25 WSSM and Deer Hunting

[muzzleblast525]

Decided to harvest a doe this weekend to put meat in the freezer.  I had a doe come in about 100 yards away and decided to try a neck shot with the Browning A-Bolt 25 WSSM.  Shooting handloads, 100g Sierra Gamekings over 45g of IMR 4350, she dropped straight to the ground and never moved.    I know any well placed shot will do this, but I was very impressed.  Several guys that were hunting in the area said they heard "smack" then "boom."

Bob

[Big Paulie]

Dear Muzzleblast (interesting name)

   I have gotten real interested in the 25  WSSM from the articles and paper statistics.  But I would certainly appreciate some practical information.  I want a light rifle, with low recoil and low muzzleblast.   The 25-06 has about 16 pounds of free recoil energy in an average weight rifle, and is danged loud!

   Since the 25 WSSM uses less powder and has a fatter cartridge, it should have less recoil and blast than the 25-06.  But the question is, how much less?

   Can you give me any comments on the recoil and blast?  Is it similar to the .243 Winchester?  Or is much higher up the chain that the .243?

Thanks for any info.  Big Paulie

[muzzleblast525]

I had a 25-06 barrel for my Encore and I could tell that the 25 WSSM has less recoil.  I handload, and because of this, can control some of the recoil and such.  No instruments to measure, just the shoulder.  It is very comfortable to shoot.  I bought the Browning A-Bolt and put a Leupold on top.  Very light combination.  A friend picked up a 223 WSSM in the Winchester and said this will be his "go to gun" for deer where he hunts.  Deer not to big.  

Bob

[Lawdog]

Big Paulie,

My daughter in-law uses a .25 WSSM in a M70 Coyote.  I have a .25-06 that weights about the same complete(scope and all).  Recoil between the two is about the same and so is the muzzle blast.  One of the bucks she took with her .25 WSSM this year dressed out at 237 lbs. and dropped at the shot(range was just over 260 yards).  The only real advantage the .25 WSSM has over the .25-06 is the shorter bolt throw and action with a bit less velocity.  Lawdog
 

[Harry Snippe]

I was at the Gun shop on the weekend and a lad was putting a scope on a new winchester in 25WSSM.
Nice rifle in the 6.5 pound range . He had some shells on the bench and I was amazed how short these cartridges were .
I was told this rifle was equal to the 2506.
I thought out loud that this rifle would make a fine deer cartridge. The smith agreed , but stated that it would also take down moose without any trouble. That got the interest of about three hunters that were standing along with me. Apparently this Smith loads the 25WSSM with the Barnes bullet. He said the bullet opens up nicely and will travel the front quarter in a chest shot.
Have any one reloaded the barnes bullet in this round and seem it perform?
I was always told the 270 and up was about the best for moose . Then the 6.5x55 does a good job also ,and is used by the Fins and Swedes.
   Do you think having shot the 25WSSM , is this up to the task?

[Lawdog]

Harry Snippe,

Since my last post my daughter in-law has added a nice Wild Boar, 200 plus pounds, to the list of big game she has taken.  All(both bucks and the boar) were shot with 100 gr. Barnes TSX bullets.  All were one shot kills.  The boar was just over 220 yards away and the bullet entered behind the left front leg, scrambled the heart/lungs then exited.  I like the performance of the .25 WSSM but I wouldn't take on a moose unless I had too and the .25 WSSM was all I had.  I would use the heavier 115 gr. TSX bullets and limit ALL shots to chest only and the range to under 200 yards.  By the way I have ordered my own .25 WSSM in a Win. M70 Coyote.  Lawdog
 

[northern hunter]

Well hi there Law Dog,I,m the guy Harry is talking about.
I have personaly shot 11 moose,9 bulls,1 cow and 1 calf,And I will tell you that they usually go down alot eaiser than deer and dont travel as far when they are shot with a Barnes x.
If you do your job by putting the bullet were it belongs then the moose or deer is yours.
I reload for 6 guys in my moose gang and 11 guys in our deer gang and most of them only use Barnes x,s Our last 9 moose taken by are gang were with x,s.
Calibers are 257 roberts AI, 25-06,2506 AI,270,280,3006,EVEN A 7-30 WATERS.
Moose all dead.
iF THE 25wssm is the equal of the 2506 then it will be a good moose gun with the proper bullets,but come on 200 yards and broadside only.
Now up here I have 6 weeks to hunt moose so I can be picky with my shots but the Barnes bullet will do the job.So will the 25 wssm.
My uncle has a single shot made up at Ellwood Epps back in the late 50,s. Its chambered in 25-303 epps improved and has taken over 30 moose with it,from 15 yards to over 350 yards so it will definately work on moose and it doesn,t even equal a 2506 for velocity.
Know your gun and put the bullet were it belongs,and carry a sharp knife.
Frank.S.    

[northern hunter]

       
Now that i'm done my ranting and raveing,I just want to say that the 25 wssm will take a moose cleanly,is it the best NO but it will do.
I see it all the time some so called expert comes into the shop to buy a new rifle in some 300 mag or 338 mag or even 375 because there old 270 or 2506 or 3006 or 308 didnt do the job,I would be willing to bet my new rifle that 95% of then were at fault not there plain jane none magnum calibers.People just have to practise more and know there rifles and know were to put the bullet.Then they would not need a super big caliber to make up for there mistakes.If it kicks to hard to shoot acurately then get a smaller caliber.
Happy hunting.
Frank

[Harry Snippe]

I was on the web some time yesterday tracing the performance of the WSSm.

Overall
Heard many reports of the rifles having issues with feeding and Winchester / Browning  taking over six months to make repairs.
The 25 WSSm is reported overated . It is more like the 257 Robert improved.

Finally went to the WWW.shortmag.org/shortmag/ site
I E-mailed inquiring about the WSSM . Got a reply from Neal .
He told me about the same as I had been reported. He bought a rifle and had issues. they dropped the line from the forum.


Well ever thing new has growning pains.

I was intersted in the 25WSSM .Maybe for now I stay with the 6.5x55/ 358W and the 3006.
Hunters and reloaders indorse the Barnes bullet . Am strongly incouraged to use it in the 358 BLR.

Take this all for what it is. For me it is a few hours of research on the Web.
I have never handled the WSSM.
Happy

[Lawdog]

Well hi there Law Dog,I,m the guy Harry is talking about.
I have personaly shot 11 moose,9 bulls,1 cow and 1 calf,And I will tell you that they usually go down alot eaiser than deer and dont travel as far when they are shot with a Barnes x.
If you do your job by putting the bullet were it belongs then the moose or deer is yours.
I reload for 6 guys in my moose gang and 11 guys in our deer gang and most of them only use Barnes x,s Our last 9 moose taken by are gang were with x,s.
Calibers are 257 roberts AI, 25-06,2506 AI,270,280,3006,EVEN A 7-30 WATERS.
Moose all dead.
iF THE 25wssm is the equal of the 2506 then it will be a good moose gun with the proper bullets,but come on 200 yards and broadside only.
Now up here I have 6 weeks to hunt moose so I can be picky with my shots but the Barnes bullet will do the job.So will the 25 wssm.
My uncle has a single shot made up at Ellwood Epps back in the late 50,s. Its chambered in 25-303 epps improved and has taken over 30 moose with it,from 15 yards to over 350 yards so it will definately work on moose and it doesn,t even equal a 2506 for velocity.
Know your gun and put the bullet were it belongs,and carry a sharp knife.
Frank.S.    

Frank S.,

I said that "I like the performance of the .25 WSSM but I wouldn't take on a moose unless I had too and the .25 WSSM was all I had." basically because where I hunt moose in Alaska the possibility of running into a bear while dressing out my moose is pretty good(has happened before, more then once).  The last thing I would want to do is defend my moose from said bear with a ‘Quarter Bore’ which I am one of it’s greatest fans.  I have calibers much better suited for this type of situation than a .25 WSSM.  I never said it couldn’t be done but for me I wouldn’t do it.

Harry Snippe,

Don’t believe the RUMORS of feeding problems with the WSSM calibers.  Close to 1,000 round thru my .223 WSSM and no such problem.  I know ten other shooters using various WSSM’s and they report the same thing, NO FEEDING PROBLEMS.  When Winchester first brought out the .300 WSM they did have a feeding problem but Winchester found the problem and fixed it.  They recalled the rifles and fixed them at no cost.  Lawdog
 

[paperpuncher]

Lawdog is right. I have a Model 70  Coyote in 25 WSSM and it feeds with no problems. I find the 25 WSSM as pleasant to shoot from the bench as my .257 Roberts.

Paperpuncher

[kombi1976]

My uncle has a single shot made up at Ellwood Epps back in the late 50,s. Its chambered in 25-303 epps improved and has taken over 30 moose with it,from 15 yards to over 350 yards so it will definately work on moose and it doesn,t even equal a 2506 for velocity.

Frank, what sort of action is your uncle's 25-303 Epps built on?
I have a standard 25/303 built on Short Lee Enfield action that was rebarreled by Lithgow Small Arms in the late 40s.
While I'd not take it out hunting moose(which is unlikely here in Oz) it's good medium game rifle.
Which bullet weight and what sort of MV does your uncle get out of his rifle?

[northern hunter]

Hi there Kombi,The rifle came from Europe,back in the 40's.It was my fathers,but he couldn't get any ammo for it over here,so he gave it to his brother who had it done up at Epps in the 50's.The action is slimmer than a ruger #1 with a diferent lever and smaller,I have never seen another one like it, it has double set triggers,25 1/2" barrel,nice walnut stock and a redfield scope,We  used a old green Crony a long time ago and he was getting around 2880 fps with a 120 gr. Nosler Part.My fathers 2506 shooting the same bullet back then was always around 100 fps. faster.
He also uses the 117 gr. Hornady roundnose for deer.I do not know what powder he uses,I have not seen the gun for 12 years as there was a falling out in the family.I do know that he still uses it every year,and I hope to get it some time,as his son doesn't hunt.
Life is to short, and you only have one family so hopefully eveything will turn around.
Happy shooting
Frank S.

[kombi1976]

Wow, sounds like a lovely rifle.
I reckon you should make up with your family just so we can see a pic of it.  :wink:
I've actually been interested in the Epps improved catridges myself, primarily the 303 Epps, but that round is practically unknown in Australia  so it's unlikely I'd ever get my hands on one unless I scored a barrel and dies from one of you guys and had it shipped here.
It'd make a brilliant deer or pig rifle on a P14 action.
It'd be nice to have one on a SMLE No.4 though despite the fact I couldn't fully exploit it's capabilities.
But then I like the look of a nice SMLE sporter and they have a comfy sort of feel about them........perhaps because of all that colonial heritage.
I would still get about 200fps more and it'd minimise the case stretching issue.
But I digress, we're supposed to be talking about quarter bores  :grin: