25/300WSM Wildcat

Trophymossback · Nov 7, 2006

Has anyone had any experience with the new 25 Antelope?
It is a 300WSM necked down to 25 caliber. It should be a world beater! I love 25 caliber rifles and this one sounds very interesting. Please share if you have experiemce or have heard anything about it.
This looks like a great excuse to build a new hot rifle!

TM

RELH · Nov 7, 2006

I have no personal experience with it, but have read several articles concerning it and it's ballisitics. I have been using a 25-06 for over 20 years as my main deer-antlelope gun. I have a spare mauser action that I am giving serious thoughts to building a 25 pronghorn. I favor the 115-120 grain bullet weight for deer-antlelope and kicking this along at 3500-3600 fps will be one flat shooter. 100 grain can get up to 3700 fps.
you can use 270 or 300WSM brass to neck down to 25 caliber, I would prefer using 270 to avoid necking down in steps and possible neck reaming due to thick brass in the necks.
What I have read makes it faster then the 257 Weatherby, with a more efficent size case.
Sounds like a good excuse for another custom rifle with a accurate Shilen barrel installed, look out antelope and deer. I even have a gorgeous circassion walnut blank that has been drying for 8 years. I think I talked myself into it.

RELH

Boskee · Nov 8, 2006

I don't have any experience with the new cartridge as well. This is one of those cartridges that would be something really special based on what I've read as well. Kind of hard to not to love something that will shoot flat and fast and enhance some of the best attributes of the 25/06 and .257WBY !! That would have to make it one of best cartrides that's ever been developed for deer sized game. Couple that with a short action and it's ridgidity and weight saving, moderate recoil, game stopping ability of the .25 bore you have the basis for one fine firearm. Too bad Winchester didn't bring it into production in this offering because it may have sold enough rifles to save them. I think it will be the go to rifle in a guys gun case!

257Tony · Nov 8, 2006

Sounds like a wicked little guy! The brass would no doubt be cheaper than the Weatherby stuff, although that Norma brass is really good stuff. Build it and let us know how it is!

Somebody didn't like bouncing betty

lve2143 · Nov 8, 2006

A Major .25-06 guy coming at you here.
I'm with the rest of the boy's, let us
know. Should be fun, anyway.

Lowlandmulies · Nov 8, 2006

I own a gun similar to the one you are talking about. Christiansen Arms made the gun for me. They call it a 257wsm. I am by no means a rifle guy and really didn't even know what it was buying, but they talked me into it, for what I do. One of the gun guys at Sportsman's loads the bullets for me. We use a 270wsm in stead of the 300wsm because it is easier to neck down. we are shooting a barnes X bullet 100grains and its coming out at about 3,500 feet a second. I shot my deer this year with it and I was amazed at the hole it put in the deer. 331 yards with a 3" exit hole.

we could probably get it a little faster but they chambered it to tight and we had to seat the bullet down further then he likes.

Fun gun! I really enjoy shooting it. Truly a 1/2" group at 100 yards. I would post a picture of the gun and the deer, but I don't know how to!

Steve

Chef · Nov 8, 2006

E-mail me the pics and I'll post em up for you.

[email protected]

Chef
"I Love Animals...They're Delicious!"

Lowlandmulies · Nov 8, 2006

They are on the way!

Steve

lve2143 · Nov 8, 2006

I like your E-mail address Chef.
It's always about the Deer.
Esp. a 10 point.

Chef · Nov 8, 2006

My e-mail address is for Ten Point Auto Brokers Inc.
It's now a side vehicle wholesale business I have.
Used to be full time.

Here are the pics!
Nice buck. Congrats.

Chef
"I Love Animals...They're Delicious!"

Trophymossback · Nov 8, 2006

I meant to say 25 Pronghorn....I am so excited about this rifle I goofed!

Since I'm here, what action would you guys build this 25/300WSM on ?

TM

Boskee · Nov 9, 2006

LAST EDITED ON Nov-09-06 AT 09:31AM (MST)[p] If memory serves:
1)Model 70 Win set up for WSM cartridges LH/ RH
2)Model 7 Remington and 700 RH (hopefully L/H Too)
3)Montana Rifleman short WSM action LH/RH
4)Browning ABolt WSM short action LH/RH
5)Sako WSM action RH
6)HS Precision WSM LH/RH
7)WBY Vanguard WSM R/H (I think)

These are guns that have correct action already in production and would be easy to build a gun on. I think there may be a couple of others out there and RELH would know for sure.*** It probably would be cheaper to buy an action that was made for the cartridge than to try to have one adapted. You can buy a synthetic stock for all the above actions and a good gunsmith can fit and chamber a new barrel blank pretty easily if he has a reamer for the cartridge. Hope this helps.

Lowlandmulies · Nov 9, 2006

On my Christensen Arms gun the used a Remington Model 700 short mag in titanium. It seems to be a very smooth action. It is very very light.

Steve

Boskee · Nov 9, 2006

Lowlands, that's one heck of a fine Muley you have there! looks like that new gun did an awesome job. He should make a real nice mount. Congrats on the deer and the gun, looks like they're both keepers!

RELH · Nov 9, 2006

Boskee;

You did a good job of covering the available actions that would make a easy job of building up a 25 pronghorn. I agree with you that is is easier and dollars cheaper to start out with a action that is designed for the WSM.

RELH

lve2143 · Nov 9, 2006

Man that's a whale of a buck.
He is just something else.
Congrat's.

HerbD · Nov 9, 2006

Don't forget the Ruger#1. As I happen to have an extra action the 25/300WSM sure is tempting. Besides,it's almost time for another 25cal wildcat. The last one was a 25-06 in '61.

Trophymossback · Nov 9, 2006

Heck, I have a great Ruger #1 in 25/06. I could use that!
Darned thing shoots so good I really hate to play with it. I had been thinking about converting it to a 25/06 Ackley Improved or a 25 STW ( another screamer!).

TM

Trophymossback · Nov 9, 2006

>I own a gun similar to
>the one you are talking
>about. Christiansen Arms made
>the gun for me.
>They call it a 257wsm.
> I am by no
>means a rifle guy and
>really didn't even know what
>it was buying, but they
>talked me into it, for
>what I do. One
>of the gun guys at
>Sportsman's loads the bullets for
>me. We use a
>270wsm in stead of the
>300wsm because it is easier
>to neck down. we
>are shooting a barnes X
>bullet 100grains and its coming
>out at about 3,500 feet
>a second. I shot
>my deer this year with
>it and I was amazed
>at the hole it put
>in the deer. 331
>yards with a 3" exit
>hole.
>
>we could probably get it a
>little faster but they chambered
>it to tight and we
>had to seat the bullet
>down further then he likes.
>
>
>Fun gun! I really enjoy shooting
>it. Truly a 1/2"
>group at 100 yards.
>I would post a picture
>of the gun and the
>deer, but I don't know
>how to!
>
>Steve

Steve, I really like the performance of the Barnes bullets in my 25 calibers also.

TM

rhssstt · Nov 9, 2006

Wow too many options. Isn't the gun world great? I have to calculate how long it will take to save up enough pennies for all.

That's a great looking buck! Three inch exit hole? Humm, that's why I quit using a 7 Mag on deer. But the velocity and subsequent flat trajectory make it an interesting option to explore. Also securely anchoring a big buck with one shot is an important performance criteria for me. Looks like this cartridge will certainly do that.

ShadowHunter

RELH · Nov 9, 2006

For you guys that mentioned the Ruger #1 rifle. As you probably already know from previous posts that I do not like the Ruger M-77 due to accuracy problems on the average rife and it's lousy design on the recoil lug. I feel just the other way about the Ruger #1. The one's I have fired and worked on were very accurate rifles. It would make a superb foundation for a custom 25 pronghorn.

RELH

HerbD · Nov 10, 2006

Trophymossback, my Ruger in 25-06 is also a real tack driver. So I wouldn't want to mess with it. As they say "If it ain't broke. . ." On the other hand, I had a 7 Rem mag rechambered to the 7mm Ultra Mag. Now it shoots a 4-5" pattern at 50 yards! That one is a definite candidate for a re-barrelling.

Others have said that #1's either shoot or they don't.

So, if you have one that shoots, I'd suggest to leave it alone as you risk experiencing what happened to me with my 7mm RUM.

CDN · Nov 11, 2006

This would be a great production cartridge. Remington was considering it and still is to my knowlegde. Remington had Jon Sundra take a Rem. 7mm SAUM and neck it down to .257. He then used a 24" custom barrel on I believe a Howa action. Tackdriver accurracy, sporter weight, 24" and delivered equal to or better velocity than the 257 Weatherby. Someday I will make an ultra light coues deer rifle out of this combo. Sundra gave many reasons as to why the 7mm SAUM would be best cartridge to convert. I think he said it was because of seating depth and neck length, and overall case length works better in the Howa action being a longer short action. Anyways, I want one.

Hooked_on_Coues · Nov 12, 2006

I would go with the .264 instead of the .25.

Look at what they shoot the 1000 yard matches with.....

THey have a name for the 6.5/270 WSM wildcat but I cant remember what it is...

chaser · Nov 12, 2006

I also have a 257wsm built by Christensen Arms. It is a great caliber. I'm getting 3650fps with 100gr triple x's. The gun shoots great and was deadly on Antelope this year and I am heading to MT. Tommorow for deer with it. I would recommend the caliber in a heartbeat.

Hooked_on_Coues · Nov 12, 2006

lemme know how that gun shoots with 500 rounds through it. The WSMers burn barrels when you go small diameter...

Trophymossback · Nov 20, 2006

I can't believe it! I was looking at the hunting and rifle magazines tonight while my wife was shopping and there it was: Petersen's Rifle Shooter magazine has a feature article on the 25 Pronghorn wildcat. If anyone is interested in the details, it is all there to read. It looks fantastic. There goes my savings.! I am off to see my custom rifle builder!

TM

Longun · Nov 20, 2006

Hey Chef;

I like the Boise State Blaze Orange but gotta root for OREGON now since the daughter doesn't play there anymore. Playing Boise on Friday--GO DUCKS!! Nice Buck too!!

dieseldog · Dec 15, 2006

Does anyone know where i can find that article on the net i have searched but can't find anything. Sounds like a gun that I need to have.

Not the only one hoping I don't die before I draw a Utah LE tag!