300 WSM is being killed, and why?

**Againstthegrains** · 06-09-2023, 15:20

At one stage I wanted to buy a 300WSM. There were a lot of nice rifles chambered in 300 wsm, it gives great performance, 50ft/s less speed than the powder guzzling 300 win mag and uses a super efficient case that fits in a short action rifle. What's not to like.... BUT...

Before buying, I did a quick check for cost and availability of loading components, and while you can find dies, primers, powder, and bullets a plenty, you cannot find brass for love or money. Nothing in ZA shops, nothing at the major US stores like Midway, Brownells, Cabellas, and nothing in the European stores. All the forums have posts dating back to 2018, bemoaning the non-existence of 300 wsm brass. How is it possible that all 4 manufacturers have stopped making at the same time, nothing from Nosler, Norma, Winchester, Hornady? Do neither of them have the the economic sense to break rank and realise that a big run will sell immediately.

I am beginning to think there is a conspiracy, for manufacturers to now punt the latest and greatest caliber for 10 years, get it going, and then cut it off, so that we have to go onto the next one and so on and so on, build in redundancy, to sell more guns, sell more pre-loaded ammo. Its sad that even the firearm industry is doing this too us now. Or am I missing something here?

**Grobbie** · 06-09-2023, 15:25

Some manufacturer will pick up the slack at some point in time. Hopefully.

Should be some money to be made.

Just wish my 308 could go as fast as the WSM

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**aimpoint** · 06-09-2023, 15:34

ADG brass pops up every now and then. You just can’t be price conscious! They sell same day as being advertised.

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**oafpatroll** · 06-09-2023, 15:35

Probably just a capacity allocation thing. There are many other calibres (308 and 556 for eg) for which demand is near inelastic so not worth their while to stop the presses on a line to make it.

**WoodsieEC** · 06-09-2023, 16:13

Buy the 300WSM, you can always make a plan.
I'm in that boat as we speak but have made short term plans and will happily wait for the brass, that i want, to become available.

Once you have used one, you will be blown away.
I used mine last week for the 1st time. Handles like a 308 when suppressed but hits like a hammer. Antelope and pigs dropped as if they had been head shot. I loved the feel and handle so much of my new 300 during the week that I don't think my "favorite creedmoor" will see the light of day for a long time.

**Kouros** · 06-09-2023, 18:57

I can not believe that Lapua never made brass for the 300WSM. It's such a brilliant caliber, inherently accurate, and easy to load for. Easy on brass, too. I've loaded mine more than 10 times.

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**MyLani** · 07-09-2023, 06:20

The same reason why I sold my 270wsm.
Was an amazing rifle, but got tired of struggling for cases.

**Messor** · 07-09-2023, 12:12

Originally Posted by Kouros

I can not believe that Lapua never made brass for the 300WSM. It's such a brilliant caliber, inherently accurate, and easy to load for. Easy on brass, too. I've loaded mine more than 10 times.

In the grant scheme of things they cater to very little cartridges, but as a business model that makes sense, they already had the 300WM which they knew had a big following, these days it’s PRC as well.

Personally, I am just amazed that people can still keep on shooting with the price of brass and bullets.

**Againstthegrains** · 09-09-2023, 10:42

Fan boys forget that the PRC's are not meant to be hunting cartridges. They are designed for long distance target shooting. They have long necks and very high twist rates to accommodate heavy for caliber bullets with massive BC's. These bullets have two problems when it comes to hunting.
1. BC only makes a difference at distances which are beyond the distances we hunt at, so what's the point?
2. If you are going to use all that powder to drive a very heavy bullet, then you are back to square one with respect to buying a flat shooting cartridge. You may as well buy a normal hunting rifle with lower twist and shoot lighter bullets at higher velocities. A typical example, is that a 300 PRC shoots a 225gr bullet at 2810ft/sec. I loaded my friends cheap and chearfull standard barrel 30-06 Howa to shoot a 155gr bullet at the same velocity with no pressure issues. It uses almost half the powder and a lot less recoil. A well loaded 300 WM or 300WSM with a 155gr bullet will give you around 3100ft/sec without breaking a sweat.

**Heath Robinson** · 09-09-2023, 11:19

I don't do a hell of a lot of plains hunting, and perhaps as a result have always questioned the need for speed.

Seems to me it doesn't make enough difference to bullet drop that one can shoot significantly further without knowing what distance you are shooting at. And the moment you do know (which is now at least possible most of the time) then drop is not an issue anymore (assuming you have done your homework).

What these long, heavy bullets do gvie one is much reduced wind drift. And that is still important...