25/25 Stevens

[exblaster]

Would any one have loads for a 25/25 Stevens using modern smokeless powders and a 90 gr. Boolit? I am casting from an old Winchester mold and the alloy is 20 to 1.
I have Phil Sharps book but the powders are mostly not available . Thanks in advance for any and all help.

Exblaster

[Bent Ramrod]

Exblaster,

I've used up to 12 gr of XMP-5744 behind a 90-grain plain base (a copy of Ideal's 25720). Also up to 16 gr of IMR-4198 behind the same boolit. I've used the Ideal 257464 89-gr GC boolit ahead of 17 gr VihtaVouri N-133. Of late, I've been sullying the barrel with the Remington 87-gr JFP with up to 18 gr of VV N-133 or the same weight of Reloder 7. These are pretty much max loads, reaching 2200 to 2500 ft/sec. However, extraction in my rifle is easy and the primers aren't flattened. I back off some from these maximum loadings for an "accuracy" load. The jacketed bullets do under 2" at 100 yards, cast about 1-1/4" at 50, so far, with Lyman tang sight. I need to attach a scope and do some more cast boolit work with this rifle. Too many projects.

My .25-25 is a Low Wall with a bushed firing pin and a relined barrel. These loads are not recommended for any weak actions like a Stevens 44 or a Ballard, or anything with an oversized firing pin. I use Bertram Brass and after the inevitable heavy casualties at the beginning, the rest of them seem to be holding up to the pressures OK. It seems like, with the jacketed bullet at least, that here is one place where maybe the Magnum Small Rifle Primer actually does some good. My starting loads for these powders was 8 gr for the 5744 and 10 or 12 gr for the rest. I strongly recommend you start low in the same way, no matter what the strength of your action is. Hope this helps.

[John Boy]

Blaster , per Cartridges of the World for the 25-25:
86gr Lead - 5.5gr Unique - 1525 fps - 448 energy
86gr Lead - 10.2gr IMR 4198 - 1520fps - 446 energy
For smokeless powder, a GC version bullet is recommended

[exblaster]

Thank you all for the help. I am shooting a 44 1/2 Stevens so it is not a week action but I do not want to load hot for it as I do not think the barrel is nickel steel. Will post some results soon.

Exblaster

[Bent Ramrod]

Exblaster,

Yours is a prudent choice, I think. The size and angle of the 44-1/2 firing pin and the resultant oval firing pin hole, especially after some wear, will limit the pressures you can operate at before the primer starts to extrude into the firing pin hole, making the action hard to open. My own 44-1/2, with three barrels in both .25-20 variants and .25-21, is limited to moderate loads for this reason.

I was tempted by all that extra capacity in the .25-25, and had to find out what it would do.

[mazo kid]

I haven't shot my 25-25 Rem Hepburn very much, but the guy I bought it from (an experienced Schuetzen shooter) said that I should use ~9 gr. Unique for a good target load.