WSSM Goes .25!

28 November 2003, 05:50

Jim White

Ohlsen,
The rifles are out. I'm sure they will be in short supply for a while but they are in production. One of the writers for reloader magazine was road testing one at our range last week. It's the only one that I have seen so far and from what I've seen I will be sticking with my 22-250 Ackley. Velocities were not what I expected. Jim

28 November 2003, 06:06

RMiller

I saw a super shadow 223 wssm at a local gun store two days ago.

I would be more interested in a 257 wsm.

What I really want is a 6mm wsm.

28 November 2003, 09:20

InfoSponge

quote:
Originally posted by Plateau Hunter:
So where does it fit in the 250 Savage, .257 Roberts, 25/06, and 257 Weatherby ranks? It is good to have a new case and 'super short' action to play with however.

Although they are already trying to market it as producing the same velocity as the 25-06, it doesn't really. The WSSM case just slightly outperforms the 308 case in terms of velocity, so the 25 WSSM is ballistically very similar to a 257 DGR. Good for about 3000fps from a 24" bbl with a 120gr bullet.

quote:
The 6.5mm or .35 versions would be more interesting to me.

I think a 6.5mm version would be interesting, too, but really only from the perspective of creating as short a rifle as possible for hunting deer in the woods. Ballistically it would be almost indistinguishable from the 260 Rem. I doubt there will ever be a factory 6.5 WSSM for that reason, and the lack of a factory 25 based on the 308 case probably influenced the 25 WSSM decision. But then again, there's not much difference in velocity between a .243 Win and a .243 WSSM.

29 November 2003, 09:07

Dutch

Infosponge has it right. The case should hold about 56, maybe 57 grains of water, which is essentially the Roberts.

The advantages are that it fits in the "mini" action, so is especially well suited for a lightweight rifle for youngsters and women. Mild recoil, short rifle, and the 25 cal is "enough gun" for deer in almost everyone's book. Logically, this is smack in the demographic of the people that buy guns, youngsters and the growing number of women hunters, and smack in the middle of the needs for the most hunted big game animal in the US: deer.

Of course, logic has never been a driving force for the rifle buying public..... LOL! Dutch.

29 November 2003, 11:06

InfoSponge

quote:
Originally posted by Dutch:
The case should hold about 56, maybe 57 grains of water, which is essentially the Roberts.

I'm not sure what the case capacity of the WSSM is, but you are exactly right that, in terms of muzzle velocity, the WSSM is very similar to a +P Roberts -- it depends on just how +P your +P is as to which one is a whisker faster. The +P Roberts is a really great deer cartridge except for two things: 1) It is a somewhat awkward cartridge length for some actions; 2) The possibility of +P loads finding their way into older rifles incapable of safely handling the extra pressure and bolt thrust makes ammunition manufacturers' lawyers very nervous. The WSSM substitutes one kind of action awkwardness for another (although the MRC fat mini action should eventually be very nice), but it does nicely solve the problem with a factory +P 257 Roberts.

29 November 2003, 12:00

groundhog devastation

The WSSM's are starting to get to the dealers around here in VA. My local shop got 2 of each chambering this week but in Browning A-bolts. He has a bunch of 223WSSM ammo but no 243 WSSM! He's got the guns but no ammo! It doesn't really bother me one way or the other because I beleive the WSSM's are just a "flash in the pan"! It's hard to improve on the 22-250, 220Swift and a whole boatload of different 6mm chamberings! I too was surprised that Winchester didn't try the 25WSM deal out. Although it's hard to improve on a 25-06 also! Now that darn Ruger 204 may be a new precinct heard from!!! GHD

29 November 2003, 14:11

Lawdog_Gary

Seeing I like my collection of .25 caliber factory loaded cartridge/rifle combos it looks like there is going to have another to the safe next year. I was just hoping it would be the .257 WSM instead as a number of gun rags stated it would be. Lawdog

29 November 2003, 15:27

AggieDog

Seems to me it would be nice if it fit betweeen the 25-06 and 257 wby mag. But, if it can move a 120 grain bullet at 3000 fps, that isnt too bad of a deer round.

30 November 2003, 12:46

Dutch

Groundhog, it is very EASY to improve on both the 22-250 and the Swift. AI them and quit trimming every couple of firings! LOL!

Info, I have measured my 223WSSM brass a couple of times, and it is just about 55 grains. The 25 cal should logically be a grain or two more. FWIW, Dutch.

01 December 2003, 09:13

badgerrr

I'm thinkin' with Outlaw and RMiller.

This should be a more powerful round. They should be using the .257 Weatherby Mag as the benchmark for it's ballistics.

30 November 2003, 22:40

jsr

I'm thinking about having one (257 WSM) built,a guy at ShortMags says he's meeting and exceeding Wtby velocities with his. My luck as soon as its done,Winchester will announce,"oh yeah,we'r doing one of those too". [Roll Eyes]

03 December 2003, 18:24

copyrman

I have built a few of the WSSM's as
well as a 257 or 25 WSM. The 243 WSSM will
get an honest 200 fps speed difference over
the standard 243. I looked at building a 25WSSM
but could see little, if any advantage over the
25-06. So I decide to put a 257 WSM together.
The 257 WSM is my overall favorite as far as a
25's go. I have not compared it to a Weatherby and never will. Never cared much for
those powder burners. The 25 WSM is easy to
reload, just neck down 270 WSM brass and you
are ready to go. I found RL22 to be the best powder and velocity really suprised me. With
the Sierra 100gr MK The velocity was running
3700 +. 110 Bergers are little slower but shoot
just as well. I had the rifle built with a 26"
Pac Nor super match barrel and the rifle will easily shoot in the 5's or less. This is one
caliber that will be hard on barrels. Considering
the overbore of the caliber. Recoil is light and
quick, as with most short powder columns.

Enough for now on the 25. My hands down favorite
in the WSSM line is the 223 wssm. I built this
rifle on a fast twist 1-8 twist barrel. The length is 24". The Barrel is a Shilen Select match Stainless Varmint. I shoot only the 80 gr
Nosler J4 match bullets or Sierra match 80's.
Accuracy is very good and the Bc of the 80 gr bullet is very high. I am getting 3600 FPS
with this bullet. YOu just need to see what this
round will do to a coyote. It also works good
on more than one P.dog. I havent tried it on
deer but I think it would be better than a standard 243 using an 80 gr bullet do to a higher
bc.
I heard through my dealer, that Winchester was
going to offer the 257 and 338 WSM for '04. Lets
hope...

03 December 2003, 18:34

<Jordan>

Gents:

Does the WSSM family require a magnum bolt face? Been thinking about bulding a .22 caliber with a short, fat cartridge to shoot 69-80 grain pills. The .22 Dasher has great appeal, but it does not seem like it will give anywhere near the velocity of the .22 WSSM.

Jordan

03 December 2003, 19:12

groundhog devastation

Dutch, "touche"! Or whatever that word is! Yes the AI chamberings may "improve" on the -250 or Swift but that is my whole argument! The WSSM's offer no significant advantage over what we've already got to work with!!! The .257WSM may be a round to dicker with! I came within a knat's nose of building one of them last winter but went ahead and built a standard 25-06 instead....I know that one works!!! The WSM would have been unique.....short action magnum in a LA!!! Seat them wherever!! It will fit the magazine!!! GHD

09 December 2003, 02:19

.338_lapua

I heard the SAUM case mentioned a while ago. Remington cannot win the .284 and .308 short action magnum war so why dont they be the first to enter the .257, .264 and .243 short magnum race? Thoughts anyone?

09 December 2003, 02:25

.338_lapua

Just reflecting on that, if the big W has the .257 WSSM (It sounds cooler than .25 WSSM) It'd be stupid to make a .257 WSM also right? So if Remington makes a .257 SAUM that'd be the only calibre of its type on the market. Damn I wish they'd read this [Frown]

09 December 2003, 07:01

dannytoro

"I think a 6.5mm version would be interesting, too, but really only from the perspective of creating as short a rifle as possible for hunting deer in the woods. Ballistically it would be almost indistinguishable from the 260 Rem. I doubt there will ever be a factory 6.5 WSSM for that reason,"

........actually that would probably result in a case not unlike the old 6.5 Rem. Magnum, which would probably handle the heavier 6.5 bulets with more aplomb then the 260 Remington does. The old 6.5 Rem Mag could easily belt a 160gr Hornady out at 2800fps. This in my mind is why I like the new "Short Mags" over the old stand-bys (30-06,.280,270). They all seem to improve heavy-end velocities and provide a wonderfully accurate platform in the process.