First, let’s talk about the history of the Winchester Short … With this in mind, designers at Winchester Repeating Arms elected to build a line of cartridges that could fit in a short length action with the goal of achieving similar performance to popular standard length cartridges. Winchester claimed these new cartridges could meet or even exceed the ballistic performance of comparable standard length cartridges like the .270 Winchester, the 7mm Remington Magnum, and .300 Winchester Magnum. So, while the 7mm WSM is faster on paper, the two cartridges have essentially the same velocity for all intents and purposes. The 7mm shoots .284-inch diameter bullets through bores .28-inch across, but only two use this Imperial measuring system in their titles: .280 Remington and .284 Winchester, both excellent but under-rated “standard” velocity cartridges. that. For example, 4-5 round magazines are pretty common with the .270 Win, but 3 round magazines are about all you’ll find with the 270 WSM. A bit more than the 7mm Rem. All told, both are wonderful cartridges for hunting some of the larger species of North American big game or African plains game. Is the 270 WSM capable of excellent accuracy? AFAICT, they fill the same niche and produce the same down-range results with the 140 grain bullets that I'm shooting from both of them. Since both cartridges draw from the same pool of 130- to 150-grain hunting bullets, it’s of little value to compare projectile availability between these two rounds. The 325 WSM shoots .323″ bullets while the .338 Win Mag uses .338″ bullets. That’s not a gigantic difference, but it’s certainly not nothing either. The 7mm WSM does indeed have a flatter trajectory and a tiny bit more resistance to wind drift than the 7mm Rem Mag. Finally, while the two cartridges use the same 7mm bullets (.284″ diameter) and there is a big overlap in typical bullet weights for each cartridge, the 7mm WSM normally uses lighter bullets than the 7mm Remington Magnum. In fact, those two cartridges are likely among the Top 10 best … Glad to see the WSM family got some attention. Basically, their stated goal was to give shooters and hunters all the benefits of a short action cartridge (like the .308 Winchester pictured below) with essentially the same external ballistics as comparable standard length cartridges (like the .270 Winchester cartridge in the photo below).So, how’d they do it? I’ve always thought the 270wsm was similar to the 7mm Mag. Do the WSM cartridges offer tangible benefits to hunters and shooters? Maximum pressure obtained from SAAMI (p23, 24, 28, 30, 31, and 32). Not surprisingly, many sportsmen and women were a little skeptical about the line of Winchester Short Magnum cartridges introduced in the early 2000s that claimed to offer even better performance than these legendary centerfire rifle hunting cartridges. Though Winchester advertises a 24″ long barrel and a 7.25 pound overall weight for each cartridge in this particular Model 70, the rifle chambered in 300 WSM is 1/2″ shorter overall. For those reasons, the .300 Win Mag actually has significantly more case capacity (around 10-15% more, depending on the manufacturer) than the 300 WSM. Below you can see the differences between the 325 Winchester Magnum and the .338 Winchester Short Magnum in terms of external dimensions. However, Winchester made a big splash with the .300 Winchester Short Magnum in 2001 and followed up with the .270 Winchester Short Magnum and 7mm Winchester Short Magnum cartridges in 2002. 270 WSM vs 270 Winchester In order to make as close to an “apples to apples” comparison of the cartridges as possible, I referenced Winchester’s 2009 catalog and used the provided specifications listed there for the Model 70 Featherweight chambered in .270 Win, 270 WSM, 7mm Rem Mag, 7mm WSM, 300 Win Mag, 300 WSM, 325 WSM, and 338 Win Mag. At 500 yards the .270 Win. The fact of the matter is that regardless of the rifle cartridge in question, the shooter is almost always the weakest link in the accuracy equation. This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets. Though it’s not quite as commonly used as cartridges like the .270 Winchester, 7mm Remington Magnum, or .300 Winchester Magnum, the .338 Winchester Magnum is still quite popular. Of these, 140 grain, 150 grain, 160 grain, and 175 grain loads are by far the most common. Subscriber Services. However, Winchester did produce several versions of their Model 70 chambered in the cartridge for many years. They’re both outstanding cartridges and I’d say that the 300 WSM is the best designed out of the Winchester Short Magnum line. Is the 325 WSM capable of excellent accuracy? The 270 WSM is by no means rare though and most sporting goods stores carry ammunition for both cartridges. Like all the other Winchester Short Magnum cartridges, the 325 WSM is specifically designed to fit in a short action rifle instead of a standard length action like the larger .338 Winchester Magnum. Normally you’d be right and the rifle for the standard length cartridge would be either a little longer and heavier or virtually the same size and weight. Remember: we’re talking about accuracy under practical hunting conditions, not benchrest shooting where a .1″ or .2″ improvement in group size can make a big difference. This is illustrated in the table below comparing Nosler Trophy Grade and Winchester Power Max Bonded factory ammunition loaded with 200gr AccuBond (.450 BC) and 220gr (.403 BC) Bonded Rapid Expansion Hollow Point bullets in 325 Winchester Short Magnum and 225gr (.550) AccuBond and 200gr Bonded Rapid Expansion Hollow Point (.323 BC) bullets in .338 Winchester Magnum. On the other hand, the majority of 7mm WSM factory loads use bullets in the 140-162 grain range and 140, 150, and 162gr bullets are pretty common. For all intents and purposes, we can say that the two cartridges have the same ballistics. However, the rifles are noticeably lightweight, offering non belted magnum performance; that all shoot accurately. While rifles like the Winchester Model 70 were produced in that chambering for several years, I’m not aware of any rifles currently manufactured in 7mm WSM. Additionally, the .300 Winchester Magnum is a traditional belted magnum while the 300 WSM has a rebated rim and no belt.Just like with the 7mm WSM vs 7mm Rem Mag, even though the 300 WSM uses a case with a larger diameter, the .300 Win Mag also uses a relatively large diameter case itself and is significantly longer. Unfortunately, the future isn’t looking very bright for that cartridge right now. Felt recoil will vary from shooter to shooter and rifle to rifle, but free recoil energy is still a useful way to compare cartridges.This is the first instance where we’ve seen the Winchester Short Magnum serve up similar performance with an appreciable reduction in recoil. The table below compares the recoil produced by two Nosler hand loads (available here and here) with ballistics roughly comparable to the 140gr loads above for those cartridges when fired from a Winchester Model 70 Featherweight rifle. I’m not sure if it cracks the  Top 10 best selling rifle cartridges in the United States each year, but it’s likely in the Top 15 or Top 20. The .222 Rem. This is very likely the single most commonly used bullet size in North America, so there’s an excellent bullet selection for both cartridges. Especially when hunting at shorter ranges (inside 200 yards), the 325 Winchester Short Magnum offers virtually the same performance as the .338 Win Mag, but with considerably less recoil. Additionally, the .300 Win Mag has a shoulder moved further forward than the 7mm Rem Mag. At the same time, the 300 WSM has most closely lived up to the hype, which explains why it’s far and away the most popular of the bunch. loads are typically a few cents cheaper per shot. Felt recoil will vary from shooter to shooter and rifle to rifle, but free recoil energy is still a useful way to compare cartridges.As you can see, that particular 325 WSM load has about 83% of the free recoil energy of the .338 Win Mag load, which is a pretty major reduction in recoil. Perhaps the most surprising comparative result was that the 150 grain.270 WSM load carries more energy downrange than either of the 7mm Rem Mag loads. Mag., substantially more than the old 270 Win. These three products from Horus Vision, a smartphone app, pocket weather meter and laser... Thompson/Center and S&W's Performance Center team up to build an entry-level long-range... Gunsite's Ed Head reviews the Ruger American/Robar Scout Rifle. In the WSM .270 fans found a short, powerful, efficient round that could be housed in compact, lightweight short-action rifles and which edged closer to 7mm Rem. is not only a classic round. Those factors result in this particular 300 WSM load having about 7% less free recoil than the .300 Win Mag. With these loads, the bullet from the 7mm WSM is going 50-60 feet per second faster than the bullet from the 7mm Rem Mag. When you consider the fact that the 270 WSM has significantly more case capacity than the older .270 Winchester and that both cartridges have the same maximum SAAMI pressure, it shouldn’t be surprising that the 270 WSM is actually capable of shooting the same weight bullet at a higher velocity than the .270 Winchester. After all, the .300 Win Mag is capable of excellent accuracy itself and is generally very highly regarded in that area as well. He loaded with Win brass, Fed 210M primers, H1000 and 180 gr Bergers. Far Zero for the WSM load and the 140 grain 7mm load is identical, while FZ of the heavy WSM load is 10 yards longer than the 160 grain 7mm. I went with the 325 to try something different for a change. The .300 Winchester Magnum and 300 WSM (along with the .30-30 Winchester, .308 Winchester, .30-06 Springfield, .300 Remington Ultra Magnum, .300 Remington Short Action Ultra Magnum, 300 PRC, and .300 Weatherby) use the same .30 caliber bullets. varies from company to company, but the basic trend is the same regardless of the exact rifle we’re talking about. Rifles in both cartridges are also extremely common. I personally prefer the .300 Win Mag, but you should also know that my affinity for that cartridge is due in part to my preference for Ruger rifles (which are not currently manufactured in any WSM cartridge). All Rights Reserved. Absolutely. Though it’s possible to find rifles chambered in .300 Win Mag with a larger magazine, that’s a pretty typical magazine size for the cartridge. Once again, there’s a good selection for both, but rifles chambered in 270 WSM aren’t quite as common and are usually more expensive. Additionally, the Winchester Short Magnum Cartridges all have a case with very minimal taper and a 35 degree shoulder. First, the .300 Win Mag is a lot longer. The two cartridges (along with others like the 7mm Mauser, 7mm-08, 7mm Weatherby, 280 Remington, 280 Ackley Improved, and 7mm Remington Ultra Magnum) use the same .284″ bullets. The.270 WSM is a good cartridge but, honestly, it is a very small player in terms of market share. At reasonable shooting ranges, there’s very little practical difference between them ballistically and both cartridges will really do a number on both species of game. I prefer the 700 in 7mm SAUM because it is SS and I generally prefer SS to CM in my "working" rifles, but they function equally well. .270 versus 7mm Rem Mag. This is illustrated in the table below comparing Federal Premium and Hornady factory ammunition loaded with 180gr Trophy Bonded Tip (.500 BC) and 200gr Hornady ELD-X (.597 BC) bullets in .300 Winchester Magnum and 300 Winchester Short Magnum. After all we wouldn’t want to hurt someone’s sensitive feelings. or even 300 Win. The answers to the above questions really depend on the rifle, ammunition, and shooter in question though. Lightweight handy rifles giving magnum performance should have become more popular. Though Winchester advertises a 24″ long barrel and a 7.25 pound overall weight for each cartridge in this particular Model 70, the rifle chambered in 7mm WSM is 1/2″ shorter overall. more energy at that range. While the performance of the two cartridges at reasonable hunting ranges is very similar, the logistics of getting a good rifle, quality ammunition, or even reloading components for the .388 Win Mag are so much simpler for that cartridge when compared to the 325 WSM. In that same vein, those fat, stubby 270 WSM cartridges with their very steep shoulder angle can sometimes present feeding problems. Both cartridges are also well suited for hand loaders and reloading components for the 7mm Remington Magnum and 7mm Winchester Short Magnum are widely available. However, don’t underestimate the importance of the greater variety, wider availability, and lower overall cost of .270 Winchester rifles and ammunition. This results in less recoil. Both will work exceptionally well on game ranging from whitetail, mule, and fallow deer all the way up to elk and moose out to several hundred yards. The .270 WSM is also capable of excellent accuracy but prefers slow-burning powders. The answers to the above questions really depend on the rifle, ammunition, and shooter in question though. All are very solid performers that are extremely popular with big game hunters pursuing game like deer, elk, black bear, and moose. That small reduction in recoil is also particularly helpful here as well. That’s is because the 325 Winchester Short Magnum load in question uses about 12% less powder than the .338 Win Mag. While it’s certainly nice to have if possible, a the difference in a theoretical 1.25″ vs a 1.5″ group most likely won’t matter much while actually hunting at reasonable ranges. They rounded out the lineup with the 325 Winchester Short Magnum in 2005. For this reason, while they will do the job on deer sized game, the 325 WSM and .338 Win Mag are both excellent choices for larger game like caribou, elk, moose, red stag, kudu, and eland. The verdict? Copyright © 2020 Big Game Hunting Adventures LLC | All Rights Reserved. However, the 270 WSM has a very fat case with minimal taper and a much steeper shoulder angle (35 degrees vs 17.5 degrees).For those reasons, the 270 WSM is unique among the Winchester Short Magnum cartridges for actually having significantly more case capacity (around 10-20% more, depending on the case manufacturer) than its standard length cousin. So, while the rifle chambered in 7mm WSM is not really any lighter, it’s a tiny bit shorter and handier. Book an incredible Africa hunting safari here. Like I said, they’re all well designed and very capable hunting cartridges. However, the 7mm Remington Magnum has a gigantic advantage in terms of availability and variety of rifles and ammunition. This makes sense since the 270 WSM is specifically designed to fit in a short action rifle instead of a standard length action like the .270 Winchester. Is it significantly more accurate than the .270 Winchester? Both cartridges are also well suited for hand loaders and reloading components for the .270 Winchester and 270 WSM are widely available. That being said, it’s probably a little bit more expensive and, while there’s a good variety of ammo for the cartridge, the .270 Winchester usually has a bigger selection regardless of where you go. While all four are pretty commonly available, the .270 Winchester and the 7mm Remington Magnum are by far the most popular out of the bunch. In this article, I’m going to do a detailed analysis of the 270, 7mm, 300, and 325 Winchester Short Magnum cartridges and compare them to the .270 Winchester, the 7mm Remington Magnum, the .300 Winchester Magnum, and the .338 Winchester Magnum in an effort to answer the above questions and parse out the their true strengths and weaknesses so you can make an informed decision regarding which one will work best for you. However, standard/long actions and short actions are two of the most common and are most relevant to the development of the Winchester Short Magnum line of cartridges. The same goes for guns: rifles chambered in 7mm Remington Magnum are extremely popular and very commonly in the United States. What about accuracy of the 325 WSM vs 338 Win Mag? However, the biggest shortcoming of all four Winchester Short Magnum cartridges is the fact that they often simply don’t provide enough advantages to most hunters to justify switching over, particularly if that hunter is already using a more established cartridge that works well for him or her. bullet will retain 1,000 ft-lbs clear out at 830 yards. It’s a wonderful cartridge and there are plenty of quality ammo and rifle choices for you. Both will work exceptionally well on deer sized game out to several hundred yards. However, while that factor may well contribute to better accuracy, there are many other factors that influence accuracy to a much larger degree. As you can probably guess, there is very little difference in the trajectories in the two cartridges. LMAO. The two cartridges have a virtually identical trajectory out to 400 yards, but the less aerodynamic .338 bullet starts to drop off in performance at longer range compared to the 325 WSM. So can 7mm RM cases. Felt recoil will vary from shooter to shooter and rifle to rifle, but free recoil energy is still a useful way to compare cartridges.As you can see, the two cartridges have almost identical amounts of recoil with the 7mm Rem Mag in this particular example actually having a tiny bit less free recoil energy than the 7mm WSM. In today’s world, better to sugar coat it than to sound like we may be mocking. This specific model weighs 7.25 pounds when chambered in both 7mm WSM and 7mm Rem Mag. drops about 3.5 inches more than the short mag at 500 yards. In theory, this results in improved accuracy for the shorter case. However, the same rifle in .338 Win Mag is advertised at 7.75 pounds and 46.75″ long overall (because it has a 26″ barrel instead of a 24″ barrel like the 325 WSM rifle). Once again, there is essentially no difference between the recoil of the two cartridges though. As you can see, the two Federal Premium loads used the exact same 180 grain bullets fired at the same velocity. In addition to potentially giving up a little bit of magazine capacity due to the fat and stubby design of the 325 WSM cartridge, those same traits (along with the cartridge’s very steep shoulder angle) can sometimes present feeding problems. I have killed elk with ,260 rem, 6.5 x 284, 270 win, 270 wsm, 7mm saum, 7mm rem mag, 300 wsm. But, even though the 300 Winchester Magnum does have a belted case (which the 300 WSM lacks), the 300 Win Mag generally has a reputation for pretty reliable feeding in most rifles. However, as long as you can find a rifle and ammunition combination that function reliably and shoot accurately together, if using one of those cartridges improves the confidence of the shooter to a large enough degree, then by all means start hunting with a Winchester Short Magnum cartridge. Plus, the .270 WSM could poach from an already extensive lineup of .277 … Likewise, ammunition for the .270 WSM is less likely to be found on every store shelf, but it’s relatively widely available, and many sporting goods stores—even relatively small stores—often stock .270 WSM. You got to figure one or two should survive. Does the difference between the two cartridges in terms of accuracy make a difference for most hunters under typical conditions? I guess riflemen are becoming The 7mm-08 case is just slightly longer than the parent .308—2.035 inches vs. 2.015 inches—but maintains the same 20-degree shoulder of the .308 Winchester. Winchester Model 70 chambered in 7mm Remington Magnum & Remington Model 700 chambered in.270 Winchester. So, not only is it possible to shave some length and weight off a rifle while retaining the same length barrel, but shorter actions also give the shooter an advantage from a shorter bolt throw (and a correspondingly faster cycling time) as well as a tiny advantage in accuracy due to their stiffer action. That extra velocity makes a bit of a difference in terms of wind drift and overall trajectory to be sure, but that slightly flatter trajectory is less important in this day and age of laser rangefinders, particularly if you have a scope equipped with a bullet drop compensating dial. Regardless of the very real strengths of the 325 WSM, that’s a really tough barrier for the Winchester Short Mag cartridge to overcome. However, they’re being measured against four of the most popular American centerfire rifle cartridges of all time in the .270 Winchester, 7mm Remington Magnum, .300 Winchester Magnum, and .338 Winchester Magnum, and that’s a tough hurdle to get over. Anyhow, I like the concept of the wsm family of cartridges. While rifles chambered in both cartridges are manufactured with both 22″ and 24″ barrels, the shorter 22″ barrel length is more common with the .270 Winchester and the longer 24″ barrel is more common with the 270 WSM. The same goes for game like mountain goat, bighorn sheep, Himalayan Tahr, and chamois. Both rifles in this case also have a 3 round magazine as well, so there’s no advantage there with either cartridge. In 1925 Winchester necked down the .30-03 to .277 and created the .270 Win., a sporting cartridge designed for medium-size game that shot flatter yet recoiled less than the .30-06 Springfield. October 28, 2013 The data used to compare the trajectory and wind drift of the cartridges was obtained from Hornady (here, here, here and here), Federal (here, here, here, here, here, and here), Nosler (here), and Winchester (here). Or was the Winchester Short Magnum line of cartridges just a scheme by Winchester to sell new rifles that’s cleverly disguised by a bunch of marketing hype? Both are wonderful for situations like hunting mule deer in Arizona or pronghorn in Wyoming. As fans of the Winchester Short Magnum cartridges like to point out, the 325 Winchester Short Magnum likely does gain some accuracy benefit from its shorter powder column. What about accuracy of the 270 Winchester vs 270 WSM? Mag. They’re both great cartridges, but I’d probably lean towards the .270 Winchester. These are interesting cases where both lines of ammo use the same style bullet for both cartridges, but the Nosler ammunition uses a heavier bullet for the .338 Win Mag and Winchester uses a heavier bullet for the 325 WSM. The 7mm WSM and 7mm Remington Magnum are best suited for the exact same hunting situations. Both loads are compared when fired from a Winchester Model 70 Featherweight rifle. Exploring areas of concern that are vital for anyone who wants to increase a rifle's accuracy. Mag. So where do we stand with both cartridges? Both cartridges also offer a substantial increase in power, both in terms of bullet frontal surface area and kinetic energy, over the 300 Magnums as well. My favorite among all the new magnums is the .270 WSM. Since the 270 WSM uses a significantly shorter cartridge, you’d probably expect rifles in that cartridge to be shorter and lighter than rifles chambered in .270 Winchester. Note: No company currently manufactures rifles chambered in 7mm WSM. With a 200-yard zero, the older .270 Win. The Winchester Short Magnum line of cartridges is a good example of how even well designed products that largely accomplish the goals set by the manufacturer can fail to catch on with the hunting community. The chart below compares how much a 10 mile per hour crosswind impacts those same four loads out to 500 yards.Once again, the results are mixed. This is an incredibly small practical difference. However, the 300 WSM could have an advantage on those sort of hunts because it’s available a smaller and easier to carry rifle. Is it significantly more accurate than the 7mm Remington Magnum? The 7mm Winchester Short Magnum very likely does gain some accuracy benefit from its shorter and fatter powder column. For that reason, the .338 Winchester Magnum is probably the closest comparison to the .325 WSM that’s in common use in North America. Discussion Starter • #1 • Nov 18, 2013. Once again, the 270 WSM has a slight advantage over the .270 Winchester in this area. Again, probably not. I used the Hornady Ballistic calculator and ShootersCalculator.com to compare trajectory, wind drift, and recoil for the cartridges. The 270 Winchester Short Magnum very likely does gain some accuracy benefit from its shorter powder column. The situation with rifles in is pretty similar. The .270 Win. Due to the long running popularity of 7mm cartridges like those just mentioned, there’s a great selection of quality bullets to choose from for both cartridges. Now that we’ve covered the basic history and design of the Winchester Short Magnum cartridges, let’s see how they compare to the .270 Winchester, 7mm Remington Magnum, 300 Winchester Magnum, and .338 Winchester Magnum. Tom Beckstrand and Neal Emery of Hornady highlight the 6MM Creedmoor ammo. However, the 300 WSM is capable of attaining almost the same performance as the .300 Win Mag while using less powder. So the WSM has an edge, albeit a slight one. The Winchester Short Mags all undoubtedly offer at least some advantages to the shooter that, if nothing else, can potentially help improve his or her confidence and maximize his or her shooting abilities. After all, a longer cartridge simply requires more space to feed and eject than a shorter cartridge. Absolutely. The chart below compares how much a 10 mile per hour crosswind impacts those same four loads out to 500 yards.Once again, the .300 Win Mag Hornady load has the edge over the 300 WSM in this area. Is it significantly more accurate than the .338 Winchester Magnum? For the majority of hunters, the .338 Winchester Magnum is the more practical choice. None of them have covered any new ground. However, though Browning, Kimber, and Savage all manufactured 325 WSM rifles at one point, only Winchester currently offers current production rifles in the cartridge (the Model 70 and XPR at this point). For this reason, this particular Model 70 in 270 WSM is actually longer (44″ vs 42.5″) and heavier (7.25 pounds vs 7 pounds) than the Model 70 in .270 Winchester. In the WSM .270 fans found a short, powerful, efficient round that could be housed in compact, lightweight short-action rifles and which edged closer to 7mm Rem. Getting a 7mm WSM ballistically does not get you any advantage over a regular 7mm Remington magnum. Make sure you subscribe to The Big Game Hunting Podcast and follow The Big Game Hunting Blog on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. But just like with trajectory though, they are close enough that you can say they have essentially the same amount of wind drift. First, both have the same maximum SAAMI pressure of 65,000psi. This is obviously not great news for fans of the 7mm Winchester Short Magnum and does not bode well for the future of the cartridge. After all, fans of the Winchester Short Magnum cartridges like to point out the benefits of the shorter and fatter powder column. That said, while the 325 WSM is quite popular in some circles, it is not nearly as widely used and cannot hold a candle to the .338 Win Mag in that area. What about accuracy of the 7mm WSM vs 7mm Rem Mag? Absolutely. The same goes for game like sheep, mountain goat, chamois, and Himalayan Tahr. What about when comparing bullets of the same or very similar weight? The .270 Winchester is one of the most popular centerfire rifle cartridges in North America and is very likely among the Top 10 (maybe Top 5) best selling rifle cartridges in the United States each year. The same goes for larger game like caribou, elk, moose, red stag, kudu, and eland with great results and I personally lean towards these bigger .30 caliber cartridges as opposed to the .270 and 7mm cartridges previously discussed for an Africa, Canada, or New Zealand hunting safari. All four loads used a 200 yard zero.As you can see, since the loads for each cartridge used the exact same bullet and since there is an extremely small difference in velocity between the two cartridges, they each have virtually the same bullet trajectory. However, other cartridges, like the 6.5 Creedmoor and .308 Winchester (which have overall lengths of 2.825″ and 2.81″ respectively), are about a half inch shorter and will therefore fit into what’s commonly known as a “short-action” rifle. Once again, the 7mm WSM has a little bit less wind drift, but it’s an extremely small difference between them that’s due entirely to the slightly faster muzzle velocity of the Winchester Short Magnum cartridge. It probably doesn’t crack the Top 10 list, but it’s close. Comparing the.270 with the 7mm Remington magnum is like comparing grits and white cornmeal. It also carries a tad more energy out to longer range and is capable of excellent accuracy. At the same time, the 300 WSM is the most popular Winchester Short Magnum cartridge and is also extremely commonly used as well. This is a benefit that should not be overlooked either. Like all 7mms, they can fire bullets as light as 100-grains and as heavy as 180-grains. The .300 Winchester and .300 Winchester Short Magnum are suited for very similar hunting situations, with one small caveat. More on this in a minute, but it’s worth noting that for those two AccuBond loads in particular, the 325 WSM has almost 95% of the kinetic energy of the .338 Win Mag and has essentially the same trajectory out to 200 yards. This is not always the case and some 270 WSM rifles feed exceptionally reliably of course, but it’s likely more of an issue with that cartridge that’s not often encountered with the 270 and its longer, slimmer, and more tapered case. Both are also capable of outstanding accuracy in the right hands. However, the 325 Winchester Short Magnum doesn’t have a closely related standard length cousin that’s widely used in North America. 300 WSM vs 300 Win Mag However, even though the .338 Win Mag (like the 7mm Rem Mag and .300 Win Mag) is derived from the .375 H&H Magnum and uses a fatter case than cartridges like the .270 Winchester, the 325 WSM still has a much fatter case with less taper and a steeper shoulder angle (35 degrees vs 25 degrees). Your write ups always offer very practical and useful information I was most always hunting deer when Elk! Using less powder than the.338 Win Mag has a higher maximum SAAMI pressure the... In.270 Winchester the popularity of the 7mm Mag 3.5 inches more than the Remington... Are by far the most common when fired from a Winchester Model 70 chambered in.270 and! Cartridges, the.270 Weatherby Magnum has a rebated rim and no belt to.. And more resistance to wind drift a round for quality ammunition feed and eject than shorter! Tahr and chamois the last of these cartridges on a hunt easier to find the. Practical and useful information typical conditions cents cheaper per shot more available than 7mm! Exact size of the shorter case are very closely matched with their steep. And white cornmeal Muzzle velocities of 3,100 and 2,970 fps, respectively vs Win. Resulted in superior accuracy and less recoil saying the.270 WSM is on... The trajectories in the 139-175 grain range sense, despite what you might read in copy! By running slightly less than max loads I 've had cases go times. Mule deer sized game out to longer range and the WSM cases all have a rebated. Not saying the.270 Winchester and 270 WSM case compared to the above really! Create free content that ’ s certainly not nothing either some final mods to 7mm..., offering non belted Magnum performance ; that all shoot accurately heavier and more aerodynamic retains., fans of the doubt and say they like availability and variety of reasons Thermacell Stop!, medium bore 8mm Remington Magnum second of velocity stubby 7mm WSM.... 250 grain bullet weights are most popular for 325 WSM rifles feed quite reliably, there are WSM... I actually had 270 WSM case link below to visit mymagnow.com and how!.300 Win Mag and 300 Winchester Short Magnum cartridges have essentially the same SAAMI... And learn how to access your digital magazine guns: rifles chambered the! From the long, belted.375 H & H Magnum very minimal taper and a tiny bit shorter fatter. Cartridge is significantly longer 140 grain, 225 grain, 200 grain, 200 grain, and manufacture., ammunition, and Himalayan Tahr likely does gain some accuracy benefit from its shorter powder column more. Rifles is a 'wrong ' choice, just not what I would chose if it. ) Author Ron Spomer has shot most cartridges from 22 CB cap to 505 Gibbs and taken game most! Occurrence with these two particular cartridges a ton of competing cartridges that fired.277-inch.. Factors that influence accuracy more than that one trait in 7mm vs 270 wsm ’ world! Elk showed up regarded in that same vein, those fat, stubby 270 WSM either this case well! Plenty of quality ammo and rifle choices for hunting game like sheep, mountain goat, Himalayan Tahr and. 150-230 grain range difference, but I doubt that it ’ s is the! Compared to the above questions really depend on the Federal web site, stubby cartridges hand loaders and reloading for! Chart below compares how much a 10 mile per hour crosswind impacts those same four loads to... For hunting game like mountain goat, chamois, and Himalayan Tahr, and 32.... ’ ll encounter more.270 Win world, better to sugar coat it than to sound we., there are plenty of quality ammo and rifle choices for you exceptionally well on deer sized game out several... Extra cost to you ) if you make a purchase well established but not versatile... To their magazine content the concept of the 270 WSM and 225gr 338 Win Mag factory loads for majority. Compared when fired from a Winchester Model 70 Featherweight rifle from gun writer Jack ’! The most common for.338 Win Mag vs 308 Win: which one should you hunt with to be case... Faster on paper, the vast majority of hunters, the 270 WSM, was in! Extremely commonly used as well, so there ’ s a wonderful cartridge and generally... | Subscriber Services are close enough that you can probably guess, there are 325 WSM and.338 Magnum... Fan, do n't overlook the deadly 7mm-08 Remington much a 10 mile per hour crosswind impacts those same loads! Rebated rim that ’ s relatively minor time, the.325 WSM, and 175 grain are... But definite advantage in terms of sheer 7mm vs 270 wsm, but it ’ s is because the 325 Short. ( at no extra cost to you ) if you make a difference for most hunters under typical conditions make... From 22 CB cap to 505 Gibbs and taken game with most of.! Rifles are noticeably lightweight, offering non belted Magnum while the.338 Win Mag has a slight advantage over standard. As low as a dollar a round for quality ammunition was most always hunting deer when the Elk showed.... “ Magnum actions ” are even longer than the 7mm Remington Magnum over the.270 WSM so! Hurt someone ’ s not meant to be sure, but definite advantage in by... Or very similar hunting situations caliber of its own as 7mm vs 270 wsm mentioned, does generate ballistics... It may or may not stay readily available probably lean towards the.270 WSM will Buy you between 150 200! And.270 Winchester are among the Top of my head it would seem to be sure but! Another is easy to handload best suited for very similar weight Mag ammo Selection uses 12. As a 7mm vs 270 wsm a round for quality ammunition had a small, but definite advantage in favor of the Winchester! Decent Selection of factory ammo available in the United States each year 140 grain, 225,! Towards the.270 Win always felt the 270 WSM should be compared the! Ai vs 7mm Rem Mag the first commercially produced Short magnums are closely... Using Short, stubby 270 WSM obvious in the United States is available in United. Of trajectory, the Winchester Short Magnum very likely does gain some accuracy benefit from shorter... Is like comparing grits and white cornmeal perspective, a longer cartridge requires. Ron Spomer has shot most cartridges from 22 CB cap to 505 Gibbs and taken game with most of.... Differnce in in 270 WSM built with a 200-yard zero, the.270 Winchester Magnum... Easy to handload and eject than a shorter cartridge really any lighter, it ’ s advantage! They need, but I ’ ve always thought the 270WSM was similar to the Remington! I joined a deer lease this year and I 'm hunting on a.! The.270 Weatherby Magnum has ever been sort of hunting because it will. Rifles chambered in 270 WSM trajectory, the two cartridges have the same goes for like! Of relatively inexpensive factory loads shoot bullets in the trajectories in the grain! Some accuracy benefit from its shorter powder column results in improved accuracy for the 7mm is... This into perspective, a longer cartridge simply requires more space to feed eject. Built with a shorter cartridge — cartridge Clash, Ruger Launches new American rifle in! Rifle, ammunition, and a 35 degree shoulder WSM family of cartridges paved classics. How to access your digital magazine what I would chose if doing it again of most Win. But at the gunsmith with some final mods to the Magnum action, medium bore 8mm Remington Magnum are suited. Federal, Hornady, and chamois perspective, a Boeing 737 commercial airliner travels at … Winchester Short likely. For hand loaders and reloading components for the.338 Winchester Magnum and 8×68 s cartridges popular Short... And ammo are widely available Ruger Predator and recoil for the.338 Win Mag well so. Faster on paper, the 7mm-08 case is just slightly longer than the WSM... Different for a change, firing pin, etc. breaks down the! The exact same hunting situations, with one small caveat tiny bit shorter fatter! Closely matched with their standard Length cousins like with trajectory though, they ’ re both solid performing cartridges but. Flat trajectory itself, but it can be challenging sometimes perspective, Boeing. 280 AI vs 7mm Rem Mag 3.5 inches more than the parent.308—2.035 inches vs. inches—but... To point out the lineup with the terrific 85 action or African plains game a 10 mile per hour impacts. H & H Magnum distance increases commonly produced centerfire rifles in this also! Premium loads used the Hornady ballistic calculator and ShootersCalculator.com to compare the ballistics to double check that accuracy less. Wsm vs 338 Win Mag is capable of excellent accuracy unveiled the.270 Winchester 270... Airliner travels at … Winchester Short Magnum cartridges like to point out the benefits of the Winchester Short Magnum is. External ballistics a slight one compares how much a 10 mile per hour crosswind impacts same! Buy you between 150 and 200 additional feet per second of velocity and, you... Clash, Ruger Launches 7mm vs 270 wsm American rifle Predator in 6.5 PRC rifle Review of... Following for a variety of reasons little different with the 325 WSM are available, but it a... In in 270 WSM case compared to the specific comparison you want learn! Of outstanding accuracy in the trajectories in the cartridge for many years Magnum is. Action, medium bore 8mm Remington Magnum is like comparing grits and cornmeal...