25 wssm Range report

Thank you for that Mike. I have one of your uppers in 25 wssm also, and too am glued to this thread. Your explanation has helped me retain, (or maybe regain), some of my sanity. This upper has been a challenge to say the least, and I'm not giving up until I can put FIVE shots into one of those "internet" groups that I read so much about.
 
Originally Posted By: mikeinlouisianaRicky keep it up, The 25 WSSM is a Tack Driver you just got to find the right combo. If I could only have 1 powder in the world it would be varget, but thank God its not. I have found Vihtavuori 560 works the best for me and I prefer the 117 grain bullets.

You can see here the work up using N-560 and 117SST. These are mild loads. I was looking for accuracy load.

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here is a closeup of the last target on the page.

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Here is the 87 grain Sierra Varminters and IMR 4350.

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another mild load with the N-560 117 Sierra Prohunters

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I have been having my 25 whizzer since 2005 and don't have any plans to part with it.

Im glad you posted this Mikeinlouisiana, you seem to be one of the few who have found some good loads. Do you normally only shoot 3 or 4 shot groups? I may need to pick up some of that Vit. 560 powder to try.
Work kept me from making it to the range yesturday and today. Maybe tomorrow. I'll post the results as soon as I have some.

One week from today I have the ST George Marathon and I will be near a sportsmans warehouse. I may pick up a neck turning tool to see if that doesn't help with my loads.
 
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Originally Posted By: ricky_arthur[Im glad you posted this Mikeinlouisiana, you seem to be one of the few who have found some good loads. Do you normally only shoot 3 or 4 shot groups? I may need to pick up some of that Vit. 560 powder to try.
Work kept me from making it to the range yesturday and today. Maybe tomorrow. I'll post the results as soon as I have some.

One week from today I have the ST George Marathon and I will be near a sportsmans warehouse. I may pick up a neck turning tool to see if that doesn't help with my loads.

Actually, lots of folks get fine accuracy with the .25 WSSM, and most of those probably had some difficulty finding the load.

I have been building the WSSM uppers since Winchester commercialized the line. I know I have well over 1000 of the .243 WSSM uppers, and probably around 1000 of the .25 WSSM uppers out in the field, spread out over as much as 10 years. If Mikeinlouisiana was one of the few that got good accuracy, I would no longer be producing the WSSM uppers.
 
Originally Posted By: Dtech

Actually, lots of folks get fine accuracy with the .25 WSSM, and most of those probably had some difficulty finding the load.



I am working very hard to be one of them.
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My statement above was an observation on the anecdotal feedback within the thread.
I fully expect I will find something that works or I wouldn't keep trying.
It starts to feel like an epic struggle between Dtech Magic and WSSM stubbornness. LOL
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Will neck turning help?

Ricky
 
Originally Posted By: ricky_arthur
Will neck turning help?

Ricky

Neck turning will not change the case-capacity VS. bore-capacity ratio that makes it over-bore. Being over-bore is what makes a WSSM fickle, not the necks.
 
Originally Posted By: DtechOriginally Posted By: ricky_arthur
Will neck turning help?

Ricky

Neck turning will not change the case-capacity VS. bore-capacity ratio that makes it over-bore. Being over-bore is what makes a WSSM fickle, not the necks.

Same as in a bolt gun, consistent neck tension is something that needs addressed for longer range shooting, regardless of the cartridge. WSSM brass happens to be very thick and somewhat inconsistent, therfore not great 'out of the box' for eeking out accuracy. But it's good enough to make ya smile @ 100...
I've mentioned in prior posts that I'm turning my .223 Wizzer necks. Reason I'm doing so is because I have OCD and want to use it as a long range steel plinker. Fast twist + high b.c. boolits + high velocity = long range capability. So I'm loading for that AR as I would my precision bolt guns, neck turning & resizing with a bushing die to keep neck tension as consistent as possible for low ES & SD of my reloads. Never bothered to go that route with the 25...
 
Ok here's my latest range trip. This is rounds 46 thru 55 in this barrel.

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Take out the fouler and the second shot, and it's not too bad I guess. The flier on the bottom group was number 5, so probably 5th shot jitters. I'm not going to clean it for a while now, because the last trip I was shooting up some pulled bullets, and after shooting 23 rounds there was barely a smear of copper. Using boretech eliminator, which will find copper if it's there. And this load is moving along north of 3600 fps. All I know is this new barrel is smooooth! And I think it has a lot of potential.
 
Here's the latest effort with 75 gr vmaxes and RL17. I have 2 different kinds of brass, win 25wssm and FC 223 wssm necked up. On that brass I annealed, necked up, trimmed, cut out the donut and neck turned with a K&M tool, then resized again and cleaned the lube out of the inside of the neck.

The FC loads are the bottom two. Earlier I tried the FC brass with 50.8 gr, and the results were down right ugly. So I didn't expect these results, and only loaded 3 rounds each as i thought it was a waste of components. But...definately deserves further testing.

The speeds on the bottom group with 51.5 gr RL17 and 75 gr vmax were: 3713, 3719, 3713 fps. No pressure signs that I can detect. That should open up a coyote for sure! Most around here have mange, so no point worrying about fur.



SDC10204.jpg
 
Finally made it out to the range this morning. I took loads with H-380, IMR4350, and varget, using 100gr sierra pro hunters, Nosler Partitions and Nosler Ballistic tips.

I decided not to set up the Chronograph since I have enough data to know that My ESs have been low and consistant and Velocities are about where they should be. I wanted to simply focus on the shots.

Here are some of the results.

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The 41.8gr Varget load with The SPH was the same load I keep trying because it seems to be close. The 5 shot group measures about 1.15 and is certainly hunting accurate, but If I can't do any better than this with a hunting bullet I will be a little sad.
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the other loads speak for themselves, a couple that are not too bad don't really jump out as an answer.

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I guess I'll wander that reloading Isle at sportsamans and see if I can come up with another hunting bullet to try. Load development gets expensive.
 
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Ricky, don't give up. Here's a pic of some terrible groups from mine to make you feel better. Compare these groups to the two lower groups in the pic above, they are the same load except for increasing the powder charge from 50.8 to 51.2 then to 51.5. I wouldn't have believed that little adjustment could make such a difference.


SDC10203.jpg
 
Another Range trip this morning. I picked up 3 more boxes of bullets over the weekend. (did I mention that load development was expensive?)
100gr sierra game kings
100gr hornady interlock
and more 100gr sierra pro hunters

I also had along a new (to me of course) rem 788 in .243 that I have not had a chance to shoot yet.

I was pleased with the results this morning.

The writting on the targets will probably suffice for commentary.

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I tried that 41.8gr varget and sierra Pro hunters again, and it did this again.

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I wish I could get a 5 shot group to do this, but that will be my goal next range trip with the Game kings and that SPH load. The hornady interlock were ho hum, anybody want to buy them to try? I only shot 9 of them.


The Sierra Game kings are interesting because the 3 loads pictured total 9 shots, they are the top 2 and center group in the first pic and despite the fact that they are nearly a grain difference in charge, can be laid over one another and those 9 shots go right at about an inch. I think The BBl likes that Game king bullet and I will try some more.
Ricky
 
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ricky_arthur: Have you come up with a completed load for your Nolser Partitions Yet. I have just recieved a new 25 WSSM from Dtech as well and will be getting started soon on
load development. I am watching this post very close to try to a good starting point. Looking for a good round for hog hunting in Texas. You have done some great work buy putting all of this info P.M., Thanks.
 
Originally Posted By: Labrador2ricky_arthur: Have you come up with a completed load for your Nolser Partitions Yet. I have just recieved a new 25 WSSM from Dtech as well and will be getting started soon on
load development.

Thanks, I'm glad someone is finding it usefull.
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Part of the reason I keep it updated is so that people will expect to need some patience during load development on these WSSM uppers.

I think I am going to give up on the Nosler Partitions, This BBL just does not seem to like them. I wouldn't rule them out for your BBL as Mike said they are Usually a good option in his 25 WSSMs. I have noticed that 41.8gr Varget seems to be the best load for every 100gr bullet I have tried. Work up to that of course, but I show no pressure signs. It has been raining here for several days but I hope to get back out to the range soon and I will keep this thread updated.
Ricky

Oh yeah, I have 100gr nosler partitions, Nosler ballistic tip, and Hornady interlock if you want to try a few without having to buy whole boxes. That can get expensive quick. PM me if you want, I'll just send you a few or if you want you can buy them all to try.
 
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Thanks Ricky. This is why P.M. is a great place to be a member of. Hope you get out soon to do more testing so we can the results. I will be in contact with you.
 
I had a good first attempt with 100 gr Hdy interlocks and RL17 today. I started with 46.5 gr and worked up to 47.5. 46.5 and 46.9 were the best loads, with groups under 3/4" and speeds approaching 3200 fps. Group centers were identical if you overlaid the targets they'd be on top of each other. So I will have to try them again, but looks like a good deer load, and maybe my one load for everything.

Also tried 75 gr vmax with varget, and my first 3 shots were 44, 44.5, and 46 gr loads, one of each. Those 3 went under 1/2", but as I went up in charge weight the groups opened up a bit. I'll have to try the lower charges again. Chrony showed over 3400 fps, but the misty conditions probably made the readings less than reliable.
 
Another range trip today, results not good. I'm gonna clean again and hope maybe I missed some copper fouling because best groups averaged in the 2 inch range. Very frustrating.
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