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300wsm or 325wsm or??? Packing Elk rifle

aj427ci

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 16, 2013
Messages
134
Location
Colorado
OK... Trying to put together my elk plan for this year. Looks like a lot of hiking in my future. So I'm looking at a factory rifle in 300wsm or 325 wsm or similar in power in a light - mid weight rifle. I reload so factory ammo isn't a concern but has to be a factory gun. No funds for a custom. Trying to stay away from belted mags, already have a 300wm sendero. Thanks for any input.
 
If you plan on keeping your shots at 500 yards and under, it really won't matter which one you choose because BC really doesnt play a big factor at those ranges. 600 and further, I would go with the 300 WSM. If you go with the 325 WSM, buy Norma 300 WSM brass and just neck it up with your full length resizing for. That small of a neck up is simple.

It won't matter which one you use but in all honesty, the 300 WSM is going to have Norma brass and a lot more bullet choices.

If I had to choose, I would get a Tikka T3x lite in 300 WSM. Load it with a 180-200 Gr bullet (I would go with 200gr).
 
Try to find a Remington model 7 stainless synthetic in 300 saum, lightweight, accurate, easy to handle and point, the best kept secret ever by a factory...how this gun never caught on is beyond me...it does it all for packpack big game hunting..
 
The 325wsm has never really caught on but I think it is pretty good. I am not big wsm fan as bullets wind up in the powder column in order to fit the mag. Causing powder issues with compressed or having to use a faster powder because not enough slow fits, etc. We did custom ammunition for a client in his 325wsm Kimber rifle. We used our 221g Hammer Hunter and loaded RL-17 at 2825fps with very good accuracy. For this particular customer he was looking to hunt out to 500y and use his bdc reticle for holds. This in my opinion was a very nice light weight packing rifle for any big game animal out 500 yards or so depending ones ability to run ballistics. It was not much fun at the bench, but for a purposed light weight elk rifle, it was very good.

Steve
 
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If you plan on keeping your shots at 500 yards and under, it really won't matter which one you choose because BC really doesnt play a big factor at those ranges. 600 and further, I would go with the 300 WSM. If you go with the 325 WSM, buy Norma 300 WSM brass and just neck it up with your full length resizing for. That small of a neck up is simple.

It won't matter which one you use but in all honesty, the 300 WSM is going to have Norma brass and a lot more bullet choices.

If I had to choose, I would get a Tikka T3x lite in 300 WSM. Load it with a 180-200 Gr bullet (I would go with 200gr).

Excellent advice here, the seating depth issue in a short action was addressed in an other post as well and the Tikka is the solution IMO, it's a very simple fix to make your WSM Tikka into a Med length action allowing it to run bullets seated out or for throating out for better bullets. The 300 WSM with a 215 Berger seated with no compromise has a coal of 3.2 ish, runs like butter through the Tikka mag and action.
 
Instead of the T3 Lite, consider the standard T3.

Too light can be too much of a good thing.
 
I found a t3 in 300wsm for a good price as they are now discontinued. Think I'm going to grab it if the wife doesn't kill me first lol.
 
Well I picked up the t3 in 300wsm. Wife not to happy lol. Now to get a load made up. It was mentioned about another thread to extend the col in these rifles... Any one no which thread that was, maybe a link so I can be lazy. Thanks for the help
 
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