25-20 SS bullets [Archive]

Warwick

11-01-2015, 03:22 PM

I have a Stevens Model 44 25-20 SS rifle the action of which has been reworked to the tolerances needed for complete safety. Its bore has been relined. The barrel is 24 inches and the twist is 15". Will a 105 gr. .848" tapered breech seat bullet work? I have an opportunity to purchase a used Hoch mold, but I think it's too much bullet for a 15" twist bore.
Agree or not?
If so, any suggestions for a more appropriate bullet? Lyman offers a 25 cal, 2-cavity mold for 65 gr. flat nose bullets. What's the heaviest bullet this rifle will accurately push and any recommendations for molds?
Thank you very much.

labradigger1

11-01-2015, 03:32 PM

I can't help you with 105 grn info but the 25-25 ss was designed by Francis rabeth to use a 65 grn boolit. I use 86 grain boolits as that's all I have in the 3 molds I own.
Most people use 86 grainers with the ss. These are very accurate calibers with 3f or 4227.
The 44 action isn't known as a strong one so work loads up carefully. Most ss loads like things on the hotter side and above 1400 fps. My own rrb no. 2 likes 7.9 grains of 4227 under an 85 grain fp boolit. 8 grains and above show signs of pressure n mine. Ch4d has the dies.

John Boy

11-01-2015, 03:41 PM

Warwick ... your best detail answer to your question is on the ASSRA forum where many members have and shoot the 25-20SS
http://www.assra.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl

Bent Ramrod

11-01-2015, 10:29 PM

You'd need a 10 inch twist for a 100 grain boolit. A 14 or 15 inch twist is about at its limit for an 85 to 90 gr boolit. The .25-20 SS was designed to use a 77 grain boolit, but the ammunition companies, for some reason, loaded the 87 gr instead.

MT Chambers

11-01-2015, 10:35 PM

I believe that you will have to use bullets of 80 grains or less with that 15" twist, my 1-12" shoots 105 grain Hoch bullets very well, breach seated of course.

Warwick

11-02-2015, 12:24 PM

Thank you very much everyone. My nose is to the ground for a mold now, probably NOE or Lyman.
Cheers,
Warwick

LongRangeAir

11-03-2015, 02:06 PM

I am shooting NOE 80 gr Ranch Dog bullet, (Flat Point) with very good accuracy. I also have the Lyman. As I cast at 20-1, the Lyman comes in at 74 grains, and the NOE at 84 grains. I also have HP versions of the molds, by Eric at HP Mold service), and they come in at 70 and 80 grains.

I have the NOE in 4 and 5 cavity. "They Rain bullets!":bigsmyl2:

These are shot in a 1-14 twist TJ liner barrel. and 1/2" to 1" at 100 is typical! The Lyman is also known for stellar accuracy

KnifeMaker