Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats 25 wssm

I doubt a 257WSM would "blister" the 257 Wby in performance.
She would have been a good 'un though. Too bad Browning nixed the idea.

It wouldnt be faster than the Weatherby, the customs have proven that but they do run close, really close. I think he was more refering to sales. Well now I am so pissed I may even change my custom to a .257 SAUM just because i dont want the dang thing to even hint Winny.

Oh yah, does anyone have any info on that .257 freguson? I have been searching high and low on the net and nothing is coming up!!

Demon,

I don't think he has a homepage or email addy, and I've been searching high and low as well for information regarding the 257 Ferguson. Anyways, all I can do to help is supply his phone number. If interested, here it is: (979) 532-4799. The only info I found was his ad that was in the Predator Extreme magazine.

James Ferguson is his name and he's based in Wharton, Texas, or so the ad says, anyways.

hard to beat a 257 weatherby in velocity with all that freebore

Just finally, we might have a light-weight, light-recoiling quarter-bore that succeeds. I've been hoping that the Roberts would make a strong come back and the .243 Win. would become obsolete, but I've about given up on that notion.

True success may be a long shot, but I'm all for 6-pound, .25-caliber rifles that shoot 115 partitions at 2900 fps.

DemonSTW,

I'm a "Texas guy," but have never hunted deer here. Grew up and hunt in the West where shots are supposed to be long and honestly don't see a need for more than about 2800 fps. It's all right to have a little extra velocity; just not a necessity.

"hard to beat a 257 weatherby in velocity with all that freebore "

I would think it would match it, even w/bullet just off lands. Maybe some one here who has worked with a 25WSM could convince me that the WSM is "in between" something.
It would have ~same capacity, But its shape should give it an edge over Wby. Shorter action, Norma brass, more options.
I don't know for sure.
But I would buy a 25WSM in a heartbeat. Just to find out.
I'm building a 6WSM varminter around a Savage action.
After necking down 270wsm to 6mm, and shoving a 95gr berger in there, I'm surprised to find that its not that radical of a cartridge really. Should be a pussycat compared to my Lazz Scramjet. Looks and feels as it should to me.
Heres a pic:
http://www.angelfire.com/id/psycho/images/casecomp.jpg

mikecr, check out shortmags.org There is lots of info on the .257WSM on there and they do not exceed a .257 Weatherby.

How do youl ike your Scramjet? Hot little ripper that gun is. I would Love to have a Lazzeroni!!

Once you adjust for/equalize pressures there is absolutely no difference between a 25wsm and a 257Wby. I've calibrated my software with hundreds of posted loads. Including those you eluded to at shortmags and reloaders nest. Perfect match.
I've also run the numbers on virtually all wildcat extremes up to .338-50BMG and 50-20mm. And down in the various .17/.19cals.
Theres a common attribute I find in all of them:
With the given bore capacity, with common reloading powders(not millitary ball), and a given pressure limit, You hit a wall at some point. Beyond which you can double or triple capacity and get virtually nothing more. And beyond that, performance drops.
For instance, lets say I have a huge -200gr case, and load it with as much 50bmg that keeps me within choosen pressure limit. Pushing a 120gr(heaviest I see in 25cal).
Think I'll get anymore out of it? No. Actually less! Not only have I hit the wall(~75gr in 25cal), but bounced back off it.
I'm just pushing more mass down the barrel. Like flooding an engine. Lazz scramjet kisses the wall in 25cal. But diminshed returns occur before it. A 6WSM touches it in 24cal. (and matches the scramjet in every category, due to available bullets). Both 25wsm/Wby reach diminished returns for available 25cal bullets. The Wby doesn't hit the wall but returns are diminished enough for the WSM to catch it.
If you run the numbers, keeping pressure in mind, I believe you will reach the same conclusion.
Oh yeah, none of these will have good(accurate) barrel life.

7SAUM brass necked to .25 and loaded with 115 Ballistic Tips and 62/RL25 shows 3400 from 27 inch 3 groove Lilja. On a short 700. H1000 maxes out at 3200. I have not chrono'ed a Weatherby so can't say how they stack up. No obvious pressure signs. Faster may be possible , there is room in the case, but 3400 is enough for me. Primer pockets are still tight after 5 reloads. Mike

I saw the 25 wssm in a winchester dealer catalog this weekend so it looks to be the next 25

Anybody think Weatherby is breathing a sigh of relief right now..?

lTo all those 25 WSSM detractors,
I will not argue the lack of extra speed over existing rlounds. For me the lure is the short , light Featherweight rifle it can be house in. THis round is fast enough, no need for me to buy a barrel burner. It should shoot 75 grain V-maxes fast enough to kill a groundhog and the 90 grain, I think, Partition fast enough to kill most any deer. ANd, be light and portable. Will it shoot accuratley in this configuration is the next question. Most here want more power, hopefully enough of those like myself want something a little different. I would not try to argue the ballistic merits with the members here as you are some of the most well read posters on any gun site on the net.
Just my view-not meant to promote flaming replies.
Greg_H