Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 25 WSSM

now that we have covered all there is re the 25wssm, nobody mentioned the "better bob"? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

Something no one is talking about, and oughta be, IMHO, is the case diameter of all the .404's lil chillens, being put into rifles never designed for cases that large. Surely there are some problems with that, I have read (maybe here, maybe elsewhere) where a WSM, with a crooked chamber, was rechambered, correctly, but the smith had a helluva time getting it done, as the reciever was putting a crimp on the much relieved barrel butt, and causing all kinds of mischief. Better to just toss the whole damnable concept out, and go with what has worked for a helluva long time, again, IMHO. If you can make a 6 and a half pound 25/06, who needs a WSSM? For hunting, better to stick with the practical common sense approach, right?

hey mark,

i'll grant you that either one, or more likely, both, are heavier than advertized... but so is just about every rifle made.....

a pound of difference though is, after all, a pound of difference... and i'd guess that the pound claimed is about right.....
i'll be looking forward to hear what you come up with..... john w

John-I'll be away from work for a week, when I get back I'll see if I can't get one of those rifles in and do some scale work.

C-Ya

"GTTH"

Dogz

john:



Why not get yourself down to the local gun emporium with a good scale, and weigh one yourself? Then you can weigh it, shoulder it and compare it to other stuff. A good gun shop will probably have one for packages and such. It shouldn't be all that hard to beg borrow or steal a good scale. Heck, you can buy a pretty good spring type scale for 20-30 bucks. (very useful around the house/shop) I think that would be more informative to you than others opinions, or waiting for someone else to do your homework for you. It's a great excuse to go down to the gun shop and noodle around.



FWIW: The shorter action/bolt of the wssm rifle will not come close to a lb. of difference from a std short (243) winny action. The difference in action weights is likely to be about 4 oz at the most. The rest of the story will be barrel contour/length and possibly a lighter stock.



As many guys have stated, the 25 wssm will be a nice combo since it will duplicate one of the all-time greats. The handloaded 257R.



JimF

I really like the looks of the Winchester Feather weight in 25 WSSM. It would be real nice to keep this gun under seven pounds with scope, rings and sling. I think with the shorter action and being able to match the ballistics of the 25-06 this rifle cartridge combination will be a real winner. I have nothing against the 25-06 but if you can get it in a smaller action with a lighter rifle why wouldn't you?

I haven't seen one, but I'd be surprised if you couldn't keep it under 7 lb. (as long as you didn't go nutz on the scope etc.).

As far as matching the 25-06, it seems redundant to say this again but at the risk of being a naysayer here goes.

The 25 wssm in factory ammo is marketed as equalling 25-06 factory ammo. (It may or may not)

The published ballistics of the entire short mag series have been described as being right at the redline as well as being a little "optimistic."

It is unlikely that (safe) handloading will improve the 25 wssm over factory listings at all and it (may) in fact not be prudent to try and match the factory listings from a sporter barrel.

So.....as long as one understands that the maximum performance available from a 25 wssm will not equal the maximum performance capability of a 25-06, I'm all for it.

I love short, light rifles, but I don't believe in the ballistic tooth fairy.

JimF

JimF,

the nearest that i've seen one to where i live is the scheels in iowa city... thats a 140 mile drive one way... i can wait on mark if theres on in the rack where he works..... thanks anyway.

as for the cartridge, well, i wish it had been done on the WSM case too....
still, i'm gonna go out on a limb here and bet that it'll beat the snot out of the .250 savage, and do it with bullet weights that the .250 rarely handles well.....(anything over 100 grains)

if we take 10% off of winchesters published velocity figures, it'll still do anything a guy needs it to do within 300 yds..... (the worst figures that i've seen reported are about 1% off of published figs.)

tell me again how this won't match a hotloaded 25/06 though, cause i aint' quite got it yet..... john w

john:



Wow! 140 miles.....that's a trek for sure. Still....that's only a 2 hr drive. I'd still suggest that you not rely on someone else's subjective anaysis when it comes to your money and your satisfaction.



Of course the 25 wssm will exceed the 250 savage, it simply has more powder capacity and that's the bottom line. As far as equalling or beating a hot loaded 25-06, that's easy.....it'll never, ever happen......period.



The only proven ballistic theories are that muzzle velocity within any given caliber is a resultant of powder capacity, barrel length and pressure. Further, the resultant velocity gain is apparently about a 4-1 ratio with powder capacity. This means that if you increase powder capacity by say 12%, then you increase velocity potential by 3%, When you have equal powder capacities, equal barrel lengths, and equal pressures, the theoretical velocity capability will be the same no matter what the cartridge title or the marketing claims.



So, I'll say it again....the 25 wssm is great packaging job of handloaded 257 R ballistics. As such it should fit the wants/needs of many shooters. It just won't fit the needs of someone who wishes to equal or exceed 25-06 ballistics. To attempt to equal hot 25-06 ballistics in a 25 wssm case is downright idiotic and dangerous to innocent bystanders.



JimF

As Winchester says: it equals 25/06 Factory ballistics (as do the 257 Bob and the Better Bob)...

according to my neighbor, whose only smokeless powder rifle is a 25/06, nobody makes a factory 25/06 round that meets published specs.....

i'm still pizzed at Rifle magazine over a blurb on the cover a couple of years ago....

in highlighted letters it said "the .25 Tango".....

i'm thinking to myself, "all right !!! a new .25 round !!!

i read ever stinkin word in that magazine and there wadn't no mention of any new quarter bore cartridge.....
they did have an article that went over all the tried and true offerings in .25.....
somebody needs to legitimize a .25 WSM and call it the .25 tango ... !!! ??? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

"The 'most useful' 25 is still waiting to be domesticated, and that would be the 25-308, excellent case capacity to caliber. I really can not figure out why this cartridge has been overlooked. we have the 243, 260, 7mm and 308 but no 25, go figure! if a 100 gr 243 or 120 gr 260 is so effective, why not a 115 gr from a 25-308."


Bob is bang on. Since 1962 I have wondered why WinRem didn't come out with the .25-08. It's been sitting in front of them since the parent .308 case came out in the 50's and they still can't see it. If it was legitimized I'd have one in a flash. What's not to like? A true short action cartridge with 257 Bob ballistics, a well-balanced dual-purpose cartridge, and maybe the best choice for a young, small, or recoil-shy hunter.

A 25-08 is just a phone call away. All it takes is a set of dies...

Certainly, the .243 is what prevented the .25-08 from happening. I agree with you 100% about how it shoulda' been. Just another reason to hate the .243 which hadn't come to me before <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

Cheaha, I have seen the data on the 25 Souper, basically the 25-308, but I am over the wildcat fever. I like to work with new brass, not fireform and prep. I have a number of 25s now but would pony up my cash for a factory 25-308. Speed and magnums sell today so I do not think we will see a 25-308 anytime soon.