Powder for 2 cartridges

[novalty]

I am getting into rifle reloading and going to be starting with .223 Rem for my Mini-14 Ranch Rifle, and to be followed shortly by 25-35 Winchester for a Winchester 94--both just for plinking. Plan on loading factory boolits: 55gr for .223 and 117gr Hornady RN for 25-35. Been reading through every bit of internet data I can find on the 25-35 WCF. So far I am leaning towards Benchmark as a multi-purposes powder for both cartridges, other powders I have read would work good are:BL-C 2, H4895, and IMR3031. I know that Winchester 748 is pretty popular with .223 Rem, but can't find much data for 25-35 WCF. Any thought or suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

[Dark Helmet]

Tinkering with QL suggests BL-C2, the various versions of 4895, 3031, W 748 and RS Big Game

[Nobade]

I'd vote for 3031. Gives full power in the .223 and depending on the age and condition of the Win '94 can be downloaded quite a bit and still work right.

[Tim357]

What Nobade said...

[leadman]

H4895 works very well in the 25-35 Win.

[novalty]

Thanks for the suggestions, will take a closer look at 3031 and H4895.

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

Hello, novalty

By the way, you can make 25/35 brass from 30/30 brass with one pass in out of a good set of dies.

I use a set of Hornady dies and Imperial sizing wax and it works great.

Just don't over due the lube, just a bit in the case with you fingers. Too much will dent the cases pretty bad.

Keep em coming!

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[novalty]

Hello Crusty Deary Ol'Coot,

I was planning on purchasing the Hornady dies for the 25-35, and RCBS X-des for the .223 Rem. Is it cheaper to size 25-35 brass out of 30-30 or just to purchase Winchester factory 25-35 brass?

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

Morn'in Novalty,

Likely cheaper and better to buy 25/35 brass IF you can find it.

It is sometimes like some of the other older or less popular calibers with brass being hard to come by at some points.

30/30 brass is usually available, so that is the way I went for a friends rifle.

I followed a post that someone put on one of the forums about the problems they were having making 25/35 brass from the 30/30.

Figured it was a no brainer, and that is, at least for me, pretty much true. In goes a 30/30 case and out comes a 25/35 case, one quick easy step.

As indicated earlier, use a good lube. STP works great for heavy forming, but is the real pits to cleanup. Read a tip on a forum about the Imperial Sizing Wax, and yes, it is a very good product with easy clean up.

Just apply a small amount with your fingers. Truely, just like Brille Cream, a little dab will do it!

Your likely so young :roll: that probably doesn't mean anything to you. :wink:

CDOC

[David2011]

The appeal of W748 in .223 for me is the way it meters. It's very consistent and makes little bitty groups with a decent bullet.

H4895 is a very versatile powder but I end up weighing all charges. I need to do a test using 5 weighed charges and 5 as thrown to see how much velocity and accuracy difference there might be between the two methods. I don't have a 25-35 but do like H4895 for several other rifle cartridges. Another bonus is that it can be downloaded a bunch for kids or plinking loads. Search for 'reduced 4895 loads' or something to that effect.

David