.300 WSM or .300 Remington Ultra Mag?

[Cougeyes]

In the market to buy a new .300 which one do people prefer and why?

[Huntbear]

Depends on what you want it for.  For all purpose, go the short mag.  If you are long range shooting, 500 + yds then go with the Ultra.   If weight will be an isue, go with the wsm.  If money is an issue then the short mag will be far cheaper to buy ammo for or to reload for.

[Red Dawg]

you are trying to compare two way to different calibers. In my opinion the only reason to buy wsm's is for the short action. I own a wsm and love it but I only bought it for the short action. I also have a 300 rum and to me there is no comparing it. Easy 200 -300 fps advantage and you can shoot a 200 grain bullet over 3100 fps without any trouble. Again like huntbear said it depends on what and where you hunt and the type of shots you intend on taking. I like them both equally but for different reasons.

[bobcat]

If you don't know which one you need, you're probably better off with the 300 WSM. Or just go with a 30-06. It's about the same as the 300 WSM and cheaper to shoot.

[Cougeyes]

I intend on using it for both deer and elk, but have been in situations with my .270 where i know if i had a larger caliber i would have taken longer shots (granted i would practice those longer shots).  500 yards would be maximum distance i would want to shoot, i hunt higher muley country and often am faced with longer cross canyon shots.  However, i am often on the move with a decent sized backpack and notice the .300 wsm is lighter and has a lower recoil (not that, that really matters).  

[bobcat]

To me lighter weight and less recoil matters a lot. But that's just me. That's one the big disadvantages of the Ultra. I guess if you already have a 270, get the 300 Ultra. If you have a 270 the 300 WSM isn't much of an improvement over that.

[fishcrazy]

Some good advice from all post.  My wife had a 300wsm and we loved it. I'm going to go with one someday when I build a mountain gun. If you want to shoot a big 30 cal bullet then the RUM is a good one. the 300 wsm is good out and past 100k yards but not with a heavy bullet unless custom built with a longer throat. But that is getting into another topic. As for factory guns you won't want to go over 180 grn bullet.

The biggest question is what you want to accomplish with the gun?


Kris

[Red Dawg]

I guess a huge misconception of the 300 rum is that it kicks harder than other mags. That is not true at all at least with mine. The wsm will kick you a lot sharper than the rum. Lots of pressure in those wsm's. Plus with the lighter weight and shorter lighter barrels you will feel more of it. Now that you have said that you are backpacking it that I would most certainly buy the 300 wsm. More than capable of shooting 500 yards at elk and mule deer. You get better than 30-06 trajectories in a short action plus a lighter weight gun. Win-win situation.

[Huntbear]

Some good advice from all post.  My wife had a 300wsm and we loved it. I'm going to go with one someday when I build a mountain gun. If you want to shoot a big 30 cal bullet then the RUM is a good one. the 300 wsm is good out and past 100k yards but not with a heavy bullet unless custom built with a longer throat. But that is getting into another topic. As for factory guns you won't want to go over 180 grn bullet.

The biggest question is what you want to accomplish with the gun?
Kris

Man, if they shoot that far, I gotta get one.   

[Cougeyes]

Thanks for the advice guys. I've been trying to compare rifles and balistics/trajectories etc... Although i wish the .300 WSM were cheaper, anyone know of one for sale by chance? 

[superdown]

Rifle Recoil Table

By Chuck Hawks

For an expanded version of this table showing a great many more calibers and loads including British, European, wildcat, obsolescent American and proprietary calibers, see the "Expanded Rifle Recoil Table" on the Tables, Charts and Lists Page.

For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction; that is one of the physical laws of our universe. This means that the momentum of a rifle's reaction will exactly equal the momentum of the bullet and powder gasses ejected from the barrel. In the shooting sports we call that reaction recoil or "kick." It can be measured or computed empirically, and has been for this recoil table.

However, perceived recoil, what the shooter feels, is a highly subjective matter. It is influenced by many factors. One of the most important of these is the fit and shape of the rifle stock. A good recoil pad can help soften the blow to the shooter's shoulder. Gas-operated semi-automatic actions reduce apparent recoil by spreading it over a longer period of time. These sorts of things cannot be accounted for in a recoil table. Also, please understand that there are dozens of loads for any given bullet weight in any cartridge that will produce the same velocity, but a different amount of recoil. So the figures in any recoil table should be taken as approximate. Never-the-less, the table below should give a reasonably accurate comparison of the recoil of most popular rifle cartridges.

It is worth remembering that the majority of authorities agree that recoil of over twenty foot pounds will cause most shooters to develop a serous flinch, which is ruinous to bullet placement (the prime component of killing power). Fifteen foot pounds is probably about the maximum recoil energy most shooters feel reasonably comfortable with, particularly at the shooting range, where most serious marksmanship practice occurs.

While recoil energy determines how hard the blow to the shoulder feels, recoil velocity determines how abrupt the blow to the shoulder feels. My subjective impression is that, with a well designed stock, recoil velocity above about 10 fps begins to feel like a sharp rap on the shoulder rather than an abrupt push.

I estimate that fifteen foot pounds of free recoil energy and 10 fps of recoil velocity represent the approximate upper limit of the comfort level. Above that recoil becomes increasingly intrusive. Also, the effects of recoil are cumulative. The longer you shoot, and the harder the rifle kicks, the more likely you are to flinch. These are good things to remember when comparing rifle cartridges, and at the range.

In the table below rifle weight is given in pounds, free recoil energy is given in foot pounds, and free recoil velocity is given in feet-per-second. All recoil values have been rounded off to one decimal place.

The recoil energy and recoil velocity figures are taken from various sources including the recoil nomograph in the Handloader's Digest 8th Edition, various online recoil calculators, the Remington Shoot! program or calculated from the formula given in the Lyman Reloading Handbook, 43rd Edition.

Cartridge (Wb@MV)    Rifle Weight    Recoil energy    Recoil velocity
.17 HMR (17 at 2550)    7.5    0.2    n/a
.204 Ruger (33 at 4225)    8.5    2.6    4.4
.22 LR (40 at 1165)    4.0    0.2    n/a
.22 WMR (40 at 1910)    6.75    0.4    n/a
.22 Hornet (45 at 2800)    7.5    1.3    3.3
.222 Rem. (50 at 3200)    7.5    3.0    5.1
.223 Rem. (55 at 3200)    8.0    3.2    5.1
.223 Rem. (62 at 3025)    7.0    3.9    6.0
.22-250 Rem. (55 at 3600)    8.5    4.7    6.0
.220 Swift (55 at 3800)    8.5    5.3    6.4
.223 WSSM (55 at 3850)    7.5    6.4    7.4
.243 Win. (75 at 3400)    8.5    7.2    7.4
.243 Win. (100 at 2960)    7.5    8.8    8.7
6mm Rem. (100 at 3100)    8.0    10.0    9.0
.243 WSSM (100 at 3100)    7.5    10.1    9.3
.240 Wby. Mag. (100 at 3406)    8.0    17.9    n/a
.25-35 Win. (117 at 2230)    6.5    7.0    8.3
.250 Savage (100 at 2900)    7.5    7.8    8.2
.257 Roberts (120 at 2800)    8.0    10.7    9.3
.25 WSSM (120 at 2990)    7.25    13.8    11.1
.25-06 Rem. (120 at 3000)    8.0    12.5    10.0
.257 Wby. Mag. (120 at 3300)    9.25    15.1    10.3
6.5x55 Swede (140 at 2650)    9.0    10.6    8.7
.260 Rem. (120 at 2860)    7.5    13.0    10.6
6.5mm-284 Norma (140 at 2920)    8.0    14.7    10.9
6.5mm Rem. Mag. (120 at 3100)    8.0    13.1    10.3
6.5x68 S (140 at 2990)    8.5    16.8    11.3
.264 Win. Mag. (140 at 3200)    8.5    19.2    12.1
6.8mm Rem. SPC (115 at 2625)    7.5    8.0    8.3
.270 Win. (130 at 3140)    8.0    16.5    n/a
.270 Win. (150 at 2900)    8.0    17.0    11.7
.270 WSM (150 at 3000)    8.0    18.9    12.3
.270 Wby. Mag. (150 at 3000)    9.25    17.8    11.1
7x57 Mauser (139 at 2500)    8.0    10.5    9.2
7x57 Mauser (139 at 2800)    8.0    14.0    10.6
7mm-08 Rem. (140 at 2860)    8.0    12.6    10.1
7x64 (154 at 2850)    8.0    17.9    n/a
.280 Rem. (140 at 3000)    8.0    17.2    11.8
7mm Rem. SAUM (160 at 2931)    8.0    21.5    13.2
7mm WSM (160 at 3000)    8.0    21.9    13.3
7mm Rem. Mag. (150 at 3100)    8.5    19.2    12.1
7mm Wby. Mag. (140 at 3300)    9.25    19.5    11.7
7mm STW (160 at 3185)    8.5    27.9    14.6
7mm Ultra Mag. (160 at 3200)    8.5    29.4    n/a
.30 Carbine (110 at 1990)    7.0    3.5    5.7
.30-30 Win. (150 at 2400)    7.5    10.6    9.5
.30-30 Win. (170 at 2200)    7.5    11.0    9.7
.300 Sav. (150 at 2630)    7.5    14.8    n/a
.307 Win. (150 at 2600)    7.5    13.7    10.9
.308 Marlin Express (160 at 2660)    8.0    13.4    10.4
.308 Win. (150 at 2800)    7.5    15.8    11.7
.308 Win. (180 at 2610)    8.0    17.5    11.9
.30-06 Spfd. (150 at 2910)    8.0    17.6    11.9
.30-06 Spfd. (180 at 2700)    8.0    20.3    12.8
.300 Rem. SAUM (180 at 2960)    8.25    23.5    13.6
.300 WSM (180 at 2970)    8.25    23.8    13.6
.300 Win. Mag. (180 at 2960)    8.5    25.9    14.0
.300 Wby. Mag. (150 at 3400)    9.25    24.6    13.1
.300 Ultra Mag. (180 at 3230)    8.5    32.8    15.8
7.62x39 Soviet (125 at 2350)    7.0    6.9    8.0
7.62x54R Russian (174 at 2600)    9.0    15.0    10.4
.303 British (180 at 2420)    8.0    15.4    11.1
.32 Spec. (170 at 2250)    7.0    12.2    10.6
8x57 Mauser (170 at 2400)    8.0    13.6    10.4
8x57JS Mauser (195 at 2500)    8.0    18.5    12.2
.325 WSM (180 at 3060)    7.5    33.1    16.9
8x68 S (150 at 3300)    8.5    25.3    13.9
8mm Rem. Mag. (200 at 2900)    8.5    32.9    15.8
.338 Marlin Express (200 at 2400)    8.0    16.2    11.4
.338-57 O'Connor (200 at 2400)    8.0    19.2    12.4
.338 Federal (210 at 2630)    8.0    21.9    13.3
.338-06 A-Square (250 at 2500)    8.5    28.2    14.6
.338 Win. Mag. (200 at 2950)    8.5    32.8    15.8
.338 Win. Mag. (250 at 2700)    9.0    33.1    15.4
.340 Wby. Mag. (200 at 3100)    10.0    29.6    13.8
.338 Ultra Mag (250 at 2860)    8.5    43.1    n/a
.357 Mag. (158 at 1650)    7.0    4.7    6.6
.35 Rem. (200 at 2050)    7.5    13.5    10.8
.358 Win. (200 at 2490)    8.0    20.9    13.0
.35 Whelen (200 at 2675)    8.0    22.6    13.5
.350 Rem. Mag. (200 at 2700)    8.5    22.3    13.0
9.3x62 (270 at 2550)    8.5    33.3    n/a
9.3x74R (286 at 2400)    8.25    34.3    16.6
.375 Ruger (270 at 2840)    9.0    41.3    17.2
.375 H&H Mag. (270 at 2690)    9.0    36.1    16.1
.375 Ultra Mag (300 at 2800)    8.75    53.2    n/a
.378 Wby. Mag. (300 at 2900)    10.25    71.1    n/a
.405 Win. (300 at 2200)    8.0    30.6    15.7
.416 Rem. Mag. (400 at 2400)    10.0    52.9    18.5
.416 Rigby (400 at 2400)    10.0    58.1    19.3
.44 Rem. Mag. (240 at 1760)    7.5    11.2    9.8
.444 Marlin (240 at 2400)    7.5    23.3    14.2
.45 Colt (255 at 1100)    8.0    4.0    5.6
.450 Marlin (350 at 2000)    7.0    37.2    18.5
.45-70 (300 at 1800)    7.0    23.9    14.8
.45-70 (405 at 1330)    7.5    18.7    12.7
.458 Win. Mag. (500 at 2100)    9.0    62.3    21.1
.458 Lott (500 at 2300)    10.0    70.4    21.3
.460 Wby. Mag. (500 at 2600)    11.25    99.6    n/a
.470 N.E. (500 at 2150)    11.0    69.3    20.1
.50 BMG (647 at 2710)    30.0    70.0    12.3

   

[sako223]

.300 WM. It can out perform the WSM by holding about 10% more powder and can launch a heavier bullet. The WSM is limited to 180 grain bullet or less depending on seating depth or mag length. With everything being equal, bullet weight, powder, barrel length they are nearly identical except the WSM runs near max pressure.
The WSM can and has had feeding problems that can show up at the worst times.
The Ultra is a performer but costs more to shoot.
Recoil can be a problem in all three especially with a straight stock design. Example Rugers generally kick harder, a better designed stock will reduce felt recoil.

[jackelope]

why is a 300 win mag not on your list?

[Wacenturion]

Why not the .325 WSM? 

[bow-n-head]

I have shot 4 300 rum's and they all drive tacks. they are all in a mod 700. 2 had breaks, mine doesn't I don't like the obnoxious noise of a muzzel break. After having one for 7 or 8 years I realized I didn't need one. Oh I already had a 300 H&H, plenty of rifle.