custom 243 wssm???

C

cowboy717

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Apr 17, 2008
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Hey guys. I know that the wssm is an almost dead round, but I have a browning wssm varmint that shoots lights out. Problem is my Granddad just fell in love with it after hunting with it this year as he's lost a lot of strength in his arms and cannot take a lot of recoil now so I'm going to give it to him.
Now the question is I have always thought about building one to feed out of WSM mags. Has anyone tried this before I dive in head first and build one? I have a rem 700 short action that I picked up for a project and the bore is all but rusted shut, but the action and trigger is smooth as silk. I'm thinking about building this as a long range coyote gun and for maybe deer and would like to shoot the 105+ gr bergers through it loaded long.
Thanks in advance guys.
 
Do you have a stash of new, unfired brass or factory ammo? Many, if not most times brass fired in a factory chamber isn't going to go into a custom chamber without spending a bunch on custom sizing dies and the like. Sometimes, not even then. All you have to do is read around on the forums and you'll find someone or two who is having "brass problems". "It went in my old barrel,,, why won't it fit in my new one?". Building any rifle today, without a ready supply of brass, powder or ammo can mean you're looking at your new rifle instead of shooting it! Who knows when Winchester will make another run of 243WSSM? And when they do, when will we see brass? There's .300WSM and .300 Win. Mag on the shelves but no new brass. That goes for alot of other calibers, too. .308, 7mm rem Mag and several other popular, main steam calibers,,,,, ammo but no new brass. Those 'odd' calibers will be the last to be produced.
 
shortgrass said:
Do you have a stash of new, unfired brass or factory ammo? Many, if not most times brass fired in a factory chamber isn't going to go into a custom chamber without spending a bunch on custom sizing dies and the like. Sometimes, not even then. All you have to do is read around on the forums and you'll find someone or two who is having "brass problems". "It went in my old barrel,,, why won't it fit in my new one?". Building any rifle today, without a ready supply of brass, powder or ammo can mean you're looking at your new rifle instead of shooting it! Who knows when Winchester will make another run of 243WSSM? And when they do, when will we see brass? There's .300WSM and .300 Win. Mag on the shelves but no new brass. That goes for alot of other calibers, too. .308, 7mm rem Mag and several other popular, main steam calibers,,,,, ammo but no new brass. Those 'odd' calibers will be the last to be produced.
Click to expand...

+1
if you don't have a good supply of new 243 wssm brass (read 200+ cases) I would go with a 243 win... at least you can easily neck 260rem or 308 and ream if you have to... 243win cases are somewhat available too though...
there have been gougers trying to play people on the wssm's lately as the brass is so hard to find....
 
Another vote for don't built anything you don't already have ample brass for. I just launched into building a 243AI and ended up going with Lapua brass...great stuff but expensive. I'd hoped to start on Winchester and go from there, but Winchester brand 243 Winchester is non-existant right now. I checked everywhere online and had two stores check their distribution network.

If that is so, what is the likelihood of seeing rarer brass re-emerge any time soon?
 
I have a Winchester in 223 WSSM that I was going to rebarrel to 243 WSSM but have canceled that project due to not being able to find brass in any of the WSSM calibers...

I have 200 pcs of 223 WSSM brass and 4 boxes of Win factory ammo with the Ballistic Silvertip bullets in nickel plated brass and that is all,

Currently working on a wildcat based on the WSSM case length and a big bore bullet diameter in order to utilize cut down RUM, WSM and SAUM brass
 
I do have a couple hundred brass that I had bought when I picked up the gun when it came out. I know the brass is hard to come by. But was just a hair brained idea I have run through my head every once in a while. Glad I have you guys on the page to help me kick some of them to the curb before I go and do something stupid. LOL
Thanks guys.
 
...

I.Q. Metals from Victor, Montana have 100,000 pcs of 223 WSSM FC headstamped brass that is Win manufactured, I just talked to the guy on the phone and he confirmed they have it in stock....
It can be easily necked up to .243 cal , don't know about going to a bigger diameter though ....

I.Q. Metals Inc. - Brass
 
The best 243WSSM brass is actually Fed 223WSSM brass necked up and it's not hard to find AT ALL. You just need to know what you're looking for.

Win made boat loads with the Fed headstamp to Fed quality standards. Before the WSSMzone.org shut down...it was well known to be the absolute best brass to get your hands on. Necks aren't as thick (and are a couple thou thinner after neck up to .243) and the brass isn't as hard when it's new.

Buy as much as you want and neck it up to .243WSSM. It's still a little expensive in my opinion, but not near as bad as those wackos on Gunbroker are bidding it up to.
A fella could make enough money just buying 223WSSM, necking it up, and selling it again...to buy a few hundred pieces of your own.

If you're considering doing a custom build...don't let the perceived rumor of brass unavailability deter you.

223 WSSM Brass
 
c_bass16 said:
The best 243WSSM brass is actually Fed 223WSSM brass necked up and it's not hard to find AT ALL. You just need to know what you're looking for.

Win made boat loads with the Fed headstamp to Fed quality standards. Before the WSSMzone.org shut down...it was well known to be the absolute best brass to get your hands on. Necks aren't as thick (and are a couple thou thinner after neck up to .243) and the brass isn't as hard when it's new.

Buy as much as you want and neck it up to .243WSSM. It's still a little expensive in my opinion, but not near as bad as those wackos on Gunbroker are bidding it up to.
A fella could make enough money just buying 223WSSM, necking it up, and selling it again...to buy a few hundred pieces of your own.

If you're considering doing a custom build...don't let the perceived rumor of brass unavailability deter you.

223 WSSM Brass
Click to expand...

I've pushed a couple of boxes of 223 wssm up to 25wssm... it works but you need to run it over a 24 cal. expander ball first. You should be able to do 243wssm in one step with a bit of dry lube in the neck... I'd still have the brass in hand first before I did the build....
 
And if you're talking "thinner neck walls" might a reamer with appropriate neck dimensions be in order? That wouldn't make 'blending' factory made .243 WSSM brass with those that were necked up. Sell all the factory made brass to finance the .223WSM or keep it for Grandpas' rifle and use the necked up in yours. Plan on having that reamer you're going to buy altered for neck diameter. Use .003-.004 clearance .
 
Now you guys have me thinking. That sounds like a very interesting idea. I will have to get a few brass and play with it. Im still wondering if I can get it to feed from wsm mags. Thank you guys for the enablement lol.
 
Well I tried some of my wssm in my model 7 saum and model 700 saum and they feed pretty well through them. This might be a very fun project. thank you guys for the heads up on the brass. Now will my FL die work to size the 223 up or will I need a tapered expander?
 
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