Hello New Member here interested in Swaging .25-20 caliber bullets from 22lr cases

[wachtelhund]

New Member here interested in swaging .25-20 caliber bullets from 22lr cases. Been reading many posts and threads here for a while. I've been reloading for 50 years but swaging is completely new to me. I want to start swaging my own bullets for .25-20 in the 60 to 70 grain range. This is normally a short flat nose bullet and a low pressure cartridge. Can 22lr cases be used to make such bullets? Are .25 cal derimm dies available? What ogive die what be needed for for .25-20 flat nose bullet? I would like dies for a regular reloading press. Any advise on how to get started would be appericated.

[jimrk]

Love my model 92 in 25-20.
I 'think' .257 would be to far to stretch a 22lr case. I would consider 22mag or 17HMR if going to try this. Any option would need to be trimmed a fair amount to reproduce factory type bullets. Without checking I'm thinking about a 4 ogive.

[wachtelhund]

I made a crude derim die and core seating die, and expanded a .22lr case to .253 diameter, closest drill bit I had to .257. Making a jacket about the same lenght as a factory .25-20 bullet. For the derim I just drilled a 7/32 hole into a piece of 1/4" steel and used a .198" punch; just enough to remove thr rim. For the core seating die, I drilled a .253 hole into a 3/4" bolt about an inch deep and an 1/8" hole all the way through. After derimming, I expanded the case mouth and put the case into the 3/4" bolt. Then I hammered in three #4 buck pellets, seating them with the punch and hammer. It was a little difficult with the hardened #4 buck pellets, but it expanded the case perfectly. Soft lead would have been a lot easier. Of course I had on point form die. Just wanted to see if a 22 lr case could be used. It looked useable to me.

[w5pv]

Welcome to the forum

[jimrk]

See what happens when you type before checking/thinking. :grin: The length of the 22LR does look about right.
left to right.. 86gn 25-20, 22LR, derimmed 22LR (for 224), J4, 22 Mag, derimmed 22Mag 92936

You might be onto something here!
(and yep, Welcome)

[wachtelhund]

w5pv & jimrk, Thanks for the welcomes:) jimrk still think the 25-20 bullet looks like a 4 ogive?

On a side note, I just bought my 25-20 in November, a Marlin 27-S pump. It was a hunk of pitted steel and rust that would not cycle or function. Restored it, replaced and made internal parts, repaired and refinished stocks and rust blued it. It now cycle smooth as butter and shoots. Waiting on a barrel liner, barrel drill and chamber reamer to re-line the barrel. http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=537486

[jimrk]

I'm not sure.. Both Corbins sites have good info. This link is to Richards info.
http://rceco.com/img/RSBook12.pdf there is a chart of ogives but with the flat tip it's hard to tell but maybe more in the 6 range?
and a link to Dave's info http://www.corbins.com/design.htm

You might give a Dave call and see if he would know. My bet is Richard would know but he has been too busy to answer his phone. He does answer emails pretty well so you might ask him that way.

[jimrk]

BTW, VERY nice work on the Marlin.