I just pick up one of these browning 243 wssm abolts and I was wondering if anyone has any experience with this caliber. Seems to be quite eratic with the 95 grain winchester ballistic silvertips factory ammo. Have not fired any handloads or smaller bullets. Have any of you?

My Winchester/USRA 70 stainless Ultimate Shadow shoots the 95 grain SBT factory loads into MOAish groups. It does a little better with the Sierra 85 grain BTHP, but I haven't done much loading work with the 243 WSSM. If you're going to start reloading for it, buy Federal 243 WSSM brass, it is super!

Jeff

I've shot the Winchester 55gr (I think) factory stuff out of my friends .243 WSSM and it seemed to really like that. Although the barrel heated up extremely quick.

zdrive,

A couple of years ago I had the opportunity to purchase a heavy barrelled laminate stocked winchester coyote in 243 wssm. I try to have an open mind about rifles and cartridges,especially when I get a great deal on a rifle. I picked this rifle up for $400 new as one of the local gun shops was blowing them out. I reload for several other 6mm's so I had plenty of bullets and appropriate powders to try. In the short time I had this gun I tested 70 gr nosler ballistic tips, 85 gr tsx's and 100 gr. sierra spitzers.

The best 70 gr nosler load was loaded at a 2.280 oal, 42.5 gr of Varget, velocities of 3514,3512,3529 fps for 3 shot group. Easy bolt lift. Second best load was 43.5 gr varget, same oal, 3581,3562,3562 fps. Bolt lift at this load density was harder than I like.

Tried 85 gr barnes tsx over 44 gr. rl 19 but this rifle did not like this load.


Tried several powders/densities/OAL's with the sierra 100 grain spitzers

243 wssm 100 gr sierra spitzer 40 gr H380 2.285 oal 2943,2883,2875 fps


243 wssm 100 gr sierra spitzer 42 gr H414 2.275 oal 2931 2912 2945 fps


243 wssm 100 gr sierra spitzer 41 gr H414 2.275 oal 2911 2884 2910 fps


243 wssm 100 gr sierra spitzer 41 gr H414 2.265 oal 2869 2876 2884 fps


I only kept the gun for about six months I didn't like the stock on the coyote. The trigger was pretty bad for a winchester. I worked on it but still wasn't particularly fond of the trigger. But the kicker was the loads and the brass. Anything approaching max loads, the bolt was extremely hard to lift and cycle. I develop loads to hunt rather than target shoot. I want to be able to quickly cycle the bolt and chamber a round if I need a follow up shot. This was not possible with this rifle, due to the hard bolt lift.
The brass was also a problem. I did not like the quality of the brass. I found that when I tried to reload once fired brass that I really had to screw the sizing die down in order to get the brass to the point that I could close the bolt on a full length resized piece of brass. And once accomplishing this and seating a bullet, many times the rounds were not concentric. I had the opportunity to sell it about six months after I bought it for $450. I took the money and didn't look back. I like my 240 weatherby accumark much better. Better accuracy, velocity, more asthetically pleasing rifle and cartridge.
GWB

I've had one since they came out Browning a bolt varmit stalker, mine really likes 65 gr v max 40.3 gr varget 2.25 col, 3600 fps & 85 gr nosler partition 43.1 gr RL19, 3300 fps ( good deer load)

I thought about getting one, until I realized you could get as much out of a .243AI and more out of a 6-06/240 weatherby. I have a 270 wsm and have same bolt lift issues with max loads. I wish, I had gone with the 270 weatherby instead.

I see why you sold that one (200yd groups?), did your groups open up after first three shots? my 270wsm shoots clovers first three, then opens up to moa at five.
RC