325 wsm

[jpharcher]

My Browning A bolt love the factory 220 grains over the 180 and 200's.
My handloads are partition 200's over H4350- 1/2 groups easily at 100 yards.

[fisheral87]

The factory loads are expensive IMO.

It's a great round and it's cool if you like large and unique calibers.

Snappy out of the Kimber Montana.

Al

[beaslayer6]

The 325wsm is the one gun I wish I had back. I miss that gun. It flat killed everything no way around it.. I was just thing of buying another one.. good luck

[Bob33]

I'd take the 325 over the 300 wsm any day as a hunting rifle. I'm a huge fan of the medium bores in hunting rifles.

.15 inches difference between the two. Why is that significant?

[JoeE]

I'd take the 325 over the 300 wsm any day as a hunting rifle. I'm a huge fan of the medium bores in hunting rifles.

.15 inches difference between the two. Why is that significant?

Exactly. I literally spent weeks reading everything I could about these two calibers. The difference in bullet diameter is so insignificant that it didn't justify the difficulty in finding ammo and bullet selection for me so I went with the 300.

[RadSav]

I'd take the 325 over the 300 wsm any day as a hunting rifle. I'm a huge fan of the medium bores in hunting rifles.

.15 inches difference between the two. Why is that significant?

I don't know why a 5% increase in diameter makes a difference.  That diameter does equate to a 10% increase in frontal area.  And between the two 200 grain projectiles there is a reduction of SD which does have the potential to increase energy transfer on more solid framed animals.  On paper that does seem insignificant, doesn't it?  However, after personally witnessing bear and elk taken with both the results sure don't seem insignificant to me. 

Sure, my experience leaves little for a base line of comparison.  As an amateur ballistician I can't explain to what percentage the advantage truly is.  It may very well be a lesser advantage, percentage wise, than jumping from .284 to .308.  But so far, my eyes keep telling my brain that we've broken a threshold that the .308 never did over the 7mm's of similar velocities.  Maybe time and additional experience will paint a different picture, who knows?   In the meantime...color me impressed with the 325.  It's a winner!!

[yorketransport]

I'd take the 325 over the 300 wsm any day as a hunting rifle. I'm a huge fan of the medium bores in hunting rifles.

.15 inches difference between the two. Why is that significant?

To be fair, a .15" difference is HUGE! I'll assume that you meant .015".

That's the pretty standard step up in bore diameter between  popular cartridges. Why use a .257 over a .243? Why go 7mm over .277? Like many things in life this is a case where just looking at the numbers doesn't tell the whole story.

[paguy]

Yes the 325 is a perfect gun for elk and moose, Yes ammo is a little pricey, But if you only have to shoot it once to kill your animal it seems pretty cheep. I have the kimber Montana in 325 and love it, shoots factory Winchester 200 gr accubonds very well.

[Bob33]

I'd take the 325 over the 300 wsm any day as a hunting rifle. I'm a huge fan of the medium bores in hunting rifles.

.15 inches difference between the two. Why is that significant?

To be fair, a .15" difference is HUGE! I'll assume that you meant .015".

That's the pretty standard step up in bore diameter between  popular cartridges. Why use a .257 over a .243? Why go 7mm over .277? Like many things in life this is a case where just looking at the numbers doesn't tell the whole story.

If it weren’t for “the best” caliber and bullet discussions, what would hunters talk about around the campfire or on Hunt WA?

There are the two extreme viewpoints: (1) bullet placement is all that matters, and (2) bigger is always better. If bullet placement were all that matters, elephant and Cape buffalo hunters would use .243s. If bigger were always better, prairie dogs would be hunted with .416s.

With the “bigger is better” concept, somewhere in the mix is the idea of “good enough”. With a large sample (100 elk), and with everything else being equal, how many more elk would a .323 bullet kill than a .308 bullet? We’ll never know, since everything is never equal and every situation is unique.

I love the fact that we have so many choices and options.

[fisheral87]

I've three rounds of factory nickel case win 325 if anyone is interested, but I'm not going to put any effort into getting them to you. 

Al

[splitshot]

   dang, how come every free is on the wetside.  mike w

[beaslayer6]

I just order a new 325 wsm. like I send I miss that gun it kills everything.

[Caretaker]

Buzz2401, suggest trying RL17 or Magpro, i dont have experience with reloading for the .325 but do for the .300 and .270 shorts, both powders did well in the short fat case, the .325 is the same case just necked up.

[Buzz2401]

I will thanks