Soooo, what about the 325WSM??

Bulldog

Bulldog

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Barring all the poop discussions about its not needed because a few other cals have similar balistics / are proven / are prettier / smell nicer / etc. I don't have anything over 30 cal I've been toying with 338rum, 338 Win, 8mm Rem as a hunting gun / shooting crossover.

Has anyone played with it, what is the potential for it as a 500-800 yard cartridge? I was looking at a Winchester Coyote lite tonight in this cal and it looked quite interesting for a hunting / shooting crossover rig.


Opinions please?
 
Can't offer any insight as I don't have one, but it does kind of amuse me that Win. calls it a .325, instead of an 8mm.
8mm is .323 diameter, and yet there is no mention at all made of metric. I mentioned this on a US forum a while back, and someone (from the US) replied that Americans are rather metric-phobic. The one exception being the 7mm RemMag.
 
Just read an acticle recently in Rifle Shooter I believe where they were reviewing a particular companies tactical rifle. 325WSM is one of the more popular calibres being requested. I have an M70 in 325WSM and it shoots very well with 220gr Sierras. I would think with the high BC it would prove to be a very respectable long range round.
 
I have never been a big fan of anything Short Magnum....just feel your doing just that, selling yourself and the rifle short. I think they have great potential as a hunting cartridge with reduced recoil smaller package to carry etc. But when it comes to the precision end of things fullsize seems to have an edge for range and performance. Now Cat shoots a .300wsm out to 1000 and has had great success and so may this cartridge, but when I look at the performance charts on the caridge I personaly would stick with a full size cartridge.

If you look at the performance of the .325 and compare it to other cartridges for the long range precision application there is so much out there that does so much more. But personal preferance is what drives the cartridge and it may work very well for you.

.325 WSM FACTORY BALLISTICS
Muzzle 100 yds. 200 yds. 300 yds. 400 yds.
Velocity (fps)
180-gr. BST 3,060 2,817 2,586 2,367 2,158
200-gr. AB-CT 2,950 2,736 2,532 2,338 2,151
220-gr. PP 2,840 2,657 2,481 2,313 2,150
Energy (ft.-lbs.)
180-gr. BST 3,742 3,170 2,673 2,239 1,862
200-gr. AB-CT 3,864 3,324 2,848 2,426 2,055
220-gr. PP 3,939 3,448 3,007 2,612 2,258
Trajectory (inches)
180-gr. BST -0.9 +1.7 0 -7.0 -20.1
200-gr. AB-CT -0.9 +1.9 0 -7.3 -21.0
220-gr. PP -0.9 +2.0 0 -7.7 -21.8
 
Predator said:
*2

I expect Winchester will hold off until sales of the 325 slow down, then introduce the 338 WSM or a 35 WSM.
Click to expand...

Agreed, I'll have to think about it, as a hunting round maybe I'll replace my 300 weatherby with it. just not sure
 
I had and shot a 300 wsm, (put a large volume of ammo through it). I feel very very little difference in recoil between it and by 300WM. The 300WM handles a much wider range of rounds with far more consistent results. Its just plain and simple a flat shooting, versatile cartidge. After owning both I would highly recommend the 300WM over the wsm.

BULLDOG, again, having shot many of these cartidges, Your 300 Weatherby Mag is a screamer. Its has only a small margine of greater recoil than the wsm, is way more versatile, and overall has more power. 300 Weatherby is a great round which still outdoes any of the new wsm.

The above opinions are just that, opinions developed though shooting many of these new catridges and comparing them. This does not discount the fact they have several advantages most noted being reduced recoil. The biggest pitfall I encountered was that the wsm's suffered when you jump to a heavier grain round. For instance, my 300wsm shot very tight groups with a 180 grain round (Nosler accubond), but fell apart taking the jump to 200 grain rounds, (even tried two match rounds). My 300 WM just shoots everything great. It holds tight with lighter rounds and can still chuck a 200+ grain round with authority.

Anyways, these will all find their place in the big picture I'm sure. If your shopping for a new rifle I would recommend thinking hard about the oldies but goldies over some of the newer cartridges.

Good luck all!
 
From what little I have read on the .325wsm cartridge,didn't they try to make a .338wsm ,but found the velocity was not as expected (kinda .338 federal)? For some long range punch I like the .338 mags:cool:
 
The 325WSM is a hunting round,nothing more.
I wouldn't go near it as a precision round.
The 300WSM is a very good round, but neither it or the 300Win Mag is going to make the difference between winning a match and coming in second.
That has way more to do with the shooter than what he is shooting.
I use a 300WSM because it is different , nothing more.
I have never and will never advocate any cartridge as "the best" , because there are so many that fall into a particular category.
Heck, I even owned a 243 winchester for a bit!!:eek:
Cat
 
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Trying to find amoo for the last six months had been impossible. But in the last few weeks/month, some has been trickling through the system.

Neighbour has one in the local shop. Wouldn't pick it up unless he could get a few boxes of shells. None to be had in Canada or the U.S. at the time......
 
As others have already stated it would make a great hunting round in a short package but I would not buy it as a long range round, it would certainly be ample for long range hunting within it's limitations but for target work it's out of it's environment. The 300WSM would be a better cartridge for long range because of the better bullets for this sport. The components are available for handloading and it would be a heck of a round in the thick stuff with a heavy 220gr bullet.
bigbull
 
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