What is the latest scoop on the SM line? Has the 325 been a success? I am kicking around an all weather rifle and the 325 WSM chambering came to mind. What is your experience?

Local shops cant keep them in stock,ammo & rifles sale as fast as they can get them.The Kimber 8400 classic 325wsm is one of my favorites,I highly recommend it
If Ruger had made the 325wsm in the M77 or new Hawkeye with express iron sights i bet they would sale a boat load...
I have shot the 200gr.accubonds,200gr.speer,220gr.powerpoints & 175gr.sierra soft points,all shot great,holes touching..I plan on trying the 200gr.Partitions & 220gr. sierras & 195gr.hornadys for kicks,but the accubonds accuracy will be hard to beat..
I havent really read or heard negative about the 325wsm round and i also saw the video where Col.Boddington way-layed a Grizzly with his,one shot/lights out,...impressive performance
I do like the 325wsm,35 whelen,338-06,356,358,350RM,338wm,376,375,8mm magnum,8x57
They are all great,just not chambered in every rifle!
325wsm

I think that it's an excellent round. It's not truly the equal of a 338 Win mag since the win mag can use heavier bullets but the 325 is excellent for what it is. Bullet selection might be limited in comparison to a 30 or 338 cal but how many different bullet weights do you really need to shoot in a given gun? I usually find 1 bullet I like for each gun.
Here's mine:



Since that Pic I changed to Talley lightwieght mounts which IMHO are far the best choice on a Kimber Montana. Here's how it shoot's with 4 different loads including a factory one:




I think anyone predicting the demise of the 325 are way off base. The 325 won't be the most popular of the WSM's but it's developing an enthusiastic loyal following.......................DJ

While there might be a smaller collection from which to pick a bullet it only takes one to get the job dome and the .325 caliber has enough to pick from to do exactly that!

If I had a .325 WSM (and I don't) I'd not hesitate to take it hunting big game anywhere in the world.....short of dangerous game.

Direct competitors of the .325 WSM are the 30-06, 8MM-06, 338-06, 338 Mag, and the 35 whelen.......as as good as the .325 WSM is, I'd quickly opt for almost any of the competitors.

Why?.....no special reason.....just personal preference.

I don't have one....thought it would be interesting until I realized that like the other WSM rounds it seems to rely on light-for-caliber bullets.....which isn't something I personally seem to do.

I don't see it replacing the 338 Win Mag here anytime soon. But then, nobody I know shooting the 338 here seems to rely on bullets as light as 200g.

Kimber makes a fine rifle, and their 8400 is supposed to be available in 338 as well...that would be my choice!

Ultimately, personal preference rules our gun purchases more than need.

Cheers,

Dan

quote:

Originally posted by Dan H:

Kimber makes a fine rifle, and their 8400 is supposed to be available in 338 as well...that would be my choice!


Dan

The Kimber 338 is built on a long action and the 325 is built on a short one. They handle a good bit differently. I would suggest that the choice be made on which handles better to the individual shooter. The Short action 8400 fits me much better, but someone taller with longer arms might well prefer the Long Action version, handle both before you decide...........................DJ

Thank you all for the insight! The long action or short action really hadn't figured into the equation for me here. The style of rifle I am thinking of here (all weather) would be considerably different from anything else I own so I thought why not a different type of chambering.

DJ, do you think the 325WSM is a more "accurate" cartridge than the 300WSM? I handled the Kimber 8400 in long action in a 30-06 and it felt bulky and the bolt was hard to throw (I am 5'7") for me. The 8400 felt better and worked better in my hands, it feeds fine, but I got the 300WSM in the Classic with a nice piece of wood on it. I would rather have a rifle that fits me and that I can hit with in a caliber with a bit less starch than one that I struggle with but is mo powerful.

Jimmy, for Hunting accuracy I think that the 325 and 300 WSM's are about the same.
For Target accuracy I think the nod would have to go to the 300 WSM if for no other reason than the availability of so many fine 30 caliber match bullets.
The 300 WSM is probably a little easier to find an accurate load for again just because there is such a wide variety of match bullets available here in 30 Caliber. Maybe in Germany there are more 8mm match bullets and it's the other way around .
My Montana was a little funny. For the first 60-80 rounds the rifle wasn't shooting all that well, it might have been the bad conditions I was shooting in but it still just didn't seem to be shooting as well as other rifles the same day. But then all of a sudden it started shooting well. First I shot the group in the 1st picture in poor conditions and then the others in better conditions. It's shot quite well for everyone else that's shot it also.
Most people who have shot the 325 commented that the recoil wasn't as bad as they expected.
I would think that if you hunt mostly deer and occasional Elk the 300 would be the better choice. If you hunt mostly Elk and a few deer I'd go with the 325.......................DJ

DJ, fun it is! I am trying to work up some loads in the 300 WSM and have been working with RL22 65 grain load behind a 180 grain Hornady interloc BTSP. It showed some promise but I was not happy with it. Store bought 180 grain Federal Fusions shot into a 3 shot triangular 2 inch group at 100, the RL22/Hornady was about as good but the group was not constant. I have loaded up 61 grains of IMR4350 behind a Nosler 180 grain protected point partition, then 63 grains of RL19 behind the 180 grain Hornady BTSP, 65 grains of RL19 behind the 180 Hornady, and finally 67 grains of RL22 and the 180 Hornady and 67 grains of RL22 and the 180 Nosler PP. I guess I am all over the map but no one ever accused ME of being consistent! Also do you hold your Montana down with your free hand when you shoot it?

With light rifles I hold the forend just behind the front rest. I think it's important to control the forend on light rifles if for no other reason than I don't want it bouncing off the rest and damaging the checkering on my wood Lightweights. I've usually gotten better groups that way too.
I also think you need a relatively light trigger to shoot a lightweight rifle well. A 5lb trigger on a 6lb rifle doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me. 2lbs is OK 1 1'2 lbs is better.
I've shot 69-71grs of RL-22 in different rifles and different bullets (the 71gr charge was with Moly'd bullets). Your 65gr load sounds pretty mild. In my experience RL-22 is a powder that has often shot better at max or close to max loads than at reduced ones. Double check you reloading manuals but you may want to up your RL-22 powder charges a bit.
I've also read that some WSM shooter have been gettin lower SD's using std large rifle primers vs Magnum rifle primers. I've just started experimenting myself but trying both might be something to look into if you aren't finding a load that shoots the way you like.......................DJ

http://www.doubletapammo.com/php/catalog/product_info.p...h=54&products_id=207

Here is a great shooting game getter for the 325WSM that my father uses. It is hell on elk!