In today’s market, two of the most popular cartridges out there are the 300 Win Mag and the 556 NATO. In both the civilian and military market, these rounds are used for a wider array of tasks. Because they are so popular, it would only make sense to compare the two to see which cartridge is better and why.
Here is the short answer:
The 300 Win Mag has a larger bullet, has much more power, has better overall ballistics, and is better for long range shooting. The 556 NATO has less power, but has less recoil, and is less expensive.
Now that we have looked at the short answer, we can look at each cartridge, including their ballistics charts, and see which cartridge is better and why it is better.
In-Depth Look at the 300 Win Mag
The 300 Win Mag (Win short for Winchester and Mag short for Magnum), was introduced by Winchester repeating arms in 1963. This cartridge was made by taking a 375 H&H magnum case, shortening, blowing out the walls slightly, and necking it down to use a 30 caliber bullet.
Because of the large case behind the comparatively small bullet, the 300 Winchester magnum can shoot heavy 30-caliber bullets at very high velocities. This combination makes the 300 Winchester magnum a popular choice for hunting game like elk, moose, caribou, and even grizzly bear.
There is a downside to the 300 Win Mag and that is that it is a very heavier recoiling cartridge. Most shooters can handle its recoil in a heavy rifle, but in a lighter mountain hunting rifle, you will start to see many shooters develop a flinch due to the heavy recoil.
Here is a ballistics chart of the 300 Win Mag with a 180-grain soft point bullet:
| Range (YD) | drop (IN) | wind drift (IN) | velocity FPS | energy ft-lb |
| 0 | -1.5 | 0 | 2960 | 3502 |
| 50 | -0.2 | 0.1 | 2852 | 3250 |
| 100 | 0 | 0.7 | 2746 | 3013 |
| 150 | -0.9 | 1.6 | 2643 | 2791 |
| 200 | -3.1 | 2.9 | 2542 | 2582 |
| 250 | -6.6 | 4.5 | 2443 | 2385 |
| 300 | -11.6 | 6.6 | 2346 | 2200 |
| 350 | -18.2 | 9.2 | 2252 | 2027 |
| 400 | -26.5 | 12.3 | 2160 | 1864 |
| 450 | -36.6 | 15.9 | 2070 | 1712 |
| 500 | -48.8 | 20 | 1982 | 1570 |
In-Depth Look at the 556 NATO
The 556 NATO was first in the process of being developed in 1954 although it wasn’t adopted by NATO until the 1980s. It is based on the 223 Remington but militarized (militarized meaning it modified the original caliber to use a higher chamber pressure to achieve higher velocities and more power).
The 556 NATO is most commonly used for range shooting and varmint hunting because of its cheap price and small size. Additionally, the 556 NATO is a common home defense round because its recoil is extremely easy to control and it works great in the semi-auto AR-15 rifle.
There is a downside to the 556 and it lacks power. It is a pretty light hitting cartridge and is often too light to be used for game like deer. However, one can reliability take coyotes out to 300 yards.
Here is a ballistics chart of the 556 NATO with a 55-grain jacketed soft point:
| range (YD) | drop (IN) | wind drift (IN) | velocity FPS | energy ft-lb |
| 0 | -1.5 | 0 | 3240 | 1282 |
| 50 | -0.3 | 0.3 | 3053 | 1138 |
| 100 | 0 | 1 | 2874 | 1008 |
| 150 | -0.8 | 2.3 | 2701 | 891 |
| 200 | -2.7 | 4.3 | 2536 | 785 |
| 250 | -6 | 6.9 | 2376 | 689 |
| 300 | -10.9 | 10.2 | 2222 | 603 |
| 350 | -17.5 | 14.4 | 2074 | 525 |
| 400 | -26.1 | 19.4 | 1931 | 455 |
| 450 | -37.1 | 25.4 | 1795 | 393 |
| 500 | -51.1 | 32.7 | 1667 | 339 |
In-Depth Comparison
Ballistics:
The 300 Win Mag outperforms the 556 NATO in terms of velocity, energy, and effective range. Because of the much larger case and larger bullet size, the 300 Win Mag is going to have much better ballistics. This makes the 300 Win Mag a better choice for big game hunting as well as long range shooting.
Recoil:
While the 300 Win Mag does have better ballistics, it is going to have the trade-off of a much harsher recoil than the 556. So shooters sensitive to recoil would prefer the 556 to the 300 Win Mag.
Versatility:
Both of these rounds have their respective uses so versatility is hard to compare. The 300 Win Mag is best suited for long range shooting and big game hunting. The 556 is a great choice for close range tactical shooting and varmint hunting.
Avaliblity and cost:
Another downside to the 300 Win Mag’s larger case size is price. The 300 Win Mag will run at about 1.5 dollars a round. On the other hand, the 556 will run about 50 cents a round. Additionally, because the 556 NATO is adopted by all of the United Nations, it is more common around the world.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the choice between the 300 Win Mag and the 556 NATO depends on your intended use and shooting preferences. If you desire long range performance and maximum energy downrange, the 300 Win Mag will be the better choice. If you want to go to the range often without spending too much money or are looking to hunt varmints, the 556 will be the better choice.