With the right bullet in the right place the .325 WSM has to work. I have never been a long range shooter at our wonderful big game animals and never had a need to be, so I have pretty much stuck with the 30-06 and .338 Winny and both calibers with my loads are capable of 500 yard hits at the range. My 30-06 is a pre-64 Featherweight and my .338 is a customized Mod. 70 "Classic Stainless" that shoots 250 or 225 grain Barnes X bullets into little groups. It weighs about 8.25 lbs. with 4 down and a Bansners Stock and a Nightforce SHV 3-9x42. I have never lost an animal in 55 years up here and have never had to shoot one twice, other then a couple of head shots as they lay on the ground bleeding out.
I have owned four .375's and never hunted them. A Sako Carbine, couple of pre-64's and a "Classic Stainless" I fixed up and gifted to my son-in-law. At the range I fired 270 grain Barnes X bullets out of them and they all recoiled more then my .338. I personally believe felt recoil is a personal thing and if some thing is repeated enough it often becomes truth.
On paper the .325 WSM has all the "right stuff". But, history has not been kind to 8mm any thing in North America, If I hunted Africa I would look for a old "Classic Stainless" action and make up a .375 H&H unless some crafty gun smith could figure out a way to make me up a 5 down Ruger .375. I know I wouldn't have time for 5 shots, but to me the magazine is a great place to store extra ammo and I can run a bolt faster then I can reload a bolt action magazine rifle. My Professional would save me any way, right?
A Swift 200 or 220 grain A-Frame, a Nosler 200 grain Accubond or Partition or a 200 grain Barnes X would be my choices with the Barnes X my first choice. My personal experience for the last 50 years is pretty much with Barnes X and Partitions, which always work.
