325 WSM?

[AlbertaFisher]

I know she’s getting older, but I’ve really had my eye on a 325WSM for a couple of years now. Do any of you guys still run one? I reload so no issues with ammo except for primers.

I primarily hunt in the foothills and mountains but also do hunting in the parklands. I hunt solo a lot, and in grizz country. Currently I’m running a 270wsm and enjoy the cartridge, but I wanna have a hammer for sticky situations.

Whats your experience with it? Anyone run monos (personal choice for me because I don’t like eating lead)? I’m interested in hearing about the cartridge

Cheers

 

[t_carlson]

I have one, but I really don't carry it much anymore. Not a lot of bullets available to begin with, and there's nothing worth loading over 200 grains.

I also have a 300 WSM and I shoot 200 grain bullets in that. Better BC and SD compared to the 325 with the same bullet weight, so there's not a lot of use for the 325 in my opinion.

 

[gerry35]

I had one and regret selling it. The 300 WSM is more popular but the 325 is a great cartridge. I ran 200's but these days I would look at the 160 gr TTSX at 3300 fps for everything. Hammer makes excellent mono's too.

 

[TaperPin]

I know she’s getting older, but I’ve really had my eye on a 325WSM for a couple of years now. Do any of you guys still run one? I reload so no issues with ammo except for primers.

I primarily hunt in the foothills and mountains but also do hunting in the parklands. I hunt solo a lot, and in grizz country. Currently I’m running a 270wsm and enjoy the cartridge, but I wanna have a hammer for sticky situations.

Whats your experience with it? Anyone run monos (personal choice for me because I don’t like eating lead)? I’m interested in hearing about the cartridge

Cheers

I don’t have one, but dang it looks good on paper since it throws bullets as fast as a 338.

 

[t_carlson]

I don’t have one, but dang it looks good on paper since it throws bullets as fast as a 338.

It won't really do that. A .338 will hit 2950 with a 210 gr. bullet. A .325 will hit about 2850-2900 with a 200 gr. bullets. The best use of a .338, in my opinion, is with 225 or 250 gr. bullets, which the .325 cannot match.

 

[gerry35]

The 325 WSM is a great choice for someone who reloads and wants something a bit different. Compares nicely with the smaller 300 and 338 magnums.

 

[TaperPin]

It won't really do that. A .338 will hit 2950 with a 210 gr. bullet. A .325 will hit about 2850-2900 with a 200 gr. bullets. The best use of a .338, in my opinion, is with 225 or 250 gr. bullets, which the .325 cannot match.

That seems awfully close, but that might just be me. My 338 never liked a heavier bullet, so all the elk it took were with 210, which worked just fine, but would elk be able to tell the difference between 210’s vs a 200 gr bullet even 100 fps slower? The slightly higher BC of the 8mm bullets helps it along - that’s probably closing the gap 50 fps or so at 400-500 yards.

As a strictly timber gun or in Alaska I can see the 250’s being a better choice, it does seem like a more natural fit to the 338 - heck, I had hoped my rifle would shoot a heavy bullet well. When building a rifle specifically for the 250’s, going to a slightly large case in the 340 Wby worked out really well. I‘m biased, but that is one of my all time favorite cartridges.

I still see the 325 and 338 as being used in the same way - moderate range all around general purpose elk gun. If someone needed a long range elk thumper a big 300 mag with 200’s or heavier carries distance better. If a 250 gr bullet is needed, the 340 or 33 Nosler do that better.

 

[6mm Remington]

I have a good friend who I loaded for his 325 WSM for quite a few years. He still has it and really likes it. He's killed a lot of deer and some large bull elk with it also. It's pleasant to shoot too. His rifle is a Model 70.

If you want to shoot a mono bullet the 180 gr. Nosler E-tip with a 0.427 B.C. would be fantastic.

 

[t_carlson]

That seems awfully close, but that might just be me. My 338 never liked a heavier bullet, so all the elk it took were with 210, which worked just fine, but would elk be able to tell the difference between 210’s vs a 200 gr bullet even 100 fps slower? The slightly higher BC of the 8mm bullets helps it along - that’s probably closing the gap 50 fps or so at 400-500 yards.

As a strictly timber gun or in Alaska I can see the 250’s being a better choice, it does seem like a more natural fit to the 338 - heck, I had hoped my rifle would shoot a heavy bullet well. When building a rifle specifically for the 250’s, going to a slightly large case in the 340 Wby worked out really well. I‘m biased, but that is one of my all time favorite cartridges.

I still see the 325 and 338 as being used in the same way - moderate range all around general purpose elk gun. If someone needed a long range elk thumper a big 300 mag with 200’s or heavier carries distance better. If a 250 gr bullet is needed, the 340 or 33 Nosler do that better.

Let me put it this way: I don't see what the 325 offers that the 300 WSM does not. Both spit a 200 gr bullet out at about the same speed, with the 300 having an edge in sectional density and ballistic coefficient, not to mention bullet selection variety.

If you actually NEED a bigger gun, you need, at minimum, a 255 grain bullet in a 338 Win. Mag. to gain anything meaningful.

Don't get me wrong, the 325 works just fine on its own. But when you start comparing it to adjacent offerings, it does not stand out as a better option.

 

[AlbertaFisher]

Thanks for the reply folks! Looking at getting a barrel for my tikka t3x. 1-9” twist. Anyone run coppers?

 

[Calicoastie]

I've got a nosler custom in 325 wsm running 200gn tsx, have to check notes but worked up easy enough to a .77 group.

 

[flathead#2]

Great cartridge but I'd have to shoot Partitions.

 

[Slick8]

On paper it's a great round but IMO bullet selection hurts it considerably.

Due to this alone, I'd go with a 300 or 338 and pick your posion.

If you're still interested in the WSM, good news, Lapua is going to start making brass for it this year.

 

[Cyril]

I have a browning 325 wsm that shoots 200gr hammers in a clover leaf at 100 yards. In general it is a pretty good shooter but really loves the hammers. 200gr accubonds around moa. I don't hand load so that is really the downfall for me. I get hand loads from Hendershots in MD that perform. Around a year ago, I saw Winchester 200gr accubonds came available at midway USA.

On my moose hunt last September I was all geared up to dial to 500 if necessary with my NX8. Ended up shooting my moose at 65 yards frontal. The hammer blew up the heart and lungs, went through the entire body cavity, blew through the pelvic bone and the shank exited via a small hole in rump. Never found the petals. Moose didn't run 10 feet, basically one bound and piled up dead in 2 seconds no kicking or twitching.

 

[Calicoastie]

Recently found the partitions available. Will be loading them up to see how they do. I'm just happy that 8mm and 35 cal bullets are starting to show up.

 

[Sandman]

I've had a Kimber Montana in .325 WSM since 2008 and love it! Mine really likes factory 200 grain Nosler Accubonds and 200 grain Barnes TSX handloads - both consistently group 0.5 MOA. The Accubonds run 2950 fps, and TSX run 3000 fps with Win 760, Winchester brass, and WLRM primers at MAX load per the Barnes loading manual. This load grouped the best when I was doing load development (the best was 0.4" 3-shot group, it's a little hot).

I've killed brown bears, grizzly, black bears, moose, sheep, caribou, and goats with it, and rarely have I put more than one round in the animal. I use the TSX on moose and brown bear, and the Accubonds in everything else. My closest kill was 35 yards, and longest was 450 yards -- terminal performance has been impressive at all ranges.

You can find Barnes bullets pretty readily, and the Accubonds are starting to be available again.
Factory ammo is spendy and hard to find.

If I had it to do over again, I would choose the .300 WSM simply for availability of ammo and components, but I got a smokin' deal on mine, and it does everything I have wanted it to, so I can't justify replacing a proven accurate and reliable rifle for something similar.

I peruse GunBroker and Gunsinternational daily. You can find really good deals on .325's.

Since you're a handloader, I would not hesitate to buy a .325 WSM. I think it will serve you well for how and what you plan to use it for, it has for me.

 

[AlbertaFisher]

I've had a Kimber Montana in .325 WSM since 2008 and love it! Mine really likes factory 200 grain Nosler Accubonds and 200 grain Barnes TSX handloads - both consistently group 0.5 MOA. The Accubonds run 2950 fps, and TSX run 3000 fps with Win 760, Winchester brass, and WLRM primers at MAX load per the Barnes loading manual. This load grouped the best when I was doing load development (the best was 0.4" 3-shot group, it's a little hot).

I've killed brown bears, grizzly, black bears, moose, sheep, caribou, and goats with it, and rarely have I put more than one round in the animal. I use the TSX on moose and brown bear, and the Accubonds in everything else. My closest kill was 35 yards, and longest was 450 yards -- terminal performance has been impressive at all ranges.

You can find Barnes bullets pretty readily, and the Accubonds are starting to be available again.
Factory ammo is spendy and hard to find.

If I had it to do over again, I would choose the .300 WSM simply for availability of ammo and components, but I got a smokin' deal on mine, and it does everything I have wanted it to, so I can't justify replacing a proven accurate and reliable rifle for something similar.

I peruse GunBroker and Gunsinternational daily. You can find really good deals on .325's.

Since you're a handloader, I would not hesitate to buy a .325 WSM. I think it will serve you well for how and what you plan to use it for, it has for me.

Fantastic answer, I appreciate that! Thanks mate!

 

[Bull_n_heat]

I know she’s getting older, but I’ve really had my eye on a 325WSM for a couple of years now. Do any of you guys still run one? I reload so no issues with ammo except for primers.

I've got a Kimber Classic 325 WSM that shoots 198 gr Hammers at about 3000 fps (with StaBall6.5, so very available powder). I really like the rifle and feel the recoil is there, but manageable. Definitely not a rifle I would sign up to bench shoot more than about 10 at a time, but in the field it's no problem. I think it perhaps cycles a little more reliably than the smaller diameter WSM offerings (think shoulder depth), but in a good action it shouldn't really matter.

I certainly wouldn't hesitate to get another one, and for some reason I am drawn to the larger cross sectional area of the bullet. I know lots of folks will dispute that making much difference, and I doubt they are wrong. But, when people talk about the 338's lethality to elk, the numbers with a (say) 300 WM are similar, and they just don't talk about it the same way. So I do believe there is something to it.

Personally, I have shot one calf with it. The rifle won, but I don't feel like that was the best test. Hopefully I'll carry it around a bit more this fall and see if we can simultaneously achieve some herd objectives and give the round a bit more testing.