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.243 WSSM

discusdad
for antelope. too much gun or not enough, a small 12yr old, 5'4-90lbs, would be using it. if its capable, i would purchase a youth stock and save for full stock for later.
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  • sandwarrior
    discusdad,

    Plenty of gun. Fast, light, little recoil. This rifle/round combination is about perfect for young shooters like your 12 year old. This round is a smidge more powerful than the .243 Win.

    The big question is are your going to be able to find ammo for it in five years...if that matters to you. There will still be a couple years worth of ammo on the shelves. The .243 Win is plenty of rifle and you will be able to find ammo for it in five years. Another counterpart is the 6mm Rem. They all shoot the same bullets. .243" dia./6(.17)mm

    In the past I've not really liked the round for reasons of my own unreasonableness. It really does bring something to the shooting world with it's short fat case. I'm assuming then that you have a good deal on one? If not, do look around as there are a bunch of good calibers in that range that your 12 year old will like. Stick with the light kickers and let him enjoy shooting and not getting beat up.

    p.s. also look at the .25 WSSM, .257 Roberts 25-06(but it kicks a little more) and if you can find one .250 Savage.

    Edit:

    quote:Originally posted by tsr1965
    ... There was sound advice given on different chamberings, but I will add one more, and that is the 260 Remington(sandwarrior just didn't want to give away his secret affection for the 6.5mm diameter bullet rifles). Using a 120 grain load, it hits the shoulder like a 243 Winchester, and shoots as flat as a 270 Winchester using a similar bullet. It will hit harder than a 308 Winchester at 400 and 500 yards(on paper, but an animal would not be able to tell the difference).

    Best


    [:0] You gave away me 'secret' secret.[:D]

    Since we're ratcheting it up a hair...7x57 and 7mm-08[;)][;)] ...[:D]

    Edit II:

    What rifle were you looking at with this caliber?
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  • tsr1965
    Sandwarrior gives you sound advice. For what it is worth, the WSSM family is not for the normal average shooter, for several reasons, the most explicit one being availability of ammunition in the coming years. The second one is that they develop very high pressures, and must be kept cleean and cool, to preserve the bore, and not burn it out prematurely. Thirdly, they are a bit more sensative to handload for.

    Whatever the 243 WSSM will do, the regular 243 Winchester will do with little or no difference. The 243 Winchester cost less to buy ammo for too. There was sound advice given on different chamberings, but I will add one more, and that is the 260 Remington(sandwarrior just didn't want to give away his secret affection for the 6.5mm diameter bullet rifles). Using a 120 grain load, it hits the shoulder like a 243 Winchester, and shoots as flat as a 270 Winchester using a similar bullet. It will hit harder than a 308 Winchester at 400 and 500 yards(on paper, but an animal would not be able to tell the difference). It is a little more expensive than the 243 winchester, and a little harder to find, but its popularity is rising. I have a Browning A-Bolt SS in this caliber, and it is among my favorate deer rifles.

    Best
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  • stevecrea
    I agree with the above comments. The .243 WSSM should be plenty adequate for antelope and similar sized game, and most especially if you use a proper bullet.

    I have used a .240 Weatherby on antelope and deer with good results. Its velocity is probably just a bit more than the .243 WSSM at maximum loadings. I have had good results using a 95 grain Nosler Partition, and the Partition is also available in 85 grain and 100 grain bullets.

    Recoil is quite modest, but the rifle you may be considering may be lighter than the Mark V Deluxe Weatherby, which weighs about eight lbs. or so without scope.

    All of these cartridges, including the .243 Winchester, .243 WSSM, 6mm Remington, .240 Weatherby, and many others, would be good choices for a young, smaller shooter.
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  • Garth
    i am a hunter and have experience with the 243. a lot of felt recoil in the shoulder. having said that i recomend the 270. its flatter shooting(bolisitcally and trajectory) and less felt recoil. recently a custom 270 bolt rifle was built for me and i learned a lot in the process. for instance, there are a few recoil pad manufacturers that make claims to remove 60-70 percent of the felt recoil in any rifle. having bought one, the reoil doesnt feel much more than a 223 or 30-30. my rifle began life as a WWI 1914 mauser. it was located it in a pawn shop. the previous owner cut it down with a hacksaw, stocks and all. bubbafied. i purchased it for the receiver only and paid $50.00 for it. with little money, i purchased a 270 barrel, timney trigger, monte carlo aftermarket stock, and drilled/tapped for a one piece leupold scope mount. the nicest 270 i have ever owned. the wssm is already difficult to find. in a few more years it will be impossible to find. in the end i am very pleased with it. hope that this informs you and gives you guidance in your future firearms decision.
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  • sandwarrior
    quote:Originally posted by Garth
    i am a hunter and have experience with the 243. a lot of felt recoil in the shoulder. having said that i recomend the 270. its flatter shooting(bolisitcally and trajectory) and less felt recoil. ...


    I will flat out completely disagree with that statement. I will concur that a 'correctly fitting stock with adequate recoil pad' can make the .270 seem nearer to a .243. Or, you install a muzzle brake. But unless you have an extremely light .243 it won't ever kick as much as a .270. Simple physics
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