Is 325wsm too much gun for Northern Whitetails & Black Bear

[memtb]

What are you loading for deer?

I see Speer components for affordability,
Nosler PT for Premiuim

We use one bullet, one load, one zero for all of our hunting! In this case, it's a 225 Barnes TTSX at a bit over 2900 mv. Her rig weighs 9.0 lbs. all up and on the hunt…..doesn't wear a "weed burner", she hates them. It's worked very well for her for quite a while.

But, she does minimal shooting from the bench…..onlt to verify the zero. The majority of her shooting (not hunting) is with a different rifle from field positions! memtb

 

[Longtine88]

Nah …….it'll kill em

 

[98s1lightning]

Weed burner?

 

[memtb]

Weed burner?

Muzzle brake! memtb

 

[Calvin45]

I got to disagree if your after the meat harvest, too much can bloodshoot it and/or destroy it with a huge hole.

Impact velocity in relation to bullet construction has way more to do with meat destruction than the overall horsepower of the cartridge. As a rule my .300 win mag with 200+ grainers and my .358 Norma with 250 + grainers don't do anywhere near the meat damage that my .270 with 130 soft points or .257 weatherby with 100 grain ballistic tips do, not even close.

 

[memtb]

Impact velocity in relation to bullet construction has way more to do with meat destruction than the overall horsepower of the cartridge. As a rule my .300 win mag with 200+ grainers and my .358 Norma with 250 + grainers don't do anywhere near the meat damage that my .270 with 130 soft points or .257 weatherby with 100 grain ballistic tips do, not even close.

Very true. My old .375 H&H at close range (inside of 100) produced much less blood shot meat than did a 270 Win. with 130 grain bullets, with similar shot placement. memtb

 

[sdakotaguy]

I feel the 8mm bore is really efficient for the SA,

1) bullet takes up least amount of case space
2) larger bore ables efficient burn of powder; more volume per inch of bore

Too much, No! more than enough, Most likely so! Too much recoil for you & others? perhaps. 80 mm is more than enough, I am guessing you can achieve your intended goals with less. I am a big believer in the notion that frequently, less is more!

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

I shoot a .325WSM in a Model 70 with Winchester Ultimate Shadow Camo Hunter Stainless 26" and it's a shooter. Sent it back to Browning a few years ago due to the stock getting "Sticky". When we bought it 20+ years ago it came with a finish on the stock advertised to have a good grip in all weather. We got a new stock.
Now getting back to the .325 WSM we were getting <0.50 MOA shooting 200gr Nosler ACB bullets sitting on top of H-4350. We have a wall full of Plains Game Animal Mounts from South Africa and took several White Tails as well here in GA and Moose in NF.
We bought it ordinally for anything in North America and to take to SA Plains Game.
This is one rifle that will stay to the last in our inventory of hunting rifles.
We have everything from a .17HMR to .325 WSM for hunting.
Our .338LMAI is for ELR Target.

 

[98s1lightning]

Then what would I do with my 284win?

Leave it at home and hunt with the 325wsm all the time?

for real; I don't want to fill a no-need void.

My thoughts on the 284win 150gr@2800, was that, it so close to a 280 which I think most people trust their lives to even in big bear country.

Am I splitting hairs here?

I know a 180 or 200gr 8mm @2800 and a 150gr 7mm@2800 ain't comparable as far as hard hitting power goes......But for Northeast Hunting I think I'm covered

I think the 325 for me is a just "to get it" gun.
From a tools perspective, for a maybe someday go West Hunting where there's big bears......happening no time soon for me. I'm conservative. I don't want things I don't need. Would you walk into the backcountry out West with a 284win and feel undergunned? I doubt it, I see lots of people going with one, or 308win or 7mm-08 even.

I think its all interesting for sure.

 

[memtb]

Then what would I do with my 284win?

Leave it at home and hunt with the 325wsm all the time?

for real; I don't want to fill a no-need void.

My thoughts on the 284win 150gr@2800, was that, it so close to a 280 which I think most people trust their lives to even in big bear country.

Am I splitting hairs here?

I know a 180 or 200gr 8mm @2800 and a 150gr 7mm@2800 ain't comparable as far as hard hitting power goes......But for Northeast Hunting I think I'm covered

I think the 325 for me is a just "to get it" gun.
From a tools perspective, for a maybe someday go West Hunting where there's big bears......happening no time soon for me. I'm conservative. I don't want things I don't need. Would you walk into the backcountry out West with a 284win and feel undergunned? I doubt it, I see lots of people going with one, or 308win or 7mm-08 even.

I think its all interesting for sure.

Your 284 Win. is a great little cartridge for deer/antelope type game. With the right bullets and placement…..would work for elk.

Would I consider it a up close and personal bear stopper…..no. A well placed bullet from your 284 will do far more than a big bullet that is misplaced. But in reality, ya ain't likely to need a bear stopper!

There's nothing wrong with wanting something that you have no "need" for……that would describe many of us on this forum! memtb

 

[98s1lightning]

Plenty of big black bears where I hunt. One shot not too far from me 699lb state record.

I'd take my 284 for that with no fear though.

 

[Hand Skills]

Weed burner?

Hood burner around these parts

 

[chav0_12]

I have one and I'd say that it's a lot of gun, I also have others so I don't need to carry it for smaller whitetails. My rifle is a Browning A-Bolt II and comes in right at 8lbs with a scope. No brake, it kicks like a mule. As far as that goes it's substantially more than a 30-06, granted I've never shot a 30-06 with a 180gr bullet. I shoot 200s out of my 325. It's a lot for such a light rifle, but it shoots well. I don't see the need for it on deer, but I think it's a great shorter range elk rifle.

 

[Ckgworks]

Hood burner around these parts

Yup.....and don't put one those brake things on it or you'll crack yer windshield.