7mm WSM Seems to becoming obsolete ?

[Methow Packer]

If you like the short actions, the 7 WSM is hard to beat, If you like long actions The 280 AI is hard to beat. Both will produce 7 Mag performance.

With all of the designer cartridges being the latest craze there are lots of great cartridges that are not popular at the moment. Of all the WSMs the 7mm is the top performer with the 270 WSM not far behind.

I have built and worked on all of the WSMs and the only downside that I have found is poor quality factory barrels and feeding issues. This can be easily solved with a center feed mag box and a premium quality barrel If the factory one is no good.

Like most of the short magnums, accuracy comes easy if you reload. I sometimes use the Winchester silver tip if I buy ammo and it is very accurate for Factory ammo.

People that have the 7 WSM and the 270 wsm know the value of these cartridges and don't get caught up in all the hype. A good cartridge, will always be a good cartridge no matter what the trend is.

J E CUSTOM

I'm one of those guys that really like the WSM family of cartridges. I currently shoot a 270WSM with good accuracy. Once the barrel is tired I will probably move to 7mm WSM for better bullet choices. I think the design provides inherent accuracy, along with 3000FPS + performance. The Nosler family proves that as well such as the 30 Nosler. Similar to WSM cartridges except longer. 30 Nosler is my 30 caliber rifle.

 

[JohnnieB]

I've got 3 7WSM's, 2 full customs and an exhibition grade Kimber for the wife. The factory rifle is deadly with 150 TTSX's at 3150, and both customs do their thing. One, my light hunting rig shoots the 168 LRX at 2975 with .5 - .6 MOA peformance. The second, with a new Hells Canyon Arms Carbon barrel, my rock killer, shoots a 195 berger at 2975 with single hole performance. For brass I just buy 270 or 300 WSM Norma brass and just neck up or down.

If you're not a reloader, you are handicapped with the 7WSM. With reloading, its awesome!

 

[Idaho Lefty]

There must be, some reason/ many reasons ? WHY,.. the 7 WSM, is practically,.. "obsolete" ??? I like my .270 WSM a lot, too and I would go with it again, maybe using the Berger 170 EOL or 165 matrix, in a 1-8 twist or, build,.. a 7mm- 270 WSM or, 7 Rsaum, as the 7mm bullets,.. ARE,.."nice" ! I would NOT go with a 7 WSM, "personally" !

 

[bigngreen]

I personally like the performance in game better with the few long range 270 and 300 WSM bullets than I've seen from the 7's, you can get some excellent ballistics but putting bullets into game from all three of them the 7 I was always searching for that bullet that was just a Slayer, never have found it.

 

[SilverbulletMAG]

I picked up a Model 70 7WSM when they first came out (2004, 2005?) and have loved the rifle ever since. I wish it had become more "main stream" and wonder how it would be received these days if it was a "new" cartridge along side the PRCs, Creedmoors, Blackout, etc.
Accuracy is amazing with this round and can shoot anything from a 140 Accubond to a 168 VLD or ABLR with great results. If you're a reloader, there's no real reason not to dive into one if it meets the ballistics you're wanting to achieve. I have a ton of brass I've saved up over the years for this rifle but there are still factory loaded ammo options out there and a decent supply of used brass on forums, ebay, etc.

 

[Deleted member 107796]

Could be, as low as, 800-900 Rounds of "long range", accuracy. When I was a "kid" and knew nothing about "Twist" rate, I burned out a .270 Weatherby Mag in about that "range" trying to find the heaviest bullet, it would "shoot" accurately and playing around at, Target's. Hope you have, better luck and a better Steel Barrel than, I did !

Folks that know the WSM line, know that, given the slightly less powder capacity of WSMs vs larger magnums, they shine with everything but the heavier bullets in the class they belong in, unless you go with a longer throat for more capacity. If folks are worried about barrel burnout, I'd avoid hot, smaller calibers.

 

[Deviant]

I'm looking at a 7 mm WSM and it seems to be loosing it's following. I've spoken with several smiths and they've all said that they haven't chambered one for a while. I shoot a 280 AI and and love it. I'm aware the performance of the 7 WSM is only slightly better burning 8-10 gr. more powder but I'm curious what the negative is of the WSM and why guys aren't building them anymore? I'm afraid I may be disappointed if I buy one after I start shooting it.

The biggest complaint I hear is barrel life is very short. I have a custom 7 wsm that I am about to start working up a load for with 143 Hammer Hunters.

 

[Joe furrer]

JE Custon is spot on. The wide availability of centerfeed AI style magazines with increased magazine capacity for those who want it is a game changer. There are some absolute hard core hunters up here in Alaska that shoot if for everything under the midnight sun and swear by it. It is scary how effective 7 WSM can be loaded with a 175 eldx and RL26. As far as the barrel burner worries. All fast cartridges have throat erosion. The Internet has provided a lot of feed back without real world studies. I promise you that the money you save at the supermarket will more than cover the cost of a new barrel should you need one. It's a very effective caliber.

 

[bigngreen]

I think the barrel burner mentality comes from guys shooting 308's or something, I see 1200-1600 rounds out of the 270 WSM pushed, the 7mm will be more and the 300 beyond that.

 

[Hornhunter32]

If you like the short actions, the 7 WSM is hard to beat, If you like long actions The 280 AI is hard to beat. Both will produce 7 Mag performance.

With all of the designer cartridges being the latest craze there are lots of great cartridges that are not popular at the moment. Of all the WSMs the 7mm is the top performer with the 270 WSM not far behind.

I have built and worked on all of the WSMs and the only downside that I have found is poor quality factory barrels and feeding issues. This can be easily solved with a center feed mag box and a premium quality barrel If the factory one is no good.

Like most of the short magnums, accuracy comes easy if you reload. I sometimes use the Winchester silver tip if I buy ammo and it is very accurate for Factory ammo.

People that have the 7 WSM and the 270 wsm know the value of these cartridges and don't get caught up in all the hype. A good cartridge, will always be a good cartridge no matter what the trend is.

J E CUSTOM

Does Wyatt's make a center feed mag box and follower for a Win Mod 70 LA? I would like to build a 7 WSM, 7-300 WSM, or a 300 WSM on that action, but I'm not sure if I can get it to feed properly.

 

[bigngreen]

Does Wyatt's make a center feed mag box and follower for a Win Mod 70 LA? I would like to build a 7 WSM, 7-300 WSM, or a 300 WSM on that action, but I'm not sure if I can get it to feed properly.

Depending on the starting cal just a little feed ramp and box lip tuning will let it feed well from a stagger feed.
If this type of action is used I really like to go with the Montana short action WSM, it's ready to rock with a 3.250 over all length out of the box.

 

[cohunt]

Does Wyatt's make a center feed mag box and follower for a Win Mod 70 LA? I would like to build a 7 WSM, 7-300 WSM, or a 300 WSM on that action, but I'm not sure if I can get it to feed properly.

I have no problem with feeding from my model 70 in 7wsm-- their "short action" is actually a midlength action and I can load to around 3.1 iirc, with the factory barrel/chamber I hit lands in everything I've tried so far (up to 175 grains, over that the stock twist might not stabilize)

 

[Sealesniper]

I have a 7WSM and it is an absolute HAMMER. It is one of those guns that gives any shooter the confidence when they are behind it. I know that if I range the target, dope the scope, and hold dead on, the bullet will hit where I am aiming. No better example than last year. I had a feeder setup 656 yards from one of our "meat" stands. I wanted to kill a deer, so I set up a target at the feeder and verified cold bore balistics at that range as I had more in mind than a basic vitals shot. My 7WSM was dead on with the first, second and third shot so I was ready to hunt. A few days later, I decided it was time to shoot. I got to the stand late, and the feeder had fired and deer were out. I got into the stand, verified the range, loaded the gun, doped the scope, settled the cross hairs just behind the base of the ear, and touched the trigger. Bullet hit about 1/2" lower than I was aiming, but still a very impressive shot at that range. So, I dont know why the 7WSW has not gotten a bigger following, but as for ballistics, energy and function, it is a great gun for me. Over the last 4 to 5 years, the same gun has taken almost a dozen bear, and none have gone more than 20 yards, and this is with kids and first time bear hunters on the trigger. I have enough confidence in the terminal ballistics in the 180 VLD with my H1000 load to trust this gun to perform with some novice first time bear hunters on the trigger. If you buy one, you will need to load for it, but I dont think you will be upset or disapointed by the performance, as I know I am not. I have yet to lose an animal with it, and have only missed once, but that was not the fault of the gun....but now I verify the scope is back to zero when I get on stand and load for the hunt....

 

[Hornhunter32]

I have no problem with feeding from my model 70 in 7wsm-- their "short action" is actually a midlength action and I can load to around 3.1 iirc, with the factory barrel/chamber I hit lands in everything I've tried so far (up to 175 grains, over that the stock twist might not stabilize)

This is a long action and I was curious what I need to do to get a WSM case to feed properly with the factory mag box or a Wyatt's.