300 wsm or 300 mag?

[mossyoak3d]

300 wsm or mag for deer? I'm upgrading from .270. Thanks

 

[Model70Man]

I don't know if I would call it "upgrading" for deer. Those two cartridges won't kill a deer any deader than a 270. You will have more recoil with both. But, there is nothing like getting a new rifle to hunt with and you can never have too many rifles. For me, I prefer the 300 WSM. It will do everything the 300 Win Mag will do in a shorter and lighter rifle with the same felt recoil. I have two 300 WSM's and one of them is my favorite rifle.

 

[stik]

i wouldn't call that an upgrade myself. i have no use for a magnum centerfire rifle. but of the 2 choices 300 win mag ammo will be slightly cheaper and easier to find.

 

[Brownie]

I'm got the .300 wsm in a ruger m77 and it shoots 1 inch groups at 100 yds with Federal Fusion 150s. Stik & Model 70 are right, it won't kill a deer any deader than the .270, but it sure will be fun!

 

[BigD_625]

For me, ballistics on the wsm doesn't justify the cost of the shells. If you reload, you might be able to save a little. I have both a 300 mag and a 270. I'm not sure I would call it an upgrade either.

 

[mike243]

i think most of the 300wsm factory rifles are limited to 180g or less,a brown bear hunt might be the only reason i would want to shoot over a 180g anyway as it might wound on both ends .price the ammo if you dont reload & like to shoot,a 270wsm would be a fine upgrade also

 

[Dodge Man]

I went from a .270 to a 300wsm and will never go back. Maybe it was the rifle change or just a mental change but I have way more confidence in my 300wsm over the .270 I had.

I shoot 150 gr ballistic silver tips and drop every deer I shoot at. yea maybe it is a little over kill for TN deer but I love my 300wsm!

 

[Howa]

I've got the .300 WSM also, and I have yet to track a deer shot with it. I'm shooting the ballistic silvertips also. They just don't run off after being hit by this train.

 

[robin48]

I just bought a 300 mag. Unfortunately I don't have another day off until next Saturday so it will be then before I get a chance to shoot it and sight in my scope.

 

[RUGER]

I would go with the .300 win mag.
Shells will be ALOT cheaper.

 

[landman]

300 win mag, 700 Sendero

 

[Rubberduck270]

I would go with the .300 win mag.
Shells will be ALOT cheaper.

Exactly. The next rifle I buy will be a Winchester Model 70 in 300 win mag.

 

[Model70Man]

I would go with the .300 win mag.
Shells will be ALOT cheaper.

Exactly. The next rifle I buy will be a Winchester Model 70 in 300 win mag.

Cabela's has the same price for 180 gr Winchester Ballistic Tips, XP3, and several others.

The 300 win mag is more expensive in some of the Federal lineup and the WSM is more expensive in other brands.

It really comes down to just shopping for the best price for your factory ammo anyways.

IMO, the WSM has many advantages over the Win Mag. It definetly doesn't make the Win Mag obsolete though. I think it's great that there are options so you can pick and choose which one you like the best.

 

[Greentimber]

My 300 WSM is my "Go to" rifle when things need to be killed. It is short, light, and absurdly accurate. I see no reason at all to carry a long action rifle when my short handy WSM will do everything I could ever want it to do.

The short chamber/throat design of the 300 WSM is such that the cartridge is one of the most consistently accurate available. Had I not found a deal on one locally (with plans to strip it down for another project) I would have never bought a WSM. Now, it is my favorite rifle. If I only had one huntng rifle, that would probably be it.

 

[Brownie]

I'll second the .300 wsm. Put about 35 rounds through it at the range on Sunday and boy is it a shooter. Too bad the 180 loads I had really shoved back. I've got some federal fusions in 150 gr. that grouped less than 1" at 100 yards - 5 shots. 3 of the shots were touching each other. I also had a group of 165 Nosler & 180 Nosler reloads that grouped under 2" at 100 yards. Fine shooting gun in my opinion, but like I said...it really shoves back.

 

[RUGER]

My biggest "concern" with rounds like the .300 wsm is not power or accuracy but with ammo avaliability.

Never know when they will drop it from the line and stop making it.
Of course with so many smaller companies out there I am sure someone would pick it up.
Then again it might NEVER be dropped.

I am biased to the .300 win mag though.

 

[mike243]

i get tickeled every time a long action gets kicked to the side because the short action rifles weight several pounds less ,it still is fact that a 300wsm is limited on grains in a factory rifle.heck i would have at least 1 of every calibur made if i could aford it

 

[z7x]

weatherby 300

 

[7MMAG]

you know you really want a 7mm

 

[Hillbilly Hunter]

nothing wrong with your 270.

 

[BIGORANGE]

If you want to upgrade from the 270 get a 30.06
"If it can't be done with a 30.06, it probably can't be done." :grin:

 

[1 good shot]

i killed one deer with my 300wsm and it put a hole through his chest that a softball would fit in i put it away and haven't had it back out since, too much collateral damage

 

[TiptonHunter]

try a 7mm rem mag - cheaper ammo and same results

 

[moondawg]

try a 7mm rem mag - cheaper ammo and same results

Judging by the lesser expensive ammo, it's only $2-3 bucks cheaper. Not that much difference. But the more expensive stuff, like Federal, 7mm ammo is a better price.

 

[rrhoghead]

300 win mag

 

[FLTENNHUNTER1]

300 win mag

 

[knightrider]

If you want to upgrade from the 270 get a 30.06
"If it can't be done with a 30.06, it probably can't be done." :grin:

why go from one cookie cutter to another :crazy:

 

[mr.hicks]

WSM all the way.

 

[Phil1979]

I've got both, can't go wrong either way.

 

[Vermin93]

I wouldn't call it an upgrade. 270 WIN is one of the greatest centerfire hunting calibers of all time. Any of the 300 magnums will kill deer dead, but they are venison destroyers and overkill on whitetail deer in my opinion. I have a 300 Wby Mag for the elk hunt that I'm planning to do in the next couple of years. If I had to choose between 300 WIN Mag and 300 WSM I would get a 300 WIN Mag. If you want something new for deer just for the sake of having something new then I would downsize to a 257 Roberts or 257 Wby Mag or 25-06. Those are all pretty cool deer cailbers.