# 300 WSM



## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Anybody killed anything with a .300 WSM? 

I shot a small elk at 80 yards with one this year. Bullet expansion was great but I thought penetration was weak. 

I got the rifle so I could try the new short mags out on moose and elk. Didn't have time to reload so I bought some Winchester 180 gr Power Points, out of economy, to practice with. I shot the gun out to 385 yards and it patterned well. So I decided to use the leftover Power Points on the elk hunt. I shot the elk in the ribs quartering away and the bullet stopped in the opposite shoulder. Geezus with all that noise and recoil I expected a little more penetration.

I'm gonna load up some Nosler Partitions, practice, practice, practice, and see how they perform on elk next year.


Oh, I shot my moose with a bow. Arrow went clean thru it!


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## huntducksordietrying (Sep 21, 2007)

I would say that a pass threw isnt always the best thing with a bullet. All that recoil youre feeling does mean something. When that bullet expanded it lost ALL of its engergy in the animal, and a 300 WSM has a lot of engergy. I would say that you had the perfect load if it stoped on the other shoulder blade, there werent anymore vitals for it to depleat its engergy on. If you wanna blow a basket ball size hole in the other side of the animal, you should try the 300 ultra mag!


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## Treehugnhuntr (Sep 7, 2007)

Sounds like full use of energy to me. It definitely depends on what bullet you are shooting.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

huntducksordietrying said:


> ..........If you wanna blow a basket ball size hole in the other side of the animal, you should try the 300 ultra mag!


A basket ball size hole, really? That means less meat doesn't it? I'm 57 years old and hunt off a packpack miles from the road. I may get me one of those cannons......jusy kiddin.

I hear ya. I have shot a 300 ultra mag at the range and seen what it does on big bull elk out on the mountain. It's impressive. But seriously, I'm not much of a magnum guy anymore.

Well at 80 yards my 300 WSM performed like a 30-06 or a 308. Next year I will look for some longer shots and see what it does.

Thanks for the replies.


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## SLIVER (Nov 27, 2007)

Shot my buck this year at 264 yds with a handloaded 180 gr accubond from my 300 WSM and it performed awesome. Complete pass through and the buck dropped dead in it's tracks. Great caliber.

))--SLIVER-->


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

SLIVER said:


> Shot my buck this year at 264 yds with a handloaded 180 gr accubond from my 300 WSM and it performed awesome. Complete pass through and the buck dropped dead in it's tracks. Great caliber.
> 
> ))--SLIVER-->


Awesome, thanks........any pics?

I wonder how 150 gr would do on deer?.....too big for antelope?


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## BRL1 (Sep 12, 2007)

I have seen three antelope hit with a 300 WSM not sure which bullet, very extensive damage on 2 the third didn't look much different than one hit with a 270.

This same hunter has put down 3 elk and 2 bears with the same rifle and load.


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## threshershark (Sep 7, 2007)

The ultimate performance of a controlled expansion bullet is when it expends 100% of its energy inside the animal, maximizing tissue damage. Full pass through usually happens at fairly close ranges when there is simply too much energy retention, or at long distances when the bullet has slowed down enough to hamper expansion. The .300 WSM is nearly identical in terms of ballistics to the .300 Win Mag, both are among the best elk cartridges around. I've killed a 4-point buck and a spike elk with mine so far.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

threshershark said:


> ........The .300 WSM is nearly identical in terms of ballistics to the .300 Win Mag, both are among the best elk cartridges around..........quote]
> 
> So true, identical. And the inherently accurate 300 Win Mag is hard to beat for elk. But my 300 WSM weighs over a pound less than my 300 Win Mag and has a shorter action.
> 
> My old 300 Win Mag is tired and doesn't paper like it use to so I can't compare it with the same projectile in the 300 WSM at the range.....wish I could.


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## grousehunter (Sep 11, 2007)

wyogoob said:


> I wonder how 150 gr would do on deer?.....too big for antelope?


I took this year's deer with a 150-grain ballistic silvertip, complete pass through and instant kill. Last year's I shot the same load and the bullet punched through one shoulder and lodged in the other. I love the 300 WSM, not to mention how light the rifle is.


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