25 20

[DDJ]

Well-I hate to admit to defeat but all of you whos said this bullet might not work very well in my rifle is apparently right. I've shot them faster and slower. So I'm going to try something in the 65-70 grain weight but I hate to spend 80 bucks for a mold only to find that this bullet won't work either. The rifle is capable of good accuracy by the way it shoots factory ammo. I'll just have to think about it some more

[Larry Gibson]

I've a Savage 23B with a 20" barrel (original was shortened). I normally use the GC'd 257420 bullet (70 gr +/- depending on alloy) but I also use this Lyman 257283 which casts an 80 gr HP with 20-1 alloy. I load it over 2.5 gr Bullseye for right at 1050 fps. It is "squirrel" accurate to about 75 yards but loses it after that. As to pushing it above 1200 fps even with a harder alloy I was not successful either with the usual suspect powders; 2400, Unique, 4227, 5744, etc. I've been using 4.5 gr Unique for 1550 fps or 11 gr 5744 for 1835 fps with the 257420 GC'd bullet.


Attachment 254013

[DDJ]

I've a Savage 23B with a 20" barrel (original was shortened). I normally use the GC'd 257420 bullet (70 gr +/- depending on alloy) but I also use this Lyman 257283 which casts an 80 gr HP with 20-1 alloy. I load it over 2.5 gr Bullseye for right at 1050 fps. It is "squirrel" accurate to about 75 yards but loses it after that. As to pushing it above 1200 fps even with a harder alloy I was not successful either with the usual suspect powders; 2400, Unique, 4227, 5744, etc. I've been using 4.5 gr Unique for 1550 fps or 11 gr 5744 for 1835 fps with the 257420 GC'd bullet.


Attachment 254013

That's the mould that I'm looking at. It seems to be the only 25 cal mould commercially available suitable for the 25 20. Claims to throw a 65 grn bullet but by the time it's checked and lubed it's up over 70 grns. The one I'm looking at is a 2 cavity mould. Besides I now have 2 almost full boxes -500 each- of a good alloy bullet that should make nice 65 grn boolits. Thanks
Dave

[444ttd]

Dang! Wish I had found that one. I have one I have put together from parts here and there with a ruined .30-30 barrel I plan to have relined to either .25-20 or .32 S&W Long. I really like Savage 219s and I recently bought a book that seems to be the authority on everything about them. The author has a web forum dedicated to them and the 220 shotguns.

sorry for messing up the op's thread.
does the savage 219 have scope mounts? or do you have to d&t it?

[richhodg66]

Some of the 219s came grooved like .22 rimfires, but most are not drilled and tapped. My .22 Hornet came to me already set up for one of the Weaver side mounts as did a .30-30 I have. Someone told me there are Weaver bases designed for it to be mounted on top of the receiver which would be better if you plan to do it.

[444ttd]

thanks!!!

[DDJ]

Well-I haven't given up on these bullets. I'm working with Meister and Missouri 85 grain bullets. They're identical in every way except the Meister bullet is conventionally lubed while the Missouri bullet is Hi-Teck coated. These are all shot in a 109 year old 1892 Winchester with 71 year old eyes. I also shot some factory Remington 86 grain loads and they shot great. My goal was to at least duplicate the factory round grouping at 25 yards. I finally followed 50target's idea and went down to 6.5 grains of IMR4227. This is the only load that the Meister bullet finally made round holes with no signs of key holing but about a 3 inch group. Any thing hotter than that I was lucky to hit my portable little-13"X16"-target stand and all the holes were oblong. The Missouri bullets shot round holes all along and formed groups-no signs of key holing. At 7 grains of 4227 the Missouri bullets finally shot better groups than the factory load did while the Meister bullet was then shooting 6-10 inch groups. I was hoping to develop a load with a little more snoose to it. I took a caliper to these bullets and they're pretty much identical,. I just don't understand how 2 bullets of the same design can shoot so differently. I don't get it.

[Zingger]

I had the same findings when I started with my 25-20 and it drove me crazy. Couldn't get it to group worth a hoot. Ran some 60 grainers I bought at a gunshow through it with IMR4198 and bingo, what a shooter! I also was able to source an old mold for the 25-20, something like a 65 grain or so plain base. It shoots them great. Go lighter bullets or boolits with the 1:14 twist.

[richhodg66]

Well, the Rapine mold I have apparently isn't going to work, just shot a couple of groups with it and every one went through sideways at 50 yards. The bullets weigh 95 grains, but are hardly any longer than the ones I shot that my Dad cast. I need to look around and see if I have that mold.

Now I have a few hundred of these cast up, guess I'll do some plinking with the .250 Savage or .25-06.

[DDJ]

Thanks again for the replies! As per my last post I did get the 85 grain Missouri bullet to shoot nice groups but with a light load. What gets me is 2 identical bullets except the lube/coatings. and the lubed bullet keyholed every load I tried except for the last very light load. The Hi_Tek bullet grouped everything-not necessarily small-and shot 100% better. Now I think the lighter bullets are the was to go at least for my rifle. I'm buying the Lyman 257420 mold which is a GC mold. I might look into Hi-Teking them instead of a gas check. The Meister Bullets will be melted down into these boolits. I have nothing against the Meister bullet. They look like a quality casting but just not compatible with my rifle. Dave

[bigdog454]

Killed lots of chucks in my earlier days with a 23 savage in 25-20 using a 65gr cast out to 125 yards or so. very deadly.
BD

[shdwlkr]

here is an excellent write up on the 25-20 http://www.lasc.us/FryxellCB25-20Win.htm

[DDJ]

here is an excellent write up on the 25-20 http://www.lasc.us/FryxellCB25-20Win.htm

Yup-I have that boolmarked on my computer and refer to it offen