25 WSSM??

[Thebear_78]

I found a NIB. Winchester classic shadow for a pretty good price the other day. Not having a .257 cal gun it really peaked my interest. Nice light little package and 25/06 performance. I think it would make for a good wolf, deer, caribou round with 100gr Ttsx or 115 accubonds. Anybody out there have any experience with one?

I had a buddy that made an ar upper in it an his sure killed a bunch of reindeer on an island cull hunt. Think his final tally was around 30 with it.

What do you guys think about it?

 

[Anonymous]

I played around with a friend's in an A-Bolt. A pretty decent idea that flat didn't catch on. Remarkably small receiver- more like a .22Hornet than a .308... not sure if the Winchester has a shorter than normal action.

Ammo is mostly discontinued and cases may be hard to find....but it would be a pretty neat caribou gun for sure. A buddy with a .25-06 loves the 115AB for light recoil, great reach and good killing power on caribou and he'd shoot a moose with his if given a good shot.

 

[DrMike]

Essentially a 25-06 ballistic twin, which is not a bad recommendation at all. Brass is hard to find. They can be quite accurate. In my opinion, it was the best of the WSSMs, but it failed to catch on. It would certainly work for caribou/reindeer.

 

[Thebear_78]

I hear you can make brass out of 243 wssm and there is a boatload of that at a local distributer. I'm not fond of the stock but b&c makes a medalist similar to rem Alaskan II that would be a big improvement. I think I've just about got myself sold [emoji57]

 

[DrMike]

Should be no problem necking up 243 WSSM brass.

 

[BK]

If you get bored with it or fry the barrel, you can always screw in a .358 or .375 barrel and have a pretty decent bear/moose gun!

If I could find a CRF WSSM M70 I'd be pretty likely to pick it up.

 

[Thebear_78]

Once the barrel is fried I think the b-m 458 or 50 super short would be on my short list.
http://www.b-mriflesandcartridges.com

 

[DrMike]

Fascinating cartridges and rifles. Those are very appealing for me.

 

[SJB358]

I know where there are a couple of WSSM's sitting right now as well. I never owned a WSSM. I also know where there is a huge stash of 243 WSSM so it lingers in my brain a little. I think it is a very cool cartridge. Put in a rifle like you were talking about would make it a sweet little deer rifle and probably be nice for long hikes.

Good luck, hope you run it. The good thing with the brass is if you take even half way decent care of it, it should last a long time. The WSSM brass is real thick stuff. Not prone to wear out real quick, at least in my experience.

 

[wildgene]

...I've been shooting a .25 WSSM for a few years, performance in my A-Bolt has been exceptional w/ RL-17, consistantly outperforming my .25-06 loads & loading data. Brass hasn't been a real problem, brass for the .243 WSSM , 7 & .325 WSM has been reasonably easy to find. Only foible I found loading the WSSM's is rough case necks, cured w/ a bore brush on a drill. I don't shoot many 100gr. bullets, but the 110-120gr. work just fine on mule deer, the 75-90gr. are good clean fun on varmints. I have 3 of the Shadows, all shot pretty good, I'd grab it if it's a good deal..

 

[Thebear_78]

Well I couldn't resist. I picked it up. Winchester stainless shadow NIB with Rebs dies and two boxes of bullets, 100gr NBT and 100gr swift scirroco. The guy picked it up but never found brass.

After an exhaustive web search I found a factory new featherweight stock for it. It should make an excellent little sister to my wife's winchester 270.

I need to get rings and a scope for it. I already have a line on a boat load of 243 wssm brass so I'll pick up a couple hundred brass that should last a lifetime. Sps has some 110gr AccuBond seconds that I'm ordering and I should be all set.

I'm thinking about either a 2.5-8 CDs or 6x36 CDs.

 

[cloverleaf]

Never saw the need for theWSSM when the 25-06 was cheaper and easier to find but there is no doubt THAT will make sweet rifle. Very nice!!! One of those could change a guys mind. CL

 

[DrMike]

There real potential in that.

 

[wildgene]

...I've used 44.5grs. of RL-17 behind the 115 VLD (H), 117 Sierra SBT's, 120 HPBT GameKings, & GrandSlams, all @3200fps, about 100fps better than my .25-06 & about 200fps above most book MV's. Had about the same results w/ 75/87/90gr. bullets, reading & correspondence gives pretty much the same results. Necking up & trimming .243 WSSM brass might actually alleviate some of the case neck dimension& roughness issues. Pretty mild-mannered, w/ a lot of performance, I think you'll have a lot of fun w/ it...

 

[Thebear_78]

I’m going to put it in this stock


hopefully it will turn out like a scaled down version of this


Looking at the 2.5-8x36 VX3 with CDS turret

 

[Anonymous]

Nice... does the M70 have the scaled down "super short action" receiver like the Browning or is it a regular short action?

 

[Thebear_78]

Its a scaled down action.

 

[Anonymous]

Very nice.... a very good idea that just never caught on unfortunately.

Thats a nice find.

 

[Thebear_78]

The short list of scopes is Leupold 2-7x33 CDS or Leupold 2.5-8 from custom shop with CDS turret installed. I can get the 2-7 for 150 less than the 2.5-8, but I can get the 2.5-8 in silver.

 

[SJB358]

Very nice rifle. Sounds like the 2-7 would work real nice on that rifle.

I dig that stock. Should look real nice all bolted together.