Savage 25-20 Loads

[Good Cheer]

What have you found to work well in the Savage 25-20 bolt action?

[John Boy]

Might want to provide groove diameter. Anyway, there are many 25-20 reloads on the ASSRA forum

[Drm50]

I had a couple Savage BAs in 25/20 and also levers. The Savage Sporter and 23 both liked cast Ideal 85gr HP, sized .259” / 8.0gr H-2400 approx 1550 FPS. Win 53 also liked this load but Marlin 1894 didn’t. This was original rifle from early 1900s. I got one of the new Marlins in 25/20 and it wouldn’t do well with any cast so I sent that little pig to market.

[ATCDoktor]

My Savage Sporter came to me with an ancient Weaver J 2.5X scope attached. I had the barrel threaded 1/2X28” and Thompson Machine modify their Zephy 22 LR suppressor to support its use with 25 caliber Bullets.



It is one of my favorite rifles to shoot and I have lucked into some loads that work quite well in my rifle.

The loads I always fall back on reference my Savage are few cast loads (and on jacketed).

5.5 grains of Accurate Arms #7 and a .258 diameter 90 grain flat point gives superb accuracy at 1450fps in my rifle.

5.5 grains of Alliant 2400 and the same bullet gives a little less velocity (1300 ish fps) and is not quite as accurate but is still a fine load in my gun.

For a fabulous low noise small game load, 2.1 grains of Trailboss and a .258 diameter 55 grain hollow point cuts 1.2” groups at 75 yards and averages 1050 fps through my magneto speed chronograph (with a standard deviation of 7 fps) and it’s whisper quiet through my suppressed rifle and deadly on small game inside 100 yards.

Here’s a half dozen rabbits that fell to the subsonic 55 grain hollow point.



Performance of the HP at 1050 fps is superb and here’s a couple skinned out showing how well they worked:

Entrance wound:


Exit wound

Entrance wound high on shoulder hitting the spine, all that was holding the rabbit together was its skin.


Exit side of the same rabbit:



3.1 grains of Trailboss pushes the 90 grain flat point to 1000 fps with similar accuracy and again is whisper quiet and kills small game quick.

With respect to jacketed bullets, I use the same charge for two different bullet weights, 13 grains of Reloader 7 and either a Remington 85 grain JSP or a Speer 75 grain JSP cuts right at 1” at 100 yards. Velocity runs right at 2000 fps for both bullets and they too are deadly on small game.

Remington 85 grain JSP at 100 yards, two rounds in the shoulder and a quick dope change and was hitting where I wanted.


The 85 grain JSP’s hit hard and expand well in small game as well:

[missionary5155]

We have a Savage Sporter in 32-20 and will write they can be very accurate rifles !
Mike in LLama Land

[Jniedbalski]

Nice rifle

[beemer]

I have a Savage 23, I tried several loads but like the 87 gr Lyman best. Mine never shot well with anything till I sized to .259. That's what the mold pours, doesn't seem to matter if I use a gas check or not. Another thing that really helped was seating the bullet to touch the rifling, that's reaching the point that it doesn't want to feed properly. I just try to find a happy medium.

ATC, nice rifle, mine came with a similar scope but a 6X. I recently put it back on the rifle. Have you ever seen a rifle with a better barrel to receiver attachment ?

Dave

[Larry Gibson]

Plus another here for sizing or using "as cast" bullet at .359. My M23 Sporter has had the barrel shortened to 20" but still makes a very nice rifle. I've shot a lot of ground squirrels over the years with it using 3 different cast bullets; the GC'd 257420, the 257283HP and a bullet similar to 257205 from an old Ideal mould/load tool for the 25-20.

The 257420 loaded over 10 gr h4227 or 11 gr AA5744 runs 1850 fps and is very effective on vermin. Loaded over 4.5 gr Unique is a bit milder but still deadly vermin load at 1550 fps.

The 257283HP I cast of 40-1 or 30-1 alloy and shoot as cast lubing with LLA. I load it over 2.5 gr Bullseye for just 1100 fps [just sub-sonic] for a 22LR duplication load. However, at 80 gr and .258 diameter with the HP it is much deadlier than 22LR, even the high velocity HPs.

I load the 257205s (?) over the same 2.5 gr Bullseye and they also shoot very well.

Attachment 265351

Attachment 265353

Attachment 265354

Attachment 265352

[Three44s]

As a kid interested in guns I was enthralled with flat trajectories. I would drool over factory ammo charts and view the poor old 25-20 with near disdain!

Oh, how foolish that was. Yes, the 25-20 is a near field type of cartridge but tons of fun and capability in any case.

My first exposure hands on was in fact a Savage 23 and I did a bit of loading for a neighbor who owned it. I tried to buy it but the owner was too proud of it, I think he tried to pry 450 off of me and that was circa 2000!

I did not want it that badly!

Along the way I acquired a Contender frame or two and the opportunity came along to buy a 25-20 barrel from Edstc. A custom MGM for 295 and I was on my way.

Back with the Savage Bolt action I was loading IMR 4198 and the Speer 75 gr flat point but today that j word is not available sadly.

Right now my go to is Lil gun and the Hornady 75 gr vmax. It’s a gem and the pointed bullet is no concern with a single shot.

I have some molds and am working on getting at plunking with my own “creations”.

Three44s

[Good Cheer]

Found some in a baggy so prepped twenty year old #257420 castings yesterday evening.
Got another new-to-me mold arriving tomorrow.

Looking forwards to putting the old girl back into action.

[Good Cheer]

Just tried out the #257420's with 3.1 grains of AA#5.
Happy happy joy joy.


Next will be the 80 grain Lee plain bases.

[cwlongshot]

Never thought Id see a 23 threaded and wearing a muffler!!

GOOD SHOW! These are wonderful Rifles!! I prefer my Marlin in 32/20 but the Savage in 25/20. Marvelously accurate!!! For me 1680powder and a 60g Hornady are moa shooters at 1700 ish fos. I also like the 75g Speers at about 1400 with 4198!

I have about 250 of the 56g HP but Have not loaded or shot them as yet.

I have had my 25/20 Savage 23 since about 1992. Bought at an estate sale. Took me over a month to get it!! What a Debacle!!! After I bought it but before I picked it up at dealer. Family member stepped up to contest sale. Luckly the executor had proper probate papers and that ended that.

I kept it as was for a long time. But its tiny sights got difficult to see. I got to asking myself. Who am I saving this for?? The next"guy". FUDGE IT! I decided to enjoy it a d had it tapped for a top mount scope and mounted a Leupold VXII 2x7. I didnt want to cut the stock. (Way short) so I just added a slip on pad they goes on and off when not shot. Works fine. Keeps rifle as stock as I can while enjoying its use.

I need ta try some Of those TB loads! Ill bet that that long bbl is pretty quiet even WO ghat muffler!!

CW