325 WSM - Keep it or flip it?

[J E Custom]

A bit of a side shot here but JE why don't we see more people just punching out an older barrel they like to a larger diameter and reusing them? This seems like a no brainer to me but I just don't see it being done.

I know a few guy sthat used to punch them out and replace the core with a rifled sleeve but I just don't see anyone out there simply moving up in caliber when a barrel has pretty well been shot out.

My personal experience with sleeved barrels has not been that good, and with the cost of the sleeve and the installation being almost as much as a new barrel, I found much better results with buying a new barrel and not taking a chance on the sleeve. I know some said they have had great results with sleeves, but the only one i was pleased with was an old 1883 low wall that had a hex barrel and looked great on the outside but was trash on the inside.

The process saved the rifles appearance and shoots ok now so I am happy.

Sable Tireur Gave some good advice about re boring and I don't recommend do it at all because of the many hidden problems with this process.

Just my opinion

J E CUSTOM

 

[WildRose]

My personal experience with sleeved barrels has not been that good, and with the cost of the sleeve and the installation being almost as much as a new barrel, I found much better results with buying a new barrel and not taking a chance on the sleeve. I know some said they have had great results with sleeves, but the only one i was pleased with was an old 1883 low wall that had a hex barrel and looked great on the outside but was trash on the inside.

The process saved the rifles appearance and shoots ok now so I am happy.

Sable Tireur Gave some good advice about re boring and I don't recommend do it at all because of the many hidden problems with this process.

Just my opinion

J E CUSTOM

The sleeving I was talking about was done only on .22's and he got good results with it. I have no idea how it would work with larger caliber rifles.

As always appreciate your input.

 

[J E Custom]

The sleeving I was talking about was done only on .22's and he got good results with it. I have no idea how it would work with larger caliber rifles.

As always appreciate your input.

All of the ones I had dealings with were high intensity cartridges, and the only one that seems to be ok is the 1883 in a 22 hornet. so maybe there is something to the 22 caliber sleeves.

There are many ways to change or repair a rifle, but cost and end results tends to lead me to just re barreling (Maybe because I can do it myself)

Note: I have seen sleeves to convert shotguns to 22 LR that worked well but never owned one. The sleeve looked like a regular barrel, (Heavy) with O rings that fit.

I would think that only a barrel maker would have the tools and knowledge to re bore and rifle a factory barrel, and with it already being contoured, I'm not sure you could talk one into doing it.

Anyway, all good thoughts to keep the brain working

J E CUSTOM

 

[coop22250]

I just sold a 325 WSM, still have another. I like it here in AK as I pack for what I'm might have to shoot rather than what I'm hunting. I prefer smaller calibers, but after a face to face griz encounter carrying 140 gr bullets, I decided to carry something bigger.

 

[FIGJAM]

I just sold a 325 WSM, still have another. I like it here in AK as I pack for what I'm might have to shoot rather than what I'm hunting. I prefer smaller calibers, but after a face to face griz encounter carrying 140 gr bullets, I decided to carry something bigger.

What ammo are you using? Do you reload for it?

 

[coop22250]

What ammo are you using? Do you reload for it?

I do reload, the browning TI and the Kimber Montana both shoot 200 gr partitions and accubonds well with W760. I had to go spec OAL length as the browning magazine would not go a hair longer. I'm at work but I think it was 62gr, right in the middle of Noslers manual as I wasnt pushing too hard in a 5.25lb rifle.

 

[Deleted member 107796]

Given it's a Winchester model 70 Coyote in this caliber, I'd keep it. I have a stainless 70 in 325WSM, assembled in Portugal by a Browning group. Love it. They are rare, much like the 7WSM. As mentioned earlier, the 200gn Winchester Accubond is a great off the shelf load and I'm experimenting with the Hornady GMX and interlock bullets. The ballistics are very good and the efficiency of this cartridge is excellent with energies approaching the 338.

 

[WildRose]

Given it's a Winchester model 70 Coyote in this caliber, I'd keep it. I have a stainless 70 in 325WSM, assembled in Portugal by a Browning group. Love it. They are rare, much like the 7WSM. As mentioned earlier, the 200gn Winchester Accubond is a great off the shelf load and I'm experimenting with the Hornady GMX and interlock bullets. The ballistics are very good and the efficiency of this cartridge is excellent with energies approaching the 338.

Stick with the Accubond, much better bullet than either the GMX or Interlock. Interbonds will breakup and GMX won't expand reliably or acceptably.

 

[Deleted member 107796]

I would agree, but not absolutely, about the Interbonds, or any other cored bullet, as to breaking up. I have too much hunting experience with the GMX, with pronghorn to elk, to say that the GMX or Barnes TTSX expand reliably, with much less loss of mass than any exposed tip, lead cored bullet. I posted this image on another thread, that questioned the GMX over the Barnes. It is from a pronghorn taken at 250 yards from a 270Win. Great expansion and low loss of mass.
For the 325WSM, I believe there is much room for discovery of great load combinations, given the small number of off the shelf offerings.

 

[WildRose]

I would agree, but not absolutely, about the Interbonds, or any other cored bullet, as to breaking up. I have too much hunting experience with the GMX, with pronghorn to elk, to say that the GMX or Barnes TTSX expand reliably, with much less loss of mass than any exposed tip, lead cored bullet. I posted this image on another thread, that questioned the GMX over the Barnes. It is from a pronghorn taken at 250 yards from a 270Win. Great expansion and low loss of mass.
For the 325WSM, I believe there is much room for discovery of great load combinations, given the small number of off the shelf offerings. View attachment 111153

I"ve shot quite a few of the GMX and while some did expand well, most did not. I lost an awesome 170"+ WT buck two years ago as a result of one that didn't.

Perfectly hit but the bullet just penciled through and he ran off onto a neighboring property I could not get permission to go on to follow him up.

They found him two days later bird hunting.

Unfortunately I've had more of them fail to expand properly than have.

I have yet to see an Interbond fail in over 30 years of shooting them. They got awfully scarce for a couple of years while Hornady was launching the ELD's but finally they are back on the market.

Should I ever fail to be able to get the Peregrine's I'll just go back to the Interbond and Accubond and quit fooling with anything else.

 

[WildRose]

I would agree, but not absolutely, about the Interbonds, or any other cored bullet, as to breaking up. I have too much hunting experience with the GMX, with pronghorn to elk, to say that the GMX or Barnes TTSX expand reliably, with much less loss of mass than any exposed tip, lead cored bullet. I posted this image on another thread, that questioned the GMX over the Barnes. It is from a pronghorn taken at 250 yards from a 270Win. Great expansion and low loss of mass.
For the 325WSM, I believe there is much room for discovery of great load combinations, given the small number of off the shelf offerings. View attachment 111153

I corrected that post, my criticism is of the Interlock not the Interbond. I've yet to see an Interbond fail.

 

[Deleted member 102985]

Just a for what it's worth. I shoot a Winchester 1885 highwall 325 wsm. I have taken many elk at 500-850 yards with it with Barnes 180 tripleshock. I have several 338 edge and 30-338 rifles but I still find my self using the 325 most days. Most elk we're drt. If you want to sell that 325 give me a shout. My son is looking for one. Sometimes I think people get too caught up in all the super high bc extended range loads. If you cannot sneak in within 800 yards of an elk you might want to try fishing instead. Hunting might not be your game.

 

[WildRose]

Just a for what it's worth. I shoot a Winchester 1885 highwall 325 wsm. I have taken many elk at 500-850 yards with it with Barnes 180 tripleshock. I have several 338 edge and 30-338 rifles but I still find my self using the 325 most days. Most elk we're drt. If you want to sell that 325 give me a shout. My son is looking for one. Sometimes I think people get too caught up in all the super high bc extended range loads. If you cannot sneak in within 800 yards of an elk you might want to try fishing instead. Hunting might not be your game.

Ok, that's just funny.

 

[MudRunner2005]

Just a for what it's worth. I shoot a Winchester 1885 highwall 325 wsm. I have taken many elk at 500-850 yards with it with Barnes 180 tripleshock. I have several 338 edge and 30-338 rifles but I still find my self using the 325 most days. Most elk we're drt. If you want to sell that 325 give me a shout. My son is looking for one. Sometimes I think people get too caught up in all the super high bc extended range loads. If you cannot sneak in within 800 yards of an elk you might want to try fishing instead. Hunting might not be your game.

I made this same comment several years back here on the forum, and some folks almost had an aneurysm from all the butthurt. They lost their **** over it. It was so bad, you would have thought I had called their mother a "lady of the evening"...

My how times change...