mgm barrel

[panhed65]

kind of messed up times, but today got some good news for a change, my mgm 25-20 barrel will be done soon. will have something interesting to do for a change when it gets here.
Barry

[725]

They do make some great barrels.

[GARD72977]

25-20 would be a great cartridge to work with. Will you be shooting cast? Keep us posted. What about some details BBl length, twist etc.

[Ajohns]

Marlin Owners forum has more info on this than anyone. And the reamer info (throat area) to use for MGM barrels and cast.

[panhed65]

asked them to set it up for cast, sent a dummy (not democrat) round with the 257420 that I use in the marlin. I buy the bullets, but am considering starting to cast @71 yrs old. I do cast for the flintlocks. anyhow am looking forward to this, my other contender barrels shoot very well, if I mentioned some of the groups the 223 21" barrel shoots, I would be called a liar.
Barry

[Three44s]

I recently fired up my MGM 21” in .25-20 Win again in an Easy Open Contender.

No cast yet, just j-words. With a 75 gr V-Max it is running .840-.860” for 3 shots at 100 yds, OAL = 1.990”, touches at 2.004”. I have a straight six power vintage Weaver on it with straight fine cross hairs right now.

So far I have used CCI 500’s lighting up Lil’ Gun powder. Next I am going to try some rifle primers, I have some put together with some Alcan small rifle because at P+ loading it is beating up the standard small pistol CCIs

I have been eyeing my four different molds next I have in quarter bore and a couple have HP pins, one real pointy boolit and a flat nose thrown for laughs and giggles.

Grey diggers and coyotes look out!

Three44s

[Chris S]

I have an MGM barrel in 25-20 for my Contender. It shoots little tiny clovers at 50 yards all afternoon. I use the 257420 gas checked with AA1680. I went with a 15.875" barrel. Kinda wish I had gotten it made a lot longer now as I really like the Contender as a carbine.

Chris

[panhed65]

I am hoping my mgm 25-20 barrel gets here soon, they told me about 10 days ago it was in production. be nice to have something new to play with.
Barry

[wcp4570]

You are going to like you 25-20 barrel. I have a carbine length 25-20 and 30-30, both are TC barrels. I only have a small amount of 25-20 brass and I guess the manufactures only run that caliber every now and then. I wish StarLine would start making 25-20 brass.

[panhed65]

got notice the new barrel is supposed to arrive Friday, hope so. will probably shoot up some of the 257420 loads from the Marlin first, then work on seating depth and such other fine tuning. have 50 rnds of good Remington brass all prepped and ready to go. so much nicer to work with than the crappy Winchester brass I bought.
Barry

[Chris S]

Easy to make 25-20 from 32-20, which Starline does make. Just run it into your seater die first (without the stem) then into your sizer die. Use a good sizing lube sparingly. I suggest Imperial or a home brew that utilizes lanolin.

Chris

[Three44s]

I took my .25-20 Win Contender Carbine (MGM barrel) to the field this AM.

65 to 80 yds., two shots fired, two California Ground squirrels down! 75 gr. Hdy V Max and Lil’gun powder, Alcan small rifle primer. It’s a hummer!

I got .25-20 bug now!

Three44s

[Chris S]

I hope to use one of my 25-20's to hunt with some day. I think woods hunting small game would be perfect with the cartridge. Gotta get out of this desert first...

Chris

[Three44s]

As a kid I remember pouring over the ballistic charts from the ammo makers and always scoffing at the idea of a .25-20 Win but as one seasons as a hunter you realize what a gap there is between standard rimfire and the hot centerfires. I have a lot of fondness about the .22 Magnum rimfire and it certainly turns heads but the .25-20 Win is a real jump from the 22 Mag but it is not really louder by a great degree. I have not fired them side by side to compare that.

My main prey is the coyote and if it comes together, cougar. Within it’s range a .25-20 Win looks real good against a coyote, no guarantees on those big cats however!

Three44s

[Drm50]

I always have had 25/20 & 32/20 rifles. I shot them a good bit but nothing like the 8 yrs of Obama. We shot them in place of 22s. My family has always used the small centerfires instead of 22mg. They were cheaper for us to shoot. 25/20 has more whack on game than 22mg. With solid cast doesn’t do anymore meat damage than a 22.

[panhed65]

found out today mgm had to refinish my barrel for a blemish, anyhow at least I know it did not get lost somewhere. soon I hope.
Barry

[35isit]

I have a 15 inch MGM barrel. It shoots really well with 75 grain jwords. I use the Steve Ware load of VV N340. As far as I know it is unpublished and will not post here. If you pm me I will share it with you.

[Chris S]

Copy that Three44s, if I'm gonna shoot at something like a big kitty, I want to know it's going down with the first shot. I'd think a 25-20 or even 32-20 would take a a couple well placed rounds to bring such a critter down, and said critter might have something to say about it in the interim.

I'm thinkin' 35 Rem, 45-70, 30-06....and even then, I'd be drillin' holes in my slugs.

Chris

[tejano]

For those of you who already have a 25-20 MGM, would you pick a different barrel length if you got a do-over? I have been thinking about ordering a 24” or 26” barrel. Thoughts?

[Three44s]

tejano,

My barrel is a 21” and I bought it from EdsTc. It is a MGM that he buys and resells and in a rifle barrel 21” was what he carries. For me I like the portability of a 21” tube as opposed to a longer one. As far as velocity, I do not think I will get a big boost with this cartridge by having a longer barrel and Ed’s price of $295 clinched the deal.

Three44s

[Chris S]

I would trade my 15.875" barrel in right now for a carbine length barrel.
Chris

[tejano]

tejano,

My barrel is a 21” and I bought it from EdsTc. It is a MGM that he buys and resells and in a rifle barrel 21” was what he carries. For me I like the portability of a 21” tube as opposed to a longer one. As far as velocity, I do not think I will get a big boost with this cartridge by having a longer barrel and Ed’s price of $295 clinched the deal.

Three44s

I contacted Ed today about a 21” barrel, but he said he didn’t have one at the moment. Perhaps you got the last one. :) My thinking for a longer barrel was reduced report, but I am undecided.

[Three44s]

Having a reduced report is a factor for sure. Does Ed have any other 25 cal barrels in stock and would you consider another chambering?

Actually I have had my barrel about 3 or 4 years ..... lol!

Three44s

[Three44s]

I would trade my 15.875" barrel in right now for a carbine length barrel.
Chris

It would cost a few bucks but you can have a flash hider or some other extension added so long as it is permanently mounted to add length. I have thought about that with some of my 14” barrels.

Another upshot is that your muzzle crown is protected.

The Contenders are short enough that they do not ride against a truck seat very well with the muzzle up. With the muzzle down, you will likely damage your crown but an extension protects it.

On the ranch I could carry a round in the chamber more safely, hammer block safety on and muzzle down.

Three44s

[Three44s]

Copy that Three44s, if I'm gonna shoot at something like a big kitty, I want to know it's going down with the first shot. I'd think a 25-20 or even 32-20 would take a a couple well placed rounds to bring such a critter down, and said critter might have something to say about it in the interim.

I'm thinkin' 35 Rem, 45-70, 30-06....and even then, I'd be drillin' holes in my slugs.

Chris

Yes just general jump and shoot or call one in, I would not count on a .25-20 to decisively anchor a big cat. A cat treed would change things somewhat. A lot of houndsmen use .22 Mag in a revolver but they want the cat to pucker up in the tree and fall out dead. Others want to blow the bejesus out of it and have it die mid-air. There are all kinds I guess.

One thing about it if that cougar hits the ground alive and full of fight, there will be ———— to pay if there are any hounds within reach of that cat!

Three44s

[panhed65]

For those of you who already have a 25-20 MGM, would you pick a different barrel length if you got a do-over? I have been thinking about ordering a 24” or 26” barrel. Thoughts?
since it is so short already, I ordered my 25-20 @23". my 223 is 21 and pretty handy, but I don't see a lot of difference in only 2 inches. will know if the new one ever arrives.
Barry

[ASSASSIN]

I put a permanent barrel extension on ALL of my Super 14" Contender barrels, to make them LEGAL for use as rifle barrels! Balance is perfect, accuracy is better, the muzzle is protected, and the weight is adds to the muzzle is absolutely unnoticeable!


https://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z132/HonkerHunter_photos/7mmTCU/009.jpg

[tejano]

Assassin, that is cool looking.

[ASSASSIN]

Assassin, that is cool looking.

Thank you!

That one is 7mm TCU. I also have the same in 30-30, 222 Remington, 22 K-Hornet, 7X30 Waters, 25-20, 32-20, 218 Bee, 22 long rifle and 22 magnum, plus a half dozen other odd ball cartridges, and what WAS Super 14" barrels, are all now 16 1/2" in length with the same identical looking barrel extension.

I have cerakoted a couple of barrels/extensions and they look great!

[Chris S]

Very nice Assassin, can you regale us with a bit more info on that mod.? Like who does it, his lead time and how much he charges? I'm very interested in this.

Thanks much
Chris

Panhead65: I think you made the right choice, my Savage' both have 24" barrels and they shoot lights out with 25-20 and 32-20.

[panhed65]

my mgm 25-20 arrived yesterday, it is very nicely done. went to put it on the action, removing the factory 223 barrel. not having very good luck with this, the forend screws don't match my factory barrel carbine forend. the rear screw fits, front is too far to the rear to work. have to find out what is up with this.
Barry

[ASSASSIN]

Lead time is less than a week and costs average around $150 return shipped. Doing 2 barrels at a time drops the price to $125 each, and 3 barrels drops the price to $100 each.

Barrel extensions are made from air craft grade aluminum.

Barrels are threaded between centers, and as such, the muzzle is also recut with an 11 degree target crown.

1" of the barrel is threaded, and the overall barrel length is 16 1/2".

The barrel extension is just under 1" on diameter with a straight hole bored through the center of the extension at .620 so there is never any chance of a bullet strike, while still leaving more than ample wall thickness for safety measures.

Barrel extensions work very well with both cast and jacketed bullets.

[Tatume]

Good Morning, What makes the extension permanent? Thanks, Tom

[ASSASSIN]

Good Morning Tom,

Red Loc-tite is not permanent! Apply heat, the Loc-tite breaks down, then you can unscrew the extension from the barrel, and when set up as a "rifle", it then becomes ILLEGAL, and falls under the same classification as an overly shortened sawed off shotgun barrel, which is highly ILLEGAL!

Regardless of how the barrel extension is installed, it is in full compliance with NFA / BATFE rules and regulations, because the installation is PERMANENT!

[wcp4570]

tejano
My brother buys and sells Contender barrels on GunBroker. We just got back from Memphis today to pick up some barrels and he has a new in the box 21" 25-20 barrel that will be put on GunBroker in the near future. If you are serious about wanting a 25-20 barrel, here is a link to one of his barrels on GunBroker and his phone number in down in the Item Description area. https://www.gunbroker.com/item/864798307

wcp

[Three44s]

I may have this wrong but I am under the perception that a barrel extension to be legal needs to be cross pinned and the pin locked in by welding the ends of the pin shut?

There may well be other legal ways of accomplishing it but that is my understanding.

The extension sleeve is supposed to be cross drilled (at least minimally) so as to preclude it being perceived as a forerunner to a suppressor?

Three44s

[tejano]

tejano
My brother buys and sells Contender barrels on GunBroker. We just got back from Memphis today to pick up some barrels and he has a new in the box 21" 25-20 barrel that will be put on GunBroker in the near future. If you are serious about wanting a 25-20 barrel, here is a link to one of his barrels on GunBroker and his phone number in down in the Item Description area. https://www.gunbroker.com/item/864798307

wcp

Thanks!

[Redleg11b]

I've dealt with Rob before...good guy.