?

Yes- I've got one of the early "Custom Sporters" from 2006. Easily my favorite rifle and I've done the bulk of my hunting since then with it.

 

[gerry]

It is done! I went over to the LGS this morning and ordered a left-handed Montana X3 in 300 WSM. The deliver is 3 - 5 months. I guess I will have to get bases, rings, scope, dies, brass and bullets ordered now... I will have to pick up some factor ammo as well.

I am looking forward to setting it up and shooting it. Perhaps I will get to hunt deer with it this fall.

Dan

It will interesting to see how that particular model performs. It sounds like the X3 stock is a fair bit lighter than the X2 it replaces.

Any idea on what bullets and powders you are planning to try?

One thing while I'm thinking about it is that partial sizing of the WSM doesn't work they need to be completely full length sized since there is very little body taper and it has a sharp shoulder. All other rounds in the past I reloaded for were only partially sized, it didn't take long to figure out it doesn't work with the WSM's. Awesome rounds though, you will be pleased.

 

[SJB358]

Congrats on the rifle Dan. Like Gerry I am excited to see you shake it out. I like the new lighter version of them. They are just about the only rifle produced these days that are just about all P64 with better gas handling. Just thinking if they are lighter makes them an even sweeter deal.

 

[NYDAN]

It will interesting to see how that particular model performs. It sounds like the X3 stock is a fair bit lighter than the X2 it replaces.

Any idea on what bullets and powders you are planning to try?

One thing while I'm thinking about it is that partial sizing of the WSM doesn't work they need to be completely full length sized since there is very little body taper and it has a sharp shoulder. All other rounds in the past I reloaded for were only partially sized, it didn't take long to figure out it doesn't work with the WSM's. Awesome rounds though, you will be pleased.

Gerry, I didn't know that the WSM's required complete full length resizing. That you for that tip. I would have automatically tried the partial resizing first.

Since I bought it as an elk hunting rifle, I plan to try 180 AB's, 190 ABLR's, and 180 PT's. I am hoping one of those will shoot well.

The first powder I want to try is Re26 followed by H-4350. I also have H-4831sc, IMR-4831, Re17, Re22, IMR-7828ssc, IMR-4451, and IMR-7977. If I ever find any Re16 I would like to try that. If I can't get the 180/190 gr bullets to shoot well, I will try the 165 AB.

I also plan to develop a mild (2950-3000 fps) deer huntng load with 165 BT's. I will probably focus on the H-4350, Re17, and Re26 powders for that load.

Just for fun, sometime I might try a screaming load with the 125 AB or the 150 AB.

Dan

 

[gerry]

Sounds like a good plan, that's a good selection of bullets and powder. I mentioned it earlier in the thread I believe about using powders in the RL 15 and Varget burning rate for 165's and lighter bullets, you will find mild recoil and there is a good chance that load will shoot. That's one on the great things about the 300 WSM is that it is very flexible when it comes to powders, much more than any other bigger 300 mag. On the other end it can still handle something like RL 26 or IMR 7828 ssc and a 220 gr PT so you will have lots of choice for what kind of load you want.

 

[SJB358]

Sounds like a good plan, that's a good selection of bullets and powder. I mentioned it earlier in the thread I believe about using powders in the RL 15 and Varget burning rate for 165's and lighter bullets, you will find mild recoil and there is a good chance that load will shoot. That's one on the great things about the 300 WSM is that it is very flexible when it comes to powders, much more than any other bigger 300 mag. On the other end it can still handle something like RL 26 or IMR 7828 ssc and a 220 gr PT so you will have lots of choice for what kind of load you want.

Gerry nailed it. It’s a very easy to load cartridge since it does so well with the faster powders and pretty well with the newer slower powders. I’d gotten rid of mine before 26 came on board but seeing as it fits like 22 I think it’ll be great.

On sizing, I usually push shoulders to the .0015-.002 with other cases, with the WSMs I seem to get better sizing if I push .002-.003” and get excellent chambering and feeding.