25wssm?

[PartsMan]

How do you guys like the 25wssm?
The local dealer has a few in stock and I wondered if I should offer to buy one after the Christmas rush is over.
I figure if I could get the extra wssm difference taken off and get some brass thrown in It wouldn't cost me any more to shoot.

What are the ups and downs of this cargtridge you guys have noticed?

[L-Ray]

I have an A-Bolt in 25 WSSM. Shots well and I have no feeding problems that have been reported  by others. The rifle is light and easy to carry.

I bought several boxes of 110 and 115 grain ballistic tips for deer  and a couple of boxes of 85 grains for coyotes. Probably more than I'll use in the next few years.

[1sourdough]

 A guy I hunt with uses one for deer & it does fine, A-Bolt. I don't think it's all that common but with a few AR's chambered in the 25WSSM it should have some life. If you reload that may not matter much. It wouldn't be in my top tier of choices but if chosen I think it would do fine.

[KenSel]

Partsman - I have Composite Stalker 25WSSM and it is a great little gun.  Its very lightweight and seems to point itself and it is very accurate.  Mine will shoot all factory loads into 1" or less at 100yds.  The 120 factory load will shoot into 1/2"   I handloaded some 100gr. TSX bullets with IMR 4350 @ around 3240fps and I can cover 5 shots with a nickel at 100yds.  I've taken a few deer and a bear with it and they went down like they were struck by lightning.  I used the 110gr accubonds for the deer and the 120gr load for the bear and the 120gr gave a complete passthru 1 shoulder and out the ribs on the offside of a 300lb bear.  I can't wait to use the 100gr. TSX load on game, this is now my only load for the gun. 

One problem I did notice is when I loaded some Hornady 117gr. SST around 2950fps with IMR 4350 is that the pressure was a bit high and the bolt was a little stiff when I extracted the cases, but I never had that problem with factory loads or with the TSX bullet.

Hope this helps with your decision.

Kenny

[KenSel]

oh one more thing I noticed with factory ammo is that the barrel seemed to get dirty fast which affected accuracy a little.  If you run a boresnake down your barrel every 3 shots then it'll take care of it.  I didn't notice is with the TSX though, I shot 10 shots without any change in accuracy.

[PartsMan]

Makes you wander even more what powder they are using.
I have always wanted a 25 souper. the 25wssm seems like more of a good thing.

[nomosendero]

If they had come out with a 25WSM I would have been all over it like white on rice!

I have tried hard to figure out an application for this round & I guess the super short action & little barrels are neat for small kids & small Women to keep the rifle length & weight down.
But my kids are grown now, my wife is an average to slightly taller than average Woman & I am anything but little, hence no need at all for one.

The round looks close to factory 25-06 loads in 100 grains & down because the round is loaded to higher pressures than the older 25-06 is. If you handload both rounds to the same pressures the 25-06 is faster with bullets from 100 gr. & down & way faster with bullets heavier than that. Some would say they are more accurate but when you have a Sendero that will shoot into 1/4" groups it is hard for someone to walk up and tell you that. My Sendero is now a 25-06AI & with the 26" tube is a screamer, but yes the 257WSM would have been a treat. Now Rem has introed the CDL in .257 Wea., opps I may have to play with that a while.
 

[PartsMan]

Imagine cutting 5" of of your 25-06 and not loosing any velocity.

Besides, I will probably load every round for my next rifle so the only extra cost will be brass,
which by the way is thicker and can be reloaded more times.

[nomosendero]

Imagine cutting 5" of of your 25-06 and not loosing any velocity.

Besides, I will probably load every round for my next rifle so the only extra cost will be brass,
which by the way is thicker and can be reloaded more times.

Yes, you are correct & that was the point I was already making in regards to the performance. If I had a need for a short barrel I would look at it differently, but I have no need for one for the reasons I stated. Of course, if a grown man wants to carry a little rifle, why not & it's his money. I am not bashing the round by any means, but the round offers me zero advantages. If you want a little rifle, that's a different story. The only time I carry a shorter rifle is when I am using a bigger caliber(much bigger) & hunting bigger animals than I would use a 25cal. for, such as Black Bear & Hogs. When I carry a 25, I like to shoot a fast 25 to offer me the things I xpect with that cal, 25-06 & up. We all have our own applications.

As far as the case life is concerned, the fact that the case is thicker is not an issue to me because I & most people have access to much cheaper '06 brass & reg. 25-06 cases new on the shelves are far less expensive than an Super Short stuff which easily offsets any case life differences.

I just get irritated that the gun writers did not tell the truth about the round & other shorties to promote sales. But, if they fit what the shooter wants, go for it. 

[PartsMan]

I had a 26" 25-06 that liked 100g bullets.
It shot the same velocity as my brothers 243 did with a shorter barrel.

[KenSel]

small, lightweight rifles are not just for women and kids!  They're great for hunters who head out away from the crowd of ATV riders.  I already carry a pack loaded with gear and I plan on packing an animal back out when I return home, so a 6 pound rifle is a much better than a 12 pound rifle.  6 pounds may not sound like much but when your climbing many miles of steep rugged terrain it makes a huge difference.  My little Browning will shoot just as accurate as a 12lb Weatherby and kill deer just as well all the way out 500 + yards which is further than most should be shooting; and it handle's great in the thick mountain laurel and brush allowing me to shoulder it and make a quick shot on a running deer, which would be pretty difficult with a big long heavy rifle.   Why carry a big heavy rifle that limits your hunting to sitting in a blind watching a field when you can have a short, light rifle that you can use anywhere?   Just a thought.

Ken

[nomosendero]

Ken, we should do what works for us & I am glad that you know what works for you & so do I. I don't even own a 4 wheeler. Ihave carried my Sendero all day(the 300WM) @ 9,500' & I carry my Sendero 25-06AI all day when hunting in WY. This is the first year I took a regular weight rifle in 270 & I did so just because I wanted to take some Mule Deer & Antelope with a 270, fortunatly that happened.
A 11 pound rifle is just as light for 1 guy as a 7 pound rifle is for another, there is no such thing as a weight that all must go by. I have a Mod70 featherwt. in 30-06AI & it is light, but it sees less use than my heavies, so to each his own. BTW, my younger brother borrowed
my 300WM in early Dec. to harvest an AR. Cow Elk. He has a Browning A Bolt, but wanted the stability of the extra weight.

So, as I said before I have no application for a WSSM, but I am glad some do. The more guns sold the better.

[KenSel]

nomo -  I agree.  I had a Sendero 300 Ultra Mag that I hunted elk and mule deer with in WA and it was great for me for the open country but was a bit cumbersome to say the least when I got into the thick stuff.  I sold the rifle shortly afterward and bought more appropriate rifles for my style of hunting.  Everyone is different and should choose the rifle that best fits them and they're style of hunting, but I believe a short lightweight rifle is more versatile than a long heavy rifle.  The smaller rifles can be used for the same applications as they're bigger counterparts and they can be used in thick brush etc, and if your wife or kids want to hunt with you then they can use the smaller rifle as well.   I'm not knocking the Sendero, it was one of the most accurate rifles I've ever had.  The guy I sold it to put a muzzle brake on it and used it that year to kill an elk at 582 yards.  He uses llama's to pack all of his gear so the rifle fit his needs perfectly.  I love my little Browning rifles and my lever actions, but they're not for everyone.

Ken

[SHOOTALL]

the only advantage over the 2506 is the extra cash in the ammo makes pocket !
we can list ballistics all day long , but in the field the deer or shooter won't notice it !
but you will at the ammo counter !