243 wssm

[wpalm00]

hey everyone, i've been reading the forums and i'm getting the feeling that most of ya'll don't like the 243 wssm. is it the cartridge or the guns that it is being shot from? i was thinking of building one on a 700 action for a long range hunting rifle. i want to be able to run down to the local gun shop and buy ammo or reload my own. so do the problems out weigh the benefits?

 

[Tommie]

The WSSM cartridges appear to be a bad idea gone badder. Browning dropped the chambering like a bad habit. The cartridges feed poorly and roast barrels. I wouldn't be surprised to see Olin drop the cartridge in the near future.

Stay away. There's a reason you're seeing so much bad press about the WSSM line.

Tom

 

[B]

I would have to agree with Tommie. I would recommend a .300WSM, 7mmWSM or my favorite the .270WSM if you are interested in short magnums.

 

[BigJim]

Try the 243 it's a good round but not in the wssm version.

 

[wpalm00]

yeah that's the idea i was picking up on. it's a shame that it wasn't designed better, the idea of a 6mm running over 4,000fps out of the box is a great idea. i mean, who would love to run out to the local gunshop and get that? oh well... thanks for the advice everyone

 

[wpalm00]

just curious, what about them makes them so terrible? i've read that they burn barrels and are hard to chamber. is that all or is there more? i only ask because i don't know anyone who owns one.

 

[65fan]

everyone thinks the brass is to hard,and to thick.I think everyone is hardheaded and thick.thats why they make custom chamber reamers,neck turners and torchs.my custom 6.5/25wssm shoots great.I also have a 243wssm that shoots good to.I won a lot of wood with the 6.5wssm at 1k.

 

[cliffe]

isn't the bullet weight that goes over 4000 fps a 55- 58 grainer? i believe a standard 243 with the same light weight bullet is just slightly slower, within 30 -40 fps. i guess there is no free lunch be ashame to get a rifle with hard to get brass in a couple of years thats only a little quicker than a good ole 243 winchester. but, they still look pretty cool with that itty bitty fat case. cliffe

 

[wpalm00]

yeah, well i know i'm naive and all but it comes across as all the goodness of a 6br but i can run out to the store and buy ammo

 

[Tommie]

The .243 WSSM and 6BR are SOOOOOO different from each other. It's like comparing apples to carburetors. If you want a hotrod and need loaded ammo available at Wal Mart, get a .243 Winchester and never look back. If your heart is set on the WSSM, jump in head-first. But don't say you weren't warned!

Tom

 

[billmo]

I agree Tommie. The WSSMs are a big disappointment. I don't think they are going to live. Bill

 

[cliffe]

i was looking at the hodgdon reloading website. a 243 win. with the new hybrid h100v, with a 100 grain bullet with a max load was 3100. the 243wssm was 3153 with the same powder at a max load. price out a box of 243 winchester. then price out a box of 243wssm. for 53 fps less i would go 243 winchester. for factory ammo, i think i would save the cash and go 243 winchester, with what you would save you could start reloading. BUT if you really like the wssm, go for it, all guns are fun and something a little different is always nice. just not enough of a difference for most people. that new hodgdon h100v sounds like bigfoot,every body has heard about it, but nobody has seen any yet....... cliffe

 

[6BRonwheels]

I have been shooting a 243 WSSM for a few years. The Serial number of my Stealth II rifle is "0000" so it was one of the first made in that model. When the rifle was new, I could do .25" groups at 100 yards most of the time. Of course, after about 1200 rounds the throat is full of heat cracks and my groups have blown up to 1" at 100 yards. The worst thing about the WSSM is that you need a hammer to close the bolt, and a pry bar to open it after two or three firings of the brass. The only way I have found to get the shoulder bumped back is with a custom FL die.
I have a pound of the new HV100, pretty neat stuff. I am getting 3250 fps with a 95 grain Berger.

 

[billmo]

Yea man, that brass was my disappointment too. Bill

 

[wpalm00]

don't get me wrong, i have a 700 VSF in 22-250 and a 700 BDL in 30-06. i love these guns! but when i started reading up on how 6mm buckwind and retain energy at long distances it caught my attention. i was just interested in it as a deer/varmit/beginners rifle. i like the normal 243. i think it's great, and is probably what i'll go with, but my logic was that if a 243 is good then a shorter, fatter, faster version would be better. my heart isn't set on anything, i research my stuff until i'm blue in the face and the ppl around me are sick of hearing about it,HAHA). i don't jump into anything. i really appreciate ya'lls wisdom and guidance. i'm sorry for insulting everyone out there about the 6br comparison. i think the whole benchrest shooting aspect of the gun world to be really intereting and i'm wanting to know as much as possible. that's why i came to the experts.

 

[transdude]

Had a .243 WSSM Cooper. It was nice rifle and the round looks good on paper.

That said, I don't have it anymore because of the same problems that everyone else has had with the brass and with the cartridge in general.

Better bet is a 6 Rem Ackley, a 6 Rem, a .243 Ackley or a regular .243- in that order.

Just my .02

-John

 

[CAT977]

my buddy has a 243wssm and was looking to load some 58gn Vmax and it takes the same load as my 6mm rem and is only like 20fps faster than mine, but my 6mm is also a dead gun to find shells for thats why I started loading my own

 

[lsittingbull]

I`ve got the 243 wssm and the regular 243. not a problem with neither. But of course I'm not a bench rest shooter, I'm a hunter. I use the wssm for coyote hunting, my wife uses it for deer hunting. I use the regular 243 for deer.

 

[olsingleshot]

I have all three rifles, 6mm Rem, .243 Win and .243WSSM. There is not much difference between the three but the WSSM has a very slight advantage. The problem building a .243WSSM is you will not likely get the benefit of the fully chrome chamber and barrel of the Browning and Winchester. Chrome lining does slow down throat errosion. Also, good cleaning every 20 rounds and not shooting a hot barrel help extend barrel life. Technically the WSM's are barrel burnes also but larger calibers, so it is not as quick.

 

[Sin_arms]

I have a 243 wssm, 243, 6mm remington, 6mm br. I like them all and I hate certain things about each. First the 243 wssm ammo is expensive but I load my own so it dosnt matter. the 243 sucks because every tom dick and harry has one and I like being differnt. the 6mm rem the problem is ammo again and it should be on a long action. and the 6mm br is the slowest and impossbile to find ammo locally.

What I like about each. the 243 wssm is built on a super short action, feeds perfect,never one miss feed shell), can be built on an ar-15 platform, and is lazer flat and bad ass. The 243 is cheap to shoot and I can always pick up a rifle in that caliber. The 6mm rem is a great cartridge with lots of power and a classic appeal. The 6mm br is accurate and efficient.

Most of the people that hate wssm's have never shot them or owned one so take their advice for what its worth. I own a stealth II in 243 wssm and it shoots 1/2" groups all day from a factory rifle. I use 58gr vmaxs too.