25 WSSM ?

[MN Mike]

Just wondering your guy's thoughts on one of these for a varmit gun?

I have a relative that has some future young hunters coming along so he would like to have a dual purpose deer rifle / varmit gun. He does have access to a 243 but when we were christmas shopping this year we ran across a nice 25 WSSM.

Thanks

Mike

[picksbigwagon]

Does he reload? If not, a wssm anything gets real expensive real quick. if you are looking to save the fur, that is gonna tear them up. If you just want to thin the herd, it will do just fine for both deer and coyotes

[MN Mike]

We ourselves don't reload but we have a good friend that loves to reload so we buy the dies, bullets, powder, primers and such and he does it for us, so yes, we would be reloading.

Probably not looking to save the fur, just thin the pack some if we can get out.

Mike

[picksbigwagon]

Lock and load then.....or reload as the case may be

[MN Mike]

Any preference on a bullet type for coyotes with a caliber such as this?

Thanks

Mike

[picksbigwagon]

Not having any experience with a 25 wssm, I would say if it will be used as a deer gun, have your buddy start with a good deer load that is very accurate at 200 yards. With that 25wssm you will be shooting laser beams at 200 yards. I like hornady bullets, expecially the vmax line. I have started to use some Barnes bullets, and from I have seen I will probably head that direction once I get down to my last 100 vmax's. If you are not trying to save pelts, use your deer load.

[MN Mike]

Yeah, that sounds like a good idea since we're not too worried about the pelts anyway.

I'll run it past him.

Thanks

Mike

[creepworm]

When I was looking for a gun many people told me not to buy one of these. To much powder pushing the bullet to fast and it burns through barrels quickly. Don't know if it is true but had a few gun smiths tell me this. Just something you should ask about before buying one.

[HunterLee]

I doubt you are getting that much more out of the shortmag. A regular 25-06 will make just as good gun. Depending on how much you plan to shoot. I load for my cousin's 25-06. They claim that you will go through a barrel faster. Also short mag items are more expensive. 75vmax's out of his 25-06 put a hurting on any varmit and still wacks deer with 100gr coreloks.

[Jackpine Rob]

Unless you are shooting a heck of a lot, I wouldn't worry about burning up a barrel.

The claims about "hot" calibers burning up barrels have been around about as long as wildcatters have been coming up with neat loads for shooters to play with.

Whether its the .220 Swift, the .17 Rem, the 22-250 or take your pick of old wildcats that became popular, the knock was always "you'll burn your barrel out".

That's a load of hoohaw. Your average guy simply isn't go to burn a barrel out with normal usage.

Burn enough powder on a hot day without allowing for cooling, and you can burn out virtually any "normal" caliber barrel, including a .22.

[MN Mike]

Whats so bad about burning up a barrel anyway, just another reason to go SHOPPIN'

[hunter101]

the barrel burning thing is a myth at best. you can burn out anybarrel if you shoot none stop without cooling the barrel. ive shot many 1000's of rounds thru my 250's at prairie dogs and the barrels are still in fine shape. its all in how hard you use the rifle

[Ray1]

Mike, I have a tikka 25-06 and i think that is a great gun for deer and yotes. The recoil is not that bad either. I think this would be better than a 25 wssm. The ammo is cheaper and eisier to get ahold of.

[MN Mike]

Well, the 25 wssm is currently in the gun safe, we'll find out how it shoots this summer, no time to mess with it now.

Thanks for the comments guys!

Mike

[paul pachowicz]

you guys check the shelves lately for reloading components? Or even factory loads? They are scarce and it's gonna only get worse, I think. Wonder who would be the driving force behind that???? Certainly not Pelosi or the annoited one.