It is obvious by these post none of you have owned one for a period of time. I won a Browning A-Bolt at a coyote calling contest and have shot it for the last 20 years, without any problems. I load my own shells with a Vmax 55 grain bullet and Varget powder just over 38 grains and it is one of the most accuracate gun I have shot. I molly-coat all of my bullets and it is a coyote killing SOB !!!
Who has experience with the .223 wssm good and bad
- Thread starter Outlaw249
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22magnum22
Well-known member
Hello BostonRDJ and welcome to the forum. You have commented on a post that is 16 yrs old and may not receive any replies.
K22-hornet
Well-known member
An oldy but goody, lol.
My son still has, and uses, his Browning in 223wssm.
Several years ago, he had to switch to the 60gr B-tip when he could not find the 60gr Vmax. We could not get the accuracy out of the B-tip vs. Vmax, and the 'on-game' effect is different as well.
He is back to the 60gr Vmax, and still hammering coyotes with it.
I had read of someone that ran a borescope through a Winchester WSSM and a Browning WSSM. He found the Winchester barrel had bare spots in the chrome lining, while the Browning looked even.
That might explain the horrible 'accuracy' we got from the Winchester, and the stellar accuracy from the Browning.
My son still has, and uses, his Browning in 223wssm.
Several years ago, he had to switch to the 60gr B-tip when he could not find the 60gr Vmax. We could not get the accuracy out of the B-tip vs. Vmax, and the 'on-game' effect is different as well.
He is back to the 60gr Vmax, and still hammering coyotes with it.
I had read of someone that ran a borescope through a Winchester WSSM and a Browning WSSM. He found the Winchester barrel had bare spots in the chrome lining, while the Browning looked even.
That might explain the horrible 'accuracy' we got from the Winchester, and the stellar accuracy from the Browning.
nastynatesfish
Active member
The wssm are crazy rough on brass. And barrels honestly. Then you’ve gotta find the ammo or brass. I had a 243wssm and I enjoyed the rifle. But I won’t again. If you’re looking at the wssm I hope you reload. And if you reload I’d instead look at a 22/6mm. I shot my 25” savage at 3900fps with a 90smk. It was happy and more accurate from 36-3750fps.
Agree on availability of brass, but my experience was different, however I just noticed your velocities. Don't remember my velocities but they were very close to same bullets in a 243 Win.; quite a lot lower than yours, which probably explains the different experiences. 
I don't remember what year I had Dtech build my 243 WSSM upper, but I used it exclusively for at least 11 or 12 years when landowner decided AR's were no longer allowed on his ranches.
When I had it built, I had a feeling components would soon become scarce, as most manufacturers had already stopped offering bolt guns in that caliber, so I stocked up with enough to last me a lifetime. Got a pretty good deal on some Federal brass, which, as it turns out was much better than WW brass IMO. It was a little softer, making sizing much easier yet hard enough to be very easy (in my rifle) on case life. In fact, I can't remember ever having a case fail and I shot it a lot! Also, never lost a piece of brass after buying one of reb8600's brass catchers.
Unfortunately I didn't keep record of the round count, but it was my go to rifle for predators, hogs and culling whitetails and I shot it a lot! The barrel was still shooting little bitty groups withe the 87 gr. Speer BTHP and the discontinued100 gr Nosler Solid base bullets and the bore scoped out well.
I don't remember what year I had Dtech build my 243 WSSM upper, but I used it exclusively for at least 11 or 12 years when landowner decided AR's were no longer allowed on his ranches.
When I had it built, I had a feeling components would soon become scarce, as most manufacturers had already stopped offering bolt guns in that caliber, so I stocked up with enough to last me a lifetime. Got a pretty good deal on some Federal brass, which, as it turns out was much better than WW brass IMO. It was a little softer, making sizing much easier yet hard enough to be very easy (in my rifle) on case life. In fact, I can't remember ever having a case fail and I shot it a lot! Also, never lost a piece of brass after buying one of reb8600's brass catchers.
Unfortunately I didn't keep record of the round count, but it was my go to rifle for predators, hogs and culling whitetails and I shot it a lot! The barrel was still shooting little bitty groups withe the 87 gr. Speer BTHP and the discontinued100 gr Nosler Solid base bullets and the bore scoped out well.