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I have often heard the question "What's so special about a 243 WSSM compared to the 243 Win?" The simple answer is that the 243 Win. is an excellent caliber and so is the 243 WSSM. They each offer a little different flavor to our hunting and shooting experiences. Here are some of the pros and cons and why I like the 243 WSSM.
Some Positives
- The 243 WSSM can fit into a shorter action rifle with a shorter bolt, magazine and receiver. This means you get a lighter, smaller rifle that produces a shorter, faster bolt throw. It also means you get a stiffer action that can improve accuracy.
- The 243 WSSM shoots bullets a little faster. Roughly 100-200 feet per second.
In theory shorter fatter cases have the characteristics to burn the powder more evenly and consistently resulting in improved accuracy. - The cartridge is short enough to work in the AR-15 platform. Where the 243 Win. requires the longer action AR-10 which in heavier and more expensive.
Some negatives
- Loaded ammunition is expensive.
- Loaded ammunition can be harder to find.
- Some people have reported difficulty with shells feeding. This makes perfect sense, the case is really short and really fat, requiring a little more finesse to make the transition from magazine to chamber than a longer traditional shell. My A-Bolt's magazines required a slight adjustment to get shells to feed smoothly. (see 243 WSSM A-Bolt Feeding Issues - Solved)
- Because the shells are fatter you will get one less shell in the magazine in a Browning A-Bolt or Winchester Model 70.
- Production rifles are hard to find now days (See list below.)
Some myths
- The 243 WSSM burns barrels out really fast.
Wrong! I have not seen nor heard of any evidence that they burn barrels out any faster than any other "magnum" like cartridge. Browning and Winchester also chrome-lined their barrels. Chrome lining can greatly extend barrel life. I personally like how easy it is to clean chrome-lined barrels. I suspect that they were chrome line as a precaution before real extensive testing was done on the barrel life. Whatever the case production rifles from Browning A-Bolts and Winchester Model 70s are chrome lined. One of these barrels with proper care should last well beyond the amount of rounds most people ever shoot in their lives. - You better stock up on brass because they aren't going to make it anymore.
Common sense will tell you that there are far too many rifles out there for Winchester to stop making brass. And more rifles are continuing to hit the market with the AR-15 rifles that continue to get more popular in the 243 WSSM offerings. Now common sense will also tell you that Winchester would only make runs of brass to meet the demand. If demand goes up or down they would obviously adjust accordingly.
Where can I find WSSM brass?
We have a supplier of WSSM brass! Bill at Hill Billy Brass is forming WSSM brass from WSM brass. Thank you Bill!
Where can I find a 243 WSSM rifle? Currently, only AR-15 rifles are in production. Here are the AR-15 rifles that I am aware of.
- Olympic Arms AR-15 WSSM Rifles
- Accuracy Systems builds various 243WSSM AR-15 rifles and barrel options.
- Dtech Custom AR-15 243 WSSM Upper Receivers
If you're one who likes to tinker at the reloading bench with different bullets, powder and the like, the 243 WSSM might be for you. If you are looking for a rifle that's a little faster shooting and lighter to carry, the 243 WSSM might be for you. If you spend a good deal of time hunting and hiking in rugged tough country, a little lighter rifle might be for you. Now on the other hand if you like to grab a box of ammo at Walmart as you're heading out of town to your hunting lease the 243 WSSM probably isn't for you.
I think the 243 Win. is an excellent cartridge and I have always been fond of it. My father's deer rifle is a Sako Forester chambered in 243 Win. In my youth I watched my father shoot mule deer with it and I'd hear the stories from the guys in his hunting party talking about how they would all miss at long range with their 30-06's and my dad with his little 243 would get them every time. Boy, how I thought that rifle was the best rifle in the world. Some day I hope to own my father's rifle but we'll have to see as I have two brothers that have their eyes on it also.
I don't think you can go wrong with either cartridge as long as you understand what might be an advantage and what might be a disadvantage for your individual hunting and shooting style. The 243 Win. is an outstanding caliber and for the gearhead that I am the 243 WSSM is just as outstanding. Many a deer has fallen to a .243/6mm diameter bullet throughout the years. And the latest cartridge to push this 6mm bullet does the job quite well.
The 243 WSSM has also been deadly on elk. In 2009 my son made a 205 yard one shot kill on his first elk bull elk with a 243 WSSM and a 272 yard one shot kill cow elk with a 243 WSSM, and again in 2010 Dallen took a cow elk with a single shot at 110 yards with a 243 WSSM.
To view my favorite handloads for the 243 WSSM check out my 243 WSSM Handloads and Ballistics page.
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Here are my 243 WSSM rifles, two stainless laminate varieties of Browning A-Bolt rifles and a Winchester Model 1885.
As you can see I really like Quake Claw rifle slings. A leather sling would look nicer on my Model 1885 but function wise, Browning Clincher or Quake Claw rifle slings are the best at keeping my rifle in place on my shoulder and I use them on every rifle I have.
243 WSSM, Browning A-Bolt Stainless Hunter Laminate with 22" barrel
Bushnell Elite 3200 3-10x SA Scope
This rifle in my favorite for coyotes and deer when serious hiking is involved. It has a beautiful brown laminate stock and a short 22 inch barrel. It's a great small, light mountain rifle with pretty good range. Dallen my oldest son has taken a liking to it and used it to make one shot kills on his first mule deer buck, whitetail deer buck, bull elk and cow elk.
243 WSSM, Browning A-Bolt Stainless Varmint Laminate with 24" fluted barrel
Bushnell Elite 4200 4-16x Side Adjustable Objective Scope (How the rifle was Pre-2014)
This is my all-around rifle. I use it for just about anything. It has a beautiful gray laminate stock and a longer, thicker, 24 inch barrel. I also had the barrel deep fluted to shave some extra weight off this rifle and it looks really cool.
In 2013-14 I did a few upgrades to my Varmint Laminate. It now has an adjustable comb, a 20 MOA EGW Rail with low Four Hole Skeleton Weaver rings and a Vortex Viper PST 6-24x50 MOA second focal plane scope. Because the 20 MOA picatinny rail places the scope higher I needed the comb raised to get proper eye, cheek alignment. I had Karl McKnight make the fully adjustable comb and add the extra length to the stock I need with a new recoil pad/spacer. Karl did a fine job! I like the look and especially the functionality.
For ease in getting this stock to the gunsmith that is out of town, I just sent the stock. When I got the stock back the adjustable comb prevented the bolt from traveling enough to cycle the action. I should have been clear that I needed the action to cycle and make the cut short enough so that it would. Anyhow, a little trimming with a band saw, some sanding, some polyurethane and it works and looks great. The photos above show before and after I modified the comb to allow for the action to fully cycle.
243 WSSM, Winchester Model 1885 with 28" barrel
Bushnell Elite 4200 6-24x AO Mil-Dot Scope
I love Model 1885 rifles. They were John M. Browning's first firearm designed in 1878 that went into production as the Winchester Model 1885 and is still in production to this date.
This rifle is my favorite for prairie dogs and rock chucks. It's a heavy rifle but it shoots bullets really and I mean really fast, thanks to the long 28 inch barrel. The Winchester 55g Ballistic Tip factory loads are clocking in at 4240 fps out of this rifle.
It may be a single shot but with a cartridge holder on the side of the stock I can still get off a follow-up shot pretty darn fast as you can see in my 243 WSSM Model 1885 Coyote Double article.
This photo shows all three of my 243 WSSM rifles together to give a better size comparison.
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A Barrel Weasel or Bore Snake works great for clearing debris from your barrel while in the field.
After clearing the snow and ice from my rifle's barrel we later caught up with some cow elk and the 243 WSSM A-Bolt did the job.
While on a cow elk hunt I stumbled and fell when my foot went into a badger hole hidden under the snow. I didn't drop my rifle, but the tip of the barrel went into the snow and packed it full of snow.
The logical first thing to do was just blow the snow out. It sounded like a good idea however with the temperature right at 15 degrees my breath melted some of the snow and the water now froze inside the barrel and chamber. I confirmed this by trying to chamber a round and it wouldn't chamber. After some time and a lot of hot air, I was able to clear the barrel and chamber of ice.
The thought occurred to me at the time "What if I got mud in my barrel?" How would I clear a barrel of debris while I am in the field? I really don't want to pack a collapsible cleaning rod with me. I found the answer with a Barrel Weasel or Bore Snake. Just drop the brass tip in from the chamber side then pull the weasel through pulling all the debris out the muzzle of the barrel and you're back hunting. These little barrel cleaners are very lightweight and can stuff into the smallest of pocket in your pack.
I don't use Barrel Weasels for my regular barrel cleaning process when I have my rifle in the man cave at home. But I do really like how small and lightweight they are to carry when I'm hunting and if I get something in the barrel I'm better prepared to clean it out.
Nov. 2010: Although I still carry a Barrel Weasel with me I also do a little preventative maintenance by placing electrical tape across the end of my rifle barrel.
Update October 2014
In 2014 I started using a Rifle Jacket and love it. I no longer tape the end of the barrel or mess with scope covers. I use the rifle jacket and the whole rifle is protected from snow, rain and scratches. You can see more thoughts and photos of this product in Dallen's 2014 mule deer hunt.