7mm Win Short Magnum Ammo icon

7mm Win Short Magnum Ammo For Sale

Live Inventory
Introduced in 2001, the 7mm Winchester Short Magnum (WSM) is the second largest of the three Short Mag cartridges offered by Winchester. 7mm WSM ammo is proven to be effective on most all North American game, with the only exceptions being the largest species of bear. Learn More

History of 7mm Win Short Magnum Ammo

Winchester and the Browning Arms Company joined forces in 2001 to develop the 7mm Winchester Short Magnum (WSM) cartridge. The 7mm WSM was developed for hunting medium- and large-sized game at ranges out to 700 yards, providing a powerful cartridge that hunters can use in many different hunting situations. While it's not recommended for taking dangerous game or predators, it does have excellent performance with all game animals in North America – including elk, deer and most others. Shooting authorities have indicated that the proper bullet must be selected for this cartridge, because the wrong one will not expand sufficiently on deer-sized game.

Most 7mm WSM cartridges are capped with bullets weighing 140 to 160 grains. Muzzle velocity ranges between 2,900 and 3,200 feet per second, and muzzle energies vary between 3,000 to more than 3,200 foot pounds. The 7mm WSM can be found with most of the common bullet designs, including Power Point Bullets, Soft Point Bullets and Nosler Partition Bullets. It performs somewhat better than the .280 Remington, but not quite as good as the 7mm Remington Magnum. Federal and Winchester produce the most 7mm WSM ammunition.

The most significant advantage of the Winchester Short Magnum modification of the 7mm is the shortened case for the cartridge, without an appreciable loss of power or effectiveness, that allows it to work in a rifle with a short action. The rifle can be smaller and lighter this way, and the bolt can be cycled faster and easier. Shooters of smaller stature especially appreciate these benefits, which permit quick and easy follow-up shots if necessary.

Hunters who choose the 7mm WSM will get a lighter and faster cycling rifle, which is useful both on the wide-open plains as well as in the mountains. It is easy to find and several manufacturers make excellent rifles for this popular cartridge.

7mm Win Short Magnum Ballistics: Chart of Average 7mm Win Short Magnum Ballistics

Note: This information comes from the manufacturer and is for informational purposes only. The actual ballistics obtained with your firearm can vary considerably from the advertised ballistics. Also, ballistics can vary from lot to lot with the same brand and type load.

7mm Win Short Magnum Bullet WEIGHT Muzzle VELOCITY (fps) Muzzle ENERGY (ft. lbs.) TRAJECTORY (in.)
  Muzzle 100 yds. 200 yds. 300 yds. 400 yds. Muzzle 100 yds. 200 yds. 300 yds. 400 yds. 100 yds. 200 yds. 300 yds. 400 yds.
140 Grain 3225 3008 2801 2603 2414 3233 2812 2438 2106 1812 1.2 0 -5.6 -16.4
160 Grain 2990 2744 2512 2081 1883 3176 2675 2241 1864 1538 1.6 0 -7.1 -20.8
Molly Carter
Written by
Molly Carter

Customer Reviews

  • jgr said:

    Not sure what the negative reviews are about, this ammo works great. I have dropped aoudad in their tracks at 385 and those guys are notoriously tough. Fantastic accuracy and reliability.

  • None said:

    I will not buy this ammo again I need ammo I can count on