'92 Winchester .25-20

[lapierre1]

What would be a good load for this carbine using Unique along with an 86 grain gas checked boolit. I got this carbine from my dad. It was his father's and I remember that is the powder he used thought I can't remember in what weight. I am trying to work up a load to use the gun in Cowboy Action.

[LVRFAN]

8.5 grains of IMR-4198 has been the most accurate in our 25-20's. About 1350 fps with 86 grain lead bullets.

[LVRFAN]

If you're only wanting to use UNIQUE then 4-5 grains works well.

[35remington]

If there is no "velocity floor" then 3.0 Unique will give 1080 fps with an 85 grain bullet. Just under sonic speed and accurate.

Make sure your powder measure dispenses it properly. Some do not.

More powder probably won't hurt things, but if desiring a lot more speed, like 1600-1700 fps, a slower powder is a better bet.

A long thread on the 25-20 that covers many topics of interest, including bullets and powders, with pictures and history lessons thrown in, as well as current and past factory load performance:

http://www.marlinowners.com/forums/index.php/topic,34881.0.html

[Four Fingers of Death]

I have a 1908 built one with a full length mag tube. I should dust it off for the wife. Not a collector, been rebarrelled by Sprinter Arms in Australia.

The gas checked boolits are verbotten though, which is a crying shame, I have 10,000 or more tucked away!

http://www.sassnet.com/Downloads/2011ROMaterials/SASSHandbook-17-2011.pdf