.223wssm/.243wssm

[brokeasajoke]

Anyone got one of these wssm rifles? Was considering one of these when i got a 204. Thinking about another gun and just wondering if anyone has one and if they like it.

[glenn asher]

It will definitely depend on who you ask, but from what I can gather, they are not long for this world.
They had a LOT of problems when introduced, and they had to push the intro back to chrome the bores, to lessen bore erosion, which in turn really trashed the accuracy.
Add to that, with that short fat case body, the rifles themselves are limited to what you can rebarrel to, in other words, it's WSSM, or nothing. Hornady's manuals also panned them badly, saying, and I quote "These things are HARD on barrels"(something like 600 rounds )

Winchester's reintroduction of the Model 70 did NOT include the WSSMs, and only them, Browning, and Cooper chambered rifles for them. They went over like a lead balloon. Winchester tried to dump them on the Australian market, at half-price in OZ dollars, and did sell a few downunder, but most Aussies could see the problems and avoided them like a toothache.
Save your money for something more worthwhile, and more reasonable in it's appetites, and I'll bet you'll be happier.

[Ruger No. 1]

I agree with what Glenn said.

[WrzWaldo]

I have a model 70 223 WSSM. My main complaint is the brass, it's so thick in the neck you have to really crank up the heat to get good neck expansion. If you hand load at the published mid point or lower you are going to have sooty case exteriors. If you do get a good load worked up it will most likely be hot. And yes mine is hard on barrels but it shoots the 73 grain berger most excellently.

WW

[m239]

I have a 223 WSSM Browning Hunter - very nice rifle - well made and great balance. I understand that Browning now no longer make rifles in this calibre. The calibre does have awesome hitting power - but much more muzzle blast and lift than my 204 Ruger (Howa 1500).

I'd say in my experience both hit critters with similar power - but with the 204 the sight picture stays on target better.

On balance I'd say I prefer the 204 as a calibre - but really like the feel and quality of the Browning.

I have not shot enough with either rifle to comment on bbl life - the WSSM has proved very accurate - on par with the 204.

[JD11]

I agree with what Glenn said.

Me too. I researched them to death as best I could before I bought my Howa and went with another tried and true 22-250 caliber.

[Robert harrel]

if you feel the need to impress some one try setting the chrony @ 9'
the muzzle blast and gasses will register around 5600 fps

[trevort]

I bought one of each, sold the 223 version without firing it (the half price thing got me). The 243 version was the browning varmint stalker. I did get a very accurate 70nbt load but the fat cases never fed well and even though there was heaps of space to the lands, if you seated the projies out they wouldnt feed. Then I got the custom gun bug and traded it in on the action that became my 6/250.

I'm reading that target shooters are getting interesting results from a 6.5 wssm and I'm very tempted to build one!