Long range .30 caliber

[Pat B.]

Do you fellas think the .300 Win Mag. offers better package than the .300WSM if all else is equal... I want to do one or the other and would like some input.

[Michael Eichele]

Honestly, I think if youre going to shoot 210 grain bullets and above you MIGHT get a bit more velocity out of the WM. Other than that, the WSM is the ticket. Same velocities for bullet weight, less recoil, longer barrel life, less powder, shorter and stiffer action, shorter overall rifle.

Go with the WSM unless you already have a bunch of reloading gear for the WM.

[Nomosendero]

I could be wrong, I thought that the 300WM would hold an edge with the 200 Gr. as well. I have a 26" WM Sendero that
pushes a 180 at 3,180 & the 200 at 3,025, I figured a 300WSM
with the same barrel length would be about 3,080-3,100/180 & 2,875-2,900 with the 200, but that was maybe a false assumption.
If I was starting from scratch, I would look at the WSM no doubt, but I sure like my Lam. stock Sendero.

[ATH]

My understanding (and it is just that), is that with the WSM in a factory gun you will not be able to seat the heavier bullets out far enough to utilize full case capacity and still feed from the magazine. I seem to recall but am much less sure that a WSM won't eject well in a short action with 200gr bullets loaded to the lands...I read somewhere that it is not a true short-action round and can only reach its potential when put in a longer action.

So if you're going factory, as I did, I decided it was not as good a choice as the WM. With my 300WM Sendero I can load to the lands with 200gr bullets and have a bit of room to spare in the magazine...surely I could do the same with 210s though I haven't yet.

In a custom gun, I see few disadvantages to the WSM. Most sources I have seen maintain a slight velocity advantage for the WM, but where an individual gun hits best accuracy may or may not erase this.

[Pat B.]

Thank you guys for your responses.. I will build this gun or I should say rebarrel a 700.. I have both a long and a short action on hand.. My intention is to put a fairly heavy Krieger on and bed it into a McMillin... My main thoughts concern accuracy of the two rounds. I expect there may not be much difference given the same platfrom...
But the WSM looks interesting !!!

[James Jones]

If they are both given the same attention to detail when built then either one of the two has a proven record out to 1000yds and past. The 300Win mag will hold a little bit more powder and that in turn will give you a little more velocity , thats just the way it is. If you plan to shoot the heavier bullets and get the most out of the gun both calibers would need to be built on a long action. the WSM would be a great choice if you were able to load the 200gr class bullets out far enough to use all the case and not run into brass problem after several reloads. in order to seat the long bullets out real far it realy calls for a long action and the chamber would probably need to be specialy throated.
The 300Win mag having a slightly higher case volume will shoot the heavier bullets out a little faster but you have the belted case to deal with but that realy isin't a problem , you also have realy good brass available from Norma and Lapua. You also have a source of realy good factory ammo from Rem , Black Hills and Federal all loaded with 190gr Sierra Match King bullets.

So if your two choices are the 300 win mag and the 300WSM and your wanting the absolute most horse power then the old 300Win is gonna come out on top , but if your wanting to go with a short action or your willing to give a little on the balistics then the 300WSM is a great way to go , it'll probably gove a bit longer barrel life to.

Now if your wanting absolute top end velocitioes out of a 300 then step up to the 300RUM , 30-378 or others in that class.

[Mysticplayer]

There is no replacement for displacement.

The larger the case, the higher the velocity potential with heavy bullets.

Jerry