Why not a 300 wsm? Wide range of bullet choices and easier to find brass for...
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Which short action magnum?
- Thread starter Just a hunter
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Just a hunter
Well-Known Member
I own a 300 WSM already and would like to have something different, that's all. In fact, this action that I have to build off of is actually a complete rifle chambered in 300 WSM. The other is a Christensen Ridgeline. Just trying to figure out what I want to do. If I find it's going to be a pain and a small fortune to make this action work then I will trash the idea and leave it as is.
Screw on a 7 or 270 WSM and you're good to go. If you go 7 I've got you covered for brass.
What are you looking to hunt, and what is your budget. If I build another deer rifle it will be a .270 WSM with a 1:8 barrel at 26 inches to get the most out of the cartridge. I believe there are number of high BC heavy bullets out there if you know where to shop. I am sort of ole school (because I'm old!!!), so not a PRC or Nosler family person. There are a lot of new cartridges out there on the market, but…..they come with the price as in $$$$, out of stock, or….they eat barrels after 1000 rounds or less!! Short action, .540 bolt face kind of limits your choices some. Good luck with your build, it's always fun figuring out how to spend money on a new build!!
Just a hunter
Well-Known Member
Well, I plan on hunting whitetails here, the occasional black bear and paper. However, I'd like to have the versatility and capability in the event I get to go west and hunt larger game. In other words, I don't really want to be limited to one species or one bullet.
akmtnhnt
Well-Known Member
That's what a quiver of rifles is for.
Great thread. I've got a 6.5 Sherman Short in a short action that I'm currently looking to re-barrel, Before I do it's interesting to look at options for other chamberings vs doing the same thing again, which is how I came across this thread. The biggest advantages to the Sherman SS and SST line up of cartridge options is they are truly made for the short action, and the availability of high quality head stamped brass and dies makes it a lot easier to run a Sherman wildcat. In a 22" barrel I've run the 156 grain Berger at 2925 fps, the 124 Hammer at 3250 fps and the 85 hammer at 3800 fps. Pretty wide range of options in 6.5 All are safely below pressure and shoot sub 1/2 moa. The only disadvantage with a wildcat or a cartridge that doesn't seem to have factory support anymore is there's no factory ammo so if you're looking to sell the rifle at some point you've got a limited audience for potential buyers. Seems like the 6.5 PRC is the only short action magnum bolt face cartridge out there with factory ammo readily available, and more manufacturers than just Hornady producing it. Anybody aware of other factory supported short action magnum options?
I almost recommended the .300 WSM (I have two), but since you are leaning towards the .270 WSM, I figured you had done your homework. "We" have no way of knowing from your original post if you have a .300 WSM or are filling a particular caliber/chambering gap.
Just a hunter
Well-Known Member
Okay I will remove it. Sorry. Or ask for it to be removed I should have said. My apologies.
There is no need now; it is pertinent information. Has @Schroedernd known you already have one, I do not think he would have recommended the .300 WSM. Cheers!
Just a hunter
Well-Known Member
Yes, I see what you are saying. I didn't think about it initially to be honest. Let me say now though, the 300 WSM is the only short action magnum that I do own. However, after looking at everything I am leaning toward the 7 WSM but I don't know that I am 100% settled on it. I'm going to search for threads on the Wyatt's extended mag and see what people have to say about those and how well they feed and such. I'd like to be able to do their Baney box but I'd like some real world experiences to ponder. So a searching we will go!
Rick Richard
Well-Known Member
I can't see any significant benefit to going to a 7 WSM if you already have a 300 WSM. Just my opinion.
On my 300 WSM, I have the extended Wyatt box and even with that I am barely able to load near the lands without it being too long. Also, I find the Center feed to be more reliable than the Stagger feed. Good luck on your endeavor.
Just a hunter
Well-Known Member
There probably isn't any real benefit of going to the 7 to be honest. I found some 7 WSM brass at a really good price so I picked it up. That was what got me to leaning that way. I don't know if there's much of a benefit from either of the other chamberings that I have available to me though. I'm sure everyone can justify their particular chambering in one way or another. If I were rich and in a position to where I could, I'd probably own one of each that has been discussed in this thread
. My problem is, I think I need it or want it and then buy or build it and get a really good load figured out for it and then I move on to the next one. Not that I have a ton of rifles but I have more than I truly need but I doubt I'll ever have all that I want. I really thought I wanted to build a 270 WSM but I don't know. I looked through my loading manuals and they don't show it to be as fast as I thought it would be. I don't know why I had a crazy number in my head but for some reason I did. It's plenty fast enough, the 270 Win has killed a lot of animals at slower speeds. I appreciate everyone's input and I will figure out eventually.
