7mm WSM Seems to becoming obsolete ?

[jackthebear]

Depending on the starting cal just a little feed ramp and box lip tuning will let it feed well from a stagger feed.
If this type of action is used I really like to go with the Montana short action WSM, it's ready to rock with a 3.250 over all length out of the box.

Have you found that those actions need blueprinting before installing the barrel or are they held to very tight tolerances from the factory?

 

[jackthebear]

I have a 7WSM and it is an absolute HAMMER. It is one of those guns that gives any shooter the confidence when they are behind it. I know that if I range the target, dope the scope, and hold dead on, the bullet will hit where I am aiming. No better example than last year. I had a feeder setup 656 yards from one of our "meat" stands. I wanted to kill a deer, so I set up a target at the feeder and verified cold bore balistics at that range as I had more in mind than a basic vitals shot. My 7WSM was dead on with the first, second and third shot so I was ready to hunt. A few days later, I decided it was time to shoot. I got to the stand late, and the feeder had fired and deer were out. I got into the stand, verified the range, loaded the gun, doped the scope, settled the cross hairs just behind the base of the ear, and touched the trigger. Bullet hit about 1/2" lower than I was aiming, but still a very impressive shot at that range. So, I dont know why the 7WSW has not gotten a bigger following, but as for ballistics, energy and function, it is a great gun for me. Over the last 4 to 5 years, the same gun has taken almost a dozen bear, and none have gone more than 20 yards, and this is with kids and first time bear hunters on the trigger. I have enough confidence in the terminal ballistics in the 180 VLD with my H1000 load to trust this gun to perform with some novice first time bear hunters on the trigger. If you buy one, you will need to load for it, but I dont think you will be upset or disapointed by the performance, as I know I am not. I have yet to lose an animal with it, and have only missed once, but that was not the fault of the gun....but now I verify the scope is back to zero when I get on stand and load for the hunt....

What are you using for brass? I understand quality and availability are a problem.

 

[jackthebear]

I have a 7WSM and it is an absolute HAMMER. It is one of those guns that gives any shooter the confidence when they are behind it. I know that if I range the target, dope the scope, and hold dead on, the bullet will hit where I am aiming. No better example than last year. I had a feeder setup 656 yards from one of our "meat" stands. I wanted to kill a deer, so I set up a target at the feeder and verified cold bore balistics at that range as I had more in mind than a basic vitals shot. My 7WSM was dead on with the first, second and third shot so I was ready to hunt. A few days later, I decided it was time to shoot. I got to the stand late, and the feeder had fired and deer were out. I got into the stand, verified the range, loaded the gun, doped the scope, settled the cross hairs just behind the base of the ear, and touched the trigger. Bullet hit about 1/2" lower than I was aiming, but still a very impressive shot at that range. So, I dont know why the 7WSW has not gotten a bigger following, but as for ballistics, energy and function, it is a great gun for me. Over the last 4 to 5 years, the same gun has taken almost a dozen bear, and none have gone more than 20 yards, and this is with kids and first time bear hunters on the trigger. I have enough confidence in the terminal ballistics in the 180 VLD with my H1000 load to trust this gun to perform with some novice first time bear hunters on the trigger. If you buy one, you will need to load for it, but I dont think you will be upset or disapointed by the performance, as I know I am not. I have yet to lose an animal with it, and have only missed once, but that was not the fault of the gun....but now I verify the scope is back to zero when I get on stand and load for the hunt....

Can I ask what the specs are on your rifle? Barrel manufacturer, contour, length, action, stock. Magazine fed or hinged floor plate? What velocity are you getting?

 

[Michael O'Connor]

I'm looking at a 7 mm WSM and it seems to be loosing it's following. I've spoken with several smiths and they've all said that they haven't chambered one for a while. I shoot a 280 AI and and love it. I'm aware the performance of the 7 WSM is only slightly better burning 8-10 gr. more powder but I'm curious what the negative is of the WSM and why guys aren't building them anymore? I'm afraid I may be disappointed if I buy one after I start shooting it.

7 WSM is not as efficient as the SAUM, and the case may be too long for a short action magazine when loaded with long High B.C. bullets. I think the 7mm Short Sherman is Ideal for 180 Berger Hybrids, 168 grain JLK's, or 151 gr. Flatline Solids.

 

[Michael O'Connor]

I'm one of those guys that really like the WSM family of cartridges. I currently shoot a 270WSM with good accuracy. Once the barrel is tired I will probably move to 7mm WSM for better bullet choices. I think the design provides inherent accuracy, along with 3000FPS + performance. The Nosler family proves that as well such as the 30 Nosler. Similar to WSM cartridges except longer. 30 Nosler is my 30 caliber rifle.

I am not a 270 caliber fan, but the new 170 grain Berger is a great design. It has a good bearing surface length to keep pressure down but 1-8" twist is required.

 

[Deleted member 107796]

I have a 7WSM and it is an absolute HAMMER. It is one of those guns that gives any shooter the confidence when they are behind it.

This description is exactly how I felt after shooting my model 70 for the first time. Very forgiving even when you thought you pulled it a bit. The thing I realized right away about the magnum velocities is that the bullet gets from point A to B, muy pronto, with very little deviation when loaded precisely. You add that with clearly, less felt recoil and a WSM is a killer, IMO.

 

[zb338]

I wish there were more rifles chambered in 7 MM Mauser. That
has been and will continue to be a fine cartridge.
Zeke

 

[Franko21]

I am in the process of researching a 7mm build and thought about the 7WSM but went away from it for the following reasons:
1. Unavailability of brass
2. It isn't a good fit for a short action (and my preference is for a short action at the moment)
3. The extra short neck makes me worry about concentricity issues; I have also read that shorter necks seem to shorten barrel life but have not seen any definitive proof

For those reasons I find myself leaning towards 7SAUM or 280AI (if I break down and go long action). I also still am watching the 7 Sherman Short discussions on the board but am not sure if I am ready to go down the Wildcat rabbit hole.

 

[rcol317]

Well I drank the cool aid and will be in the 7mm WSM club next week. Thanks for all the input. The rifle should arrive next week and I will be able to start seeing just how it compares to my 280 AI's. I was able to obtain a large amount of brass with her so should be good to go. I look forward to smacking steel in a few weeks and just see how the 7mm WSM will perform. I was assured I'll see 180 gr. Berger Hybrids @ 2965 fps. and I'm looking forward to giving it a go.

 

[just country]

morning, the WSM calibers were made from 404 casings. from the
beginning this cartridge casing was a barn burner. the person
that developed WSM cartridge deminsions sp. got greedy, asking
for monies from all sales of the WSM line of cartridge calibers.
so went the decline of in the manufacturing of the WSM line
of cartridges. yes there r ammo makers still providing the
WSM casings. I really like the WSM cartridge, .300 long neck.
still a very good cartridge. a note 260rem. saum, 6.5
rem. mag., 7x57, 6.5x55 have all fallen from the lime
light of favorability of the modern cartridges.
all very good cartridges, other cartridges r more
advertised than the old workhorses in mentions.
speed kills justme gbot tum

 

[Deleted member 107796]

7 WSM is not as efficient as the SAUM,

I respectfully disagree, based on data from a few sources. It's a wash with very similar velocities for the same weight bullet.

 

[johnlittletree]

I'm looking at a 7 mm WSM and it seems to be loosing it's following. I've spoken with several smiths and they've all said that they haven't chambered one for a while. I shoot a 280 AI and and love it. I'm aware the performance of the 7 WSM is only slightly better burning 8-10 gr. more powder but I'm curious what the negative is of the WSM and why guys aren't building them anymore? I'm afraid I may be disappointed if I buy one after I start shooting it.

When your only claim to fame is a short fat case there is not much reason to switch to it if you already have something that does the job. Lack of good marketing and too many new cartridges is the problem. If all that maters is checking boxes on paper than every new and trendy cartridge is a must have. On the other hand if hunting like the title of this forum suggests is the the objective then it makes no sense to jump ship all the time if the newer trendier cartridge does not do something hugely better than what you already have.

Sadly 99% of gun owners actual believe the dribble that gun writers and OEM's push about short actions being more accurate because they are stiffer! People think they are going to magically get flatter shooting and better accuracy from a shorter case in a shorter action that happens to also be short and fat. This drives sales since it is far cheaper and faster to by a new rifle chambered in the latest trendy thing then it is to buy a boutique barrel, buy a short action or have an existing one blueprinted etc.....Also there is no statistically significant speed advantage to a short action either from a action cycling stand point!

If you already have a 300 Win Mag do you need a 308 Win, 30 Dasher, 300BO, 7.62x54 and 30-06 Spr. and a as well? Prob. not. So then you run into the idea of spreading the love so you do not have too many cartridges with too much over lap.

The only reason I have a 308 Win is for F-T/R my 300 Win mag and 30-06 are lighter and have scopes on that are far better for hunting not target shooting. You run into people that seem to have a fetish for a given bore size or cartridge and they have 7 rifles in 30-06 or 7 rifles all in 30 Cal chamberings. That is not common but we all know someone like that on a gun forum or in real life. I know a guy that collects and restores Yugo's as in the car no idea what he see's in them but he is a great guy if only a tad odd!

Gun makers and ammo makers and some are both have a vested interest in selling you more and more rifles and brass and ammo.

People get bored and want something new from time to time and that is what they are banking on. Well that and that the customer is fairly ignorant and they can get away with anything they want to.

Sadly on some level people know this and choose to ignore it. We have been transformed into a consumer based and service based society! This is why some cartridges just never catch on and on the other hand we have some like the 45-70Govt, 30-06, 8x57, 7x57, 6.5x55 Swede, 7.62x54 Russian that are over a 100 years old and still going strong. The 25-06 is creeping up on 100 years old if you look at it from the 25 Niedner standpoint. There have been a lot of .243 cartridges come and go mostly magnums but the 243 Win is what stuck it is not the fastest one out of all that have come and gone.


If you want to know how often experts are wrong look at egg's, butter, cholesterol, the housing bubble, the fiat currency we use, short actions are stiffer and more accurate, gain twist is more accurate, a tapered bore on a shoulder fired rifle is more accurate, nitrogen filled tires is the only way to go, thinking that man can make water from hydrogen and oxygen, speed of light is a fixed constant, that Maxwell got all his proofs right, low sodium is good for you and in any way linked to health, that heart disease and cholesterol are in any way linked and on and on we can go....Oh that the speed of sound is an invisible barrier in the sky that can not be broken that one is the best!


The 30-06, 308 Win, 30-30 Win, 12ga slug all look terrible on paper but they work great in the real world. The 338 Win Mag looks less than impressive on paper but again it has proven itself in the real world of hunting. If you are hunting not a lot the 338 Edge or 338LM can do for you in terms of hunting that the older slower 338 Win Mag can not already do. If we are looking for anti-material rifle lighter than a 50 BMG rifle than the 338LM is incredible. I do not shoot Elk at 1.75 miles or Elk wearing body armor at 1200m. If I am target shooting though the 338 Win Mag would not be a cartridge I would want to campaign with unless I had no other choice. For better than 20 years I have told people that a 30-06 or 300 Win Mag with a 190gr.-220gr. bullet is more lethal than a 250gr. 338 Win Mag.! The only down side until recently is that most bullets over 190Gr. in 30 Cal where normally a round nose. A lot of bullets over 180gr. that where HPBT where match bullets not intended for hunting.

I think it is comical that companies load the 300 Win Mag. with 150gr. bullets. If you want something that light a 6mm, 6.5mm or 7mm makes more sense. A 308 Win likewise makes more sense in 150gr. than a 300 Win Mag.

Competition demands have infected hunters minds and today they worry about the wrong things when picking a rifle, a chambering and load.

A rifle does not need to make sense or look great on paper if it's primary purpose is to hunt. Man almost wiped out the Buffalo with some pretty crappy cartridges but the buffalo did not seem to care if they where shot with a really anemic cartridge with a trajectory of a rainbow with iron sights they died just the same. Soldiers in the Civil War died at the hands of Sharps, Spencers and Henry rifles shooting a cartridges like the 56-56 Rimfire with an effective range of 500 yards.

If you want a short action chambered in 7mm WSM go for it if that is what you want. You do not need my approval or a group hug just do it. If I think it is the dumbest thing ever it should not matter to you! It is your money and you earned it so do what you will. Do not try to justify it with logic or reasoning. Every time you take it out of the safe smile and enjoy.

That said if you ask peoples opinions on a public forum you should be ready for as many naw's as yaw's but you do not have to accept any of it let alone listen to it!

God Bless and have fun!

Remember shooting should be fun and hunting is about putting meat in the freezer! Everything else is just a distraction!

 

[Deleted member 107796]

I'm the last one to follow the Kardashians and market hype, but the previous post seems to completely discount the numerous reviews and field experience of the WSM line. Sounds like a lot of words, no need to quote, with very little real experience. That's as hype as hype gets, IMO.

 

[therifleman556]

Go for it! The WSMs are fun as hell and easy to load for. Love my 270 wizzum.