Ultimate Big Game Long Range SHORT ACTION caliber

[98s1lightning]

If you were a hand loader, and were to choose one caliber (possibly a custom rifle) for whitetail deer, mule deer, black bear, and elk what would you choose in a short action

7mm WSM (I read heavy LR bullets crowd case cuz of short action)
300 WSM
300 Rem SAUM (I think it is) should be considered too
325 WSM (looks to be a real thumper, maybe too much recoil....and limited bullet selection)

338 RCM
(I think is a strong candidate because the shoulders way down and you can get the heavy bullets 225gr and up, good BC, and with the larger bore burn all the powder in a 22" or so barrel I'd probably opt for a 23")

358win (a little on the light side for LR)

I'm trying to help my BIL decide on a caliber. He needs to start handloading though, or else he might as well buy a 308....or 300wsm is fairly popular but expensive to feed premium shelf ammo

I'm not aware of any factory 35 cal short actions (besides 358win) and think the bullets are mostly flat nose and round nose for that caliber?? As in NOT LR bullets

 

[98s1lightning]

I run a 284 win but consider it more of a whitetail gun, irk how comfortable I'd be shooting a 150gr 7mm at and Elk when there are better choices.

I have never been West to hunt game. I'm east coast.

 

[98s1lightning]

We might go for elk together someday though. I'll carry my 348win for walking/jumped an elk/close shots, and we can both run his gun long range.

 

[Sarge7402]

.50 caliber Hawken or reproduction. Then you could also use it for squirrels

 

[Varminterror]

300WSM.

• The larger caliber cartridges based on the same case really don’t gain anything on game, just recoil and more trajectory management.

• The RCM isn’t as widely available and the longer body/shorter neck+shoulder is limiting for bullet length.

• The RSAUM would be my pick, but brass is hard to find, and with Remington‘a bankruptcy and independently selling their ammunition business in 4 days, I’m not hopeful that supply for the RUM’s and RSAUM’s will ever improve.

• The smaller calibers don’t manage the big bullet weights possible with the 300’s, and while 180grn 7mm pills are fine for deer and elk, I would prefer more bullet for the largest of game. Between 7 mags and 30 mags after ~20 years of back and forth, I have fallen firmly in favor of the 30’s. But the 7’s do well, so I don’t chide those who favor 7’s over 30’s... not too much at least.

 

[kscharlie]

While it is not on your list, I would choose my Model 70 Featherweight in .270 WSM every time. I love the rifle, love the short action, love the cartridge.

 

[98s1lightning]

So how does the 300wsm manage the LR bullets???

They fit in the short action, like the Accubond LR?

I reckon 30's have the widest bullet selection

 

[98s1lightning]

So how does the 300wsm manage the LR bullets???

They fit in the short action, like the Accubond LR?

I reckon 30's have the widest bullet selection

I see Nosler publishes load data with the 210gr Accubond LR @ 2800fps.......that's cranking!!

 

[horsey300]

If you were a hand loader, and were to choose one caliber (possibly a custom rifle) for whitetail deer, mule deer, black bear, and elk what would you choose in a short action

7mm WSM (I read heavy LR bullets crowd case cuz of short action)
300 WSM
300 Rem SAUM (I think it is) should be considered too
325 WSM (looks to be a real thumper, maybe too much recoil....and limited bullet selection)

338 RCM
(I think is a strong candidate because the shoulders way down and you can get the heavy bullets 225gr and up, good BC, and with the larger bore burn all the powder in a 22" or so barrel I'd probably opt for a 23")

358win (a little on the light side for LR)

I'm trying to help my BIL decide on a caliber. He needs to start handloading though, or else he might as well buy a 308....or 300wsm is fairly popular but expensive to feed premium shelf ammo

I'm not aware of any factory 35 cal short actions (besides 358win) and think the bullets are mostly flat nose and round nose for that caliber?? As in NOT LR bullets

You skipped the 6.5 leopard.....just saying.
If he's not handloading I'd lean heavy on the 7 but varmint brings up valid points for the .30, I'm just biased lol.

 

[98s1lightning]

You skipped the 6.5 leopard.....just saying.
If he's not handloading I'd lean heavy on the 7 but varmint brings up valid points for the .30, I'm just biased lol.

Thanks for responding but we're not interested in anything smaller bore than 7mm.

I agree the 6.5's are excellent long range, I'm just not interested in harvesting big animals with one.

 

[98s1lightning]

I think he really wants a 30, he wanted 300 win mag but is uncertain he wants to carry a long action

 

[Rodman579]

all the calibers you mentioned are great. i prefer my 325 wsm and i have owned & hunted with every caliber you mentioned minus the SAUM. the 325 it is a great caliber in my opinion. i can easily hit 8x8" steel at 500 yards, i took it out the other day at my local range and started on the 500 yard steel then worked my way back down to 100 yards. i hit 4 for 4 on each steel plate, i cant ask for much more than that as it gives me great confidence in the field. it does have some recoil but it isn't horrendous by any means. when i lived in AK i hunted with a 338wm and a 375/338wm, they both were great rifles but i never got the same accuracy and they were heavy rifles when hiking for miles. they both worked well on game and i never had issues in that aspect. my friend that i hunted with had a browning xbolt in 325 wsm and it put game down with authority. anyhow since moving to Montana i picked up my 325 and it is my go to rifle. i also live in grizzly country and i hunt where they live too so the power of this cartridge gives me a bit of comfort as well. from my experience with big game larger bullets hit harder but that is just my experience others may differ. i prefer to judge things in the field rather than on a ballistic calculator or some kind of computer program, to each their own on that.

 

[LoonWulf]

I think he really wants a 30, he wanted 300 win mag but is uncertain he wants to carry a long action

Long actions don't way that much more than a similar short....less than 1/2 pound.
They also generally have less issue with long bullets in short magazines.

If building a short action specifically for long range I'd go with a .300wsm, or 7mm WSM, using an action that will get me 2.9+ coal, and preferably 3-3.1"
Of the cheap action only savage will do that I think.

As is, I'd rather using a h&h length long 700 action in .300win, 300prc, 7mm stw, or pretty much any long action in 7mm Remington Magnum.

If going any larger than .30 cal for long....ish? range I think I want more capacity than any short magnum can give me (tho the 8mm/325, might be a good short option).

Also tho, what are we calling long range?

 

[js8588]

Of those, 325 would be my choice. Very underappreciated round

 

[jmr40]

6.5 PRC

Of your choices 300 WSM. On paper there is a good argument for 7mm WSM, but the round is all but dead. Same with 325 WSM and 338 CM. I never understood why the 325 WSM was ever made. It shoots the same bullet weights as 300 WSM to the same speeds, but the poor BC's of the 8mm bullets cause it to quickly fall behind the 300 WSM.

 

[LoonWulf]

6.5 PRC

Of your choices 300 WSM. On paper there is a good argument for 7mm WSM, but the round is all but dead. Same with 325 WSM and 338 CM. I never understood why the 325 WSM was ever made. It shoots the same bullet weights as 300 WSM to the same speeds, but the poor BC's of the 8mm bullets cause it to quickly fall behind the 300 WSM.

I'd actually forgotten about the 6.5prc lol....

 

[troy fairweather]

I really like my 7wsm I've owned or shoot the 300 and 270 wsm's to and there great but the 7wsm was my favorite and shot noticeable better. Dad had the savage striker in 7wsm and was great it didn't lose much speed either.

I have the 6.5 prc, I'd like to run it head to head with the 7wsm.

 

[98s1lightning]

I suppose range is up to 500 yards max for target, 300 to 400 on game of we are capable of repeatable results in a small enough group

 

[LoonWulf]

I suppose range is up to 500 yards max for target, 300 to 400 on game of we are capable of repeatable results in a small enough group

At those ranges, any of the suggested options will be more than adequate IMO.
I'd probably not be looking at VLD type bullets even, just decent BC hunting bullets.

 

[Rodman579]

i agree with LoonWulf at those distances pick your poison. i practice at 500 yards with my hunting rifles which all 3 are Kimber Montanas which i prefer cause they are very light and i usually hike in quite a distance to get away from people so the lighter rifle is the better option in my opinion. i have never had to take a shot over 350 in the field and my personal limit is 400 yards on game.
if you were going serious long range then i would definitely go with something that has higher BC bullets. but to disagree whole heartedly with JMR40 that the 325 wsm doesnt do anything the 300 wsm does maybe on paper but in my experience it does in the field. i have taken large game with both the 325wsm and the 300wsm, the 325 puts them down in my experience with more authority even with those low BC bullets and did more damage inside. same as when i hunted with a 35 Whelen and a 338-06 same results those ole .358 bullets they hit with more authority and did more damage, not everything is about BC when it comes to hunting. i hunt with flintlock rifles mostly and a lead round ball has low BC but if have you ever shot something big with a .600 round ball it will knock the snot out of them i promise you!!

 

[bearman49709]

Of those you listed I'd take the .358 Win.
You .284 Win sends a 150gn bullet 200fps slower than the 7WSM with a 160gn bullet, not enough difference to think about.

 

[98s1lightning]

Of those you listed I'd take the .358 Win.
You .284 Win sends a 250gn bullet 200fps slower than the 7WSM with a 260gn bullet, not enough difference to think about.

You lost me a 250 grain bullet in 284win???

 

[earlthegoat2]

I'm not aware of any factory 35 cal short actions (besides 358win) and think the bullets are mostly flat nose and round nose for that caliber?? As in NOT LR bullets

There is the 350 Remington Magnum as well. It is a good round and may be better on paper than the 358 Win but probably not in reality. The belted case of the 350 is antiquated by modern standards but no one is making a 350 WSM (it is a wildcat though) All 35s will suffer from the same bullet selection limitation.

As has been said, none of this is going to really give you anything more than the 300 WSM.

 

[Dr T]

Actually, I would look real hard at the 308 with 165's. Reason: It is much more about where you put the bullet than how fast the bullet is going when it gets there. The 308 will be much easier on your BIL as he practices the long range shots. And, a well constructed 165 gr bullet is nothing to sneeze at...

 

[IdaD]

If you're topping out at elk I'd probably go with 308 or 7-08 in a short action.