7mm WSM Ballistics

[Newbie22]

Hey everyone. The other day my friend offered to let me shoot his Browning 7mm short mag. While shooting it was nice, I don't really know much about the cartridge itself. Can anyone familiar with the round describe its performance to me? Is it known for accuracy, velocity, stopping power, etc? I'd like to know as much information as I can before I consider the possibility of getting one for myself. Thanks!

Edit: Having read through several responses, I think the question is whether or not I'll really be gaining anymore over the 30-06 Remington 700 that's been my tried and true deer rifle for years.

 

[C-grunt]

It held or maybe still does a record for groups at 1000 yards. It's slightly more powerful than the 7mm Rem Mag which is considered equal to the venerable 30-06. That round with the proper bullet will take all but the largest game on the planet. Anything in North America and everything except the real big stuff in Africa.

 

[jmr40]

It is the 300 WSM that is the current 1,000 yard benchrest record. http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com...oots-2-815-record-at-1000-yards-with-300-wsm/ With most handloads it is slightly slower than a 7mm Rem mag with equal bullet weights. It's advantage, as all of the WSM chabmerings is that it offers about 98% of the standard magnum's speed, but in a smaller lighter package.

The 270 WSM and 300 WSM's are firmly entrenched and are solid sellers. The 7mm WSM, as well as all the others, are on life support with very few rifles chambered for them and may well not survive much longer. The shame is that the 7mm WSM may well be the best of the group, but there were some production problems and it was the last to be introduced. The 270 WSM is so close in performance, and had already been accepted by shooters that there wasn't much demand for the 7mm version.

 

[helotaxi]

It's essentially a short action version of the 7mm Rem Mag. It has the attributes of the super accurate benchrest cartridges in that it has a fairly short and fat powder column. Plenty of power for pretty much anything in North America except maybe grizzly and effective on large game as far out as you are capable of hitting them. Thanks to the high BC bullets available and the high velocities, the round can buck the wind extremely well. Shoots flatter and resists the wind better than most any .30cal cartridge with less recoil.

 

[MachIVshooter]

It's slightly [strike]more[/strike] less powerful than the 7mm Rem Mag which is considered equal to the venerable 30-06.

There.

The two are on equal footing with lighter bullets, but the 7mm RM edges ahead slightly with 160 gr. and heavier bullets (50-100 FPS).

The difference is acedemic, though. For all intents and purposes, the two are ballistic twins. And both are ahead of the .30-06 by a decent margin, especially when considering trajectory of the higher B.C. 7mm bullets in the useable range for these cartridges. A 175 gr. .284" pill will perform much better at range than a .308" 180 gr. bullet at the same speed. As it were, the 7 mags can push them a decent bit faster.

 

[C-grunt]

There.

The two are on equal footing with lighter bullets, but the 7mm RM edges ahead slightly with 160 gr. and heavier bullets (50-100 FPS).

The difference is acedemic, though. For all intents and purposes, the two are ballistic twins. And both are ahead of the .30-06 by a decent margin, especially when considering trajectory of the higher B.C. 7mm bullets in the useable range for these cartridges. A 175 gr. .284" pill will perform much better at range than a .308" 180 gr. bullet at the same speed. As it were, the 7 mags can push them a decent bit faster.

Ahh. Thanks for the info. I just looked up some factory ammo stuff and they showed the short mag ahead slightly.

I like you believe the 7mm Mag to be ahead of the 30-06 but a lot of people who know a lot more about shooting big game have said the two are equal. Either way a good 175ish grain 7mm is going to take anything in North America.

 

[Newbie22]

Thanks for the info guys. I guess this begs the question of whether or not the 7mm, or any of the short magnums, is worth the extra expense over my current 30-06. I mostly hunt deer, and while bigger game is a possibility sometime in the future, I can't really think of anything roaming North America I wouldn't feel comfortable taking with my Remington 700. Especially considering how much power there is to be had behind a hot loaded '06. What do you think?

 

[helotaxi]

All of the loading manuals that I have put the 7WSM slightly faster than the Rem Mag with bullets up to 150gn. Above that it's a wash. That's assuming that the 7WSM is limited to 2.860". If you have something like a Savage that allows loading out to 2.95" or so, it holds its own pretty well with the heavier bullets as well.

It's pretty academic though. They are essentially identical other than the fact that the WSM fits in a short action rifle and thanks to the lack of a pointless belt on the case, it's easier to reload. Both are excellent long range hunting cartridges. Recoil is on par with a .30-06 but long range trajectory and energy are better.

ETA: if you have the -06 and yours shoots well, not reason to upgrade/change unless you're planning on adding regular 500+ yard shots on large game to your list of needs in a hunting rifle.

 

[Savage99]

Newbie22,

Welcome to the forum. I have a 7mm WSM along with other rifles.

I have been hunting with CF rifles and handloading them since 1953.

There is a lot of overlap in the effect of cartridges on deer and other game. The 30-06 is the standard of the world and more than enough for any hunting around you.

What you might consider is up grading your rifle! I also started out with a Rem. (722) back then and that 7XX product is a basic, inexpensive rifle that gets by.

Look around at other rifles that have more features. I prefer control round feed rifles with M70 type safeties. The M70 Featherweights, Kimber 84M's and 8400's and some Ruger 77's are favorites of mine.

I just had to get a 7mm WSM to get away from those ill designed belted magnums so I got a Kimber Montana so chambered.

The 7mm WSM was brought out to sell more rifles to guys like me that already have a lot of rifles and don't need another one but might 'want' another one!

The cartridge really did not catch on but I like it! Get what you want as thats the fun of guns however unless your deep into it handloading the popular rounds like the 30-06, 270 and 308 will do it just fine around here.

After this season shop around your area and handle other rifles.

A good shop if your in Western CT is the Autumn Gun Works. Of course Cabelas us huge.

Here is a picture of some of my Kimber Montanas. The one to the right is a 270 WSM. The 7mm WSM and 7-08 did not make that picture.

 

[MachIVshooter]

I guess this begs the question of whether or not the 7mm, or any of the short magnums, is worth the extra expense over my current 30-06.

Not unless you're trying to marginally increase your MPBR or just itchin' for a new toy. At practical hunting ranges (under 500 yards), there is no tenable advantage making it worth the cost.

 

[jmr40]

I guess this begs the question of whether or not the 7mm, or any of the short magnums, is worth the extra expense over my current 30-06.

I've owned several magnum rifles over the years including 7mm and I currently own a 300 WSM. For me the answer is probably not, especially if added performance is your goal. If you do not handload then the magnums might be a better option. The 30-06 has always been loaded quite conservatively and can easily, and safely be improved upon with good loads. With my loads the magnums difference is just not that great.

In a nutshell my 30-06, with my handloads, is a legitimate 500 yard elk gun and a 600 yard deer rifle. The magums would give me about another 100 yards of effective range, but I'm not good enough to take advantage of what my 30-06 can do, let alone the magnums. The magnums don't kill any deader at closer ranges either.

I like, and keep the 300 WSM rifle, not because of the added speed it gives me, but because of the rifle it is chambered in. That is the main advantage of any of the WSM's and the one most misunderstood. All of the WSM's are very efficeint cartridge designs. They use a lot less powder to get almost the same veloctiy as the traditional magnums. This means they recoil less and can use shorter barrels. They also tend to be slightly more accurate. The absence of a belt has advantages as well.

My 300 WSM gives me 98% of the bullet speed I'd get with a 300 Win mag, but in a 308 size and weight rifle, with slightly more recoil than a 30-06. Since I handload, ammo prices are about the same for any of them.

If you choose the rifle carefully and want a rifle that can be smaller and lighter than a traditional 30-06 and still see a slight gain in performance, the WSM's make sense.