Everybody loves the WSM, so why are brass companies ignoring it?

[Justice1327]

Brass is THE main issue when I decide to build a rifle. Got some 7WSM brass on LRH a few weeks ago and I had 400rds of Federal Premium 7 WSM that I couldn't sell. So I called TSCustoms and Travis just sent me a tracking number today for my 7WSM Defiance prefit .
Alex Wheeler and I spoke and he is going to do a 7/6.5 PRC for me. Again, brass is what drove that cartridge. Lots of good 6.5 PRC brass to choose from.

 

[Mikecr]

On the question of why nobody seems to be picking up the WSM, I believe it's a patent issue.
A very evil one..

 

[shinbone]

On the question of why nobody seems to be picking up the WSM, I believe it's a patent issue.
A very evil one..

Jamison's family of short cartridge patents expired in 2017.

 

[hesse]

I have the 300 and 270 wsm . Love them for hunting but for long range I would rebarrell to a 26 inch I think

 

[AZShooter]

Seems like all brass is tough to acquire. Plan ahead and wait for it show is the norm these days.

Regarding this: "The .300WSM is a great cartridge. I've got a few and they shoot great, especially for hunting. But, due to the design, it is not the best platform for the long range crowd, which is what is getting all the attention right now.."

I know one 1000 yd BR shooter that used a 300 WSM and did quite well with it:


New 1,000 Yard World Record Set With Berger Bullets
Congratulations to Charles Greer on setting TWO new world records for 1,000 yard benchrest shooting!
Charles' record has now been officially recognized by the NBRSA after being thoroughly measured and scrutinized by officials. On February 13, 2021, during the Saguaro 1,000 yard benchrest match at the Tucson Rifle Club in Three Points, AZ, Charles shot the amazing group you can see in the target pictured here.

The official records Charles set are:

1. 1,000-Yard Heavy Gun 10-Shot Group of 2.6566", which beat the previous record of 3.650" established by Tim Height in 2019.
2. 1,000-Yard Heavy Gun 10-Shot Score, a perfect 100-10X, eclipsing the long standing 100-6X set by Bill Schrader in 2005.

Charles shared with us, "I've used Berger Bullets in my 30 caliber target rifles exclusively and very successfully since 2008. I set four other 1,000-yard world records, two of which are still standing, shooting Berger 30 caliber 210 Grain VLD Target bullets. Currently, I use only the 220 Grain Long Range Hybrid Target bullets. It's a bullet without a ballistic equal in its weight class. Berger's are the best!"

===========================

Chuck was shooting his .300 WSM Heavy Gun with Borden action, Krieger barrel, and Berger 220gr Hybrids. The event was hosted by the Sahuaro 1000 Yard Benchrest Club, at Three Points Range, outside Tucson, Arizona.

==============
"Greer's .300 WSM can rightfully lay claim to being the most accurate 1000-yard gun in history."
( from accurate shooter)

Pic of rifle:

 

[rpierce]

Ive built quite a few 300 wsm's for customers since ADG came out with the brass. Fortunately I got several thousand pieces in already and a bunch more coming in soon. Ive built two for myself and building a 3rd that will be strictly for f class. My 300 wsm hunting rifle is the most consistently accurate magnum, if not rifle, that Ive ever seen. It legitimately holds 1.5-2.5" vertical consistently at 840 yds. This is based on the last half dozen targets Ive shot with it. The smallest group of them was a 3 shot group that measured 1.07"@840 yds. This is off a bipod with a 23" Benchmark and a NF ATACR 4-20 on it. Theyve all shot the same load with 215 bergers. Im only pushing it at a very mild 2685 FPS. But its a es of around 10 fps for 10 shots consistently. I just shot two 1.9" groups at 840 yds with a buddies 300 WSM I just finished up. Identical setup as my rifle. Same exact powder charge as my rifle now that his barrel has settled down. Seating depth is only a couple thou different. Same speed and ES as mine. The other two groups I just shot with his rifle were 1-2" vertical as well but the wind opened the groups up to 4" at 840 yds. These are just some of the 840 yd groups. I built a 300 wsm for a fclass customer on the national team. His ladder test showed 3 nodes at 600 yds. Each could be covered with a quarter for the 3 shots in the node. He took it to tryouts and cleaned house. Other team members have told me they were amazed at how well it shot.

Plugging in the 215 @ 2685 fps I still have enough energy for elk and expansion at 900 yds where we usually hunt. The difference in wind drift between the other magnums out there is so minimal you cant shoot the difference. Especially since this wsm will shoot inside any other magnum Ive seen as far as groups go. Theres no recoil as the reticle hardly leaves the target in my setup with a suppressor. Peak barrel life will be well over 2000 rounds since the barrel never gets warm. And since its a mild load I fully expect to get 20 firings out of the ADG brass. Im two gr under any pressure signs with a suppressor. I can go 75 rounds between cleanings with a suppressor and the velocity doesn't climb. However I like cleaning every 40-50 rounds as it doesn't get as much buildup in there. If I wasn't running a suppressor I could easily go 100 rounds between cleanings.

 

[rpierce]

This is my setup.

Defiance ANTIX Long action
Manners LRH
Benchmark sendero light 23" 9.0 tw
Triggertech Diamond at 1.5 lbs
Hawkins Bottom metal and flush mag
NF ATACR 4-20
TBAC Dominus Sr

10 lbs 10 oz with optics and suppressor.

 

[sable tireur]

Great target pictures to document your thinking!

 

[Radman]

When the wsm first came out there were usage/rights issues that came a long with it. That legacy seems to have started it off in the wrong foot and sorta kept it there.

For a long time we just dealt with norma as it was good enough, and now with adg we're covered ish. ..

Total agreement. I think that what you said Sir is not only spot-on for the beloved wsm but also applicable to the .280.
I fear this fine cartridge is dying, largely because of the major cluster it's name underwent when introduced. I think that the name ".280 Remington" was fine until they decided to fix it.
For me, second-guessing the brass manufacturers began to get difficult 3 administrations ago. (Everyone here is welcome to their opinion but I always thought that our fine military should practice with what they're shooting when it matters.....not .22 rimfires! JMO) A little off base but...

 

[Chas1]

Good looking rig. Enjoy

 

[Hydra6]

Seems like "the Short Magnums" may need a long action to really shine.

 

[Brad Quarnberg]

I'm not sure why brass companies are ignoring them: but I think they are missing out on a goldmine. I have a 325 WSM, 300 WSM and a 270 WSM (all Winchesters). While I'd love to have brass from ADG, Peterson.... I haven't let that stop me from shooting, reloading for and hunting with them. The factory ammo/brass from various manufacturers (mostly Winchester or Federal) have served me well, even after several reloading's. I'm not loading hot, but not babying the brass either. These are hunting guns, and I love the performance enough that I am looking at starting a 300 WSM custom build on a Terminus Zeus action with switch barrel (second barrel likely 308 but not 100% on the second barrel/caliber.

 

[mandl]

There is brass out there for 300 and 270. Good brass. I just wish we could get Peterson, or Norma, Or ADG in 7 wsm. I'm not wanting to go to the time and effort to form. I do have a pretty good supply of Winchester brass for my 7, but I've pretty much made up my mind when this brass is done, or the barrel is done, I'll just rebarrel to a Sherman.

 

[Mike D Texas]

The statement "everybody loves WSM" is quite broad. Brass manufacturers know what they sell the most of and understandably that is where they are going to focus their production models from.

If WSM brass was selling in high volume like PRC and CM brass for example, they would adjust production models accordingly.

I suspect that the WSM cartridges are a niche cartridge mainly among enthusiasts.