I really don’t need another predator/varmint rifle….(yep, you can call BS on that) but a 223 WSSM has come available through an acquaintance of mine. I did just a few minutes of research on it ballisticly and was wow’d. Are the numbers I’m seeing real? 4,400 FPS??? Anyone own one and want to share their experience with it?
4,400 fps? That would be a barrel eater.
The 220 Swift has a “barrel eater” reputation also, but it doesnt make it any less fun to shoot. The .223 WSSM bullets are so cool looking that should be justification enough. 
The .223 WSSM bullets are so cool looking that should be justification enough.
You’re right…awesome!
The 220 Swift has a “barrel eater” reputation also, but it doesnt make it any less fun to shoot. The .223 WSSM bullets are so cool looking that should be justification enough.
I have a model 70 in the 220 swift. It eats barrels, correct. I’m on the 3rd but I don’t shoot it much anymore.
Don’t do it, is what I’d say. IMO, the .223 short is one of the worst ideas to come out of the short mag trend in the 1990s. The reason it’s come available is because nobody else wants it.
My cousin made the mistake of buying a .223 WSSM just after they came out. He tried to trade it, sell it, barter it, etc. He could have given it away, but that would have been the only way to get rid of it.
I’ve shot it and the performance is fine, albeit loud. As you say, some of the paper numbers seem impressive, but at >4000 FPS so is the epic throat erosion and barrel-burning that comes with burning that much powder and driving a bullet that fast.
The realistic numbers IMO, aren’t really all that great. Yes, you CAN drive a bullet >4k FPS, but some more realistic loads don’t look nearly that impressive:
A .22-250 pushing a 50 grain bullet with 35 grains of Varget clocks at just over 3600 FPS. A .223 WSSM with the same bullet and 41 grains of Varget clocks at just over 3700 FPS. To me, that’s not all that impressive for 15% more powder.
Yes, the max velocity can be pushed higher, but then I honestly wouldn’t even consider it a varmint rifle. Predator rifle, yes, but varmints? It would be a barrel frying nightmare if one were to start pumping out rounds at rodents.
There were some good ideas to come out of the WSM and WSSM era. IMO, the .223 WSSM wasn’t one of them.
Grouse
What grain bullets are they getting 4400 FPS with. For me I would love a higher weight bullet around 70 grains and get 4400.
Also, what style rifle, ar15?
The 220 Swift has a “barrel eater” reputation also, but it doesnt make it any less fun to shoot. The .223 WSSM bullets are so cool looking that should be justification enough.
They’re only cool looking if you can find the brass to make them or finished ammo to shoot. Which is getting increasingly difficult. Otherwise you’ll be looking at a lot of pictures, which is not as useful to the many who owns one.
Barrels have come a long way, and I feel the Swift’s reputation is somewhat unjustified relative to similar options that are available today. Yes, in 1950s rifles, the Swift was rightly thought to be a barrel burner. But that was at a time when no rifle was pushing that kind of speed and barrel technology had yet to catch up.
Fast forward to the 21st century and I really don’t believe the Swift is dramatically more of a barrel burner than any of the other hot varminters out there. I wouldn’t expect a .22-250 to last a significant percentage longer.
Grouse
What grain bullets are they getting 4400 FPS with. For me I would love a higher weight bullet around 70 grains and get 4400.
Also, what style rifle, ar15?
Somewhere between 35 and 45 grains can be pushed that fast. At 60 grains, you’re down around 3500 FPS.
I’m not sure anyone is currently making a 70 grain .223 bullet? Hornady makes a 75 grain V-Max, but I think the Sierra 70 grainers were discontinued some time ago, but I could be wrong about that.
Wath the watermelon video and then just imagine a woodchuck…heh heh heh
Gary, just for you. Glad to know someone else is as morbid as me
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Berger has a 70gr VLD.
A bit off topic, I have a WSM 7mm and am concerned about ammo. I’m actually considering buying another gun altogether and going with a more common cartridge. As of now, I have to order from cabelas at 45-50 bucks a box.
Not much experience with the .223 WSSM but I shoot a .243 WSSM in 55 grain for antelope and 95 grain for whitetails and man it really really really sucks to find ammo for it! Not sure if the .223 WSSM is any easier to get but I hope so!
Brian, I hear ya on the cost of quality ammo. My 270WSM is costing me about .82 to .98 per round to reload. Adds up fast, but that 7mm WSM and the 270WSM are both a heck of a great gun. Just on account of trying to find the Accurate MagPro powder, I cut how often I take it out and shoot.
This is for the older gun crowd. I am looking at a Savage model 99 leaver rifle. The two calibers are 308 Winchester and 300 Savage. During our last little run on ammo the 308 became non existent due to it’s popularity, the 300 were still on the shelves. Aside from performance it’s better to have any ammo rather than none.
A bit off topic, I have a WSM 7mm and am concerned about ammo. I’m actually considering buying another gun altogether and going with a more common cartridge.
Not much experience with the .223 WSSM but I shoot a .243 WSSM in 55 grain for antelope and 95 grain for whitetails and man it really really really sucks to find ammo for it!
Unfortunately, I don’t think the situation is going to get better and it may well get worse.
In terms of cartridge lifespan many of the short mags had a very brief moment in the sun before they rode off into the sunset. So I just don’t see the numbers of them being out there such that the demand for factory ammo will encourage more offerings or even sustaining the offerings that are there over the long haul.
The .270 and .300 short chamberings were far and away the most successful developments to come out of the short mag era. The rest are also-rans that unfortunately didn’t see the sales numbers even at the peak of their popularity.
Re-barreling may be a good option for higher-quality rifles, but the economics of it will depend on what you have and what you want to change it over to.
Grouse
This is for the older gun crowd. I am looking at a Savage model 99 leaver rifle. The two calibers are 308 Winchester and 300 Savage. During our last little run on ammo the 308 became non existent due to it’s popularity, the 300 were still on the shelves. Aside from performance it’s better to have any ammo rather than none.
The reason the 300 Savage was available is because there is very limited demand under any conditions.
Yes, 308 ammo was in high demand and hard to come by, but I have a difficult time seeing a situation where you couldn’t beg/borrow enough to at least keep you hunting.
If anything, I’d think some handloaders would take pity on you and provide enough fodder to at least keep you hunting.
Grouse
I wouldn’t worry about the 308 ammo running short. The ammo is plentiful again and you can buy up a stash quite easily, plus it out performs the 300 Savage, has way more options/offerings, and comes at a lower cost. Between the two, I’d choose the 308.
Randy, if you want a collectible, I think some of the short mag calibers are heading that direction. I don’t hear of guys looking for those guns and the ammo has all but disappeared from shelves so it’s my guess that one day, it’s going to be a thing of the past. So, depending on brand and having a “rare caliber”, it might serve as a possible future collectible. In spite of what it’s capable of, I’d have to admit that I’d be disinclined to get into one of these just because I think it’s going away.
I really don’t need another predator/varmint rifle….(yep, you can call BS on that) but a 223 WSSM has come available through an acquaintance of mine. I did just a few minutes of research on it ballisticly and was wow’d. Are the numbers I’m seeing real? 4,400 FPS??? Anyone own one and want to share their experience with it?
If I could find one for the right price I would have one in a minute. Everything I have read on the 223 WSSM has been nothing but positive less barrel wear more efficient load then standard 223 with some spectacular results.
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