Who would have thought that loading .25ACP would have required this much work?

[Jumbopanda]

A month ago I decided to buy a Beretta 950BS .25ACP on a whim. Many people talk of how .25ACP isn't worth shooting because it's basically a .22LR that costs a lot more. Being a reloader, I've never really been dissuaded from shooting unusual calibers, so after I got the gun, I started shopping for dies and components.

Dies weren't much trouble; I picked up a set of Lee dies right away. I quickly found out that many companies had discontinued their .25ACP bullets, and the ones that were still available were generally out of stock. Even when I could find them, the bullets were much more expensive than I anticipated (more than 10 cents each). I ended up buying some on Gunbroker, but I still insisted on getting a mold because the tiny bullets would be extremely cheap to cast myself. Much to my dismay, all production .25ACP molds had been discontinued as well. A Lee 6-cavity would have been perfect for this, but it was no longer available. After some searching, I managed to get a Lyman 2-cavity on Ebay for about $80.

I wasn't particularly satisfied with the Lee die set because the expander would often expand the case mouth crookedly, and the seater didn't do a great job of centering the bullet either. So again, I went on Ebay and picked up a RCBS die set, which had a nicer expander and seater.

Now I had another problem; I didn't have anything that could throw a small enough powder charge for .25ACP. I already had the Lee Auto Disk system, but that throws no less than 2.7gr of Bullseye. The Lee Micro Disk kit would have been perfect for this, but unfortunately, that had also been discontinued (notice a trend?) After searching all over for a vendor that might still have it in stock, I gave up and just decided to make some bushings to shove in the existing disks. They work pretty well.

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But what about a bullet sizer? I don't own a lubrisizer, and the inexpensive Lee sizing dies were not available in .252"! The Lyman mold dropped bullets at .255-.256", which was way too large, and would always result in lead shavings when seated in a case. I guess I had no option other than to fire up the lathe again. So here's my homemade bullet sizing die and punch, which I just finished this morning and used to size a small batch of about 100 bullets down to .252".

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Now to go cast more bullets and actually load them...

[salpal48]

At one time I was loading 25 acp I got new brass and jacketed bullets from Magtec . They still list it. I would have to load them by Hand. and they difficult. I tried using my Lyman 55 PM and that worked good . But I never felt confident. I ended up using a powder trickler and beam scale to load. Another problem small bullets to pick up with you fingers.
If you have time That will work.
sal

[runfiverun]

soo a 125.00 gun has now cost 1,700.00 in time and parts and you still ain't shot it?
sounds about right for everything I have too.

[Jumbopanda]

soo a 125.00 gun has now cost 1,700.00 in time and parts and you still ain't shot it?
sounds about right for everything I have too.

Hahaha. Actually I have shot it with jacketed bullets. Did some overpressure experiments with it and got a 50gr bullet going 1300fps. I don't plan on doing that any more though, as I'm sure the gun would beat itself to death.

[I'll Make Mine]

Heh. I just got my old Excam GT-27 running again, I'm about to follow your path. I think I can make the Lee dies work (the problem you had sounds like adjustment or a loose shell holder), and I'm prepared to make my own mold if I have to; a little dipper made from a spent .22 LR case, shortened to throw the required charge, will solve the powder measure problems (at least if you aren't trying to load 500 rounds in a sitting). Then of course there's the issue of recovering the brass; I'm planning to build a case catcher to mount under the right grip panel -- I can take it off in five minutes after a range trip.

[destrux]

I just sold an old box of .25ACP on gunbroker (that I got from a neighbor who was throwing out some ammo cause he sold his guns), it got bid up to $40. The guy was happy to be able to get it, he said he's never seen a box in a gun shop. Guess this caliber is getting pretty rare.

[I'll Make Mine]

Guess this caliber is getting pretty rare.

Nothing of the sort. Yes, it's sold out everywhere just now, since last I checked it's the second, third, or (since the US Army switched to 9 mm) possibly fourth biggest selling factory round in the free world (behind .22 LR, .38 Special, and/or 9 mm), but I've seen it in every sporting goods and gun store I've been in until the panic buying started. What your buyer might have encountered is living in a place where .25 ACP isn't used much; it's pretty much useless for hunting and outdoor protection (shoot a bear with it, and he'll be pretty annoyed if he notices) and not much of a camp gun, but it's a popular "purse gun" for city dwellers, and most .25 pistol users don't/can't reload -- so shooting one box every month or two at the range adds up to a lot of factory rounds purchased. Thus, you'll see it in pawn shops, city gun stores, and similar places, but you probably won't find it at bait shops, country feed stores, or alongside the .22 LR at little roadside stores in places like Riggins, Idaho or The Dalles, Oregon (even though those stores will carry a few boxes of .38 Special and 9 mm)

[lightman]

I don't think that I want to load anything shorter than a 380. Thats about how thick my fingers are! Lightman

[mikeym1a]

Tweezers??!?

[leeggen]

Roach clip!!! Maybe forcipsfrom medical facility.
CD

[texassako]

Maybe I am a glutton for punishment, but I don't find .25 ACP that bad. Especially with one of Ranchdog's Lee six cavity molds. The last sack of range brass I bought online was 1700 pcs for $50 delivered last year; so I don't mind losing some amongst the .22 cases at the range. Set of cheap Lee dies from someone who gave up on the little things and lapped out a used .243 Lee push through die to .252" to get me in business. The barrels are so short anything beyond tumble lube is pretty much overkill, and my 31gr mold doesn't even need sizing. A fixed rotor measure filled with glue to create a small enough cavity makes for quick case charging, but I eventually found one that was adjustable. I have seen where someone makes an adjustable Lil' Dandy rotor that might work. I have it down now where it is about as fast to load as anything else I have, and you can't beat using only ~1gr of powder and 50gr of lead. I guess it all boils down to how nimble your fingers are, and I am starting to wish for a progressive now that I cast 10 pounds out of the new RD mold, or about 1400 of the little suckers.

[slumlord44]

I have been looking for .251-.252 lead bullets or molds for my Stevens .25 Rimfire. I share your pain. I think Lyman has a .251 or .252 sizing bullet sizing die for around $30. 50 grain .257 lead bullets are available from Carolina Cast Bullets for $8/100. Still looking for 67-70 grain .251 bullets or molds.

[unknownhavoc]

-Texassako,
Where do you find your brass? I always watch the auction sites, but rarely does brass come up, and when it does it's usually not in nice quantities like that. That is the hardest part about loading for the .25 for me.

Also what Ranchdog mold do you have that drops a 31 grain boolit?

[texassako]

-Texassako,
Where do you find your brass? I always watch the auction sites, but rarely does brass come up, and when it does it's usually not in nice quantities like that. That is the hardest part about loading for the .25 for me.

Also what Ranchdog mold do you have that drops a 31 grain boolit?

It was a mix of gunbroker and once fired brass vendor websites. I bought one cheap bag, and just kept looking for more at that price. Usually the seller was thankful someone cleared out something that was taking up space. The RD mold is 50 gr. The 31 gr mold came from LBT and was meant for air rifle use.

[mikeym1a]

I've lapped out several Lee sizers, but didn't want to try it on that small a thing. So, I had Buckshot make me a .251 sizer. Now, if only I could find a mold that was affordable................sigh............

[Certaindeaf]

I woulda just strangled it. lol

http://www.handgunhunt.com/photopost/data/500/KGrHqF_ocE8Vt-g_QkBPSwfZH0cg_60_57.jpg

[Pb2au]

I woulda just strangled it. lol

http://www.handgunhunt.com/photopost/data/500/KGrHqF_ocE8Vt-g_QkBPSwfZH0cg_60_57.jpg

What the add doesn't tell you is the bear choked on the 25 ACP in the process of consuming the owner.

[Blammer]

or the owner beat it to death with the pistol....AFter he P. O. ed the bear by shooting it with the gun. :)

[Outpost75]

soo a 125.00 gun has now cost 1,700.00 in time and parts and you still ain't shot it?
sounds about right for everything I have too.


THAT makes the .32 acp FAR MORE attractive 8-)