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Short, Fat Magnums
Ambrose
Member Posts: 3,208 ✭✭✭✭
What ever happened to Rick Jamisen's creations. I used to read an article or two about them in every gun magazine but nothing lately. The most recent stories were about the modification of the .270 WSM (called 6.8 something or other) to take heavy bullets. Does anyone here still use a SAUM, WSM, or a RCM? I resolved to stay away from them but that didn't last and I had to get in on the trend. The cartridges do what they are supposed to do, magnum velocities in a short action with slightly less powder, but it seems nobody cares.
Comments
I believe that the 6.8 you are referring to is the 6.8 Western. As for the other shorties, I still see quite a few 300, and 270 WSM's, but rarely see any of the others. IIRC, there are a couple of popular chamberings that are based off of the RCM, the 6.5 PRC is a child of the 300 RCM.
Back when they came out I was into lever guns they wouldn't fit so I never got interested in them.
In reality they were a flash in the pan to sell guns and ammo. Few of them were noticeably better than the standard .308, 30-06, 7MM or .270Winchester. Just about everything new is actually old. The 6.5 Creedmore is nothing more than a 6.5X55 Swede ran at higher pressures.
Had to have a 300wsm back when they first came out. That model 70 has proved to be a fine gun and has taken a few critters. When the Winchester New Haven plant was closing I found a heck of a deal on a model 70 Ultimate Shadow in 270wsm and that gun has also performed well. Both guns really like the Federal Fusion factory loads. I have read about the new 6.8 and for the long range gurus it probably would be a good choice. For me the 270wsm shoots plenty far enough.
Back in my gun counter days we sold a lot of WSM chambered rifles but the SAUM ones just sat on the shelf. Performance was about equal but Winchester beat Remington to the punch by a year or so and got all the press. Bob
Woe betide you if you have any of the WSSMs in your safe. How Winchester thought the "wisissyms" would last beyond their introduction and hoorah is beyond me. I shot a .25 WSSM at the SHOT Range Day once. It went bang and made holes - and that's about all I got out of the experience. Those who bought them were very quickly SOL. Big Win quit making ammo and brass within a year or three, and the rifles are not easily converted to anything else.
I accidently bought a Weatherby Vanguard in 257 Weatherby mag.I don't know if it falls into the short,fat catagory but at least its a Weatherby and now I can be a rifle snob.
I have a Lazzeroni Patriot .308 chambered Savage 16 that I bought here on GunBroker when Savage / Lazzeroni had their split and John was selling off the inventory. Flat shooting and hard hitting round. I have plenty of brass to keep it running for a long time. Occasionally see them listed here and bringing 3-4 times what I paid for mine.
Like many I held off on buying one to see if they held up to the passage of time . Just could not see where they had that great of an advantage . Son-in-law bought one in 270? I think . Ammo was extremely expensive, as was gearing up to reload . It was soon sold off .
How do you like that 257 Weatherby magnum??? How is the kick and what is it comparable to??? I went with the 257 Roberts instead, and love it. I always wanted a 257 Weatherby, but was afraid of the recoil. I'm recoil sensitive. The only gun that doesn't really effect the way I shoot, is my M1 Garand. My 308's make me flinch and tend to anticipate the round going off. Don't know why I can't correct that.
Recoil is very manageable,not bad at all.Maybe a little less than a 308. Ammo prices are another story.If you don't reload your own,Check ammo prices before you buy any Weatherby caliber rifle.
Magnums have a belted case.
If I recall correctly, the "magnum belt" came about because the .300 H&H could not reliably headspace on its loooong sloping shoulder. So they added what is essentially a displaced "rim" on which to solidly headspace. On other cartridges, it serves little or no purpose and actually is a detriment to smooth magazine feeding.
Yupp! The belt on modern magnums was nothing but a marketing trick.
Lazzeroni gets about 200fps more from his 257 than Weatherby does, and not a belt in sight. Winchester gets comparable velocity with the 300wsm vs the 300 win mag and again no belt necessary. Bob