358WINMAN

I've been curious about this round and have been reading what I can find on it. You've all noted good points and I think the .325 WSM will kill all big stuff including those cantankerous big bears!
Someone noted all these new offerings are getting too crazy. Thats marketing my friend. You've got to justify your R & D Dept. and then continue to be profitable to your shareholders and Wall Street. You won't keep up with the Jones's if you're not producing new stuff to market to us " gun nuts" and make shooting/hunting magazines articles which draw guys in like flies, myself included depending what's featured that month!
Could you imagine what would happen if we all purchased or inheritedonly one gun and only one caliber, be it the .270, 30-06, .308,.338 Win Mag? The gun companies would fold. Its just like cars. New stuff brings in new money. Market the product the right way and everybody will want one!

trailer

Well said...

skeeter 7MM

I have read favorablereviews from hunters about the 325wsm. Thoughjust like the 300wsm they also get knocks for not being able to handle the larger grain pills like theirWM counterparts. I think for deer to moose it shouldn't matter as 180-200 grain well constructed bullet will get it done but for the bigger bears you may want more and lose to the likes of 338wm in this class/use.

In my area the 325wsm seems to be selling. The amount of factory ammo indicates this, just like the 270wsm and 300wsm it is showing up in even the small centres.Demand via gun sales= requests for ammo. Though at the local places I can buy components the 8mm bullet selection and 325wsm brass is anything but overwhelming. Being a handloader at present the 338wm would be more appealing to me.

I never really bought into the marketing hype of the shorts. As such if I am looking for a 270, 7mm, 300 or 338 I'll stick with the standards. I have only loaded for a few WSMs but saw no real advantage other then a short throw and lighter rig (which can have it's pitfalls as well). I guess it boils down to situation, I can see advantages with both.

seattlesetters

I think the .325 WSM is one of the more useful of the "short magnums" that have recently come to market. I have lots of friends in Montana that hunt elk in areas that may require a shotof 400 yards in open country...or, two hours later, 60 yards in black timber...and they are moving to this cartridge as one that can be made up into a smaller, lighter gun for carrying and handling in the thick stuff that still packs a wallop (this isgrizzly country!)and long range performance like a .338 Win Mag.

Granted, it doesn't do anything the .338 Win Mag doesn't....but, hey, is their really a difference in the .270, .280, 7mm-08, .308 or .30-'06 when it comes to dead deer? Nope.

But we all have preferences and a popular 8mm cartridge in this country is long overdue. Folks from around the world have used the venerable old 8x57 Mauser to take every game animal on Earth...and it's about time we followed suit.

To wit....there really is no difference in the utility of a Ford pickup vs. a Chevy pickup, but lots of folks buy both. Heck, some even buy Dodge, Toyota, Nissan...you get the picture.

Variety is indeed the spice of life!

358WINMAN

seattle... you nailed it on the head with your post!!!

skeeter 7MM

Touche. Good point

I may end up eating crow, taking a look at a couple abolts chambered in 325wsm[]!Lefties with a price to good to just sluff off. Had it been a Rem 700 I'd defiantelybe eating crow right now!!

I have been looking for something to replace my primary back up CF a 270 win. SS Stalker, thought a elk/moose gun would be the right positioning to take vs. another deer suitedrifle. Being a lefty, rifle picky and the fact finding a unbraked 338wm to my likeshas been a fruitless endeavour, it may come down to 325wsm aboltvs 300RUM rem. 700. I am concerned a little about the felt recoil with shoulder problems, as well. I knowI can handle a 338wm andhave shot rh 300 RUMs (which are right at the break point but assumed a LH fit would aid in this area somewhat). The unknown is the 325wsm but assume it won't be to bad even in a lighter package. Fit is paramount to buying so, we'll see how the abolt medallion and hunter feels. I found a source for brass and 8mm bullets though, mail order but hey at least I don't have that to worry about that problem if i end up liking the rifle.

TerryM

I think the 325 WSM should survive and do OK. Anything called magnum has a home in North American gun vaults. I'm not sure it will ever overtake the .338 win mag though, just not enough advantages to overshadow it. My feeling is when playing in that end of the recoil pool most shooters don't mind a bit of weight, I know I had a heavier .338 than I normally like.
Skeeter your looking for a new rifle? Hmmmm !!!!! Having a 7mm rem mag you are well setup for long shots, what about a .35 whelen or .350 rem mag? Inside 300 yds they are devastating.

358WINMAN

TerryM- you are absoluetly correct!
I'm a huge 35 cal fan and will attest to the potent lethality of the 35 Whelen and .358 Win. I've never had a .350 Rem Mag (yet!) so I cannot address that cartridge, however, 35 cals with 225 or 250 grain pills rock the boat!!!
Very accurately I might add! I would not feel under gunned if I had to face a large, heavy massed animal, even one with an anti human attitude with a 35 cal handloaded with the right dose of powderwith a 250 grain bullet. I guarantee a dead animal!

skeeter 7MM

Terry notlooking to replace my baby (7mmRM), it will still be the mainstay . Just thought I'd deversify with bigger then deer the main concern/more suitable back up. Being I want a left handed bolt action that really limits my options and as a back upI don't really want to build one, at this point any way!Thanks for the suggestions,maybe a lever

M77man

I can't get any of those links to open up but I can't imagine that it really has any ballistic advantage over the .300WSM other then it punches a slightly larger hole that's hardly noticable with the naked eye.