.338 Win Mag vs .325WSM

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MuleyMadness

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Hey folks,

I am seriously considering picking up a .325WSM but wanted to hear everyone's opinion on the calibre and comparisons for hunting against a .338 win mag. Now I know it's a bit flatter and higher velocities but that doesn't really tell the whole story when it comes to killing game. Not too concerned with availability of commerical ammo as I will handload for it. I will be using the new rifle (and I will get one in either .338 or .325 within the next 45 days)for all types of hunting out to 400yrds on large game such as grizz and elk. So please everyone who knows about these two, chime in.
 
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MuleyMadness said:
Now I know it's a bit flatter and higher velocities ........
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No it's not. The 338 WM will beat it by 100-200 fps with all bullet weights.


The performance of the 325 WSM is about equal with the 338-06 which is not damning it with faint praise. In truth the 8mm version is not a great step up in performance from the 300 WSM as the bullet is a mere 0.015" bigger or about half-way between 30 and 338 calibre.

The "value" with the short mags is the ability of chambering them in a light little short-action rifle but other than that there is nothing they do better than the other standard length magnums.
 
Maybe I'm old fashioned, but I think all these RUMS and WIZZUMS and new fangled wonder cartridges are doomed - in a few years, you won't even be able to buy brass, much less loaded rounds. The .338 WM will still be getting moose and grizzly bears long after the acronym "WSM" will get you nothing more than a puzzled look from a gun store clerk.
 
The .325WSM is actually a pretty surprisingly mild recoiling round even in a lighter rifle.(considering what you are shootiing) Works very well on deer and elk (haven't shot a moose with it yet)
 
i can tell you that 338 has BOTH ammo and components readily availible for it almost everywhere- i can't say as to that for the 325- got the 338 and NEVER BOTHERED with anything else- there's really nothing new under the sun, just the new fad is short and fat instead of long - me, i've got a hankering to go 375
 
I would wager a bet that there are currently more WSM's going out the door of gun shops, than the old stand-by's. Don't worry about the brass, it'll be here forever. Every gun manufacturer is chambering a WSM, other than Ruger, who have the RCM...

They will both kill the same, get whichever you like...
 
There is nothing wrong with the 325, my brother in-law has one and is quite pleased with its performance. I have a 338 and it is ballistically superior. Personally I don't see any advantage to a short fat cartridge although I suppose it makes slightly more efficient use of powder. I doubt there are many situations where you could tell the difference between the two in the field. There is a much greater selection of bullets for the 338 than the 325. Many of the 8mm bullets aren't designed for 325 velocities. The brother in-law loads a 200gr TSX over IMR4350 with good results.
 
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MuleyMadness said:
Hey folks,

I am seriously considering picking up a .325WSM but wanted to hear everyone's opinion on the calibre and comparisons for hunting against a .338 win mag. Now I know it's a bit flatter and higher velocities but that doesn't really tell the whole story when it comes to killing game. Not too concerned with availability of commerical ammo as I will handload for it. I will be using the new rifle (and I will get one in either .338 or .325 within the next 45 days)for all types of hunting out to 500yrds on large game such as grizz and elk. So please everyone who knows about these two, chime in.
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Flip a coin....both will do the job very well. The .325 is fun because it's new and it will do everything the .338 does but the venerable .338 has been around a long time for a reason. The .338 will be easier to reload for as the short mags rely on compressed loads and proprietary powders to get numbers they get with factory ammo and matching these velocities can be difficult for handloaders.

Don't get caught up in the hype about the short mags offering less recoil and defying gravity because they don't but once you get past the hype, they are some fun cartridges to shoot. Biggest decision is do you want a short or long action and what's available in the rifle you want. After that, don't sweat it as performance between the two is very similar....

Not sure I'd be shooting grizz at 500 yards with any calibre though.......
 
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Don't know about the .325 but the others sure can stack bullets funny - that short fat case that'll sometimes cost you one less round in the mag. I'd prefer the .338 for any of the reasons posted - and I doubt I'd ever want to take a poke at any grizzly over 250 yards away with anything hand held. There's very little that would scare me too bad with a .338 and the right bullet....but then there isn't much worries me with my .45-70 and a 350 either within 150 yards.
 
Cappy said:
The .325WSM is actually a pretty surprisingly mild recoiling round even in a lighter rifle.(considering what you are shootiing) Works very well on deer and elk (haven't shot a moose with it yet)
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Yes, you can save some weight on the rifle due to short action + short action is much easier to work, e.g. reload for the second shot + recoil is lighter + powder in the short case burns better and gives more uniform result, so if you have factory ammo you will bet getter results with it.
 
Go up north a bit and just about every moose hunter you meet is shooting a .338. I would too but I got such a sweet deal on a .375 H&H I couldn't pass it up. Like the drag racers say "You can't beat cubic inches."
 
guess_kto said:
Yes, you can save some weight on the rifle due to short action + short action is much easier to work, e.g. reload for the second shot + recoil is lighter + powder in the short case burns better and gives more uniform result, so if you have factory ammo you will bet getter results with it.
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yes, a short action is much faster to cycle! saving 0.00001 seconds is a major advantage to the hunter!

Recoil is lighter in a shortaction? so my .325wsm will recoil less then my .25-06? fantastic!

yup, factory ammo, always gives the best results. no one handloads for accuracy, ever :)

just thought I'd shovel a little sarcasm on your BS :)


of the shortmagnums, the .325 is the only one that really interests me. 8mm is an oddball, a concept that feels quite warm and fuzzy around me. both are serious hammers,and way more energy then 90% of canadian big game will ever need. hard to go wrong with either.
 
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savagefan said:
Go up north a bit and just about every moose hunter you meet is shooting a .338. I would too but I got such a sweet deal on a .375 H&H I couldn't pass it up. Like the drag racers say "You can't beat cubic inches."
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I always heard the saying to be "No replacement for displacement". Anyhow, Who the hell doesn't like more horsepower?? Whether its in cars or guns. In my sick twisted little world, more is more. Why smack em when you can slam em.
 
Tumbleweed said:
Maybe I'm old fashioned, but I think all these RUMS and WIZZUMS and new fangled wonder cartridges are doomed - in a few years, you won't even be able to buy brass, much less loaded rounds. The .338 WM will still be getting moose and grizzly bears long after the acronym "WSM" will get you nothing more than a puzzled look from a gun store clerk.
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I would bet that the only ones that will survive are the 300WIZZUM and the 270 WIZZM and the rest will go the way of the do do bird:D
 
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guess_kto said:
Yes, you can save some weight on the rifle due to short action + short action is much easier to work, e.g. reload for the second shot + recoil is lighter + powder in the short case burns better and gives more uniform result, so if you have factory ammo you will bet getter results with it.
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Yes, that is the hype, but I do not think it is always or even mostly true in real life!
 
When I stated recoil was mild I ment it was less than I would expect from the somewhat light rifle I have it in, considering the weight and velocity of the bullet.

I'm kind of along the same views as Amphip....either would be great, but the 325 is just a little more different.
 
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