300 WSM Any comments?

[DRAKECALLER]

I recently got a browning A-bolt stalker in 300 WSM and absolutely love it. Its shooting groups that are under .750 @100yds with some homerolled loads. I think the gun shoots pretty well for a out of the box hunting rifle. Anyone else shoot a WSM ???

Two weeks ago killed a nice blacktail at 550 yds. My Nosler Balistic Tip entered behind left shouldeer and exited top of right ham. This was my longest shot on big game and it now has me interested into finding out how far is too far ??? Ha Ha Ha !!

Been reading alot of the posts...can't help but to like this website!!

 

[Kyle]

They need a .338 WSM

 

[MAB]

I have a new a-bolt stainless staker also in 300 WSM with BOSS. It is lite and shoots great. I am reloading 180 gr. GameKings. Not shot anything with it yet since it is so new . about 30 rounds put though it. My hunt starts in about 3 weeks. I have been looking at the post trying to learn also. this is my first and have learned allot. I have been trying shooting at 500yards and have been doing well. How far have you been practicing shooting to hit that deer at 500 ?

 

[Ian M]

I can offer you guys some drop data from Winchester factory ammo. We shot the .300 WSM out to 1000 last year for a guntest. Had superb accuracy all the way out to 1000.

Ammo 150 Gr. Ballistic Silvertips
Distance Drop MOA
100 0
200 0.75
300 2.25
400 4.0
500 6.5
600 9.0
700 11.25
800 14.0
900 18.0
1000 22.5

Ammo 180 Gr. Failsafes
Distance Drop MOA
100 0
200 1.5
300 4.0
400 6.25
500 8.75
600 12.5
700 16.25
800 20.5
900 27.75
1000 31.5

 

[MAB]

Thanks Ian M, I will have to try it out. Any other info you can give us. Like performance on game out to what ever distance you have shot? Or any thing. I think the 300 has allot of potential just like to hear about others that have had more time with it. Anyone have any ideas to help with accuracy. Im shooting off of a bi pod. 4x16 scope, reloading 180 gr. Game Kings, Ive tryed Reloader 19 and IMR 4350.

 

[meathead]

Drakecaller,
Exactly what performance advantage over the 300 Win. Mag.? What velocities are you achiving with the 180 gr. bullets and the 23" barrel?

 

[Ian M]

I was told by the fellow that lead the WSM development that the factory is loading Winchester 760 in the 180 grain loads (69.0 grains) and a special blend that we cannot get in the 150 Ballistic Tip load. The Failsafes were very close to 1/2 minute all the way out to 800 as I recall. The 800 yard group was a bunch of overlapping splats on the steel plate. The temp was 107 in the shade so nobody was running down to the targets to measure groups. We shot over two cases of ammo in two days, it was a good workout for the rifles and ammo.

The .300 WSM seems to be an inherently accurate cartridge and it is a nice alternate to the .300 Win. mag - they both do a fine job when they are chambered in good rifles.

I wouldn't sell my .300 Win mag to buy a WSM, but if I was in the market for my first .300 magnum it would be a strong consideration.

 

[MAB]

I tried it off of my bi pod with a 4-16 pwr scope on 16 of course at 502 yards by my Bushnell 800 and I shot a 5 shot group in a 6 5/8 inches at 502 yards. Correct me if im wrong, but MOA is it 1 in at a hundred and 2 at two, 4in and three hundred and so on? So if I can do that consistently then I think I can get decent groups out to a 1000 yards?

 

[Ian M]

Although minute of angle is pretty much one inch at one hundred, two at two hundred etc. it just don't work out that a one inch at one hundred rifle will shoot ten inches at 1000. Main problem is the wind, plus your target gets a mite smaller when it is way out there.

If you have a place to shoot long, as in past 700 or so, I suggest using a large target, at least three or four feet square, preferably bigger. We use large sheets of 1/2 steel plate, some are 3'x 4' and we spray paint them white so that we can see the bullet splats easily. With practice you will also learn to see the bullets in flight so you will be able to call high, low, left or right.

You will find that bullet drop is relatively easy to handle relative to learning to dope the wind and keeping your bullets traveling the same arcs.

 

[DRAKECALLER]

MAB,

Since getting the new gun I have been to the range about 20 times doing load developement. I have put almost 140 rounds through it after a barrel break in of 25 rounds. I have found that the gun shoots most of everything pretty well, but it has exceptional results with failsafes and balistic tips. I got the gun as a hunting rifle, something that was light and accurate at the same time. It seems to be very accurate for out of the box with its light and short barrel (23"). I am going to stick with hunting style bullets rather than the match target style. I am intrested to hear some bullet preformance of kills on big game with MK's. I am without the BOSS, Too loud!!! been shooting 150- 165gn bullets with best results as far as making the WSM have a preformance advantage over a 300 Win. Mag. Been pushing the 150 gn bullets 3350+fps with excelent results.

 

[MAB]

Mine came with 2 BOSS's , ,One with the muzzle break and one with out it. you can put the break on for target shooting and take it off and put the harmonic non muzzle break on for hunting. But your right It is very loud with the break. I did not see any change in accuracy, switching between them. But you have to tune it to the write setting. If you adjust the boss wrong it can make your less then 1MOA got to 4 + MOA. In the near future I will have to put a target out to 800 + yards and see what it can do.

 

[Big Sky]

I'm having a little problem with some math here. Granted I'm an artist so I'm allowed a little leway with math because it's not my strong suit. The orginal poster said he's been to the range around 20 times and that he's put 20 break in rounds through his rifle, plus almost 140 more rounds since. If I did my math correctly he averages only 8 shots per trip to the range. Tain't much shooting in my opinion and certainly not enough practice to be proficient with a new rifle. Well at least it wouldn't be for me. Have I figured something wrong here?

 

[DRAKECALLER]

Big sky,

This new rifle is not my only rifle...there is not much differance in shooting tecniques between rifles. For example there is not much diferance in shooting tecniques between shooting same hole groups at 100 yds with a 22-250 and shooting 6- 10 inch groups at 500 yards. Now here is where mathmatics com in, with basic tools of the trade such as a Cronograph, balistic charts for various B.C.'s of bullets and very simple math "hold over" is easly estimated. Understanding your equipment helps. Mathmatics and balistic charts are a must for longer range shooting.

 

[Big Sky]

Average of 8 shots per trip though???...and that's including your 20 break in rounds.