I can buy an almost new Winchester M70 in 243 wssm for $400, but I know nothing of the caliber except it is fast going obsolete.

Can you shoot .243 in it?

quote:

Originally posted by Colin Masters:
I can buy an almost new Winchester M70 in 243 wssm for $400, but I know nothing of the caliber except it is fast going obsolete.

Can you shoot .243 in it?

Absolutely not!!!

quote:

Originally posted by Colin Masters:
I can buy an almost new Winchester M70 in 243 wssm for $400, but I know nothing of the caliber except it is fast going obsolete.

Can you shoot .243 in it?

don't buy it unless it comes with a lifetime supply of ammunition, or brass, if you are a handloader

Well that solves that. Wow what a funky looking cartridge.

I like the WSSM cartridges. I can swap barrels between the WSM and WSSM on my short action with the same magazines, bolt, etc. A bunch of the reloading parts are multiple use as well.

The short case is also good for fitting long pointy bullets above the neck-shoulder junction in a magazine. The WSM/WSSM are also versatile and fun to wildcat (anything from .224 to .510). But yes, if you want to buy ammo at walmart then get a 308.

i cant find WSSM ammo ANYWHERE, much less at Walmart.

quote:

Originally posted by olarmy:
i cant find WSSM ammo ANYWHERE, much less at Walmart.

Gun Broker has several listings for 243 WSSM ammo but you'd better open the wallet wide!

The rifle might be only $400 but the ammo/brass to go with it will be another $400!

Cool round however. My cousin shoots one in a full custom Ruger #1 and it's a tack-driving race-horse!

Zeke

I have a 223 WSS, 243 WSSM and 25 WSSM all tucked away in the safe. Components piled up, too.

quote:

Originally posted by ZekeShikar:

quote:

Originally posted by olarmy:
i cant find WSSM ammo ANYWHERE, much less at Walmart.

Gun Broker has several listings for 243 WSSM ammo but you'd better open the wallet wide!

The rifle might be only $400 but the ammo/brass to go with it will be another $400!

Cool round however. My cousin shoots one in a full custom Ruger #1 and it's a tack-driving race-horse!

Zeke

Wow. Crazy prices!

I shoot 4-.270 WSM's, a .243 WSSM and a .25 WSSM. They all are super accurate and I have enough brass and all components to last my great grandsons a lifetime. The .270 WSM's are great for anything up to and including Elk. The .243 WSSM and 25 WSSM are great for all Deer sized game and are ideal for the little ones to start out with. I will probably take one of the .270 WSM's to Africa next time loaded with 160 grain Nosler Partitions at 2950 fps and 130 grain North Fork at 3450 fps for plains game. In my opinion the short fat cases are doing what they were designed to do, shoot with accuracy. Knock them all your want, for me they work. Good shooting.

Winchester/Olin just did a run of 243 WSSM ammo and it has been shipped to wholesalers, so it should be hitting retail shelves before too long.

On May 8, 2016, Whittaker Guns in Owensboro, KY, had/has 243 WSSM 95 grain SBT ammo on their site for $36.99 per box.

www.whittakerguns.com

I bought an M70 Shadow in.243 WSSM to find it split necks and shoulders. Factory and reloads. It is at the gunsmiths now. He suspects a bad chamber but has not had time to check it. If I have to rebarrel it will be a Shilen Match barrel. I want to keep it short and thin like the factory as I bough it for my grandsons to use when they start hunting. I plan on 85 or 95 grain Partitions as the bullet. I have plenty of brass. I don't know if I should go 8 or 10 twist. I am leaning 8.

I'm always on the lookout for a cheap CRF WSSM for a short B&M conversion.

quote:

Originally posted by Colin Masters:
I can buy an almost new Winchester M70 in 243 wssm for $400, but I know nothing of the caliber except it is fast going obsolete.

Can you shoot .243 in it?

I'd go buy another $400 rifle in something that is at least somewhat available.

This was a Winchester solution...looking for a problem

Just to save starting a new thread I will revive this one. The .243 wssm I bought was just re barreled with a Shillen barrel. Once it is blued I shall be ready to work up loads. I am pretty well stocked up on brass and actually just bought two more boxes of factory ammo at dealer cost.

I like all of the wssms. The trouble besides components though, is to get the speed you need to send pressure through the roof at least with the 24 and 25. If you load the .243wssm to accurate reasonable pressures...you have ,243 Win ballistics. The rifles are super handy though.

The entire WSSM family are good candidates for custom falling blocks!
Not the best feeding in a bolt action. They are accurate cartridges.

EZ

quote:

Originally posted by Quintus:
I like all of the wssms. The trouble besides components though, is to get the speed you need to send pressure through the roof at least with the 24 and 25. If you load the .243wssm to accurate reasonable pressures...you have ,243 Win ballistics. The rifles are super handy though.

Isn't that part of the design of both the WSM's and WSSM's? I thought they run them from the factory at high pressure.??

I believe that all of the Winchester/Olin WSSM factory ammo was loaded at maximum SAAMI-safe pressures. I have four Winchester/USRA 70s in 243 WSSM, but I've only shot one of them and that one not much.

I have shot in the neighborhood of 2K rounds in a variety of 25 WSSM rifles, some factory, some rebarreled, all Winchester/USRA 70s. I was shooting pdogs with 75 grain Sierra HPs and Hornady VMax, coyotes with those two 75 grain bullets, plus the 90 grain Sierra BTHP, and whitetails with 100 grain Partitions, BTs, and 110 grain ABs.