WSM vs Win Mag / Rem Mag

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simple_j_z

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I recently joined the site think it's a class act the way it is run and setup.

I'm currently in a position to buy a new hunting rifle this fall season.

Just want to throw out a question and see what comments come back from all the knowledgeable and educated gunnutz's out there.

I used to hunt with a 7 mm Rem Mag for (Black bear, deer, moose).

I've been looking around and wanted to know the advantages and disadvantages of buying a:
WSM calibre vs 7mm Rem Mag or .300 Win Mag for an all around hunting rifle.

Also any advice on the Savage 111FCXP3 or 11/111FCNS AccuTrigger?

Keep up the great work administrators and !
 
Welcome on board Simple jz, balistically there are no real world advantages, where the WSM has an advantage is choosing the apropriate light short rifle it will be chambered in, there will lie your advantage. As an example look at the Kimber 8400 or Montana in WSM compared to other standard rifles currently available in 300 WM or 7mm RM their weight and length is where they are at a disadvantage, if these features are important to you then go for a WSM otherwise the standard calibers will do just as well as they have been doing for all these years.
bigbull
 
Welcome

Always good to see a new member. My oppinion is from experience. I have a 300WSM Savage with the accutrigger. For the money you won't find a more accurate shooter. Fit and finish of the savages isn't perfect but once you shoot them you won't care. If you go with the WSM reloading is a good idea as a cost saving measure if you intend to shoot more than a couple of boxes a year. I've shot 300 Win and much prefer the WSM. The short action cycles fast and a bit less recoil. My Savage is printing .3 inch groups if I do my thing right.
Good luck but buy what like then buy a spare. Get them perfect then sell at a loss and buy three more. That's what a gunnut does.

Hint: Get a secret line of credit your wife doesn't know about. LOL
 
I've hunted primarily with a .300 Win Mag for a number of years, but this year switched over and bought a Savage 12FVSS (Stainless Heavy Barrel) with accu-trigger in .270 WSM. I also got an identical gun in .223 Rem, set up with the same scope, etc. That way, I can hunt small game and target shoot 'till the cows come home very cheaply, and then transition to my long-range deer gun with total ease. The only problem I had so far is in obtaining reloading data; the cartridge is so darned new there is not that much published data for it as compared to other cartridges. I had to experiment very carefully, as I could not find a load combination that was even close to factory specs, and eventually settled on a very nice, accurate and flat shooting load that ended up being almost 2 grains over published maximum. (This with zero signs of excess pressure, of course, and working up VERY slowly.) All in all, very happy with the rifle and absolutely in love with the accu-trigger; you can adjust it down to about 1-1/2 lbs in the varmint rifle, but even that is too light for me! (I like it in the 2-1/2 to 3lb range). Any of the Short Mags should do you fine, but in my experience, be prepared to put in a bit more range time in order to find a load for it compared to the other calibers.
 
The WSSM's enjoy many advantages over their belted counterparts...
Efficiency being one of the most important.... the short fat cartridge exposes more of the powder to the primer, more efficient burn. They will use less powder to get the same velocity result and do so with less recoil as well.
The other chief advantage is accuracy.... generally speaking they will be more accurate. The belted magnums headspace on the belt at the rear of the cartridge... whereas the Short Mags headspace on the shoulder at the front. Try writng your name with a pencil holding it by the eraser at the back... then write your name holding the pencil up at the front close to the taper.Not the best analogy but it is the truth... accuracy is better when the cartridge is held firmly.
Shorter cartridges allow for shorter actions which also increase the rigidity of the action and the accuracy potential as well.
Not all belted magnums are less accurate and not all Short magnums are more accurate.... but generally speaking this is true.
 
I wouldn't buy a WSM if I already had a 300 Winchester Mag. or a 7MM Rem. Mag. If I were looking for a new rifle though, the WSMs do have some advantages i.e. being able to use a short action rifle, and the possible accuracy advantage.

If you still have your old 7mm, I'd just keep shooting it.
 
There are a few advantages. First, as mentioned, they work in a short action. This leads to lighter guns, and stiffer actions. And of course a shorter stroke - usually smoother and faster to operate. Marginal advantage, but an advantage nonetheless. Secons, the short mags are run at higher pressures. What this means is that they burn a faster powder, which means that they work better with short barrels than long magnums. Whereas a standard magnum really NEEDS a 24"-26" or better barrel to best it's non-magnum counterpart, the WSM gets by with a 22-24". Again - lighter gun.

So really, they're nothing revolutionary. Would I pick one over a standard magnum - sure, but only if I was buying a new gun. I wouldn't rush out and replace my existing magnums with WSMs
 
Oh, and a lot of the stodgy old-timers enjoy speaking ill of the WSMs. Ignore them, they always show up whren new technology rolls around. I can hear the 'smokeless vs BP' arguments and 'cartridge vs muzzle loader' debates from a hundred years ago. Don't forget the 'old 45-70's fine, who needs a Krag or '06' and the 308 vs '06 debate of 50 years ago. And so on and so forth ;)
 
NAA said:
I'm not running out to get a .300 WSM to replace my .300 Win Mag any time soon... ;)
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X2
I also do not see any advantage, and do not seeing the WSMs taking over at the 1000 yard competitions, yet, and that crowd usually jumps on anything that will enhance chances of winning, so I am a skeptic about how much accuaracy gain there may be.
I tryed to use heavy (200gr plus) in a WSM with somewhat dismal results, yet my old WM uses 200s and 240s with great results.
I did note that when shooting 180 gr bullets in both the WSM and the old WM, the lighter WSM rifle appeared to have less recoil, but I am at a loss to explain why this is.
KK
 
Actually the WSM's in most cases with the mid and heavyweight bullets prefer and are designed to work with SLOWER powders.
The 7mmWSM and the .270WSM show their best performance with the newer slower powders like Mag-Pro, Retumbo, R-22 and R-25.

P.S. the 7mm and 300WSM's and the WSM wildcats specifically the 6.5 as well as the .243WSSM have been turning some heads and winning at many 1000 yard and bench rest competitions...
 
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knockknock said:
X2
I also do not see any advantage, and do not seeing the WSMs taking over at the 1000 yard competitions, yet, and that crowd usually jumps on anything that will enhance chances of winning, so I am a skeptic about how much accuaracy gain there may be.
KK
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I believe that these cartridges are being talked about under the context of hunting and sporting arms. A 1000 yard gun in most cases is not going to be toted into the field.

Cheers!!
 
7mm WSM

NAA said:
I'm not running out to get a .300 WSM to replace my .300 Win Mag any time soon... ;)
Click to expand...

But I might just get a rifle in 7mm WSM to play with, for no particular reason other than just because. :cool:
 
Id pick a rifle you like, then decide what cartridge you want

in real world hunting conditions, there isnt a whole lot of difference between a 270 & 300 Ultra Mag, especially on deer
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Most of the "advantages" of the short mags that people have listed are splitting hairs, a couple are un-true (people buying into hype). There is absolutly no performance advantage for the average guy. They are simply a newly shaped brass container.
 
Republic of Alberta said:
Most of the "advantages" of the short mags that people have listed are splitting hairs, a couple are un-true (people buying into hype). There is absolutly no performance advantage for the average guy. They are simply a newly shaped brass container.
Click to expand...


Ding ding ding! we have a winner!

if they float your boat, buy one. but don't try to tell the hunting public they are any better.

if I didn't have a thing for the .338-06 I would have bought a .325wsm. any better? no way. newer? yup. different? yup. kills animals any better, doubtful.
 
the advantage of the wsm is weight (fairly minut) usually a shorter barrel good for backpacking
disadvantage you are married to the short action and the wsm will only aproach the 300 win mag velocities
if i had one i wouldnt run out and buy the other their about the same
 
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