Author Topic: .223 & .243 WSSM  (Read 449 times)

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Offline snuffy

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.223 & .243 WSSM
« on: August 18, 2003, 06:21:46 PM »
I had the happy opportunity to help out at the D. U. festival here in Oshkosh last friday.

I somehow managed to get assigned to the Browning tent. Of course they brought 2 of each; .223 and .243 WSSM Browning A-bolt hunters. I also took home about 200 emptys, most were the .223's. I took the opportunity to shoot the .223,(of course). It was dead on, smashed the clay birds at 50 yds. The recoil was more than I thought it would be. BUT not too much by any stretch. Most who tried it said the same thing. But again this is about a 6 pound rifle, throwing a 55 grain bullet at 3850 FPS! A factory loaded 64 grain powerpoint will be offered for the .223. That would be the deer load in that caliber.

The .243 has a little more recoil from what I observed. The loads they were using were the 100 grain power point. They don't have factory loaded shells yet for the .243, so they handloaded some for the show. The factory load will be the 95 grain powerpoint. A 55 grainer will be offered for the .243, at over 4000 fps!

Acording to the reps at the show, the delay has been caused by the factory re-thinking on the barrels. Rumor had it on the internet that these rifle barrels would erode and shoot out in short order. SO they decided to chrome line both calibers. This should mean they will last much longer than if they had gone with plain steel.

Mag capacity is 3 with one in the pipe, makes a four round capacity, just like the WSM's. The flip down floor plate carries the mag up into the rifle from the bottom. The mag snaps in and out easily, making for quick reloads.

I'll do some case capacity and dimension measurements later.

Oh the .243 will be shipping to Browning dealers in 3 weeks The .223 will be out in mid october.
plants aren't food, plants are what food eats

free men own guns, slaves don't

the more people I meet, the more I love my dog!

Offline snuffy

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.223 & .243 WSSM
« Reply #1 on: August 19, 2003, 12:58:32 PM »
Well here's some measurements. Water capacity of both calibers is within .7 grains. The 243 holds 55.5 gr. of water, the .223 holds 54.8.
overall length of 8 fired cases, half .223 the other half .243 is average of 1.667 rim .535 for bolt

Base just ahead of the extractor grove .551
expansion ring- .557
length to beginning of shoulder 1.130
length to beginning of neck, 243 1.409
length to beginning of neck, 223 1.422
O.D. of neck, .243 .285
O.D. of neck, .223 .274

This is a rebated rim the same as the WSM family. It is the same rim size as all belted magnums. The expansion ring,(just forward of the base measurement) was quite noticeable, but not excessive.

I probably took 20 shooters out to try these rifles. Most wanted to try the .223. The Browning reps said to try and steer them to the .223, they had more ammo for it.

Saturday I worked with the guys from Ruger. They brought the 480 super redhawk, 9.5 inch for people to try. With 325 gr. xtp mag bullets at 1320 fps, it is quite a handfull. I got to shoot it late in the afternoon. Wow, that's the most recoil I've ever felt from a magnum handgun! It's quite accurate though, I hit the rubber target 4 out of 5 trys.
plants aren't food, plants are what food eats

free men own guns, slaves don't

the more people I meet, the more I love my dog!