25/20 mold questions

[cwlongshot]

I have never cast for this caliber/bullet.

For some time I have wanted to, just never see the molds and when I look, Its "off season" so I pass on buying them.

I have been using the Speer 75g FP with much better success than the Hornady 60g. But as par for Speer... They discontinue too many bullets and we the reloaders who build loads are left wanting... (I have pretty much sworn OFF Speer just for this reason.) But this is CAST BULLETS BOARD, so lets talk cast!

Can anyone recommend a mold? I do hunt with my rifles. I have a couple levers and a Savage bolt. I use the bolt most as its scoped and shoots very, very well. Coyotes and small game are the targets. I like the LBT style/profile. The lil 95G LEE bullet for the 380 is a nice profile that I would like to see something similar in the 25.

I have a good friend with many molds and will speak with him too and see what he might already have that I could try. But ultimately, I would like to buy my own for this caliber.

Thanks guys

CW

[Larry Gibson]

My Savage 23 has a slow twist and doesn't stabilize heavier cast well if at all. The best cast (most accurate) is the Lyman 257420. I cast them of COWWs + 2% tin, size .258, GC (Hornady's) lube with 2500+ and load over 10 gr H4227 or 11 gr AA5744. Velocity runs 1850 fps. A lighter load at 1550 fps uses 4.5 gr Unique. I also use a 257283HP (PB'd) cast of 20-1, used as cast, lubed with LLA and loaded over 2.5 gr Bullseye for 1050 fps as a nice 22LR duplication load.

[quack1]

When I got my Savage 23, I figured it would like the Lyman 257420. Turns out, the best group I could get from that bullet was about 3", and I tried a bunch of loads with several powders. The gun does like Lyman 257283, a plain base 86gr bullet. With either 4198 or 4227, it'll keep 5 of them between 1 and 1.5". Like Larry in the above post, I use COWW plus a little tin, air cooled, but use Felix lube. Since 257283 is plain base. I keep the velocities below 1500, still no problem killing ground hogs with a hit in the head, neck or chest.
222791

[ole_270]

NOE makes a copy of the Lyman 257283 in plain base or gas check. The plain base version works great in my 110+ year old Marlin, but it’s been re-lined with a faster than standard twist. The most accurate mold I’ve tried in this rifle is a group buy 80 grain gas checked mold that is very similar to the 80 gr NOE mold. I’ve pretty much settled for lighter loads in the old heirloom, so the gas checked mold doesn’t get used much anymore.

[Dale53]

I used my Marlin lever action (late model) a LOT before I lost the vision in my right eye. I used Lyman’s 257420, cast of linotype, and sized to .258”. I used Hornady crimp on gas checks. My squirrel load was 4.0 grs. Of Unique. This was a SUPERB squirrel load on both Fox squirrels and Gray squirrels as well as the bunnies.

My high speed load in this late issue Marlin was 14.5 grs. Of Reloader 7 (compressed load). This mimiced the old high speed load and chronographed just under 2200 fps. My intermediate load was 11.0 grs.of RL-7.

All three of these loads would shoot a possible on the Fifty Yard smallbore target. The “X” count was not high but it was reliable. The 10 ring was .87” in diameter.

The heavier load is NOT to be used in an older weak action rifle. In my late model Marlin, I loaded five cases with the heavy load twenty times in a row and was still using those cases when I (sniff:groner:)sold the outfit.

FWIW
Dale53

[cwlongshot]

Thanks guys,
I emailed my friend and he thinks he has a mold for me, we just need to find it! :)

My Savage 23 is a favorite for sure. Wish I had bought the first one I saw. I was offered one by a good friend along with a paper bag 1/4 full of cartridges. My eyes where looking at Remingtons and Winchesters... That was thirty five years ago but I remember it like yesterday. About 13 or so years ago, I came across another one and did buy it. Its been drilled for a peep and scope but came with neither. I bought a peep, correct one. The one it was drilled for was not correct peep. :( As the action was "swiss-cheesed" I drilled it again for weaver bases and mounted a Leupold VX II 2x7. I ten refinished the stocks and Its had that scope for over ten years now.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v465/CWLONGSHOT/Temp%20stuff/sporting%20pics/Savage%2023b/734B5A89-3924-4ADB-9F15-C6D04417F2B0-9170-00000D0616828986_zps177ce40c.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v465/CWLONGSHOT/Temp%20stuff/sporting%20pics/Targets%20and%20such/a801c9c9.jpg

CW

[Dale53]

cw;
Now that is an EXCELLENT target! Good shooting!

Dale53

[earlmck]

My old m92 has the typical 14" twist but shoots Lymans .258312 well (casts up 90 grains in my mould). I had it out with a grandson yesterday and we did good damage to tin cans from 25 to 200 yards. 8 grains of Lil' gun pushing it around 1700 fps.

I also use a lot of Arsenal's 70 grain boolit and really like it. It does good work with 7 grains of the Lil' Gun. Maybe not quite as accurate as the 90 grain Lyman but close. I have an older m92 with a m53 barrel that prefers the Arsenal boolit, though it doesn't really shoot either one all that great.

[cwlongshot]

I bought a Mold last week off eBay of all places!!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v465/CWLONGSHOT/1A4A8D6C-3DC4-464E-9995-BE142BA92AD7_zpsipb3zfa4.jpg

Right after I did I saw that NOE was running a sale... GRRR

OOH well, I waited SO LONG to buy this mold I am sure its gonna be everything that I need for this caliber.

Thanks to all for the help and suggestions!

CW

[dale2242]

I just picked up a couple of used SC Lyman molds for my 25-20.
They are 257420 and 257312.
I got both molds and a box of Hornady GCs for $50.
I am waiting for cooler weather to cast with them....dale

[cwlongshot]

NICE PRICE!! GOOD luck with them!

I just cast early AM... we are in out second heat wave of the summer here too.

CW