Author Topic: Winchester WSM (Read 724 times)

358Win · « **on:** January 23, 2006, 03:24:22 PM »

I love the WSM line I just wish that they would add a 358 or better yet a 375 to the line. I'll grant that the 325 is a step in the right direction. But I'd much rather see a 338 or a 358 or a 375 or a 411 or even a 416. This case just holds way too much powder for the small bores they are putting it in.

Lone Star · « **Reply #1 on:** January 23, 2006, 03:41:30 PM »

With the demise of Winchester, the future of the entire WSM/WSSM line is in doubt. If they did not sell well for USRA, and Browning has much lower sales numbers than Winchester, I wonder if loaded WSM ammunition will even be offered in ten years or less....especially if the similar Remington offerings continue to sell.

killdeer · « **Reply #2 on:** January 23, 2006, 04:04:09 PM »

The name Winchester is an american icon. I gotta believe/hope that some entity will relicense the name and begin production.
As far as ammo, I think Olin may have done the research and can't see them abandoning those cartridges any time soon.
Time will tell............KD

nomosendero · « **Reply #3 on:** January 23, 2006, 04:17:08 PM »

The slower selling of the WSM's & WSSM's could fade at a faster rate
perhaps, but I don't see especially the 270 & 300WSM's going away, as
the sales are very strong. In addition to Olin, Federal sells tons of these.
The 7WSM is gaining favor with some long range shooters because the
7mm BC values, but this is an admittedly small market. The 325 is too new to tell & the WSSM's have been weaker from the get go.

A great cartridge if promoted properly does not depend on a Gun or Gun
Company flourishing for it's own survival. Remember, some of our best
cartridges began as wildcats such as the 25-06 & 22-250 so obviously
the success of these rounds was due to their performance & Promotion from users & can not be linked to a gun/gun company.

killdeer · « **Reply #4 on:** January 23, 2006, 04:28:36 PM »

.358Win,
sorry for hijacking your thread. Getting back to the original thought.....just can't see you getting your wish. It would be difficult to generate any kind of high volume sales in a cartridge larger than the .325 in this country me thinks.
I for one would love to see more .35s around though.

KD

nomosendero · « **Reply #5 on:** January 23, 2006, 05:00:59 PM »

358Win
I have to agree, the bigger rounds will not happen. Win./Olin feel that
velocity & flat traj. sells at this point in time & it does. This is why the 338
version that Win. experimented with for some time was not introduced, they just could not get the ballistics that they felt was needed for sales &
this was stated by several who wrote about this, & then they dropped back to the 325 to get the biggest bullet with their desired ballistics. The bigger calibers would of course, be more of the same.

I felt early on that a 35 Cal. version would be nice especially in the BLR,
& this would give 100-150 Yards extra reach & more power up close with
good bulletsover the 358Win., but I guess they feel this may be a bit too speciallized, a pity!

358Win · « **Reply #6 on:** January 24, 2006, 07:27:03 AM »

Hi All:

I'll probably in the end get a BLR in 325 WSM and then turn right around and have it rebarreled and rechambered for a wildcat based on simply necking up the case to one of 375, 411 or 416.

The 411 does suffer from a real shortage of bullets. But they can be found. This one also offers the advantage of plinking with bullets designed for the 41 Magnum pistol cartridge.

The 375 would probably be the most useful, but the thought of sending a 350 grain 416 spitzer downrange from a BLR really gets my blood going. So long as I could get at least 2350 fps with the 350 grain 416 that would be an awesome big bear rifle.