325 WSM - Keep it or flip it?

FIGJAM

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I picked up a Winchester M70 Coyote Lite 325 wsm with the blued fluted barrel a few years ago from a buddy who put less than a box of shells through it. I have only shot it a couple times at the range - it has been my back up elk rifle. I put a vortex HSLR 4-16x44 on it. My go to rifle has been a 270 wsm in browning xbolt medallion the last couple years. The Xbolt got a little beat up this fall and I am thinking about using her a little more carefully in the future and trying to come up with a different go to rifle for mule deer and elk...I really like the coyote lite rifle - I like how this has a blued fluted barrel, and I like the heavier contour barrel and how light the gun is blah blah blah, I am just not sure I know much about or love the 325 wsm. I have been comfortable shooting elk and deer out to 800 yards with the 270 wsm, most of my shots are between 300-500, but I want to be able to extend beyond that if I need to. I have several rifles smaller than the 270 wsm (25-06, 260, 243 etc).

So, here is my question - those of you who are familiar with the 325 wsm, should I keep it? Will it do everything I want it to? Should I dump it and look for something a little more known for reaching out there?

I have listed the 325 wsm and pulled it back several times, had some offers on it, good ones at that, and backed off. Its like I think its kind of a cool round, but maybe I could do better...maybe if I give it an honest go, I could learn to love it? I think I really like the coyote lite platform but am on the fence with the caliber. Let me know what you think..
 
I think Matrix makes some good high-BC 8mm bullets. Personally, I think it's a cartridge that should have been kept around, but due to lack of heavy high-BC bullets, it was slowly killed-off.

You could always keep it for a donor rifle... That would make a perfect platform for a 7mm SS (Sherman Shortmag) build with a 26" 1:8" twist Proof CF barrel. Toss on an EGW HD 20MOA rail, and a new Zeiss V4 6-24x50, mounted in some low (0.82") Seekins rings, and you got one badass hunting rig for just about anything in N. America. Just saying... :cool:

I've got a custom built A-Bolt II 7mm RemMag, and once they've been slicked-up and blueprinted, they're even smoother and more refined than any 700 I've shot...And I'm a HUGE 700 fan. The 60º bolt throw is also really nice and fast. The only thing that kills the Browning A-Bolts is that internal magazine box...It's very short from front to back, so you can't always stretch-out the bullets as close to the lands as you'd like. That's why I mention the SS cartridges, because they're designed specifically to work with high-BC long heavy bullets in very short platforms like that, and they're based off a modified SAUM case, so no extra modifications to the rifle are necessary. It would be the perfect cartridge for a Browning A-Bolt WSM rifle to be a donor for.
 
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You could always keep it for a donor rifle... That would make a perfect platform for a 7mm SS (Sherman Shortmag) build with a 26" 1:8" twist Proof CF barrel.

This is good advice. Keep it for a donor. The Win70 WSM action is a medium length action that allows a longer OAL in the mag than most short actions. (~3.010") It would be perfect for a SS or a 6.5 PRC that benefit from the longer OAL.
 
If long range is your goal, I would sell it or rebarrel it. I have a 8MMX338win with a 20 in barrel which is a ballistic equivalent to 325 WSM and its a great mid range gun. I used the 200gr accubonds, and have killed elk and oryx with it out to 500yds.

It really falls off past 600. It works great for my mid range, horseback elk gun. I toy with idea of rebarreling mine all the time. When I shoot long range it stays at home, a lot of better choices out there.
 
I picked up a Winchester M70 Coyote Lite 325 wsm with the blued fluted barrel a few years ago from a buddy who put less than a box of shells through it. I have only shot it a couple times at the range - it has been my back up elk rifle. I put a vortex HSLR 4-16x44 on it. My go to rifle has been a 270 wsm in browning xbolt medallion the last couple years. The Xbolt got a little beat up this fall and I am thinking about using her a little more carefully in the future and trying to come up with a different go to rifle for mule deer and elk...I really like the coyote lite rifle - I like how this has a blued fluted barrel, and I like the heavier contour barrel and how light the gun is blah blah blah, I am just not sure I know much about or love the 325 wsm. I have been comfortable shooting elk and deer out to 800 yards with the 270 wsm, most of my shots are between 300-500, but I want to be able to extend beyond that if I need to. I have several rifles smaller than the 270 wsm (25-06, 260, 243 etc).

So, here is my question - those of you who are familiar with the 325 wsm, should I keep it? Will it do everything I want it to? Should I dump it and look for something a little more known for reaching out there?

I have listed the 325 wsm and pulled it back several times, had some offers on it, good ones at that, and backed off. Its like I think its kind of a cool round, but maybe I could do better...maybe if I give it an honest go, I could learn to love it? I think I really like the coyote lite platform but am on the fence with the caliber. Let me know what you think..
If you're happy with it keep it. Just make sure you have an adequate brass supply and if you aren't doing so already start loading your own.

There's nothing on the continent it's not more than capable of taking with confidence and it is a neat little niche caliber.
 
Build a 338 Sherman short out of it and it will be your go to
This!! Will still be a big bore heavy hitter, unique just like the 325 wsm, and will send 250 Bergers with a .682 g1 bc at 2800 fps+!! That is a healthy 1000 yd elk whopper. You have the perfect rifle to do this with
 
I spent most of last night researching the Sherman Short Mags. I do reload, although the last couple years I haven't had the time to do much(I got a promotion and I had to relocate across the country and I am traveling a ton for work), I have been shooting the hornady precision hunter ammo in my 270 wsm. I watched a youtube video on all that goes into forming the SSM brass, and it seems time consuming and I think at this phase in my life it would be more stressful than enjoyable. The only reason I reload is for accuracy, if I find a factory recipe that my gun shoots .5 moa, then I end up buying factory ammo. Thus the Hornady Precision Hunter with the 270 wsm and I found my 260 loves Prime ammo, my 223 and 204 both like fiocchi with the vmax bullets. The only gun I still reload for is the 2506. I haven't found a factory load it likes, although I saw Hornady has some precision hunter that I am going to try.

I have never had a true wildcat cartridge and I think the Sherman's are a little intimidating if I am being completely honest. Although I admit the more I read about the rounds the more I was drawn to it. If I could buy ready to go brass, I would go that route in a heartbeat.
 
This!! Will still be a big bore heavy hitter, unique just like the 325 wsm, and will send 250 Bergers with a .682 g1 bc at 2800 fps+!! That is a healthy 1000 yd elk whopper. You have the perfect rifle to do this with
Doesn't the Sherman really need to be built on an medium or long action to maximize case capacity particularly with the longer/heavier/higher BC bullets?
 
I spent most of last night researching the Sherman Short Mags. I do reload, although the last couple years I haven't had the time to do much(I got a promotion and I had to relocate across the country and I am traveling a ton for work), I have been shooting the hornady precision hunter ammo in my 270 wsm. I watched a youtube video on all that goes into forming the SSM brass, and it seems time consuming and I think at this phase in my life it would be more stressful than enjoyable. The only reason I reload is for accuracy, if I find a factory recipe that my gun shoots .5 moa, then I end up buying factory ammo. Thus the Hornady Precision Hunter with the 270 wsm and I found my 260 loves Prime ammo, my 223 and 204 both like fiocchi with the vmax bullets. The only gun I still reload for is the 2506. I haven't found a factory load it likes, although I saw Hornady has some precision hunter that I am going to try.

I have never had a true wildcat cartridge and I think the Sherman's are a little intimidating if I am being completely honest. Although I admit the more I read about the rounds the more I was drawn to it. If I could buy ready to go brass, I would go that route in a heartbeat.
Rich Sherman sells pre-formed and properly head stamped 7mm SS brass. So, you don't have to do any brass forming if you don't want to.

You can also buy a reamer, dies, etc... in his online store. Everything you need in one place.

https://shermanwildcatcartridges.com/7-ss

https://shermanwildcatcartridges.com/online-store?olsPage=products/preorder-7-ss-brass-50pcs
 
Doesn't the Sherman really need to be built on an medium or long action to maximize case capacity particularly with the longer/heavier/higher BC bullets?
With the standard throat OAL is 2.950 seated to the lands with the 250 if I recall correctly. Not sure how much room a Winchester has, I believe you can have a good bit of room with very little work....

Also, you can buy brass. Go here:

https://shermanwildcatcartridges.com/online-store?olsPage=products/preorder-7-ss-brass-50pcs

Just run brass through the die like you would before loading anything else, load with a starting load for first fireing and seat your round for a .010" into lands, and your gtg.
 
Cutting Edge and Hammer bullets both make relatively high BC 8mm bullets you could try. Model 70 short actions will let you load to at least 3.000" with no modifications, so it would be a great action to try some of the longer bullets. I have one sitting in my safe waiting to get used for the right SA wildcat idea.
 
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