7mm WSM Seems to becoming obsolete ?

[Rifleman97]

I hope it's not dying
I love the WSM line, I've had a couple 300 wsm's over the years, and one 270 wsm and I love them. Short action (at least for mid weight bullets, where they shine imo) and medium action for the heavies, although if i was interested in pushing .308 230 Berger's I would be looking at the win mag or even the RUM, but for me shooting 190's and the occasional hornady 208gr eld-m, the WSM is perfect.
I'd like to try out a 325 wsm in a hog gun build but since there's no wild boars where I live it would never be used other than messing around.

 

[Johnslam]

I'm the last one to follow the Kardashians and market hype, but the previous post seems to completely discount the numerous reviews and field experience of the WSM line. Sounds like a lot of words, no need to quote, with very little real experience. That's as hype as hype gets, IMO.

What did he say about hype? His point was to basically choose what you want and to not knit pick every little number off of a ballistic report. The 30-30 has slain a ton of deer, but, it isn't better than a 7wsm on paper. Both kill deer...

 

[J E Custom]

What are you using for brass? I understand quality and availability are a problem.

There are 8 or 9 different brands/type of loaded ammo for the 7 WSM that shoot well and have good brass if you have trouble finding reloading brass.

Nosler is about the only maker of loaded ammo for the 7 mm SAUM
and it is about twice the price as the 7 WSM ammo

Also for normal distance (500 to 600 yards) the 7WSM is almost 200 ft/sec faster than the SAUM using 140 grain bullets because of case capacity. Don't get me wrong, I like the saum's and have built many and they are excellent cartridges but the WSM's have more potential with larger bullets also and can match the 7 Rem Mags with all but the largest bullets.

J E CUSTOM

 

[johnlittletree]

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.

All magnums if labeled that way or not will have shorter life than a non-overbore cartridge. You can not chase velocity and not burn out a barrel faster.

Like I always say if a cartridge does not do something really needed or better than a 50-150 year old cartridge they just do not have staying power.

Unlike the movie "Field of Dreams" the phrase "If you build it they will come!" is pretty much nonsense and even more so if you expect to keep people coming back year after year. That is the difference between trendy and time proven! It would be like comparing Justin Bieber to Freddy Mercury, Michael Jackson, The Beatles.

Look at the classics that are still with us like but not limited to 30-06, 8x57, 7x57, 6.5x55, .243 Win, 25-06 Rem, 300 WM, 338 WM, 300 Wby, 9.3x64, 257 Roberts, 22-250, 45-70 Govt etc...... Just being old does not mean they will stick around.

 

[loaders_loft]

I've been shooting my 7wsm for about 15 years now. Search my posts for the evolution of this rifle. I'm on my third barrel and I think I have finally gotten it right this time. It's a Winchester controlled round feed action and you should really see the follower. It has a specially designed surface that must help in feeding because it feeds perfectly. The factory barrel never shot well but I burned it up in maybe 500 to 700 rounds trying, not to mention cleaning it to death, it fouled so badly. The pacnor button rifled barrel short well and cleaned up amazingly but wouldn't hold 2Moa at about 700 rounds as I recall. I blame this in part on the button rifling but the death knoll was a single f- class match where I didn't even complete the strings of fire but the barrel got extremely hot, so hot I could smell the tru- oil I had used for finishing the stock. No amount of chasing the lands could restore accuracy. Now the rifle wears a 27" brux cut rifled lite palma 9 twist with a muscle brake. It's Hunting only, no matches for this barrel. All this time, three barrels later and I'm still using the same few hundred pieces of Winchester brass. I've annealed it a couple times, I keep it weight sorted and I switched to CCI primers once the Winchesters got loose. I did make some 7wsm brass from norma 300wsm at one point and it worked fine but it was a hassle and in the end no better than my Winchester brass. Note that nearly all my kills have been bang flop out to 642 yards and my preferred bullet is the 162 A max at 2980fps with either retumbo or h1000. At this point the only things I would consider doing differently would be a 1 in 8 twist for the 168LRX (CA) and maybe a carbon wrapped cut rifled barrel for weight reduction (14lbs full up with bipod).

 

[Sealesniper]

Wow, this is an active thread. In just over 12 hours almost two pages of comments added. I had a few questions asked of me, so here are the answers.

What brass am I using? I am using Winchester brass. I bought 600 pieces when I got the gun, and I still have 300 unopened. I do weigh, inspect, and sort my brass. I do spend time prepping it but I dont go crazy on it. Any piece that does not fall into my short list of specs gets put into the "hold for emergencies" bag, but it is not trashed.

As for the platform. It is a SSG built 7 WSM. 26" Brux barrel, with SSG brake, on a Defiance long action. McMillian A5 stock with Jewel trigger and removable flush mount mag. On top is a ATACR 5.5-22x56 Gen 2. I use H1000 powder with either the 180 VLD's or the 175 ABLR. I preffer the Berger for dead nuts accuracy, and the ABLR for dead right there performance. Out to 580 yards, both have the same POI. Big open fields, I shoot the Berger, tighter/thicker woods and brush, the ABLR. As for velocity, I am holding 3040fps.

Just to continue the discussion, I also have a 7-300. Almost identical case and ballistics and the two guns I have are identical components and twins. The 7-300 has much more brass options, and one more stage of brass prep, but the longer neck may offer more stability for the bullets...(I carry and hunt with my 7 WSM)... but as with any caliber option, if you do your part, know your gun, know your range, know your ethical shooting distance, any round suitable for your target can be deadly. Don't get hung up on a single caliber or round, get serious learning and tweaking the ballistics of your meat gun and they all do the same job.

 

[J E Custom]

Have you found that those actions need blueprinting before installing the barrel or are they held to very tight tolerances from the factory?

Just Me, But I blue print EVERY action that I re barrel and always find something that can be improved during the process.

I consider blue printing part of a custom build and well worth the effort
if done right.

J E CUSTOM

 

[bigngreen]

Have you found that those actions need blueprinting before installing the barrel or are they held to very tight tolerances from the factory?

I don't go nuts on them, they are about as good as any other factory action and can benefit from squaring up. I tune a few things to make the cycle feel a little smoother.

 

[Idaho Lefty]

You all, might want to read,.. loaders_ loft's comments on why the 7 WSM, wasn't a success for the average Hunter ! ( Bbl "burnout" and feeding issues )
But you will also, note that, 2 people posting above, have "Custom Rifles" using, BRUX barrels ! Love BRUX barrels and they're, good People, to deal with !
But obviously, some people still like the 7 WSM and are willing, to put up with, the issues and it works for them. But the .270 WSM is an, "easy Button" for, me !
I do wish that, some Factory would "standardize", the 7 mm-270 WSM, tho.

 

[Deleted member 107796]

What did he say about hype? His point was to basically choose what you want and to not knit pick every little number off of a ballistic report. The 30-30 has slain a ton of deer, but, it isn't better than a 7wsm on paper. Both kill deer...

"When your only claim to fame is a short fat case."
IMO, obvious bias is as the same as hype. That was my point. I can listen to someone with experience on a subject but those purely talking, not so.

 

[Idaho Lefty]

The .270 and .300 WSM's, are, a success, they are the chosen, popular one's.
Target shooters, realize that, shorter, fatter, Powder column's and longer, bullet holding Necks make for better accuracy ! Take a look at, the 6 PPC and 6mm BRX for, 600 Yard, group's, they rule and the wonderful, .243 Win. does NOT, I rest, my case.

 

[Methow Packer]

I've been shooting my 7wsm for about 15 years now. Search my posts for the evolution of this rifle. I'm on my third barrel and I think I have finally gotten it right this time. It's a Winchester controlled round feed action and you should really see the follower. It has a specially designed surface that must help in feeding because it feeds perfectly. The factory barrel never shot well but I burned it up in maybe 500 to 700 rounds trying, not to mention cleaning it to death, it fouled so badly. The pacnor button rifled barrel short well and cleaned up amazingly but wouldn't hold 2Moa at about 700 rounds as I recall. I blame this in part on the button rifling but the death knoll was a single f- class match where I didn't even complete the strings of fire but the barrel got extremely hot, so hot I could smell the tru- oil I had used for finishing the stock. No amount of chasing the lands could restore accuracy. Now the rifle wears a 27" brux cut rifled lite palma 9 twist with a muscle brake. It's Hunting only, no matches for this barrel. All this time, three barrels later and I'm still using the same few hundred pieces of Winchester brass. I've annealed it a couple times, I keep it weight sorted and I switched to CCI primers once the Winchesters got loose. I did make some 7wsm brass from norma 300wsm at one point and it worked fine but it was a hassle and in the end no better than my Winchester brass. Note that nearly all my kills have been bang flop out to 642 yards and my preferred bullet is the 162 A max at 2980fps with either retumbo or h1000. At this point the only things I would consider doing differently would be a 1 in 8 twist for the 168LRX (CA) and maybe a carbon wrapped cut rifled barrel for weight reduction (14lbs full up with bipod).

I did the same with a Kimber action. It could easily be called a Win 70 clone. The factory barrel was OK but not for the long haul. Kevin Weaver blue printed the action and installed a Brux 26"fluted barrel with a brake. Bedded the action and installed a 2LB trigger. Accuracy is now amazing. Repeatable 1/2 moa or less on a good day. Velocity is way up with this barrel. This rifle will serve me well for a long time

 

[CEB]

I bought 2 Winchester 70s in the last couple weeks in 7mm WSM. So far I love the caliber and rifles. Just on the few short tests i have done I am pushing a 160 Gameking over 3100fps with RL26 with no signs of pressure yet. Shows a lot of potential. I wish the 7WSM would make a comeback.

 

[ddk]

I would say it got a second chance at life recently after Hornady began making brass for it. Id have no problem going 7wsm if I could.