7mm WSM -vs- 300 WSM

[WN]

I am going to purchase a WSM and I cannot decide which to buy.  The rifle will be a Browning A-Bolt Stainless Stalker.  I plan to start going on some big game trips out West and Canada for deer, caribu, moose etc.  I want to buy one rifle and use it for all.  I am leaning toward the 300WSM, but i want to shoot this rifle for a long time and I do not want recoil to be a problem.  Either caliber will probley cover my needs.  What is anyones experience with these calibers and why would you reccomend one over the other.

[cobrad]

I'm a real fan of 7mm magnums, probably because I've had such good experiences with the 3-7mm rem. mags I've had. You can shoot lighter bullets in the 7mm than the 300 and still match BC and SD, giving less recoil for similar penetration and trajectories. If I had to choose only one rifle for everything from prairie dogs to elk, it would be a 7 mag. Between the 7 and 300 WSM, your best bet may well be the 300, if you don't handload.  I believe the 300 WSM is more popular and so I would expect the selection and availability of factory ammo to be better. All that aside, IMO the 300 is the more "powerful" of the two because it shoots heavier and larger diameter bullets.

[roper]

I consider the 300wsm a good round when shooting 165 gr bullets if looking at 180gr or heavier bullets go with a 300mag or 300wby mag.  The 300wsm does have abit of recoil depending on stock design.  I got all worked up afew years ago on the 300wsm had one build then got a factory one as a back up rifle the more I shoot the 300wsm the more I didn't like it lacks the case capacity for the heavy bullets.   Between 165gr to 200gr bullets you get over 400fps drop in velocity compare that to my 30-338 get around 200fps less than 300fps in the 300mag.  I only shoot 180gr in the 300wby.  A friend has the factory 300wsm and my custom may just be a deer rifle or whatever.  I think I honestly got a bad case of tunnel vision and maybe like cobrad the 7mm maybe the right caliber for the wsm case.  well good luck.

[jro45]

I own the 300 Win Mag and with a 180gr bullet going 3150fps I get 31FT LB

of recoil. With the 165gr bullet going 3250fps I get 29 FT LB of recoil. So I

don't think thats to bad. At a bench I can feel it, But when hunting it's not

bad.

[Lawdog]

I am going to purchase a WSM and I cannot decide which to buy.  The rifle will be a Browning A-Bolt Stainless Stalker.  I plan to start going on some big game trips out West and Canada for deer, caribu, moose etc.  I want to buy one rifle and use it for all.  I am leaning toward the 300WSM, but i want to shoot this rifle for a long time and I do not want recoil to be a problem.  Either caliber will probley cover my needs.  What is anyones experience with these calibers and why would you reccomend one over the other.

You can figure on an 8 lb. increase of recoil in the .300 WSM over the 7mm WSM in rifles of equal weight.  With any .308 caliber cartridge you will get the widest selection of bullets for reloading and the .300 WSM has a larger variety of factory loads available.  Also when hunting Moose in the north country you have a great chance of Bears being around and I like the idea of larger bullets for critters with BIG teeth/claws.  Me, I would go with the .300 WSM.  Lawdog
 

[oso45-70]

WN.

Gotta Go with Lawdig here, The 7mm whatever is a great cal. But if you are going where the Big fuzzy hangs out you might be better served to go with the 300 or some thing in at least 308 cal so you can utilize the heavier bullets.  ............Joe............

[WN]

Bought the Browning A-Bolt Stainless Stalker in 300WSM last night.  I plan to mount a leupold 2.5x8 scope on it.  I also picked up 2 boxes of th new Federal Fusion bullets in 165gr.

[Squeeze]

WN,
 
I see you already made your choice, and IMHO, you chose well.
I have a 300 WSM, and to keep it's ammo in it's sweet spot, I am loading
165 gr. Barnes TSX bullets.  These are long for their weight, and have
excellent deep penetration characteristics.  If you can find factory  
ammo, loaded with these bullets, or load your own, I would HIGHLY
recommend giving them a try.  My .300 WSM, puts them into .6 MOA
groups, from the bench, which is much better than Minute of Elk :-D  
 
Good choice on the scope.  I have a 4-12 VXII on my 300 WSM, and
now I am wishing that I would have gone with a 3-9, to avoid
the Adjustable Objective issue, but I will hunt it a few times before  
I make a scope change.  In some situations, the 12x is handy, but
I could probably get it done at 9x.
 
Squeeze

[cobrad]

WN, I think you will be happy with your rifle. I have a .300 WSM as well. Mine is a limited edition Kimber with the french walnut stock. I found one with extra good wood; that it was the .300 was incidental. It does shoot around 3/4" pretty consistently, so I'm happy about that. I plan to use the 168 gr Barnes TSX's in it. My scope is a Zeiss Conquest 3.5-10x44. If you haven't scoped yours yet I heartily recommend this one. The past few days new ones have been going for $350-380 on ebay.

[Lou270]

Out of the 2, I would choose the .300 WSM.   I believe this round has established itself and will be around for the long haul.  The 7mm WSM seems to be faltering, so not sure how long it will be around.  Of course, I could be wrong and if you are a handloader, may never be a problem.  If recoil is an issue, the .300 WSM is a handful in light rifles, especially with 180s and above.  My first was a Browning Composite Stalker and now a Kimber Montana.  Never shot a 7mm WSM, so can't do an honest recoil comparison.  I will say my .270 WSM M70 Stainless shooting 150s kicks much less.  Partly due to lower powder charge probably, but also because the gun is heavier.  I would rate it similar to a .30-06 of the same weight shooting 180s.  I'm guessing a 7WSM shooting 150s would be similar.

-Lou