colt 25-20 revolver

[smkummer]

Anyone here remember an article on this gun that was to be a factory prototype? The article may have been from 20 or so years ago. thanks

[beagle]

Don't remember the article but there have been some prototype and custom SAs made in .25-20 over the years.

From what I understand, they suffer from setback tieing up the cylinder as we have encountered with the .22 Jet.

But, if someone made a working specimen, I'd like to try one for a while. Sounds interesting./beagle

[9.3X62AL]

I recall seeing a pic of a post-war S&W K-frame put up in 25-20 WCF........but that is about as much as I remember. My thoughts are that a 25 Hornet--the 22 H with body straightened out some, or the 270 REN--might make a decent small game and varmint revolver. Before planning THAT little project, let's see if the 327 Federal makes it out of the incubator and gets ambulatory.

[Glen]

Al, I did a .25 Hornet on a Ruger OM Blackhawk. I bet you would really liike it! it's a great little varmint cartrige. Go for it! For details, see:

http://www.lasc.us/Fryxell25Hornet.htm

PS -- Hamilton Bowen has made several .25-20 revolvers, as well as a really cute little revolver, based on the Ruger Bearcat, for a shortened .25 Hornet that he calls the .25 Flea...

[Bret4207]

Used to be a lot of conversions done to Colts and Smiths to 22 and 25 cal's based on Hornet and Bee brass. I don't recall hearing of a factory issued gun, could be a worker made it up?

[9.3X62AL]

That DOES sound like one fine rat strafer, Glen!

Your comments about marginal hits on ground squirrels are well-taken. The past spring and prior year at the small fallowed cherry farm I lived on was a real education on ground squirrels and their elimination--or rather, the impossibility of same. There's a moral in the success story of vermin species like ground squirrels and coyotes in California, but I'm not sure what it is.

Back on track here.......ground squirrels do NOT go gently into that good good night. They require good hits to anchor decisively if a small or less powerful arm is employed. I did fairly well with an RWS 25 caliber air rifle IF head or center-mass hits were made. DRT, to about 35 yards. Love those Beeman Crow Magnums. Past 35 yards, a 22 LR was minimum--and good hits as above were needed. I don't get upset at marginal hits and run-offs like I would with a game critter, but it still isn't what I'm out there to do.

In short, there is definitely a place for calibers like the 218 Bee, 22 Hornet, and 25-20 WCF (or derivatives of same) in the scheme of varmint hunting, as fine as the 22-250 might be for long-range reach. The smaller calibers are a LOT cheaper to run, they make a lot less noise, and within reasonable range they whack rats like nobody's business--from a rifle or a handgun.

[Glen]

Your commentary on mild-mannered varmint rounds took me back about 10-12 years Al --

...suddenly it was mid-July and I was up in the Blue Mountains of SE Washington. I had made a long stalk on this one very noisy ground squirrel and had gotten up to about 30-35 yards from his mound when I got an angle that would give me a clear shot. I was armed with a custom 6" K-32 built by my good friend Dave Ewer, and it was loaded with wadcutters at about 900 fps. I lined up the shot and snaked one into his solar plexus. It clearly broke his spine, as he just went limp with the shot. He was obviously down for the count, and was sliding slowly down the loose dirt into his hole, but as he was sliding he was very noisily giving me a major piece of his mind. I can't swear to it because things were happening too fast, but it looked to me like that little rascal flipped me off...

[NoDakJak]

I remember reading the article many years ago. It was probably written by John Lachuk or more likely Frank De Hass. Both worked with the 25-20 and the Hornet. Frank stated that himself and others originally developed the 25 Hornet as a small game cartridge to use in the Ballard with it's weak action. The article stated that Colt had built a 25-20 revolver for a test piece and that was as far as it went. If I remember correctly the article showed a 1917 Colt that had the chambers lined and rebarreled for the 25-20. The article really caught my interest and then and there I decided that I had to have a small game rifle chambered for 25 Hornet. One of my project rifles that I am working on right now is a 44 Stevens rebarreled to 25 Hornet. Hope this helps. Neil

[9.3X62AL]

No doubt about it, ground squirrels are obnoxious, nasty vermin. They wreaked havoc on fruit and nut trees all around me, and no amount of shooting bothered the neighbors one bit. FORGET having a vegetable garden, an absolute waste of time. And they carry bubonic plague, too. Nice.