Rimfire Central Firearm Forum banner

Do you think they'll develop a .22WSM?

14K views 74 replies 30 participants last post by  Buckshot77 
#1 ·
Simple question, since the .17WSM is so good, do you think they'll develop a .22WSM?
 
#37 · (Edited)
One would say with the science of probability and knowing the wildcatting folks' abilities, that 20 and 22 versions are out there in private hands; or at least been pondered or even tried out. Tis one thing to neck up to another caliber, make dies, do a chamber with the 17 version followed by a 20/22 neck reamer; and use it for one's own needs/wants. Could be unforseen issues in relative brass strengths, pressures/powders etc etc in doing such, I have no idea. Tis too late for me anyway; no real time.

For a company to get it ready for production.........well, there are a lot more physical and liability hoops there.

17 hmr styled cases were seen before the entry into the market in some circles, not sure why I would think that other guys (wsm cases in hand)would be thinking and doing.............remember the mauser that came to market early in 17 hmr but the ammo did not appear....? To get to production takes a lot of coordination...........and support.
 
#39 ·
I really doubt they'd make it...

Looks to me like Winchester didn't fare to well with the 17wsm. I wouldn't call it an embarrassment all the way around, but might be a close call.

Dont get me wrong, I'd love a laser beam accurate 17WSM. The truth is it really needs to go back to driving nails into concrete.
 
#44 ·
Worth repeating.
I sort of doubt Winchester will be doing any more new cartridges for a while. FN seems to be a lot more conservative this way then Winchester was prior.... And never mind that the last few Winchester cartridge roll outs over the last 30 years have been unmitigated train wrecks.

I think what they need to do is continue to build their reputation back up as a maker of fine firearms so people will take them seriously again. They managed to do an amazing job of ruining perhaps the finest name in American firearms with their combination of horrible quality and atrocious new product roll outs...
And there's that. Remington diddled their pooch the same way cutting corners and putting out arms and ammo with poor QC with nothing but $$ as their goal. sad!

Then again Savage surprised us all with the 17WSM so anything is possible eh?
 
#41 ·
I sort of doubt Winchester will be doing any more new cartridges for a while. FN seems to be a lot more conservative this way then Winchester was prior.... And never mind that the last few Winchester cartridge roll outs over the last 30 years have been unmitigated train wrecks.

I think what they need to do is continue to build their reputation back up as a maker of fine firearms so people will take them seriously again. They managed to do an amazing job of ruining perhaps the finest name in American firearms with their combination of horrible quality and atrocious new product roll outs...
 
#42 ·
To answer OPs question, l think it could happen, but probably depends on how successful the the 17 wsm. becomes.

There are distinct advantages for these rimfires on steroids. The states that have restrictions on center fires and cost for ammo. Yes, if you reload the cost of ammo is pretty much a non factor, but a lot of people don’t!

I remember when some said the 17 hmr. cal. will never last and for target shooting it’s probably not the best, but has become a very successful hunting cal.

I have used the 17 hmr. and 22 mag. on numerous PD and squirrel shoots and prefer them over the center fire, except for long distances. I recently bought and shot a 17 wsm. on our last PD shoot and was really, really impressed. I had my 17 Hornet, but never felt l needed it and the 17 wsm. far exceeded the 17 hmr.

If some more gun manufacturers would jump on board with the 17 wsm. it would probably help though. “BUT WAIT” maybe the 22 wsm. Is what their waiting for.;):D

Just my 2 cents.

Wonderdog1 :bthumb:
 
#43 ·
I think it makes pretty good sense why many "Back east" states have the regulations they do - people are hunting on small properties near houses and stray bullets hitting people in their houses is a real concern.

I think once you understand that - it can be a whole lot easier to figure out what would be a good candidate to go after and what wouldn't... From that perspective - a rimfire version of a 22-hornet is less likely to be approved where a single shot or non-semi auto rifle running standard pistol cartridges like 38 spl, 9mm, and 45 acp is more likely to be approved..
 
#45 ·
I for one would love to have a 22WSM but it has to be in a nice rifle...I was really excited when the 17WSM was first on scene and I went to the Shot show to check out Savage's new rifle...because the 17WSM in my eyes was supposed to be the icing on the cake for hunters who already had the 17HMR and the 22mag rifles that wanted a really nice gun to top off their collection with a rimfire that had more power and range. I was hoping that Savage would have put their new round into something like this:

the savage 93 classic rifles...I have one in 17hmr and 22mag in back one in 17WSM would have been great.


But what I saw turn me off big time...I have not looked at the new crop of Savage rifles...but they did only have one at the 2019 Shot show which was a thumbhole model and nothing else. A regular stocked rifle was what I was looking for...but you can't sell what you don't show. It was so sad because I was ready for one. I would love for CZ to come out with one in a 527 which is not any bigger than my 452/455 rifles. Yes I do have the 17 hornet and 2x 22 Hornets rifles but would love to have a rimfire cartridge with about the same power in 22caliber....I think that would work for me.

Just my opinion.

Signalman :mad::):D
 
#46 · (Edited)
I agree with signalman on the rifles. Unfortunately, it seems any new gun, from anyone has a lot of plastic. Mostly. And having $2-3000 anschutz and coopers (or it is Kimber these day) is small consolation.

Although, as I posted earlier, I would go for an ugly plastic Bmag if it was a 22wsm. Or Ruger American, which I do hunt a lot. What the Ruger lacks in classic looks it makes up in good design.

CZ had a great opportunity with the all new 457. Too bad.
 
#48 ·
Just seeing this now. I posted something similar over here:
https://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1179409

I think a .20 WSM would fit nicely between a .22LR and a .223, and offer some decent improvements over the .17 WSM/.17 Hornet, and .204 Ruger for people who want to hunt coyote, but do not want all the noise, cost, and powder burning of the larger calibers, but want more oomph than the smaller ones.
 
#53 ·
Not sure what you're talking about. Do you mean to compare the length of .17 WSM and .17 Hornet for use in a rifle? We who?

That's why we were thinking of using the .22 mag case dia. & keep the same receiver size, just make a 1.25 overall case length. Not a necked down .27 case.

The RPR already has a 3" bolt throw option to mimic it's large bore cousin.
Same questions as above.
 
#54 ·
That's interesting I didn't realize they mimic the bolt throw. Does it use some kind of locking lug for the handle or is there a lug up at the front of the bolt. Seems like it'd be a relatively easy conversion with a bolt throw like that. Just got to figure out how to make the firing pin go down hard enough to fire. I never really looked at the rpr I'll have to give them a closer look. Just not really a chassis guy.
 
#57 ·
That is our reasoning behind using the Ruger RPR Platform.

It should almost be as simple as,
1- A new Barrel in say 24" to 26"
2- A New Clip
Being you have enough throw in the bolt to handle the new 1.25" case length.

Now if only someone from Ruger see's this Thread.
Who Knows what could come about!

Next would be CCI, Hornady or Cutting Edge's new ELR in .22WSM jumping
in on this Cartridge.

Brian & Barry
Team O.G.E.R.:snipersmi--------------------:bunny:
:eek:man: (Old Guys Enjoying Rimfires)
 
#58 ·
That is our reasoning behind using the Ruger RPR Platform.

It should almost be as simple as,
1- A new Barrel in say 24" to 26"
2- A New Clip
Being you have enough throw in the bolt to handle the new 1.25" case length.

Now if only someone from Ruger see's this Thread.
Who Knows what could come about!

Next would be CCI, Hornady or Cutting Edge's new ELR in .22WSM jumping
in on this Cartridge.

Brian & Barry
Team O.G.E.R.:snipersmi--------------------:bunny:
:eek:man: (Old Guys Enjoying Rimfires)
No, no, no.

.20 WSM !

A .22WSM would be too close to the already existing .22 Hornet. Something just a touch smaller and faster is just the ticket, and has more of a market niche.
 
#60 ·
I'd say why .22 WSM, when the .22 Hornet already exists in that size and performance range, with slightly better speed and many more options available to you through reloading?

A .20 WSM offers a little bigger bullet, at a small speed penalty to the .17 WSM, yet is still light years ahead of the .17 HMR in every way.
 
#66 ·
.17HMR VS .17WSM? Niche Market !

.22MAG VS .22WSM? Niche Market !!

O.K then is your .20 WSM a Rimfire or Centerfire?
I would do a .20 WSM rimfire. Then a more powerful .20 Vartarg centerfire. Wish Tikka, Sako, Mossberg, or another newbie would co-opt a cartridge the way Ruger did with .204 and Savage with the .17 WSM.

Dip below 223 and it's niche all the way down to 22lr, heck the 17hmr has only recently gone mainstream within the last 5-10 years.

Definitely like the rimfire sentiment. Anything to not reload those tiny case mouths, or have brass that needs to be chased down.
Not sure I'm understanding.
 
#68 ·
The 17WSM was created using the 27cal nail gun cartridge modified to produce wall thickness that would handle 33,000 psi without needing full enclosure to prevent bulging or splitting. Winchester also owns or is owned by the same conglomerate that owns the nail gun cartridge mfg. The thickness required is nearly twice as thick as 22WMR cartridges, which will not handle the 33,000psi needed to produce super magnum speed.
 
Top