25/20 contender

[tejano]

I finally got a 25-20 contender barrel. A fellow on another forum offered for sale what he described as a like new 22" Bullberry barrel. His offer also included Lyman dies, 80 pieces of mostly never fired brass and a Pachmayr forend. The package arrived today. Aside from the fact that my TC forends won't work on this barrel, I am very pleased. The barrel indeed looks new and the Pachmayr forend appears to work. I plan to reload for it this weekend and hopefully shoot it next week. I only have Speer 87 gr. jacketed bullets on hand at the moment. Going to try either IMR 4198 or Lil'Gun. Anyone have a pet load suggestion for 87 gr. jacketed bullets?

[Mk42gunner]

I never shot any jacketed through my single shot Husqvarna, only Lyman 258420.

Robert

[tejano]

I am not a caster. I placed an order with GT Bullets, but is going to be awhile before I get them.

[mattw]

OMG, you are a lucky human! I have wanted my own 25/20, about a year ago I sold off my brass because I could not find an old Winchester. I would have beat you to that one if I could have found it first! I think 4198 might be a good option or maybe (check books), maybe 4227.

[Texas by God]

Not a great pic but maybe this will helphttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201003/4d2b5a9d8d8a515c936148f64d25c01b.jpg

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[tejano]

Thanks.

[panhed65]

I have 2, a marlin cl and a mgm contender barrel. I have had my best luck with 1680, which is very close to 4198. tried lilgun and 2400. am using the Remington bullet, and also a 75 vmax hor. and of course the 257-420 cast. all have worked good with this powder. the vmax shoots best of all.
Barry

[tejano]

Panhed65, I have had no luck at the moment finding the 75 gr. vmax in stock locally or on line. How long an OAL are you using when you use that bullet in your MGM barrel?

[rockrat]

Midsouth shows the 75 vmax in stock

[tejano]

Thank you!

[uscra112]

The .25-20 is one of my all time favorite cartridges. I tend toward cast bullets and AA#9 nowadays, but there was a time when a lot of woodchucks succumbed to an 85 grain jacketed over 11.5 grains of 4227. Lil'Gun is almost the same speed, so I'd say start with 9.5 grains and work up. 2400 and #9 are IMHO best for cast bullets.

I eventually quit using the .25-20 because back then there weren't any thin-skinned bullets available, and those that I could get tended to ricochet off hard ground. Knowing that there's now a V-Max bullet available I'd reconsider.

[panhed65]

Panhed65, I have had no luck at the moment finding the 75 gr. vmax in stock locally or on line. How long an OAL are you using when you use that bullet in your MGM barrel?
right now I am at 1.85, have not tried changing oal much yet as this shoots well enough for what I am shooting with it. my barrel was throated for the 257-420. just got 2 more boxes of the vmax from cabelas of all places, but have seen them at other places. my one local shop also has some, old stock from a while ago, may go back and get some more from him.
Barry

[35remington]

Lil’Gun, IMR 4198 or 1680 are all fine.

In my OTT barreled 25-20 Contender the 75 V Max shoots better than any other bullet averaging between 0.20 to 0.35 inch at fifty yards. As in bugholes. 2100 fps or a bit higher, which is in excess of the SAAMI spec but below the 40,000 allowed the 218 Bee does best, keeping in mind my barrel is 1-10 twist.

Come over to the Marlinowners forum reloading section. We have a sticky on the caliber that will bury you in information.

[35remington]

Using the jacketed bullet data posted from the Lyman 45th I got notably higher velocities than they did in my 22 inch barrel.

[tejano]

Thanks. I placed an order for 75 gr. V-max bullets with Midsouth this morning. 35remington, what OAL are you using with the V-max?

[Three44s]

MGM barrel from Edstc carbine barrel on a Contender here.

Mine also likes the V-Max 75 gr and Lil ‘Gun. I do not have the OAL dimension at hand but I typically seat 15-20 thou off the lands with smaller bullets.

Three44s

[35isit]

Tejano, I sent you a PM with some load data. As far as I know it is unpublished. It's for VV N340 powder.

[tejano]

Thank you.

[BobT]

I have a .25-20 Contender Carbine barrel hanging in my safe, I bought it a few years back and have shot exactly 100 rounds of factory Remington ammo in it. I may have to put it back in service now that I have managed to find a few more primers.

[tejano]

Loaded 30 rounds today using the 75 gr. Vmax with Lil’Gun and VV N340 on the recommendation of fellow members. Hoping for good shooting later this week.

[Nueces]

Some info on Bullberry barrels in general: I just ordered a pair of 10" contender barrels from Bullberry, in 25-20 and 218 Bee. In phone conversation with them, I was advised to use only new brass in loading for a Bullberry barrel. Cases fired in lever actions, for example, were likely to be too large at the base for the sizer to return to a good fit in the tight Bullberry chambers. It'll be some time before I see these barrels.

[35isit]

Loaded 30 rounds today using the 75 gr. Vmax with Lil’Gun and VV N540 on the recommendation of fellow members. Hoping for good shooting later this week.

I gave you a load with N340 NOT N540! Please be certain of your loads before shooting! I responded to your PM. If someone else gave you a load for N540 then all is good. But if not please be careful! I checked my original PM and made sure I didn't make a typo.

[tejano]

Thank you 35isit, I corrected my post. And, as you noted, you most definitely gave me the correct powder reference. I have both powders on hand and the error was entirely my own! I did not post the specifics of the load here or on any other forum.

[35isit]

Thank you 35isit, I corrected my post. And, as you noted, you most definitely gave me the correct powder reference. I have both powders on hand and the error was entirely my own! I did not post the specifics of the load here or on any other forum.

Just being careful.

[uscra112]

If he used 540 he's going to get nothing but squibs. N540 is about like 3031, way too slow for the .25-20.

OTOH N340 is really too fast - you might as well be loading Bullseye.

VV N110 is probably the right powder in the VV lineup for the .25-20

[tejano]

N340 worked well for me.

[uscra112]

I'm forgetting that we're talking about short barrels here. :oops: