Elk gun question

Hunter7 said:
Maybe a dumb question but why would you buy a large amount of ammo for a calibre you don’t own? Even if it was cheap, just sayin.
Click to expand...

The world is made up of all kinds of people! I am building up a rifle for which I can not yet find any ammo - it is a 416 Rem Mag, for when I need to stop gravel trucks, in their tracks - if I ever find ammo for it, and if I ever get it built ...
 
hoytcanon said:
I have had several WSM's and have friends that shoot many more... nobody I know has ever had feeding problems, including three that are shooting semi-auto's.
Click to expand...

I'm happy they're working for you guys, but google it and you will find no end of issues. Very likely that many of the same problems from specific rifles are repeated on other forums, making the situation seem worse than it is, but problems exist for many.
 
I am probably several generations of rifle out of step, but I have found short cartridges take some fussing to make work, in receivers designed for a longer cartridge. Mauser 98 in 8x57 seem to go fine - what they were made to do. Israeli conversions of those to 7.62 NATO - with the magazine blocked at front seem to function okay. But I have two Mauser 98 with 243 Win barrels that I can not get to work well - has to be something in the feeding / when the case shoulder or the skinny bullet goes up the feed ramp and / or when the magazine side rails let go of the cartridge. Both work fine with a Score High single shot follower installed, but I have not got them to be "slick" with either standard German, or modified Israeli magazine boxes. Yet there are several former 8x57 that now use 30-06 that seem to go fine - I have decided it has to be a "short cartridge in long action" thing - maybe the receiver feed rails, under the action, need tweaking ... I suspect if one started to design for that length and diameter of cartridge, one could get the feed angles correct - is more fussy to adopt a previously existing long action that uses smaller diameter body, to do so, I think.
 
Last edited:
browning525 said:
I'm happy they're working for you guys, but google it and you will find no end of issues. Very likely that many of the same problems from specific rifles are repeated on other forums, making the situation seem worse than it is, but problems exist for many.
Click to expand...

As is typical of human nature, whining gains much traction and is often repeated. If R&D had not tested the Short Mags extensively, they would not be chambered for semi-auto actions... there is no reason to suspect that you will not have good function in factory firearms chambered in WSM cartridges. Obviously, the larger diameter and the steeper shoulder angle present some challenges, but OEM's have that pretty much figured out, at least with factory ammo... I would bet that many of the reported issues are with reloaded ammo.
 
I imagine you've made your decision but I would sell the ammo and go with 180+gr. In that caliber or something bigger.
 
Potashminer said:
I am probably several generations of rifle out of step, but I have found short cartridges take some fussing to make work, in receivers designed for a longer cartridge. Mauser 98 in 8x57 seem to go fine - what they were made to do. Israeli conversions of those to 7.62 NATO - with the magazine blocked at front seem to function okay. But I have two Mauser 98 with 243 Win barrels that I can not get to work well - has to be something in the feeding / when the case shoulder or the skinny bullet goes up the feed ramp and / or when the magazine side rails let go of the cartridge. Both work fine with a Score High single shot follower installed, but I have not got them to be "slick" with either standard German, or modified Israeli magazine boxes. Yet there are several former 8x57 that now use 30-06 that seem to go fine - I have decided it has to be a "short cartridge in long action" thing - maybe the receiver feed rails, under the action, need tweaking ... I suspect if one started to design for that length and diameter of cartridge, one could get the feed angles correct - is more fussy to adopt a previously existing long action that uses smaller diameter body, to do so, I think.
Click to expand...

Mostly when that happens it is guys stretching the OAL with long bullets due to the longer action... the tip of the bullet hits the ramp prematurely (compared to design specs) and catches the case body under the rails causing the binding. When the tip to shoulder distances is within original spec, they usually feed fine. I have a number of short action cartridges chambered in LA's. The latest was a .450 Marlin done in a 7 RM donor, with the 350 RN bullets seated to the cannelure, it feeds slick.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom