Shooters are drawn to rimfire cartridges primarily due to the per-shot costs being significantly less than those of comparable center-rifle rifle cartridges. However, their downfall is lackluster terminal ballistics—that is, until now. Winchester’s new economical .17 Winchester Super Magnum (WSM) cartridge defies convention, and in doing so handily becomes the highest-performance rimfire extant.
My first centerfire handgun was a Smith & Wesson Model 27 in .357 Mag. The versatility of the cartridge, along with its capability of handling less-expensive .38 Special ammo is what lured me to this revolver.
We all deal with the off-season in different ways. Some people bum around in a state of depression. Others extend their seasons by building wood duck boxes, erecting duck blinds, giving the bird dog a refresher course and shooting a clay or two. Another coping method is going to a gun store and ogling the new shotguns. Here are but a few examples of new models you'll be checking out in 2013.
There is no doubt that the .17 WSM elevates rimfire ballistics to a new level. But will enough gun companies jump on board to produce rifles in this caliber?