Short magnum craze
12-09-2009, 08:55 PM
#1
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: arkansas
Posts: 3,162
Short magnum craze
There is alot of hype these days about the short magnum cartridges. Looking at ballistics chart is hard to see any real difference between the 7mm and 300 magnums. I was wondering what is it that so many people are moving from long to short cartridges? I have both the 7 rem mag and 300 win mag, both are great rounds.
12-10-2009, 03:36 AM
#2
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Clermont Florida U.S.
Posts: 4,970
Theoretically, they "fit" into shorter, lighter (usually) actions / weapons. Some desire that. Some just want the "newest" stuff on the market. Some just want to be different. Some just like them better. Whatever lifts your skirt...IMO.
12-10-2009, 04:21 AM
#3
Fork Horn
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: central NY
Posts: 103
yup just a matter of opinion,short bolts allow for shorter scopes sometimes,as far as ballistics and price there is not much difference.as far as some just buying because its the latest and greatest ,well i can say i have fallen in that class a few times.had to explain to wife why i needed a 7mm08 and a 308
...it was tough but i convinced her.
...it was tough but i convinced her.
12-10-2009, 07:11 AM
#4
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Adirondacks
Posts: 1,305
They are more efficient but if you're sensitive to recoil the added weight of the long actions is a plus.With all the cals available these days ammo and gun makers really have no where else to go other than refining the older stuff into the new stuff 
.
.
12-10-2009, 08:35 AM
#5
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location:
Posts: 1,408
The advantages are supposed to be the ability to use a short action and greater efficiency. Some CLAIM reduced recoil though I've never seen definitive tests to actually show this.
Looking at ballistics of factory loads is deceiving. Most long action magnum factory loads are loaded far below what the shell is capable of, while the newer short magnums are loaded pretty close to the max they are capable of.
The major disadvantage is that the WSMs are not TRUE short-action magnums. The RSAUMs were closer but they lost out. By this I mean that to maximize performance from a WSM and really make it equivalent to the corresponding long action magnum with heavier bullets, you need to seat the bullets out so far that they no longer feed through most short actions and in some guns the throat is not long enough too. The WSMs are really optimized in a custom gun, throated long for the long bullets, with an after market mag box allowing seating longer than SAAMI specs.
The RSAUM philosophy was to maximize performance in a true short action cartridge, but this meant that they fell short of WSM level performance and so they lost. If all you shoot is 165gr bullets in a 300WSM you'll never know the difference, it's the 180gr and heavier bullets where the issue arises.
Looking at ballistics of factory loads is deceiving. Most long action magnum factory loads are loaded far below what the shell is capable of, while the newer short magnums are loaded pretty close to the max they are capable of.
The major disadvantage is that the WSMs are not TRUE short-action magnums. The RSAUMs were closer but they lost out. By this I mean that to maximize performance from a WSM and really make it equivalent to the corresponding long action magnum with heavier bullets, you need to seat the bullets out so far that they no longer feed through most short actions and in some guns the throat is not long enough too. The WSMs are really optimized in a custom gun, throated long for the long bullets, with an after market mag box allowing seating longer than SAAMI specs.
The RSAUM philosophy was to maximize performance in a true short action cartridge, but this meant that they fell short of WSM level performance and so they lost. If all you shoot is 165gr bullets in a 300WSM you'll never know the difference, it's the 180gr and heavier bullets where the issue arises.
12-10-2009, 08:55 AM
#8
Fork Horn
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: central NY
Posts: 103
i changed my post ,because i wasnt dead sure it was my long lost friend, I WAS WRONG. well its nice to post with you without getting blindsided.i would ham it up with you but ...long range shooting is your thing.most of my shots are under 200 yds,my obsession is africa and the big bores,though i used to be quite the gun enthusiast i have been out of the long distance shooting for a while now.so i guess if i need some info ill have to pick your mind or kiss azz as you call it.i must admit the videos picking off the fish have me a little jealous,here in ny i have to work for them like that.i wonder if we are gonna start hanging out now
12-10-2009, 11:06 AM
#9
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location:
Posts: 5,130
I'll start buying short mags when they stop making .243, .270. 7mm, .30-06, .300, .338, .375, & 416 (add in whichever "classic round" you'd like).
Until then, "they" already got it covered.................................Oh yea, IMHO !!!
Until then, "they" already got it covered.................................Oh yea, IMHO !!!
