what do you think of the .223 wssm

[cwb]

i want to know what you guys think of this round. i got a browning composite stalker new in the box for 399 at gander mountain i thought it might be a fun gun to shoot.

[Manedwolf]

If the clearances at wally world are any indication, where they're down to $2 a box and covered with dust, it doesn't have too much future.

[mikejonestkd]

in my very limited opinion/ experience...

I have seen many of the WSSM rifles at closeout prices at various places...

Either they are HOT sellers and they are pushing them out the door as fast as they can get them in the back door OR they have been gathering dust for too long and they are trying to dump them.

the 223 wssm is a neat round and the browning is a great rifle, I hope you enjoy it!!!

I suggest saving your brass and learning to reload, 10 or 20 years from now the factory ammo will be scarce.

[RicMic]

I just bought a like new Browning Hunter blue/walnut in 223 WSSM with a 4-12x40 AO on it and 6 boxes of shells for $439. In the future I may rebarrel to 25 WSSM, but for right now I'll let those Hornady 40 V-Max bullets go at better than 4400fps (Hronady got 4600fps!). I think you'll love it.

[mikejonestkd]

ric,

You are getting 4600FPS out of factory loads?

Interesting because 4300 seems to be the top end for handloads for that bullet weight:

http://www.handloads.org/loaddata/default.asp?Caliber=223+WSSM&Weight=All&type=Rifle

[RicMic]

In Hornady's 7th Edition, page 210 load #3 is 45.2 grains of IMR 4064, Winchester WLR primer in a Winchester case. This gave the Hornady 40 grain V-Max a velocity of 4600 fps out of a 26" 1 in 8 twist barrel. I have not tested this load over my Crony, but I will. I'm thinking that my 22" 1 in 10 twist barrel will give about 4400 fps. The goundhogs are NOT going to be happy about this!

[mikejonestkd]

That's pretty SWEET!!

enjoy the rifle!!!

[AndrewD]

My wife and I went to our local shop/range a couple of weeks ago and discovered that the place was selling. They had opened that day with everything %50 off. There was one gun left on the shelves. It was a brand new Model 70 .223 WSSM Featherlight for 350 bucks. I couldn't pass that up. I wasn't that excited about the caliber, but we didn't have a model 70, so I was happy to get one now that they discontinued the rifle. I've always liked the look of a Schnabel (sp?) fore end, too.

I know it's more of a varmint round, but I'm thinking about making it a deer rifle. My dad has hunted local deer with his regular .223 for years. It seems Winchester makes three flavors of .223 WSSM, 2 of which are geared for varmints, and a heavier load for bigger stuff. Has anyone used this 64 gr "Power Point" for small deer?

PS: Also picked up a Streamlight for the SIG229 and a Leupold VX II, all for half price. It was a good thing for our bank account that we didn't go the range earlier in the day when there was more stuff left. 50% off sale in a gun shop is DANGEROUS!

[kennybs plbg]

I tried the season before last but the deer wouldn't cooperate. Following the round the past couple years the key as always is placement.

The 223wssm is an excellent round, just not that much better then proven old time favorites for people to favor them. Hence the dead duck image.

The round is truly a dream to shoot, and I've collected enough brass cheap to last a lifetime for me and my sons.

kenny b

[Art Eatman]

My personal opinion about all of the short magnums is that they're great for handloaders. If you already have a .223, though, they aren't enough of an improvement that they are "must have" critters.

If I didn't have a .30-'06, I'd try a .300 WSM. Same for some of the others. Anyhow, that's my line of thinking.

As a cartridge, the .223 WSSM is a great performer.

For deer, the heavier bullets will work on neck- or cross-body shots, but I'd be a bit hesitant about an angling shot. It's a penetration-depth issue, in my mind. One thing is to check the twist. If it's on the slow side, make sure the heavier bullet isn't a long, tapered design. Some of the 70-grain bullets are rather blunt-nosed, and will group nicely as compared to, say, a 55-grain bullet.

Art

[Crosshair]

From the gun counter where I work and talking to the other stores around down, the short mags were dead on arival. Nobody asks about them, nobody wants them. We had a Winchester Model 70 in .223 WSSM in our case up until a few months ago. Everyone was really excited to see we had one until we told them the caliber, once they found it was a WSSM, they lost all interest in it. They guy that did buy it came all the way from Minneapolis to buy it.