Hi All,

     Am doing a little research on this as a friend asked me what I thought of the .300 WSM cartridge. He wants a cartridge suitable for heavier bullets that are  suitable for Boar shooting, .30-06 is out as in some European countries military cartridges are restricted so that makes it difficult as both his rifles are in .308 win. John phoned me and asked me what I knew about the .300 Win Mag then he mentioned the .300 WSM. Now I used to have a Ruger No1B in .300 win Mag but have no experieince with the  .300 WSM and to be quite honest can really see no need for it.

    Doing a little searching it seems that factory ammunition  in .300 WSM is only availabel with oen bullet weight despite the fact that federal loads 150 grn, 165 grn and 180 grn, of course the choice in the old .300 win mag is far better and it's even available locally. His idea was  for a 200 grn or even 220 grn bullet as Boar is more often shot at relatively short range. Now I do recall reading that Browning and Winchester had soem feedign problems with teh short fat case of the WSM or course there does not seem to be problems with the old Win Mag.

  For some reason he wants to stay with .308 bullets :undecided:  I know he reloads for the .308 and so it seems he thinks that it will make things easier  I cannot see this as he already loads for the .222 as well .

   Now as for the rifles he already has a Tikka T3 Tactical and a Sako Finnlite both in .308 and a Tikka 695 in .222 hence the looking at either a Tikka T3 Hunter or Sako 75/85 but this tiem with a wood stock. Seems he has learned that holding wood is much more pleasant than hold plastic .

  So has anyone any experience with any of these? comments? ideas?

Factory loads are available from Win, Rem and Federal in 150, 165, and 180 grains in a wide variety of bullets.  A good bullet in 180 ought to be fine for any boar he would run across.  My cousins use the 300 WSM with 165s I believe and they absolutely swear by the cartridge.  I've only shot this round a few times on one occasion and didn't find it punishing at all.

I don't have anything more against the WSM version of the .30 caliber than I do any of the other .30 cal cases. To me, case choice is a matter of personal preference only, as all of them do just fine as hunting cartridges.
 
Since opinion is being solicited, I would avoid like the plague all Weatherby cases. I own a couple, and they offer no improvement over non-Weatherby cases, and cost considerably more simply for the "priviledge" of shooting a Weatherby.
 
It sounds like your friend is insistent on staying with the .30 caliber, and of course I fel that's "too bad". The 325 WSM in my opinion, is a "better" cartridge, especially for a European hunter. 8mm bullets in a wide variety of weights (not so much as in the .308" is acknowledged), are readily available, and the WSM case eliminates the "military" stigma (as it does in the .308" is acknowledged). And of course, the 8mm bullet is 15 thousandths bigger... which is 'gooder' especially for boar. But... If he wants .308" - certainly his prerogative - then the WSM case is as good a choice as any I suppose, especially if all military cases are "out".
 
Just my two-cents-worth,
Paul

Hi All,

    Thank you all I will pass it on.

   Part of the problem is despite what's made it's what we can actually get here . Norma still make 9.3x57 ammon but the Norma importer will not bring it in unless we order a "Barrel" which is 1,000 rounds. there is no way on this earth I can afford it let alone shoot that amount. Unprimed cases nope unless we order 2,000 pieces . I got mine once fired from a fellow collector in Sweden by post.

  Gitano I will suggest the .325 WSM however our Polizei will probably baulk at a .325 magnum for use on deer in the UK and he also wants to be able to use in on deer here.

  I did suggest that he go for a 8x57R double rifle but he didn't go for it . Will speak to him later and see what happening.

Sorry lads if this is off topic a little but I was just curious as to the recoil characteristics of these new wsm cartridges. Lets say two identical rifles same mass, bullet weight ect, one in .300 win mag and the other in .300wsm....

Hi There,

   Despite the hype the recoil is going to be about the same. As I said I have never seen one let along shot one but the only basic difference between the .300 Win Mag and .300 WSM is a few grains of powder. Shooting the same weight and type of bullet at the same velocity is similar weight rifles will obviously result in the same recoil. Regardless what the ads say Physics is what controls this not hype and advertising .

   Now I spoke to John and another fly has appeared in the ointment here. It seems that when he enquired about ordering a new Sako or Tikka in any magnum chambering or even 7x64 and 7x57 it needs to be a special order item and he was quoted delivery around March 2008.

   This it seems is because not many are ordered or sold in these chambering and the reason appears to be that as the Police who sanction and run the licensing system have no real understanding of rifles and Deer Stalking and so push applicants towards :-

.243 Win

   And grudgingly allow the use of:-

.270 Win
.308 Win
.30-06

    Other cartridges just seem to confuse them, which does not take much , any cartridge with the word Magnum associated with it is abhorred and strong arguements need to be made in order to get it allowed for use :undecided: .

   So far I think John is hedging towards th old std .300 Win Mag, I did mention Gitano's suggestion of .325 WSM, John had never heard of it but will look it up. I doubt that the importers have ever seen one here so that could be a problem.

   Hmmm just readign what i wrote I see a flaw in this as I have just also read an article on the newish Mauser M03 and the test rifle was supplied with two barrels and bolt heads. Cartridges chosen by the tester were .300 Win Mag and .223 Rem  perhaps it's Berretta whcih is the problem here and not the Police . Perhaps I should suggest to John the new Mauser rifle?

QuoteDespite the hype the recoil is going to be about the same

 
Egzakly!
 
Paul[/COLOR][/SIZE]