does anyone use a 243 WSSM for deer.

A

AR-MAN

New member
How does is work for deer? I am thinking about the 243 wssm dtech upper. But want to make sure that this will work just as good as my old standard 243.
Thanks for any advice you can give me.
 
the WSSMzone forum may hold others who have used it on deer.

I finally shot a buck this year with my 25 WSSM AR at 205 yards. (first deer I've killed in 4 years) It did a good job.

I have also heard others report that the 243 WSSM is good for deer also. usually with teh lighter premium bullets.

I was contemplating getting a 243 WSSM or a 25 WSSM. I spoke to Dtech and after the conversation decided on a 25. More opportunity for bigger bullets at better oomph.

No flies on the 243 though, but with my 25 I can shoot 75 gr bullets faster than the 243 and move all the way up to the 120's.
 
I am not familiar with a 25. Tell me more about it. Is it a bigger cartrige then the 243? More powerful? I am wanting to get the d-tech upper for my ar. But just figured that the 243 was more suited for deer. I guess I should do some homework on the 25. Any more info you can give me would be great.
Mike
 
it is a 25 WSSM. Pretty much a 243 WSSM necked up to .257 cal.

More powerful?

I don't know. How do the 120 gr bullets of 25 cal compare to the 120's of 6mm? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif har har...

I have not chornoed any 85 gr bullets to be able to post velocities to compare to 243 WSSM with same bullets. for me it would be a comparison of actual data I shot in my gun with that of the "book" info on the 243 WSSM. So a "good" comparison may be impossible.

Essentially, in my AR with the 20" tube I consider it a 257 Roberts Equivelant possibly encroacing on 25-06 velocities with some loads. With that said. How does a 243 WSSM compare to a 257 roberts? with a 25-06? I'll leave it up to you.

I would head over to WSSMZONE.com and check out their bull-istics tables with the calibers and bullets and velocities. Remember they are shooting bolt guns with long tubes.

another way to look at it is just compare 243 WSSM to 25 WSSM data. Which do you like better? What bullets do you like better? I like 25 cal bullets better, the fly wts for varmints and the heavies for deer/elk/black bear etc...

Allegedly, the 243 WSSM in AR is somewhat fickle to load for, to get good accuracy. This is one persons testimony and not necessarily the truth. I will say that my Super Ultra Match barrel has produced several loads that shoot well.

I also had a heck of a time finding them due to it being a "wildcat" offereing in an AR, and a new barrel which I believe took a few hundred rounds to start settling down.

The wildcat part was finding suitable powders for the pressure curve on the gas gun. Many powders used in the WSSM's are somewhat slow burning powders in long tubes to get higher velocity. I had to go the quicker burning ones to reduce port pressure. Also getting enough of the right powder with the bullet to ensure "sealing" of the case in the chamber was another issue. When not enough pressure was developed the cases got completely blackened, and accuracy and function difficulites were sometimes added to the mix.
 
as another thought. Pretty much any wt in 25 cal is suitable for deer, provided bullet construction is adequate.
and there are many good light bullets for varmints.


the 243 only has the heavier bullets; 85 gr up to 100 gr suitable for deer and the lighter ones for varmints.
 
My A-bolt .243 WSSM sure knocks them down! (factory 95gr ballistic silvertips). We don't have that big of deer here in NE anyways...
 
AR-Man,

Im starting to realy like the shorty for deer. I layed down one with my D-Tech AR this fall and my son just bang-flopped this guy in Mexico a couple days ago with his A-Bolt using my 100 gr. Nosler Partition loads. The 87 gr. V-max really put the slap on the Javalina's too. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif


1stBuck.jpg



We video taped the shot and the impact was freeking brutal. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Dave
 
What is the recoil like with the 243 wssm with your d-tech? Can you still keep the target in the picture after the shot?
Thanks for all the responses.
 
AR-MAN,
I've got a D-tech 25WSSM. I grinded on the same decision between which cal. was best for me, but like Blammer stated on bullet thump 75gr to 120gr made more sense than 55gr to 105gr.But if you dont hand load the 243WSSM is still the way to go because all the 243WSSM factory loads function without modification,whereas none of the 25WSSM's factory loads do without some slight modification,And I'm not sure you can even modify all of the factory rounds.I'm sure D-tech could fill you in on that.That being said,I love my 25WSSM.I've built 2 standard loads that both group less than an 1" at 100yds, An 85gr nos bt and a 100gr barnes xxx. 85gr for yotes and smaller 100gr for yotes and bigger.
Reguarding reciol try an Oly AC-4 recoil buffer and/or a limbsaver R3 recoil pad on a std buttstock,You'll be able to see the shot and not notice the recoil.I've tried an Ace FX stock with the rubber buttstock pad also without much felt recoil,But the AC-4/Limbsaver R3 works best.Happy shooting.
 
AR-Man,

D-techs compensator does a great job keeping the muzzle down. Recoil is a complete Non-issue! My son shoots this weapon better than his A-bolt. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif

Dave
 
I thought about the compensator but was afraid of the extra noise. Don't want to kill a hunting partners ears or my own. Is the noise an issue? I shot D-tech an email but haven't heard back from them yet. CritterDone, thanks for all that info. I do reload so I am covered on that.
 
AR-Man,

The comp. is only opened upwards as apposed to a brake. Noise is projected straight up and not outwards. The release of gas up, keeps the barrel down! As well as this works I'm suprized it's not a more common application.

Dave
 
I looked at the dtech web site and the comp looks like a pretty expensive add. By the time you do that and possibly the fluting this upper is getting pretty expensive. Do you know of some other brand AR's that offer the wssm callibers?
 
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