# winchester short magnums



## biggamehunter69 (Feb 6, 2006)

can anyone tell me if the short magnums are better than the normal magnums if they are tell me why


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## 1shotWonder (Oct 10, 2005)

are they better? thats a matter of opinion. ballisticly speaking in factory loads, they are faster and flatter(although its not a huge difference)


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## Burly1 (Sep 20, 2003)

Ballistically, they are all excellent performers. Most show moderate gain, with middleweight bullets, over the speed of their parent cartridges. The most appreciable upside may be that they can be chambered in short action rifles. A short action will provide a less flexible platform, which may aid in the accuracy of a given rifle. Overall rifle weight can also be reduced by using a short action. In a hunting rifle this can be a real plus. Ammo is not widely available, as are the standards (30-06, .270), but if that does not concern you, the downsides of short mags are few indeed. Good shooting, Burl


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## tgoldade (Jul 28, 2004)

actually if a person took and chronoed the the short mags you would be suprised to find that the all of them are slower than winchester claims. Only the 270 wsm is actually faster than the regular 270. As for accuracy the short mags have the ability to be more accurate because of there more even powder burn and shorter less flexing action. Also less felt recoil. Although total recoil is pretty much the same as there non short counterparts felt recoil is less because (in laymens terms) its spread out over a longer period of time. So a 300 win will be more of a sharp quick recoil where as a 300 wsm will be a hair more drawn out of feel like less.


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## Invector (Jan 13, 2006)

It all depends on prefs and cal type. For example .270 wsm up to 500 yeards just a little out does the .270 mag. You may want to look on the winchester web sight and look at the info they give on the shells. I do know someone who has a .300wm and a .300 wsm and actually thinks the sm has more recoil. I know I have been looking at alot of cals trying to find a gun and have found that the .243 wssm is impressive for how small it is.


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## 1shotWonder (Oct 10, 2005)

every short mag I have shot (.270 and .300) has more recoil than their long actioned brothers. no matter what you do to them they still cant beat the WBY mags :beer:


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## southdakbearfan (Oct 11, 2004)

It totally depends on the caliber of short mag you are talking about. The 25 WSSM is a waste of time in my opinion, and does not ballistically equal the 25-06 if you reload. Its about the exact duplicate of the 257 ackley improved, actually a bit slower. the 270 WSM is about the duplicate of the 270 Weatherby, within 50 fps anyway. The same goes for the 300 wsm.

The most gain is in reduced weight from the shorter action, but reduced weight means more recoil.

Accuracy is typically good because of uniform powder ignition, but I have rifles in 25-06, 270 weatherby, and 300 win, and all shoot sub 3/4" at 100 yds. If you reload, you will find most of the standard magnums can be loaded to out perform the wsm and wssm line.

To each their own basically. If you want the newest thing on the line go for it. I doubt most animals will know the difference.


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## Kiwi98j (Sep 6, 2005)

Burly1 said:


> . A short action will provide a less flexible platform, which may aid in the accuracy of a given rifle. Burl


This was true for rear locking lug actions of the past, specifically for cartridges headspaced off the rim but has no validity with modern, forward locking lug designs headspaced off the sholder or belt. No matter the bolt length, the distance, hence the rigidity, from the boltface to the locking surfaces is identical, the length of the bolt or lack of rearward of the locking surface adds nothing to aid accuracy from sear break to the projectile exiting the muzzle.


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## bighands (Dec 12, 2005)

That's a good point kiwi, And I haven't seen anything yet that makes me want to get in a big rush to trade my 300WM for a 300WSM, Maybe some day, If the WSM proves to be better.


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## Invector (Jan 13, 2006)

Though for the fact a short mag can and does come from factory as similar to the reg mags, I think the short mag would be esier to eject. I got a auto so I would not know this first hand. But I have watched two people I hunt with very closely. One shoots a .270 the other a .270wsm. Now they are brothers and the one who shoots the .270 is a lot bigger and stronger. But the one with the short mag can go through more shots then his brother. Now you might think its all in the timing of the shot. But at one deer this past season the .270 took 12 shots at a deer while she was running at him. He missed, but the point is as I have seen the short mag could cycle the shells better. (from what I have seen that is, to be 100% on saying short mags are quicker might not be accurate) :sniper:


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## 1shotWonder (Oct 10, 2005)

12 shells at 1 deer!


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## bighands (Dec 12, 2005)

WOW, I hope I'm never in the area where those guys hunt!


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## Invector (Jan 13, 2006)

Lets just say that he still gets $hit for it. It was opening day and that the only time he had touched a gun all year. I do think the deer was a bit too close and he was over shooting it, not dropping to a lower spot to compensate. But the same guy also jumped out the back end of a moving truck when someone said rooster...he though it was a buck. Case of buck feaver a bit too much :rollin:


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