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Thread: Marlin 25m to centerfire???

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy
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    Marlin 25m to centerfire???

    Has anyone ever converted a Marlin 22 magnum to a small centerfire pistol round? 25 auto or 32 s&w. I simply refuse to pay what they want for 22mag. ammo.

  2. #2
    Boolit Master



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    Have you priced recently? All 22 has nearly returned to pre panic prices.
    "Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same......." - Ronald Reagan

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  3. #3
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    at $10.87 a box at Wally-World I believe I'd stick with the .22mag ammo. but, if you decide to try makin' it a center-fire I'd like to volunteer to be yer beneficiary on yer life-insurance policy.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by bubba.50 View Post
    but, if you decide to try makin' it a center-fire I'd like to volunteer to be yer beneficiary on yer life-insurance policy.
    Can you ad me along with bubba? LOL

  5. #5
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    If it will handle .22 mag pressure it will snooze thru .25 acp or .32 S&W.

    Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I547 using Tapatalk

  6. #6
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    I'd look into a rechamber to 5.7 FN. It's ballistics are similar to .22 mag and the only guns chambered for it are delayed blowback. JMO.

    Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I547 using Tapatalk

  7. #7
    Boolit Master
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    I always figured that the .22 Magnum rimfire was a more serious cartridge than the .22 LR and shorts, not intended for plinking or target shooting only for killing small and light medium game. In that role with ammunition expenditure being minimal the cost per round is not onerous.
    If you have a great many pests to dispose of it might get expensive.

    Many years ago a .25 auto magnum cartridge was developed, but IIRC only one brand of pistol ever used it and they didn't sell well enough to warrant continued production. That would have made the perfect cartridge for your purposes.

    When the .22 Magnum first came out Winchester sold empty primed cases for those shooters who wanted to experiment and fine tune a load for their rifles. The same cases could be trimmed down for making the obsolete .22 rimfires that had similar case diameters. I doubt they still sell those.

    My Single Six has a very light hammer strike and flattened firing pin tip that barely dents the rims. I've considered getting a rimfire repriming outfit and giving it a try.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Texas by God View Post
    If it will handle .22 mag pressure it will snooze thru .25 acp or .32 S&W.

    Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I547 using Tapatalk

    I know these are fairly anemic cartridges but, concernin' the .25acp-why? and concernin' the .32 S&W, a Marlin 25 barrel & action ain't that beefy to start with, there ain't much metal in the bolt to start with & convertin' the firin' pin to centerfire would likely further make that a weak point, and even though a mild cartridge I'd want more than the root of the bolt handle holdin' things together.

    my opinion & yer welcome to it.

  9. #9
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    Projects don't have to make sense. I personally would go the 5.7 route just for fun. I'm thinking about rebarreling my Rem 581 .22 to .17 Hmr and converting to single shot.Why? Because I'm sick of the plastic carpy mags. And I want a 200 yd truck gun for crows. Silly? Sure. It'd be different if I cared.
    Best, Thomas.

  10. #10
    Boolit Buddy Ozark Howler's Avatar
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    I believe that 25 auto and probably 32's are more expensive that 22 Mags..where's the savings?, plus the cost of re-barreling and converting a rimfire to centerfire sure ain't going to be cheap.

  11. #11
    Boolit Buddy
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    I had several chances years ago to squirrel and rabbit hunt with a 25 rimfire converted to 25ACP and it was impressive. I have been waiting my entire adult life for someone to sell one but not. Im in the process of converting a rossi 410/22 to 25ACP. Casting my own lead will be way cheaper and more fun than a 22 mag.

  12. #12
    Boolit Bub
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    Quote Originally Posted by Texas by God View Post
    Projects don't have to make sense. I personally would go the 5.7 route just for fun. I'm thinking about rebarreling my Rem 581 .22 to .17 Hmr and converting to single shot.Why? Because I'm sick of the plastic carpy mags. And I want a 200 yd truck gun for crows. Silly? Sure. It'd be different if I cared.
    Best, Thomas.
    just had a 580 converted to 17 wsm. to go with my h&r 17 wsm. next is a 580 in 22 spitfire. everything gathered just waiting on smithy time.

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ozark Howler View Post
    I believe that 25 auto and probably 32's are more expensive that 22 Mags..where's the savings?, plus the cost of re-barreling and converting a rimfire to centerfire sure ain't going to be cheap.
    The savings& fun come from reloading!

  14. #14
    Boolit Bub castaroo's Avatar
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    i want to rebarrell my rem 592 as 5mm mag ammo is impossible to get down ,I always wanted a smaller 25 case ,time to talk to my gunsmith ,Roo

  15. #15
    Boolit Buddy M.A.D's Avatar
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    A Aussie gunsmith back in the late 80's did a 25acp necked to .224 and ran that in a converted 22 rimefire....

  16. #16
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Texas by God View Post
    The savings& fun come from reloading!
    Uh yep! How much have we saved by reloading? Someone please tell me... As long as you want it, sounds like a plan. I always wished the .25acp had a .257 diameter. Hopefully you"ll have a range report with pics soon. I have 3 Lil Badgers, and thought 32SW&L would be the perfect cartridge for it. Todd/3leg

  17. #17
    Boolit Master
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    When I was a youngster I wanted to convert my reminton 514 to .32 S&W or ACP. The action was just the right size, but the bolt might not have been strong enough, though I'm guessing it would have been.
    This bolt already had a spring loaded ejector that ran through a central hole in the bolt face. Conversion would have been fairly simple other than figuring out where to put a new ejector. I suppose an over long firing pin could do double duty as an ejector.

  18. #18
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    Green Mountain has .17 cal blanks very reasonably priced. Wheels are turning!
    I've seen a forum where Rem 580s and other strong imfire actions have been converted to cartridges up to 9 MM Luger sucessfully. Personally I think a .32 ACP bolt action single shot would be almost too much fun. Almost.
    In the 70's a friend had his 510 Rem d&t'd and rechambered to .22 Mag. Those .224" bullets have been scooting thru that .221" bore since then accurately and problem free.

    Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I547 using Tapatalk

  19. #19
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    I would definitely consider Converting your rifle to .25ACP Cartridge!
    I have a Stevens "Favorite" 1894 Model Converted To CF and Firing The .25ACP through the ORIGINAL (Rough Bore) Stevens ".25 Stevens" Barrel.
    At about 21 Inch Barrel length the .25ACP exits at about 1050-1100fps and does a Credible Job at ranges up to 100 Yards. Factory Loaded .25ACP is About 17,400Psi MAP
    UPDATE 20181221: SAAMI has updated the .25ACP MAP Pmax to 25,000psi piezio so the.22WMR and .25ACP are at comparable pressure levels.
    while .25 Stevens Was loaded to about 23,000-24,000 psi MAP so pressures on The old gun are LOWER with the .25ACP.

    I also have a Project in work to convert a Winchester 1890 Pump .22WRF to .25ACP with a Lined Barrel in .25ACP (1:14" twist Rate). the barrel length on the Winchester will be 20" as I found a "Donor Barrel CHEAP that had been cut down to that length.

    I think, with its 10 to 12 round Tublar Magazine, it will make a Nice Accurate Repeater.

    Best Regards,
    Chev. William
    Last edited by Chev. William; 12-21-2018 at 11:28 PM.

  20. #20
    Boolit Master
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    Even a Blowback pistol is convertible.
    I now have a Ruger Standard Auto MKII Pistol in .25ACP with a 8-1/8" long tapered Barrel.
    See my thread on this forum about the project.
    Chev. William

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check