Itty Bitty 25 cal. boolits

[looseprojectile]

I made an impulse buy Saturday.
Savage Sporter, 25 20. Rifle is in excellent condition, perfect bore.
It was already adorned with aftermarket, old small target scope bases which fit the new one inch 22 rings. Installed an old one and a half to four and a half Weaver scope. All is good, right?
Have you priced 25 20 ammo recently? Over one dollar each.
Don't let the democrats know that ammo can be reloaded.
While doing some research, [ calling some of my cronies], I was able to locate a mold, a Lyman 65 gr. 257420 GC FP.
Now should I try to tumble lube these and use them without a gas check or should I start out with the checks and luber sizer die to avoid frustration?
I have never even seen a 25 cal. gas check although I have sent tens of thousands of .357 boolits downrange with them.
These old pistol type cartriges are now legal to hunt with here in Washington though I think it would be best to put the boolit between the eye and the ear, especially n the case of the 25 20.
Anyone have any experience to relate?

[35remington]

It is a most excellent small game cartridge, darn near unsurpassed in my opinion.

I'd pass on using it for deer if something else were available, though.

The Lyman bullet you mention has fairly small driving bands and I found that the mould fills out better with a little more tin in your wheelweights, or you may use straight linotype as the bullet is light enough that this near precious metal is not wasted.

I'd suggest using it with the gas check. About 5.5-6 grains 2400, 6-8 grains 4227, or a case full of Reloder 7 up to the base of the bullet (seated to crimp groove; this one is around 1900-2000 fps) are all good loads. The 2400 and 4227 loads will get from 1300 to 1600 fps depending upon charge.

You may need to experiment with 3-4 grains charges of W231, Red Dot, Unique, or some similar powder to find your small game load. I find that 1200 fps or so works well if you can find a load that groups. It's quiet and very deadly - very much more so than the long rifle, while ruining no meat. You'll wonder why you didn't have one years ago if you are much of a small game hunter like me. Don't exceed about 1500 fps as meat damage goes up, especially if bone is hit. Wheelweight bullets start expanding upon impact at the higher velocities. Keeping it mild also reduces the noise, important in a small game load.

Try the bullet seated into the rifling with light contact for starters and go from there.

Even though it's a small case, I have found many powders are position sensitive in the .25-20, so you may find the proper use of dacron beneficial, especially with 2400 and 4227. This will also reduce gascutting with plainbase bullets. The fast pistol/shotgun powders, not so much. The Reloder 7 load fills the case so no worries there.

I've pretty much standardized on the RCBS Cowboy 25 FN for small game work at around 1100 fps, and a group buy Lee bullet with gascheck at 1900-2000 for the bigger stuff like called in coyote. The faster load hits around two inches higher than the slower load at fifty yards, but I can hold off to compensate. The rifle is zeroed for the slower load. Also good with the RCBS FN is 5.5 2400 for 1300 fps and 6.0 grains H4227 for about the same speed. Dacron with both. Either one is worth a try with your Savage.

I think so much of this cartridge for small game that I blew 400 dollars on an OTT Contender barrel for it. It's a shooter.

[looseprojectile]

Thanks 35Remington,
Great info, I'm on it.
An order to Bufalo arms is in the works. I get something like two day service from Bufalo arms. :-D

[35remington]

Lee can make you a .259" or .260" sizer die for 25 bucks if you want a cheap and good sizer (nose first) that will seat gaschecks.

Buckshot may be able to make you one, too.

[beemer]

That will probably be the best impulse you have ever had. I have a Savage 23 in 25-20 and it is one of my favorites. Seems everyone that shoots it wants to take it home. Mine wears an old Weaver K4 that has crosshairs that will move out of center when adjusted,you have to shim the mount to get it close and fine tune it with the adjustments. Gas checks are avaliable form Midsouth at least that's where I got mine.

I have an old Lyman 257312 that cast an 87 gr bullet. I shoots well without a GC with lighter loads but heaver loads it is best to use it. RCBS makes an 85 gr plainbase mould but my rifle didn't like it. My shooting buddy has a Win 92 that didn't like the 257312 he had so we swapped moulds, now we're both happy.

I have tried several powders but settled on 6.5 gr. of AA#9,CCI small rifle benchrest primers and the 257312. I polished out my die so it would not size only lube and seat the GC. The bullet is seated to touch the rifling on the front band. My mould pours out at about .259 and doesn't need to be any smaller. The vel is around 1450 fps and will shoot under 2 in. at 100 most of the time. I don't hunt much anymore so this is enough to plink and target shoot.

I have found this caliber to be rather picky about what it likes. I adjust powder charges 2 tenths at a time and try to be as consistant as possible with charges. The cases are very thin so be carefull they crush easily. I annell the cases after several shoots, this seems to extend case life. They can also be hard to find at times so stock up when you can.

beemer

[Leftoverdj]

You found a treasure. The Savage 23 in .25-20 does not come on the market often because most of those who have them have better sense than to let go of them. I had the great good fortune to find one 20 years ago with a perfect bore, a vandalized stock, and an overly generous number of scope mounting holes for peanuts. Haven't seen another I could afford since, and it ain't been for want of looking.

The Lyman 257420 is an excellent bullet and was all I used for the first 15 years or so. I'll echo the others on its perfection as a small game load at 12-1400 fps. It's very decent suburban varminter at about 1900 fps.

[looseprojectile]

I feel a lot like you men do about this rifle. I think that the price was right because the rifle had a small diameter 22 scope on it and most lookers thought it was a 22.

The seller had it priced at $250.00 . I was able to get the seller to throw in two boxes of old ammo, one of which are 60 grain hp Remington, also a box of 50 empties.
In years past I have owned several 92 Winchesters in this cal. that were not what you could call good small game rifles because of the open sights.

I am anticipating many happy days in the woods with this one. It has already become one of my favorites and I haven't even shot it yet.
Thanks to all for the input. This will get me aimed in the right direction.

looseprojectile

[beagle]

You might want to pull the bullets on the old ammo, decap, aneal and then reload. I know that soulds like a lot of hassle but old .25/20 ammo is prone to neck split upon firing and you've lost a case. Won't hurt anything usually but it happens./beagle