Current offerings in Short Mag calibers?

[roysclockgun]

Must of us remember the hype that went with the intro of the Short Mags created mainly by Winchester and Remington.
How many new rifles are offered in any of those Short Mag chamberings?
At the time, it looked like the 270WSM and 7mmWSM were selling well and there were many glowing write-ups regarding their performance in any gun rag that one would pick up.
I tried to help a friend hand load 223 short mags and got pinched most every time I tried to seat a bullet in the case.
I did buy a Winchest Model 70 in 7mmWSM, but found that I always picked up the old long 7mmRemMag to hunt.
I suppose that even if they all go out of production, some of them will have a loyal following for many years. Just like the 260Rem and the 264WinMag, there will be the disciples of the Short Mags.
Steven L. Ashe

 

[Oldtrader3]

Steven, I am probably not the guy to ask on gun marketing or purchasing trends. However, anecdotally, the short fat's that seem to be thriving are good ones! They are the .270 WSM, 7mm WSM (lagging a little) and the .300 WSM.

I would have thought or guessed that the .325 WSM would be more popular than it is but the 8mm cartridges just don't sell here in the USA. I have no idea how well the new Compact Magnum Ruger's are selling. I really like the concept of the .375 RCM though and hope that this cartridge becomes a standard for larger game.
Charlie

 

[Guy Miner]

Model 70's are still avail in the short mags. I understand that the .300 WSM is doing the best, by far. Not surprising since Americans dote on our .30 cal rifles.

Browning, Remington, Winchester and Savage all chamber for the WSM's. As does Nosler.

The .300 WSM has done real well in 1000 yard benchrest competition, with readily available components. It's also a good performer in the field, somewhere between the .30-06 & .300 Win mag, depending on how it's loaded. I suspect it will be around for a long time. Doubtful though that it will ever achieve the popularity of the .30-06 or .300 Win mag, no matter how many advantages it may have over them. I kind of like the idea of it as a .30-06 +P... Case life and accuracy have been good from my rifle, though I haven't shot it nearly as much as anticipated.

I'm kind of half afraid that if I ever hunted extensively with the .300 WSM, that I'd realize I don't need any other hunting rifle...

I've read that the 7mm WSM is dying out in popularity - a shame - as it may well have been the best of the bunch for long-range/open country shooting. Not any more powerful really than a well-loaded 7mm Rem mag, but a fine cartridge itself.

Guy

 

[BK]

Well, I bought into the short-fat thing pretty hard... .270 WSM, a pair of 7 WSMs, a .300 WSM, a .300 SAUM, and a .325 WSM. I'd love to pick up a 7mm SAUM and another 7 WSM (M70 EW) and if I can ever find donors, I'd love to build a 6.5 WSM and a .358 WSM. For a while it looked as if I might be working in Indiana and I would have loved to have built a .358 WSSM to get around their no-rifle hunting laws (can only use a rifle/carbine in a handgun caliber with a case less than a certain length). If I ever get into the LR tactical style shooting thing, I could see building a rig or two in 7mm SAUM, WSM or Dakota.

Strangely, the RCMs leave me cold.

 

[SJB358]

I have the 270WSM, 7WSM and 300WSM. They aren't all that much different from the 270 WBY, 7RM and 300 Win Mag, but I like the case design much more, as they are tough as nails, all of them seem to be "easy" accurate, and when putting a rifle together, ounces make pounds, so I don't mind the little extra weight they save me.

Seems to be plenty of rifles chambered in them. I really love the 270WSM and 7mm WSM. Both are easy on the recoil and high on the performance. The 325WSM is on the list of wants, but it might be awhile.

 

[DrMike]

I've shot a 300WSM (owned several) since they were first released. I picked up a 7WSM and a 325WSM as soon as they showed up on the shelf. I hesitated on the 270WSM, but finally picked up a used one that shot exceptionally well. I sold it and bought one of the new production models in 2008. Each of the WSMs I've shot were reasonably accurate. Felt recoil on each was a pleasant surprise. None will do anything that other cartridges developing similar velocities will do. Nevertheless, I like them and I'll likely keep shooting them, just because.

 

[JD338]

I have one of the original short mags, the 6.5mm Rem Mag in the M673 Guide rifle.
Its a fun round to shoot, very accurate and impressive on deer. If I were to ever get one of the newer short mags, I think I would lean towards the 270 WSM.

I do not really care much for the WSSM offerings, mostly because of the feeding problems when they first entered the market.

JD338

 

[Teknys]

I agree that the 270 & 300 WSMs are here to stay. The 7WSM should be more popular. I'm not sure why not. I bought my first one in the 270 and then a 300 for my son with another 300 for myself.

Like whats been already said, easy to load for, good velocity, short actions, good accuracy, etc.

 

[FOTIS]

I love my Tikka 270 WSM. I also had the 7mm wsm and my boy has the 325 wsm. All shoot great

 

[Anonymous]

Steven- the "Super Short" WSSMs are pretty much doornail dead due to no one really making super short actions but the .308 length WSMs are doing quite well and pretty much everyone who manufactures guns in any quantity either chambers for them or (like Ruger and sometimes Remington) their own competing short magnum cartridge.

My .300WSM will hit 3000fps + with a 180gr bullet and is easily the most accurate/deadly centerfire I own. Yeah, yeah...it's not a 30-06 or a .300WM.....it's better than that.

I guess guys will keep sounding the death knell of the WSMs...despite the fact they're not dying. Up here- if anything- they're getting more popular with the .325 and .300 being the most common although the 7WSM has become pretty hip with the sheep hunting specialists of late.

 

[Oldtrader3]

The competition is tough, the 7mm Rem Mag is a super cartridge. I bought my first one, a Husqvarna Crown Grade, when they came out in 1962. I did not see one to buy in Seattle or at the PX at Fort Lewis until 1963. I went nuts with that rifle, shooting up a storm and killing deer as far as I could see them!

I really liked my .300 WSM Browning A-Bolt Medallion, with the Zeiss Diavari C on it but my son needed an elk rifle for living in Wyoming. I is ok and I can live without it. I would buy a .300 H&H, just for sentimental reasons, if I needed another .300 Mag.