Free: Contests & Raffles.
The most recent short magnum cartridges, as of this writing, are the .300 and .338 Ruger Compact Magnums (RCM). These .308 length offerings, developed by Hornady for Ruger, are based on shortened .375 Ruger case. This is a beltless bottleneck case with a rim and head diameter of .532". The RCM's were introduced in 2008.Hornady offers .300 RCM factory loads with 150, 165 and 180 grain bullets; 200 and 225 grain bullets are offered in the .338 RCM. The performance of the .300 RCM is comparable to that of the other .300 short magnums, while the .338 RCM--a true medium bore cartridge--is comparable to the .350 Rem. Mag. and superior to the .325 WSM.
In the same class as the .300 short magnums is the .325 WSM. This cartridge came about as the result of a failed attempt to create a .338 WSM. The .325 WSM is intentionally misnamed to make it sound bigger than it is. It actually has a .315" bore diameter and should have been named the .315 WSM. It is an 8mm cartridge and its performance is nearly identical to that of the .300 WSM. The most important difference between this cartridge and the .300 WSM is the relative scarcity of 8mm bullets for reloading. Another drawback is its vicious recoil in the light Browning and Winchester rifles supplied in .325 WSM, recoil comparable to the .338 RCM and in excess of the .350 Rem. Mag.The .338 RCM is offered factory loaded with 200 and 225 grain bullets, which is fine as far as it goes. It is an excellent elk cartridge. Unfortunately, the long 250 grain bullets that made the .338 Win. Magnum's reputation as a slayer of giant animals takes up too much powder space in the short RCM case to be practical. That leaves the .338 RCM a definite step ahead of the .325 WSM, but clearly infrerior to the .338 Win. Mag.
It does quite a bit more, especially when it comes to say grizzly and moose. On par with the .338 Win Mag, in a light, short action gun.
If I wanted more power than what a 300 WSM provides, I would go to something with more case capactiy, and more velocity, like a 338 Win Mag.I only say this because the original post was asking about a rifle for the "elk committe." And that would be my recommendation for the perfect elk cartridge- the 338 Win Mag.
Wonder why they went with the 8mm bullet instead of doing a .338 WSM? Seems like it would have been a better cartridge with all the .338 bullets available out there.
best elk / grizz/ moose . .338 ultra mag with a break shooting 250 accubonds !