Stevens model 44 in .25-25

I posted about this a few days ago over on the ASSRA forum. But I thought some of you here might appreciate seeing this rifle I just picked up.

Its a m44 in .25-25 Stevens with a near excellent bore and what appears to be factory optional Beach combination front sight, 3-leaf folding barrel sight and Lyman tang sight. The full loop lever is unusual too.

I have ONE originial Winchester .25-25 case. I loaded it with 23.2gr of Old E 3F and an 88 gr bullet. I took it to the range yesterday and fired it across the chrono. It was good for 1654fps. I have more brass coming and will soon be getting it dialed in.

Not many people shooting this cartridge anymore. I love the challenge of getting these old boys shooting again 😀

8-)

I have re-barreled a few over the years, have the chamber reamer.




Also have the 22-15-60 reamer that I have never used.

Should be a fun one to work with. I like them old cartridges too. Just got to shooting my Stevens 45 in 28-30. Appreciate your video on the 25 Stevens rimfire. Working on making some cases to shoot that Stevens too.

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Originally Posted by John Taylor

I have re-barreled a few over the years, have the chamber reamer.

Also have the 22-15-60 reamer that I have never used.

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I'll remember that. :smile:

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Originally Posted by John Taylor

I have re-barreled a few over the years, have the chamber reamer.




Also have the 22-15-60 reamer that I have never used.

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You have a .25-25 reamer? I can't imagine it gets a lot of use!

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Originally Posted by Rockingkj

Should be a fun one to work with. I like them old cartridges too. Just got to shooting my Stevens 45 in 28-30. Appreciate your video on the 25 Stevens rimfire. Working on making some cases to shoot that Stevens too.

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Thanks, glad you enjoyed the video. I've gotten into the 25s in the last 2 years. .25 Stevens in both rimfire and centerfire, .25-20SS and the .25-25 (this is my second one). The older I get, the more I enjoy the small, low recoil cartridges. I'll be making a video on shooting this rifle soon.

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Originally Posted by ndnchf

You have a .25-25 reamer? I can't imagine it gets a lot of use!

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Gee doesn’t every one? I got one in among other goodies I bought. Thought that’s neat but who would ever need one? Some one want sent me a message I will never use it.

I have another .25-25, a #2 rolling block. But sadly some bubba ran what looks to be maybe a 25-20wcf reamer into the chamber in a misguided attempt to make it shoot a more readily available cartridge. Sadder still is it has an excellent bore. Perhaps the chamber could be relined. Then rechambered.

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Originally Posted by ndnchf

I have another .25-25, a #2 rolling block. But sadly some bubba ran what looks to be maybe a 25-20wcf reamer into the chamber in a misguided attempt to make it shoot a more readily available cartridge. Sadder still is it has an excellent bore. Perhaps the chamber could be relined. Then rechambered.

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Given the barrel shank diameter of the Stevens 44 action it may be possible to make a chamber liner for a low power cartridge like the 25-25. I lined and recut the chamber on a Marbles Game Getter 44 shot barrel after Bubbas Diesel Repair and Custom Gunsmithing had used a drill bit to open the chamber for 2" 410 shot shells. They apparently made a specialty of this conversion as I've seen other examples. Perhaps they did the conversion on your rifle. I made a simple D type chamber reamer for the 44 shot cartridge from O-1 drill rod.

I just picked up another twenty-five .25-25 cases :-P. Getting them cleaned up and prepped for roading.

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Originally Posted by ndnchf

I have another .25-25, a #2 rolling block. But sadly some bubba ran what looks to be maybe a 25-20wcf reamer into the chamber in a misguided attempt to make it shoot a more readily available cartridge. Sadder still is it has an excellent bore. Perhaps the chamber could be relined. Then rechambered.

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If you think one day you will need 25-25 chamber reamer, pm your info and I will mail it to you. I will never use it.

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Originally Posted by ndnchf

I have another .25-25, a #2 rolling block. But sadly some bubba ran what looks to be maybe a 25-20wcf reamer into the chamber in a misguided attempt to make it shoot a more readily available cartridge. Sadder still is it has an excellent bore. Perhaps the chamber could be relined. Then rechambered.

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If the rifling is good the chamber can be lined back to 25-25.

I just finished loading 25 .25-25s (say that fast three times!). This is original, never fired UMC brass. After cleaning and annealing I made three loads. With no reliable smokeless data available, I'm starting with black powder and equivalent loads. Load #1 is a duplex of 22gr Schuetzen 2F black powder over 2.3gr of 2400 to make it burn clean, Arsenal 257420 72.5gr bullet and CCI 450 primer. Load #2 is 22.0gr of APP 2F, same bullet and primer. Load #3 is 16.0gr of Blackhorn 209, same bullet and primer. BH209 is pricey, but its my favorite sub - accurate, consistent and clean burning.

I don't have .25-25 loading dies, but that is not a problem. I can use a Lee universal decapping die, a .25 acp sizer to neck size and a .25-20 wcf seater die. But to use the seater, I machined a spacer that slips over the cartridge. Because the cartridge is so long and the die is for a much shorter cartridge. The spacer effectively lengthens the die to accomodate the .25-25 length. It worked perfectly 😀 Off to the range this week to test them with the chronograph.

Look forward to the range report.

Great, now everyone has a 25-25 reamer! Just waited 11 months for a reamer. relining the chamber of a Stevens for a customer.

To bad Savage can't make rifles like that anymore .:-(

Jack

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Originally Posted by Jack Stanley

To bad Savage can't make rifles like that anymore .:-(

Jack

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Maybe not. But CPA does 😀

Spent part of the day making parts for a .25-25 muzzle resizer for the thin walled RMC brass. They slip into a medium length tong tool universal decapper body. Now waiting for the right hardened steel drill bushing to arrive from McMaster, so it's not shown here. The spacers are in three lengths - by swapping them around the tool will also do .25-21 and .25-20! While I was at it, I also pressed a sleeve onto the shortened decapper stem, and turned it down to make an expander plug. Handles are a rare set marked .22 Lovell.
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