Convert 223 wssm to 7 wsm??

[azsugarbear]

I picked up a Winnie 70 in 223 wssm. It shoots like crap and Winchester will not stand behind it and make it right. Rifle is a Coyote Light - best groups are 1.5" to 2.5"+ at 100 yds. I've tried most everything (powder, bullets, scope, good cleaning) and I am now convinced it is the barrel. I have since read some mixed reviews on both the 223 & 243 wssm in the Winnie rifles. Browning has a much better reputation for their rifles in same caliber.

I bought the rifle as a light truck gun, not a long range rig. I've looked at rebarreling in either 243 wssm or 25 wssm, with some consideration given to the wildcat 6.5 wssm. Then I looked at the 270 & 7 wsm. They have the same parent case and head dimensions, but case length (and bullet length, I suspect) are longer. These wsm rounds function fine in a short action, but I have heard that Winchester made a special short action for the wssm, that was slightly shorter than their normal short action. Is this true? Can I do a "easy" conversion from a wssm to one of the wsm cartridges by simply rebarreling, or am I stuck with the wssm cartridges? If so, does anyone have any experience with the 6.5 wssm cartridge?

Any information would be appreciated - just keep in mind that this gun is to be a light weight, brush bustin' gun for the truck and not a precision rifle. MOA is all I am looking for on a budget.

 

[Kevin Cram]

I'm building a 7mm WSM for LRH member jmason right now from a Win 70 WSSM, originally chambered in 243 wssm. Yes, the action is smaller. It can be done but it will have to be a single shot. A live round can't be ejected out the port unless you release the bolt stop.
It might be worth while to have the rifle accurized. A good bedding job, free floated barrel, new crown, lugs lapped and the trigger worked over might be all this rifle needs. Or just re-barrel and chamber for the same 243 WSSM. I've built a few of these and they seem to shoot pretty good. Barrel life isn't the longest but for what your using it for it should last quite a long time.

 

[J E Custom]

I picked up a Winnie 70 in 223 wssm. It shoots like crap and Winchester will not stand behind it and make it right. Rifle is a Coyote Light - best groups are 1.5" to 2.5"+ at 100 yds. I've tried most everything (powder, bullets, scope, good cleaning) and I am now convinced it is the barrel. I have since read some mixed reviews on both the 223 & 243 wssm in the Winnie rifles. Browning has a much better reputation for their rifles in same caliber.

I bought the rifle as a light truck gun, not a long range rig. I've looked at rebarreling in either 243 wssm or 25 wssm, with some consideration given to the wildcat 6.5 wssm. Then I looked at the 270 & 7 wsm. They have the same parent case and head dimensions, but case length (and bullet length, I suspect) are longer. These wsm rounds function fine in a short action, but I have heard that Winchester made a special short action for the wssm, that was slightly shorter than their normal short action. Is this true? Can I do a "easy" conversion from a wssm to one of the wsm cartridges by simply rebarreling, or am I stuck with the wssm cartridges? If so, does anyone have any experience with the 6.5 wssm cartridge?

Any information would be appreciated - just keep in mind that this gun is to be a light weight, brush bustin' gun for the truck and not a precision rifle. MOA is all I am looking for on a budget.

Yes it is the barrel !!!!!

I don't know where or if they bough the barrels for the Coyote but they are bad.

I have been asked to save more than one and this is what I found= While getting setup
to lap the barrel (A last ditch effort to save it after every thing else failed) I have found that
every barrel so far has had tight spots down the bore. The worst had 5 places that the broach
tryed to hang up they were so much tighter.

I lapped these areas until the restrictions were removed and then cast a new broach and
finished lapping the entire bore.

This much lapping can reduce barrel life so it is not recomended except to save a barrel that
will only be hunted with and a minimum number of rounds (800 to 1000 rounds).

The calibres that I incountered this problem with were= 223 WSSM,6mm WSSM,25 WSSM and
325 WSM. That does not mean that other calibres were allright just that these are the ones
I was asked to fix.

I did not find much else wrong with the coyote rifles except the bedding job that winchester
attempted was worthless.

The worst one would shoot about 4'' groups at 100yrds and after lapping and bedding it
shot 1 to 1,5 MOA (good enough to hunt 2 or 300 yrds.

I would recomened that you get your smith to re,barrel with a good stainless barrel in the
same calibre and do a full bed and float on the stock.

J E CUSTOM

 

[azsugarbear]

Thank you for your insights into this problem. I guess there is some relief in knowing that it isn't just me. Has Winchester acknowledged the problem an tried to find solutions, or were their customers left high and dry like me?

Have the Browning rifles in the wssm cartridges had similar experiences, or do they shoot tight groups like always?

 

[J E Custom]

Thank you for your insights into this problem. I guess there is some relief in knowing that it isn't just me. Has Winchester acknowledged the problem an tried to find solutions, or were their customers left high and dry like me?

Have the Browning rifles in the wssm cartridges had similar experiences, or do they shoot tight groups like always?

The Browning rifles have good barrels for factory guns.

But if your looking for a tack driver you need to have a custom barrel installed.

I have bought some good shooting factory rifles but they would not touch the custom
barreled rifles.

J E CUSTOM

 

[RockZ]

I have a pacnor 6.5wwsm barrel on my win 243 wssm action. It has been a very accurate and consistent shooter. I've only tried the 123 scenars and 120 gr nbt's. They were so accurate I never tried the 140vld's or the 142 smk's.,but I plan to