Winchester Super Short Magnum
cartridge family
Winchester Super Short Magnum, or WSSM is a line of rebated bottlenecked centerfire short magnum cartridges introduced by the U.S. Repeating Arms Company (Winchester Inc). It is a further development of the Winchester Short Magnum concept utilizing smaller bullets, but of a still higher velocity.
History
Winchester and Browning partnered to create a new shorter version of the popular WSM (Winchester Short magnum) case. The new "super short" case was to be based on design principles currently proving successful in benchrest competition, such as the 6 mm PPC and 6 mm BR Remington. In 2003 the first cartridges of this design, the .223 and .243 Winchester Super Short Magnums (WSSM), were introduced. The .25 WSSM was added to the family in 2004.
None of the cartridges has managed to capture any large market share. This is likely due in part to the fact that all three cartridges have similar performance to existing popular cartridges. In addition, the .223 and .243 versions early on attained a reputation for quickly eroding the rifling in barrels. Concerns about short barrel life are a common problem for high-velocity cartridges, making the WSSM rounds no different than other high-velocity cartridges.
This brief starts where responsible research should: with the source description of “Winchester Super Short Magnum” as cartridge family. Everything that follows is an evidence route, not borrowed authority.
Why this record matters
The subject matters to the general reference register because the source frames it as cartridge family. Its deeper value depends on whether names, dates, institutions and citations support that framing.
Named sources, stable identifiers and responsible institutions provide the strongest route from overview to verifiable evidence. The source revision retrieved here is dated Dec 8, 2025. The linked authority identifier is Q8023861. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 2003 and 2004.
Overview language is designed for orientation and should not be treated as a substitute for the evidence cited beneath it. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.
- Subject orientation
- Search vocabulary
- Locating named sources
The closest primary source, responsible institution and strongest cited specialist reference.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Winchester Super Short Magnum”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Winchester Super Short Magnum primary sources, Winchester Super Short Magnum archive and Winchester research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Winchester Super Short Magnum”?
- Which cited source is closest to the event, object or claim?
- What terminology or title could unlock a more precise catalogue search?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Winchester Super Short Magnum” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.