What the next WSM?

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Marshall

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I just saw this, didn't know about it until now. Is there even a rifle chambered for this thing? Bet it bumps your shoulder a tad. :rolleyes:


.325 WSM
The newest addition to the Winchester Short Magnum family, .325 WSM utilizes a highly efficient propellant burn to deliver .338 Winchester Magnum performance, with exceptional bench-rest accuracy in the proven 'short, fat' cartridge design. The .325 WSM will be available in a 220 grain Power-Point®, 200 grain AccuBondTM CT® bullet and a 180 grain Ballistic Silvertip®.
 
You mean the 8mm short mag, that they called a .325 to avoid the 8mm jinx?
:evil:

I suspect the 8mm Rem Mag loaded with the new powders will pretty well smoke this new short mag. If nothing else, hopefully they'll be some nice new bullets in 8mm come out, which might be good if I buy one of them. I'll likely buy either a .338 or 8mm mag sometime next year.
 
The next should be the 300 WSM with the neck necked down to 5mm.
Don't you know, the double shoulder is going to be the next fad.
They should also load it to .204Ruger velocities, kinda like how the 25 WSM isn't any faster than a 25-06.

Okay, joking aside, I don't see why it'd be advantageous to have a 32 cal WSM.
Rifles in 338 Winmag can be bought plenty accurate for hunting and I don't know anyone who shoots benchrest with anything bigger than a 30 cal thus the very slight increase in accuracy due to the short fat case isn't put to practical use.

That's just my view. Any cartridge that a person will buy is worth having on the market, i just wont be one of those who buys one.
 
How 'bout a .458 WSM? I mean, who cares if it'll kick like a mule on steroids and turn a whitetail into hamburger? As long as the cartridges go for over $30 a box, and the action length is 1/2" shorter, it HAS to be good, right? :banghead:

I just don't get the current WSM craze.
 
Actually, I think the .458 IS a short mag. It was designed to match the .470 Nitro balllistics with a shorter case. Of course, until Reloader 15 came along, it didn't really match the old round.

All kidding aside, the short fat cartridges have been proven to offer some improvement to ballistic uniformity, as well as allow for a stiffer, lighter action. There isn't enough advantage, however, to get me to go buy a rifle I don't really need.

I could probably use something in the .338 class, but as much as anything I'll look at the individual rifle, and make the purchase more on the gun than the caliber. I doubt an elk will care if it's well hit by a .338, a .325, or 8mm RM. Drop a new Super Grade M70 with really nice wood in my lap at a fair price, and I might be perfectly happy with a .325 WSM.

If that new Super Grade is in my left hand, and a pre-64 M70 in .338 is in my right hand, I have a tough decision what to buy. :confused: :D

edit to add: and I'd also like to buy one of those Coopers that I hear are so superbly accurate. Which then poses the dilemma - .22-250 Ackley Improved, or .223 WSSM? :banghead:
 
Am I the only person not gettting into the SMs?
Click to expand...
I'm not into them at all.
Great more short mag bashers
Click to expand...
It's just I don't find them much better than whats already out there. That said, I'm glad this is happening in a way. Who knows, with all this testing, maybe they will come up with something that is innovative eventually.
 
I know short mags are not magical (like the gun rags want everyone to think).
But I don't know why everyone hates them. They have some small but real advantages.
 
I really don't hate any cartridge. I'd probably be more likely to say that I've never met one I didn't like :D To control my gun-buying urges, I try to only buy guns that serve a useful purpose, that are appreciably different than ones I already own.

That said, I was unimpressed that the .300 WSM was claimed to "match the ballistics of the original .300 win mag". Since my favorite rifle happens to be in that caliber, I have a lot of experience loading for it and chrono'ing the results. My handloads pretty handily beat the .300 WSM - so does Hornady's Heavy Magnum loads. Actually, Hornady Light Mags in .30-06 basically match the .300 WSM.

I was looking for a light bolt action a while back, and thought the M70 Featherweight in .300 WSM looked pretty interesting - until I handled one and found they made the barrel heavier than the standard Featherweight. Kinda defeats the purpose of a shorter action? So here's this brand new super-duper deerslayer that weighs more than a .30-06 and has the same potential performance. That's progress? I bought a Browning Micro in .308 - more than enough for deer, and lighter yet.

Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't rule out a WSM - if I decide to get a .270 or 7 mag, I'd give it a look, because I don't own anything in those calibers. Similarly, the .223 WSSM is of interest, because it will beat the either the .22-250, or the .220 Swift. That's not true of the .22-250 Ackley, however. :)
 
Can't say I'm interested in the WSM but the WSSMs intrigue me because in addition to their superior balistics they can be had in a semi-auto rifle the size of an AR-15, the Oly Arms PCR-8 Mag. I want one in .243 WSSM for my eventual prarie dog trip. Could even do double duty against dear with heavier bullets, but I already have a nice Steyr ProHunter for that . . .
 
Black Snowman
Are there any hicaps available for the Oly Arms PCR-8 Mag.
(I don't know why you would need them... I was just wondering)
 
It uses standard mags, some you have to modify the feed lips on. I can fit 12 rounds in my 30 round Orlite 223 magazine I got from CDNN for $10. 7 rounds fit in the 20 round mags.

The reason you'd want the hi-caps would be for target rich environments like prarie dog hunting. I plan on taking a stack of full magazines with me :)

Owner reviews on the gun at ar15.com have been universally positive with it easily achieving sub MOA accuracy and being reliable in function.
 
I use an AR in 5.56 for varmints and it works great.
The .243WSSM should have good range and Wind bucking ability, makes sense to me. :)
 
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