.25 wssm
11-04-2009, 04:35 AM
#62
Fork Horn
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 287
Personally, I like the the specs. I don't have a 25WSSM, but I do shoot a 25-06 and the 25 WSSM gets pretty close to the '06 using 10-15% less powder. I agree with the guys that say the short case design lends itself to semi-auto's (regardless of rifle configuration). Not sure I'd want one in a bolt gun, but it's a cartridge I'd consider in an AR platform.
11-21-2009, 05:55 PM
#63
Spike
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: East Texas
Posts: 70
I had a 243wssm good gun but was so hard to find ammo and the cost of the little 95gr BT was around 40.00 a box and also they only make 4 diff bullets so for the non reloader not much selection. I had heard at on time the wssm's and wsm's of all the only ones that made the peoples choise was the 270wsm and the 300wsm I have the 270wsm and love it BUT i will not buy another NEW carthage again with out it being out for some time. IMO 25wssm is going to be a bad choise i would say go with 243 od 7mm-08 for bullet selection
11-22-2009, 07:03 AM
#64
Fork Horn
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Colorado Springs
Posts: 360
Just curious what makes you say poor brass quality and poor design? Only problem I see with them is the large overbore appearance to them. If anything, they work too good? A few people said the same thing in 1894-1895 I bet about the 30 WCF, the new high velocity cartridge of the day!
08-11-2010, 04:25 AM
#65
Spike
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 17
08-11-2010, 09:30 AM
#66
Typical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location:
Posts: 579
Bought one for my daughter. Browning A-Bolt. The gun is short light and very accurate. It shoots so well with the 120 gr. PEP that I haven't bothered working up a good reload. Over my chrony I get 2926 fps on average. Which I feel is pretty good out of the 21" barrel on the browning. It's more of a 257 Roberts than a 25-06 clone as I can reach 2925 fps out of my remington 257 Bob. The WSSM recoil is low and my daughter has taken 2 does with it. Neither deer went more than 5 yards after the shot.
12-21-2010, 08:02 PM
#67
Spike
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 3
New to the forum
Wow, you guys are a little over the top on pushing your opinions to the point of futility. AR, bolt-action, SA, LA, single shot, whatever floats your boat...opinions are great. Just don't try to one-up each other and hijack the original poster's question.
I was searching for information related to the 25 WSSM lately for my father. We prairie dog hunt with the normal 222, 223, and 204 little guys with great results. I am on my second 204 barrel after getting a respectable 4500 out of the factory Savage. I am now around 1100 on the second Shilen tube...anyway, back to the 25 WSSM. We were considering two different ways to cheat the wind that blows on a nearly constant basis in prairie dog territory. A 204 is great out to 400 yards, but the wind can sometimes limit its ability to only 300 yards. We have scope reticles that try to deal with the wind, but the inconsistent gusty air always seems to ruin a good shot. "I would be great if we could find another varmint round that can resist a little more wind." I am currently building a 6mm BR Norma, and Dad wants to try the 25 WSSM. I think that both are going to be great rounds for this task.
I shot a 25-06 three years ago on a hunt in WY from a bench...and did not like it. Don't get me wrong, the round was absolutely great for 450-500 yard shots with devastating accuracy and down-range ballistics. But, I was not able to follow up quickly for blowing away the other three dogs on the same mound. With the SA 204, 223, or 222, I could always rechamber a round without moving my line-of-sight through the scope. The 25-06 always required me to loose my sight through the scope by allowing room for the bolt. Also, the 25 WSSM will be slightly cheaper to shoot than the 25-06 based solely on the powder. The more efficient case design allows for the same 06 performance with less powder consumed. To most shooters, that may not be a concern. But when the group goes through multiple 8-lb cans of powder each year when reloading, squeezing another 10-15% more ammo helps in the cost category. I will assume (not shot one yet) that the recoil will be slightly less from the 25 WSSM, but we will see.
The 243 WSSM or 223 WSSM are just not viable in our book, meaning barrel life. One friend shot a 22-250 for two years and needed a new tube after 2000 rounds. I suspect that one may be able to get good life (3500 rounds?) out of a 25 WSSM, but that can vary. I base this on the capacity:bore dia relationship that most refer to as an "overbored" or "underbored" cartridge. If anything, this 25 WSSM looks slightly overbored, but the fact is that the 25-06 has a bigger case capacity than the 25 WSSM. Couple the 3400-3500 fps with a decent bullet and good BC, we think the 25 WSSM would make a great bench gun for p-dogs...especially with a 28 inch varmint contour barrel (maybe reaching 3600 fps).
Lastly, I have always observed that the SA receivers are slightly more accurate than LA receivers...in general. The short stiff block of steel used to house a short cartridge would dictate a stable platform based on physics alone. That does not mean that you always get a more accurate SA over a LA, but bench shooting does not lie...308, 6 BR, 22 BR, 22/6PPC, etc... Having said that, my cousin owns a 270 Win that is an absolute tack-driver. I think of the 25 WSSM as a SA 25-06, if that is what you need. If you are deer hunting...it probably does not matter.
So, we have a special requirement that the 25 WSSM should fill nicely. At the same time, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the 25-06 round. I have always noted that the older generation will always stick to what they are used to...and sometimes they are right. In this case, I don't see why variety in cartridges is a bad thing as they all sometimes fill a specific job.
I was searching for information related to the 25 WSSM lately for my father. We prairie dog hunt with the normal 222, 223, and 204 little guys with great results. I am on my second 204 barrel after getting a respectable 4500 out of the factory Savage. I am now around 1100 on the second Shilen tube...anyway, back to the 25 WSSM. We were considering two different ways to cheat the wind that blows on a nearly constant basis in prairie dog territory. A 204 is great out to 400 yards, but the wind can sometimes limit its ability to only 300 yards. We have scope reticles that try to deal with the wind, but the inconsistent gusty air always seems to ruin a good shot. "I would be great if we could find another varmint round that can resist a little more wind." I am currently building a 6mm BR Norma, and Dad wants to try the 25 WSSM. I think that both are going to be great rounds for this task.
I shot a 25-06 three years ago on a hunt in WY from a bench...and did not like it. Don't get me wrong, the round was absolutely great for 450-500 yard shots with devastating accuracy and down-range ballistics. But, I was not able to follow up quickly for blowing away the other three dogs on the same mound. With the SA 204, 223, or 222, I could always rechamber a round without moving my line-of-sight through the scope. The 25-06 always required me to loose my sight through the scope by allowing room for the bolt. Also, the 25 WSSM will be slightly cheaper to shoot than the 25-06 based solely on the powder. The more efficient case design allows for the same 06 performance with less powder consumed. To most shooters, that may not be a concern. But when the group goes through multiple 8-lb cans of powder each year when reloading, squeezing another 10-15% more ammo helps in the cost category. I will assume (not shot one yet) that the recoil will be slightly less from the 25 WSSM, but we will see.
The 243 WSSM or 223 WSSM are just not viable in our book, meaning barrel life. One friend shot a 22-250 for two years and needed a new tube after 2000 rounds. I suspect that one may be able to get good life (3500 rounds?) out of a 25 WSSM, but that can vary. I base this on the capacity:bore dia relationship that most refer to as an "overbored" or "underbored" cartridge. If anything, this 25 WSSM looks slightly overbored, but the fact is that the 25-06 has a bigger case capacity than the 25 WSSM. Couple the 3400-3500 fps with a decent bullet and good BC, we think the 25 WSSM would make a great bench gun for p-dogs...especially with a 28 inch varmint contour barrel (maybe reaching 3600 fps).
Lastly, I have always observed that the SA receivers are slightly more accurate than LA receivers...in general. The short stiff block of steel used to house a short cartridge would dictate a stable platform based on physics alone. That does not mean that you always get a more accurate SA over a LA, but bench shooting does not lie...308, 6 BR, 22 BR, 22/6PPC, etc... Having said that, my cousin owns a 270 Win that is an absolute tack-driver. I think of the 25 WSSM as a SA 25-06, if that is what you need. If you are deer hunting...it probably does not matter.
So, we have a special requirement that the 25 WSSM should fill nicely. At the same time, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the 25-06 round. I have always noted that the older generation will always stick to what they are used to...and sometimes they are right. In this case, I don't see why variety in cartridges is a bad thing as they all sometimes fill a specific job.
Last edited by klspencer; 12-21-2010 at 08:12 PM.
05-01-2011, 03:57 PM
#68
So, back to the original topic, which I might add, is nearly 6 years old now. For those of you that posted on this thread 6 years ago and said that the WSM and WSSM's are "useless" "will never last"...etc. etc...Well, the 25 WSM is 8 years old now, give or take and it is alive and well. The AR platform loves it (I own an AR in 223...not a huge fan of it, it's not as accurate as my lesser priced heavy barreled 223 bolt rifles...but would never hunt with it...fact, rarely shoot it, but that's another story for another day).
I recently purchased a Browning A-Bolt in 25 WSSM...had wanted one for a log time, but as a left handed shooter...well I was under the impression no one ever made a left handed in the 25 WSSM, imagine my excitement when I found one used recently in like new shape. I had almost given up and bought a 25-06 or a 257 Bob...glad I didn't, although I am sure I will need one of each eventually. I fell in love with the WSM's first, while in an elk hunt in eastern Oregon several years ago...when a buddy of mine showed up at camp with a new Browning A-Bolt in 300 WSM...stats that match the 300 WIN, significantly less recoil, more accurate (IMHO), and a full pound lighter (it makes a difference after 10 hours of hiking!)...oh, and a nice short-action. Finally last year I came across a Tikka T-3 Stainless Lite (left-handed) in 270 WSM and bought it. I deer hunted in Michigan last year and shot 4 deer in 3 days with it...all 1 shot insta-drop kills with Nosler 140g Accu Bonds. I typically hunt this hunt with a 270 WIN...my new Tikka lived up to its promise 1/2 MOA out of the box with factory Federal Premium ammo in both the 130g Nosler Ballistic Tip and 140 Nosler Accu Bonds. Between my friend and I this rifle took 8 deer in 3 days, and only fired 9 rounds (some people miss at times...LOL). The recoil is less than my 270 WIN, the rifle is more accurate than the 270 (which is a Remington 700 BDL with a Pac-Nor barrel and free floated and crisp 1.75 pound trigger), and it is lighter...and a short action. Another friend that joins us on our annual Michigan hunt carry's a Browning A-Bolt in 243 WSSM on the hunt using 100 Nosler Partitions...animal almost always fall in their tracks when hit...(not that a well placed shot from just about any caliber won't do the same). I can't wait to load some 100g Nosler Partitions and take the 25 WSSM on a deer hunt!
Point is, the WSM's and WSSM's have a strong following and are alive and well...selling like hot cakes still.
So now...I have the WSSM and the WSM I wanted...now, what's next?
I recently purchased a Browning A-Bolt in 25 WSSM...had wanted one for a log time, but as a left handed shooter...well I was under the impression no one ever made a left handed in the 25 WSSM, imagine my excitement when I found one used recently in like new shape. I had almost given up and bought a 25-06 or a 257 Bob...glad I didn't, although I am sure I will need one of each eventually. I fell in love with the WSM's first, while in an elk hunt in eastern Oregon several years ago...when a buddy of mine showed up at camp with a new Browning A-Bolt in 300 WSM...stats that match the 300 WIN, significantly less recoil, more accurate (IMHO), and a full pound lighter (it makes a difference after 10 hours of hiking!)...oh, and a nice short-action. Finally last year I came across a Tikka T-3 Stainless Lite (left-handed) in 270 WSM and bought it. I deer hunted in Michigan last year and shot 4 deer in 3 days with it...all 1 shot insta-drop kills with Nosler 140g Accu Bonds. I typically hunt this hunt with a 270 WIN...my new Tikka lived up to its promise 1/2 MOA out of the box with factory Federal Premium ammo in both the 130g Nosler Ballistic Tip and 140 Nosler Accu Bonds. Between my friend and I this rifle took 8 deer in 3 days, and only fired 9 rounds (some people miss at times...LOL). The recoil is less than my 270 WIN, the rifle is more accurate than the 270 (which is a Remington 700 BDL with a Pac-Nor barrel and free floated and crisp 1.75 pound trigger), and it is lighter...and a short action. Another friend that joins us on our annual Michigan hunt carry's a Browning A-Bolt in 243 WSSM on the hunt using 100 Nosler Partitions...animal almost always fall in their tracks when hit...(not that a well placed shot from just about any caliber won't do the same). I can't wait to load some 100g Nosler Partitions and take the 25 WSSM on a deer hunt!
Point is, the WSM's and WSSM's have a strong following and are alive and well...selling like hot cakes still.
So now...I have the WSSM and the WSM I wanted...now, what's next?
