300 Win Mag or 325 WSM

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I'd use a slingshot before I'd touch anything based off the Turdy-OTT-Sux.

OP, if you go .35 cal, use a .358 Norma, or neck the .375 Ruger case to .358". Leave the .35 "Leavin' " alone. They call it that, because if you hit an animal with it, it is leaving the zip code before it drops

Viral Signess
It may be based on the turdy ott sux but at least it's a 35. The 35 leavin must be pretty piss poor cause the Whelen is a DRT or a 20 yard dash and fall down cartridge.. just coz it ain't one of them fire breathing dragons worst mean it don't work well.
Cheers mate Bob

 

[Viral_SIGness]

Viral Signess
It may be based on the turdy ott sux but at least it's a 35. The 35 leavin must be pretty piss poor cause the Whelen is a DRT or a 20 yard dash and fall down cartridge.. just coz it ain't one of them fire breathing dragons worst mean it don't work well.
Cheers mate Bob

You said you were joking, so I figured I'd embellish my hate for the -06, and have some fun with it lol

 

[mdwest]

Ive been thinking about an "in between" caliber lately.. I've got plenty of options in the "deer" category ranging from .243's to a 300 WM in the safe.. but then my arsenal jumps straight to 375 H&H and goes up from there..

I dont know that I really NEED something between 300 and 375.. but I've looked at 338 WM which has some appeal since I already have a 416 Taylor and both use the same parent case.. I've looked at 325 WSM.. and I've thought a good bit about 35 Whelen..

I dont shoot at great distances often.. and rarely take shots on game past 150 yards (have only taken shots longer than 150 a couple of times in my life).. my wife has a 35 Whelen that is a great rifle.. and Ive got a ton of30-06 brass laying around in addition to the ammo already loaded for the wifes 35 Whelen... So for now, adding a 35 Whelen to the safe seems to be the most sensible option..

But.. for some unknown reason.. a 325 WSM sure seems to be singing my name lately lol...

 

[curtism1234]

Ive been thinking about an "in between" caliber lately.. I've got plenty of options in the "deer" category ranging from .243's to a 300 WM in the safe.. but then my arsenal jumps straight to 375 H&H and goes up from there..

I dont know that I really NEED something between 300 and 375.. but I've looked at 338 WM which has some appeal since I already have a 416 Taylor and both use the same parent case.. I've looked at 325 WSM.. and I've thought a good bit about 35 Whelen..

I dont shoot at great distances often.. and rarely take shots on game past 150 yards (have only taken shots longer than 150 a couple of times in my life).. my wife has a 35 Whelen that is a great rifle.. and Ive got a ton of30-06 brass laying around in addition to the ammo already loaded for the wifes 35 Whelen... So for now, adding a 35 Whelen to the safe seems to be the most sensible option..

But.. for some unknown reason.. a 325 WSM sure seems to be singing my name lately lol...

Pretty much my situation too. 308, 7mm rem mag, and 375hh. While the 7mag is devastating to game less than 300 pounds and perfectly adequate for game significantly larger, I am considering a upgrade for large game.

I like to keep my total rifle / scope weight under 8 pounds. Hard to do with a long action unless you have a super light synthetic stock. That is what makes the 325 so appealing to me.

 

[ldmay375]

I have a Kimber Montana 325 WSM with stainless Talley bases / stainless screw lock detachable rings, and a Swarovski Z6 1.7-10x42. It weighs 7 pounds 9 ounces. This is a handy rifle in my opinion.

I have only killed paper with it. It seems to like Barnes 200 grain TSX bullets. That is my present choice of bullet for the cartridge.
The .323 bullet splits the difference of the .308 and .338 diameters.

No real basis for this but, I have never really had much interest in using my 300 Magnums. Ballistic wise they have much potential as well as no arguement as to their effectiveness. I have preferred 7mm's and .338's or larger when considering 300's.

The 325 WSM is as small of a cartridge / caliber that I care to carry when moose hunting in denser cover areas. We all have our preferences.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

You said you were joking, so I figured I'd embellish my hate for the -06, and have some fun with it lol

Viral Signess
We all have a cartridge we dislike mine is the 243. I thought the 35 Leavin was a new cartridge bought out by Remchester and not as good as the bigger 35s.
It's good to stir the pot sometimes as it creates more discussion.
Cheers mate Bob

 

[WAB]

I have a .325 WSM. It’s a M-70 stainless synthetic with a 24” medium weight match barrel. It has been arctic coated satin black and has a match trigger. Topped with a Swaro Z6, 1.7-10x, it’s will shoot three shots touching every time at 100. I have no complaint over the performance of the rifle or cartridge. However, I dislike these short, fat cartridges that limit you to 3 in the magazine. Shooting inside 300 for anything black bear or smaller, I’d grab my 7x57 over the .325 every time. Anything bigger and I’d grab the 9.3x62. If the durn thing didn’t shoot so well I’d sell it!

 

[CBH Australia]

You said you were joking, so I figured I'd embellish my hate for the -06, and have some fun with it lol

Hey, i warned you about Bob, his passion fot his Whelen is only equalled by his dislike for the .243.
He wants to meet up so i can try his Whelen.
I want meet up so i can get a photo of him with my wifes .243 it had the Pink webbing on the stock.
We live opposite sides of the state and i work away so its not gonna happen anytime soon. He may soften toward the .243 by then.
Till then im hoping for another .300wm

 

[Forrest Halley]

My only other suggestion is why not a 375?

If you already have a 30 caliber like a 308WIN or 30-06 save your money.

EDIT - Damn, I just realized this thread is 7 years old.

For real get a .375. It's like skipping all the gimmicks and upgrading to the best.

I laughed so hard at the seven year comment. Thank you for that.

I see no point for the .325 having been conceived.

But then, I see no reason for all the relatively recent and much dreaded .300 magnums of the world, having been conceived, because the .300 H&H has been around since the 1920’s.

.325 was a blessing to those of us shooting 8x57 in hopes of more bullet weight options. I think it fell short.

Had I found the .375 H&H before the .300 WM, I'd be so much further ahead. My only saving grace is that my .300's are only Encore barrels. People that buy Encores should have bought Ruger No. 1's in the first place. Oh well. Learn and live on.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Hey, i warned you about Bob, his passion fot his Whelen is only equalled by his dislike for the .243.
He wants to meet up so i can try his Whelen.
I want meet up so i can get a photo of him with my wifes .243 it had the Pink webbing on the stock.
We live opposite sides of the state and i work away so its not gonna happen anytime soon. He may soften toward the .243 by then.
Till then im hoping for another .300wm

CBH
Chris I'll gladly pose for a photo with the pink 243 as long as I can turn it upside down while holding a hammer to put it in the ground as a tomato stake. Ha ha ha ha.
Seriously tho I would pose for a photo with it with something that was shot by it.
I have softened a bit mate I don't bag it out as much now.
After you shoot the 35 with 225 accubonds at 300 yards you might change your mind about that pipsqweak 300 tho.
Cheers mate
Have a great day
Bob

 

[Viral_SIGness]

Hey, i warned you about Bob, his passion fot his Whelen is only equalled by his dislike for the .243.
He wants to meet up so i can try his Whelen.
I want meet up so i can get a photo of him with my wifes .243 it had the Pink webbing on the stock.
We live opposite sides of the state and i work away so its not gonna happen anytime soon. He may soften toward the .243 by then.
Till then im hoping for another .300wm

I know where there is a .243 he is bound to like! It's one of the Remington 700 Etronix rifles, that are Senderos with Electronic primers. The guy has the rifle, around 2000 rounds of factory ammo, and about 10,000 primers. The last time he priced it to me, he only wanted $7000. It is indeed bad ass though! The trigger pull was a mouse click.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I know where there is a .243 he is bound to like! It's one of the Remington 700 Etronix rifles, that are Senderos with Electronic primers. The guy has the rifle, around 2000 rounds of factory ammo, and about 10,000 primers. The last time he priced it to me, he only wanted $7000. It is indeed bad ass though! The trigger pull was a mouse click.

Viral Signess
Problem is it's still a 243. If'n it ain't a 25 or 35 it ain't got a place for hunting in my cabinet. Thankfully my son likes the 308 and not the 243.
His choice Chris Not mine. Asked him what he wanted and after using the 243 and 308 he fell in love with the 308.
Cheers mate Bob

 

[Forrest Halley]

.243 is an awesome caliber. Very versatile. You should try it. They make high BC bullets that fly straight in cross winds.
.308 is a dog in the wind and it is neither a .25 or .35.
Are you a .25-06 guy? Those are so novel. Where do you find the ammunition?

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

.243 is an awesome caliber. Very versatile. You should try it. They make high BC bullets that fly straight in cross winds.
.308 is a dog in the wind and it is neither a .25 or .35.
Are you a .25-06 guy? Those are so novel. Where do you find the ammunition?

Forrest Halley
I find the 243 neither fish or foul it's to big for small game and to little for medium game.
I like all 25s from 25/20 up to the weatherby.
I designed my own 25 based on a 303 British case necked down to 25caliber, blown out almost straight, the shoulder has been moved forward and is 35 degrees and the neck is now .257 inches long. I call it the 25/303 Epps Newton improved
It launches a 115grain nosler combined technology silver tip at 3,300+ fps and a 100grain Barnes TTSX at 3,600+ fps. These are actual chronoed velocities.

I Can't see any 6mm coming any where near that not even the 240 weatherby.
The 308 is a dog in the wind at long range but out to 3-400 yards it does what my son needs. It was his choice.
Cheers mate Bob

 

[Viral_SIGness]

Forrest Halley
I find the 243 neither fish or foul it's to big for small game and to little for medium game.
I like all 25s from 25/20 up to the weatherby.
I designed my own 25 based on a 303 British case necked down to 25caliber, blown out almost straight, the shoulder has been moved forward and is 35 degrees and the neck is now .257 inches long. I call it the 25/303 Epps Newton improved
It launches a 115grain nosler combined technology silver tip at 3,300+ fps and a 100grain Barnes TTSX at 3,600+ fps. These are actual chronoed velocities. View attachment 346416
I Can't see any 6mm coming any where near that not even the 240 weatherby.
The 308 is a dog in the wind at long range but out to 3-400 yards it does what my son needs. It was his choice.
Cheers mate Bob

I do have to say, I kind of agree with you on one point. I don't think the .243 is enough gun for deer. I know Billy Bob's fourth third cousin twice removed, has been neck shooting deer with a .243 for 50 years......still doesn't make it right. I would take a .257 Roy over the .243 any day. I get laughed at about this, but I liked the WSSM family, the .25 the most.

If I were to build another wildcat, I'd use the 6.5 PRC case and neck it down to .25 caliber.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I do have to say, I kind of agree with you on one point. I don't think the .243 is enough gun for deer. I know Billy Bob's fourth third cousin twice removed, has been neck shooting deer with a .243 for 50 years......still doesn't make it right. I would take a .257 Roy over the .243 any day. I get laughed at about this, but I liked the WSSM family, the .25 the most.

If I were to build another wildcat, I'd use the 6.5 PRC case and neck it down to .25 caliber.

Viral Signess
The 25 WSSMwas a good idea but ahead of its time.
I can't see a 25/6.5 PRC having a real long barrel life.
My 25 is plenty accurate.
Below is a 200 yard 0.8 inch group with 115 nosler combined technology silver tip @ 3,300+ fps. It groups like this all day. A good benchrest shooter has had it down to less than half inch at the same range but he's a bloody good benchrest bloke it's all he does tho

 

[Forrest Halley]

Well now them's fightin words! Billy Bob is my best fourteenth cousin removed, replaced and resituated twice.

Bullet selection is critical in the Sorta Bores. I think any of the Barnes offerings over 80 grains will do just fine for Deer.

Everyone has their own favorites...now if I could ever figure out what a .35 Whelen was useful for....

 

[Viral_SIGness]

Everyone has their own favorites...now if I could ever figure out what a .35 Whelen was useful for....

When you figure it out, let me know too. I can't see any reason for there to be a cartridge between a .338 Win Mag and a .375 H&H/Ruger/Weatherby

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Well now them's fightin words! Billy Bob is my best fourteenth cousin removed, replaced and resituated twice.

Bullet selection is critical in the Sorta Bores. I think any of the Barnes offerings over 80 grains will do just fine for Deer.

Everyone has their own favorites...now if I could ever figure out what a .35 Whelen was useful for....

Forrest Halley
You're a cheeky bugga, I'm trying to find what the Whelen is NOT useful for. So fare I used it on rabbits up to kudu and black wildebeest.
Think I might have to keep using it to find out what else I can use it on.
That little 243 loaded with a Barnes 80grain TTSX or 95 grain SST or a good 100grain round nose MIGHT make it JUST alright for SMALLER deer but it sure ain't adequate for a big red stag unless it's eating a slice of bread off the end of your barrel. Then it might do.
Mary Lou the 3rd cousin of my aunt's niece reckons the 243 is just dandy for coyote and stray cats but not much bigger. She uses he 35 Whelen on every thing else and reckons it just dandy on them moose.
Cheers Forrest
Bob

 

[CBH Australia]

Bob, now using a Whelen is actually overkill on rabbits. Its just no necessary.