325 WSM Experiences

[X ring 7mag]

Hey guys! The appropriations committee in my household has recently given me a blank check for a new rifle, and I'm thinking hard about a 325 WSM...not quite sure why. Anyone know anything particularly good or bad about this cartridge? Thanks in advance.

 

[Big Squeeze]

X-Ring!..............................Well! At least you have an the appropriation approval from the war dept!!!............Though not as powerful as the 8mm Remington Mag., or as popular as the other WSM`s, the 325 WSM will nevertheless down any N/A big game and any African thin skinned variety as well! Certainly, if Kimber & Browning offer that cartridge in their lines, that says something!..........From a 325 WSM, a 180 gr. bullet @ 2900 to 3000 fps.,,,,,,,a 200 gr. bullet @ about 2800 fps.,,,,,,and the 220 gr. @ 2600 to 2700 fps., is all you need to accomplish what you wish to on this continent!......................Same concept as my 300 WSM!... Shorter actions= lighter weight and in some cases as mine, shorter, easier to handle and more manuverable rifles!...... I consider the 325 WSM an excellent choice and certainly the most powerful of the short magnum line......Also, Ruger has their new RCM`s (Ruger Compact Magnums) out too. Their new 338 RCM and the new rifle chambered for it looks like a real sweety!..........................Good luck!

 

[FOTIS]

My buddy had a Kimber. It was a sweet gun and shot nicely! He sold it and now he wants another.

 

[Tiny]

Have one and like it. It would be nice if Nolser would offer 150gr anything for it though.

 

[TScottW99]

My cousin bought a Browning .325wsm and really likes it. I have been planning on going down to shoot it, I need to get on that :grin:

 

[DrMike]

X-Ring,

I have a Model 70 Featherweight chambered in .325 WSM. It is a sweet shooting rifle that speaks with a fair degree of authority on moose. I would think that it will speak equally authoritatively on elk and black bear, though I haven't used it on them yet. It will certainly work on any game in North America. The rifles I have shot chambered in this round were all accurate, including several BLRs chambered in this round. The BLRs all shot between 1 and 1.5 MOA. My own Featherweight shoots consistently 0.5 MOA or better with 200 grain PT, 200 grain TSX, 200 grain AF and 200 grain AB. Consequently, 220 grain GKs do quite well also. It is certainly a round that will not disappoint.

 

[onlybrowning]

I own one in a Browning A Bolt Stainless Stalker. It handles better than my long actions, and is superbly accurate. It heats the barrel quickly at the range, and recoil is about equal to that of a hot .30-06 load. It is an awesome do all caliber, and bullet selection is coming along. I love mine and would buy another.

 

[FOTIS]

What is your favorite loade OB?

 

[onlybrowning]

My load that I use for Whitetails here in NY is a 180 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip in front of 63.0 grains of H-4350 with a a Federal GM215M primer and Winchester brass, seated to 2.840". The load is a few grains below max, and is quite a dream to shoot in this rifle, which I have had glass bedded and had the trigger done. Oh yeah, and I also have a thicker pad on it (1 3/8" Kick Eez) to increase LOP. It is topped with a Leupold VXIII 2.5-8X36mm.

 

[Guest]

I'm a little late to this party hope you have the rifle by now!

But I have a Browning Abolt in 325wsm that I absolutely love shooting. The first year I got it, Oct 2006, I took it deer hunting that November after working up a quick accurate load using H4895 and 185gr Rem corlokts. It was a light load almost replicating 8x57 stuff but it did extremely well on 3 deer that year.

Haven't taken any game with it since but I did work up a nice load using 200gr AB's. Having a brainfart and not having the data in front of me, I think it is with R19 but it could be R22???? Anyway, I will use this load this year and the ultimate goal is to use it for elk one day.

 

[DrMike]

Just a quick report on my Model 70. I went to the range yesterday and shot a load with H100V and 200 grain TSX. All went into 0.3". Another fine load. The .325 WSM is a great calibre.

 

[Greg Nolan]

Another good report.
Three loads that work in my Savage with the 25 " barrel.
150 gr. Sierra pro hunter: Varget 65 gr. 3158 to 3221 fps but .5 in group. I loaded hotter but the groups spread to 3" in my rifle. so thats the one. I don't know if that bullet would hold up in anything bigger than blacktail/small whitetail.
180gr. Nosler Ballistic tip 69 gr. IMR 4350 2955 to 3011 fps. .3 in groups.
200gr. AccuBond ( my favorite) 61 gr. of IMR 4064 2873 to 2902 fps. I can't believe I didn't write down the group size but it must have been MOA or better or I wouldn't have settled on it.
The 150 and 180 gr bullets use Win. WLR primers and the 200gr used CCI250 LRM primers All loads were 2.85 OAL. I tried to a lot of OAL's but the factory 2.85 worked best.
I shot a 175 lb. pig on the run with the AccuBond in March at about 150 yds. and it folded up and rolled to a stop with all four feet up. Texas heart shot!
There is a string running thrue all the posts and that is that this is a one gun does it all, inherently accurate, fairly moderate recoil caliber.
It does lack in available good bullet selection but I'm sure Nosler will put out Accubonds in the 150-180 range eventually. If not Barnes TSX in 180 is available. "NOSLER ARE YOU READING THIS" ?
I don't have any experience with the RCM cartriges but they also show promise.
What ever you get it will be fun going thrue the excruciatingly fun process of narrowing down what you want in your next rifle.
Good Luck and Good Hunting
Elkhunt :grin:

 

[Britz]

A friend has one and I load for it. It is a win 70 and he shoots 200's in it. I am not a huge fan of it balistically. It all depends on what you intend to do with it. If you want to reach out and touch something, there are better cals. If you want limited recoil, there are better cals, but it is a fairly good cartidge (just not my cup of tea). It packs about the same recoil as a 300RUM (depending on the bullet wieghts of course). I like range, and the 300 WSM or the 7mm, 270 wsm's are better choices for distance shooting. It does pack a little more punch at close range than my 300wsm. I would steer you towards a 338 mag if you want more power.

 

[FOTIS]

My buddy uses the 200 TSX in his kimber. Shoots great!