25 WSSM vs. Rem 25-06

For starters, I've never really bought into the short mag craze.  The ammo is almost twice as expensive, and harder to find for minimally improved performance.  If the difference is so small, go with the 25-06 and save the frustration and money.  If you reload, you can probably make the 06 match or beat the wssm.  That way, if you make a mistake or have problems, you can find ammo more readily available.

 With shorter cases the powder burns more efficiently, I was told this makes it more accurate shot to shot. 

But with the big increase in cost you may be better off with the long action

 Never shot one.  Haven't given them much attention at all.  Expect they'll fade off into obscurity.

IMO, WSSM = an answer to a question nobody ever asked.

I have two 25 wssms and a 223 wssm. I reload so the ammo is not a problem. The biggest advantage for a 25wssm over the 25-06 is you can get a Ar-15 chambered in the wssm and their is lower recoil. If you reload they are very accurate.

From what im seeing online, recoil is actually less in the 25-06, yes the 25-05 being compared was about a pound heavier though. First column is rifle weight, second is recoil energy, and third is recoil velocity. This info coming from Chuck Hawks.

25 WSSM (120 at 2990)	7.25	13.8	11.1
.25-06 Rem. (100 at 3230)	8.0	11.0	9.4
.25-06 Rem. (120 at 3000)	8.0	12.5	10.0

 

Rollerfarm Said:
I have two 25 wssms and a 223 wssm. I reload so the ammo is not a problem. The biggest advantage for a 25wssm over the 25-06 is you can get a Ar-15 chambered in the wssm and their is lower recoil. If you reload they are very accurate.

Rollerfarm Said:
I have two 25 wssms and a 223 wssm. I reload so the ammo is not a problem. The biggest advantage for a 25wssm over the 25-06 is you can get a Ar-15 chambered in the wssm and their is lower recoil. If you reload they are very accurate.

I have a 25-06 and it does push the barnes 100 gr  above 3350 fps but then the rifle had a long action with freebore and the long magizine I do push it to the max by cratered primers I am sure I could find 4000 fps with the 87 gr speer hp and a good dose of R22.  I have produced cloverleaf groups when I do my part.  with a 100 gr barnes I would not be afraid of anything in North America  bullet placement would be the issue not the barns bullet. 

To find the benefits in my opinion you have to look at the consumeables.  Reloading, I have no experience with the mentioned 25 calibers so the charge weight benefits I am unfamilar with.  But I can comment on the 6mm calibers. 

Short fat cases came about when the benchrest shooters started using them when they were out for calibers that achieved good barrel life, good agge. and accuracy(ND boy by the way).  Hence the 6mmbr.  The br's improved cases and 6X47lapua are the examples I will use.  A 243 can easily achieve the same results with more powder charge which in turn causes more heat transmitted to the barrel and will cause faster throat erosion.  A typical 6mm br improved(dasher) will send a 105 at 3050fps out of a 25" barrel with around 32grs. of reloader15 and will have comp. accuracy into 2000-3000rounds.  I am not positive about the charge in the 243 but it is more.  The 6X47lapua which is a larger case will send a 115 down a 28" barrel with a charge of 41grs and comp. accuracy in the 2000-2500rounds.  Now when you typically buy your bullets in thousands this can be a huge savings along with not having to worry about your barrel heating up during long 20shot strings.  If you are a hunter there is no benefit in my opinion it is just another way for them to try to get you to buy the latest and greatest thing for hunting.  

So if you buy enough bullets in the same lot to burn a barrel out or you measure the bearing surface on you bullets to decide if you are going to use a .236 or .237 6mm barrel then you might look into a fatso case.   

Brent

Sorry I have more, but I have to go to work now.  Maybe Horsager will comment on some reloading and barrel life experience with the 243 since I haven't much.

Brent

love my 25-06 and it is common enough where you will probably find a box or 2 at the small town ACE harware.

Serious question here, anyone know roughly how many rounds (average) it takes to burn out a barrel for some of the more popular calibers?

Just seems to me this isn't much of an issue to us recreational shooters who put 100-400 rounds a year down range on a particular rifle.

Anyone?

Allen, earlier today I read on a few long range shooting forums, I looked at the 25-06 and most guys were saying 1500-2000  rounds, 7mm rem mag guys were saying over 1500 rounds, 7mm Ultra guys were saying anywhere from 1000-1200 rounds, those are about the only ones I looked at or researched. 

Allen Said:
Serious question here, anyone know roughly how many rounds (average) it takes to burn out a barrel for some of the more popular calibers?

Just seems to me this isn't much of an issue to us recreational shooters who put 100-400 rounds a year down range on a particular rifle.

Anyone?

I haven't found the magic number yet.

Hmm, pretty sure I have over 2,000 rounds through my 25-06 and I still haven't noticed any problems.  Still hits golf balls at 100 yds each year.

Not really sure why I shoot golf balls other than it seems to amuse me.

Reason I ask is that I have never known anyone to replace a barrel on something other than a semi-auto, like the mini-14 after blasting through a lot of ammo in a hurry.

Horsager, you ever needed to rebarrel?

taylor I think you need a 257 weatherby  chambered in a rem 700 with a 26 inch barrel

 

Allen Said:


Horsager, you ever needed to rebarrel?

Never due to wear.

I'm somewhere between 600 and 700 through my 243AI.  So far that one still works pretty good.  I'm 500-600 into my 257Wby and again, still no issues.  I'm thinking that both of them are give or take about 50% used up.  The 300Win I shoot the most is over 800 by me and it was used before I bought it.  I suspect many would've re-tubed it already as it's turned into a real pain in the butt to clean, I suspect the throat is beginning to erode some.  So far, accuracy and velocity are still acceptable.

Having a new barrel put on a rifle IMO is no different that swapping tires are a vehicle.  When they're worn, you get new ones.

I have two guns in the .25 WSSM and love both. One is a Winchester Coyote bolt that shoots 100 grain Barnes TTSX into 1/2" groups with H4831SC. The other is a D-Tech AR-15 chambered in .25 WSSM. That one has been a challenge but it has more to do with the OAL restrictions because of the clip. It will shoot 100 grain Sierra SP with Varget or RL-17 at 3/4" - 7/8" groups which I have just settled with for now. I just got a friend's Tikka in a .25-06 to find a load for so I will soon find out how finicky the .25-06 is to load for. I have another buddy that had a .25-06 that he struggled with to find a good load for and got rid of it for a .243. I think it speaks for itself that benchrest shooters have preferred the short fat cases over the long skinny ones for accuracy but your situation may require different thinking. If you don't reload I would recommend the .25-06 but if you do then I say get a .25 WSSM to try it out.

taylorman_55 Said:
Would like some info from all the experts out there (horsager) comparing these 2. When comparing the two, say using the same 110 or 120 grain bullet.... ballistics seem fairly close? Personally from what I have read, they are VERY close, and nearly identical out to 400 yards. Would like to see peoples pros and cons of the two rounds. Thanks!

For all intents and future purposes go with the 25-06. I have a 25wssm and while i can achieve similar velocity with lower powder charge I am gonna say to stick with the 06 for the simple fact that the wssm achieves nothing more in this caliber except the savings in charge. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love my 25wssm. Quite a few mule deer have met their demise due to its pairing with the 100gr Barnes triple shok. It is a surprisingly accurate round but the main reason I am sticking with the wssm is because I like the size of the rifle and the lite configuration in the browning A-bolt. All of the 25-06 are a long action and are built on a fuller and heavier framed rifle which doesnt sound like much but after hours and hours and days on end of lugging it on your shoulder it gets tiresome. The other thing is I dont see the 25wssm sticking around. It has already started to fade because it pretty much offers very little performace over the standard. I like it for the reasons mentioned above and for this I am fully invested in this caliber with several bags of brass and all the reloading equipment I need for it. In other words, i'm stocking up because I don't forsee it sticking around and I bought the brass before it gets real expensive due to it becoming an obsolete caliber. As for the accuracy, it will be right there with the standard and i've found that with varget it shoots more accurate about 1.5 grains under max load from the Barnes ballistic data site. But, every gun will be different in this category.

On a side note though, I walked into a gas station in Jordan, MT (the only gas station) and they had a small selection of outdoor sporting goods and ammo. Low and behold, 3 boxes of 25 WSSM adorned the shelves. My dad and I had a good laugh as we both noted that there was enough dust on them to write your name on the top of the box.

 

pigsticker Said:

 As for the accuracy, it will be right there with the standard and i've found that with varget it shoots more accurate about 1.5 grains under max load from the Barnes ballistic data site. But, every gun will be different in this category. 

I'd run something a bit slower burning than Varget.  R-19, Ramshot Hunter, or R-22 would be where I'd look.  Hunter oughta fill that short fat case pretty good.

Horsager Said:
 

pigsticker Said:

 As for the accuracy, it will be right there with the standard and i've found that with varget it shoots more accurate about 1.5 grains under max load from the Barnes ballistic data site. But, every gun will be different in this category. 

I'd run something a bit slower burning than Varget.  R-19, Ramshot Hunter, or R-22 would be where I'd look.  Hunter oughta fill that short fat case pretty good.

I might have to give it a try and fiddle with something different. Always looking for the "magic bullet". You think that Varget will burn out a barrel quicker?

 

pigsticker Said:

 You think that Varget will burn out a barrel quicker?

Nope.  I think something slower burning will give you more velocity.