RepackboxLee PrecisionTitan ReloadingWideners
Load DataReloading EverythingMidSouth Shooters SupplyRotoMetals2
Inline Fabrication
Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 43

Thread: 25-20 Winchester

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Goffstown, NH
    Posts
    318

    25-20 Winchester

    Other than 32-20 brass, is there any other brass that can be formed into 25-20 Winchester?

  2. #2
    Boolit Master


    Nueces's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Texas Hill Country
    Posts
    2,239
    218 Bee, which would be like changing gold to silver! Nearly no other modern cases share that head and rim size. I have heard that Nagant cases might work, though.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
    Posts
    2,516
    218 Bee as suggested, also 7.62x38r (Russian Nagant). Also as stated - both would be a tough thing to justify financially.

    Sent from my Pixel 5 using Tapatalk

  4. #4
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Goffstown, NH
    Posts
    318
    How about swaging the base of a 357 and turning the rim?
    Last edited by Danth; 05-17-2022 at 01:20 PM.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Eureka MT
    Posts
    2,513
    That might be possible but would take some serious equipment and effort. Are you looking for a few or a bunch?

  6. #6
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Goffstown, NH
    Posts
    318
    I've got the equipment to attempt the swaging of 357 Mag down to 25-20, but it would be quite a bit of work, and maybe not do-able. Guess I'll give it a try, but I thought 25-20 brass would be easy to find, but I was wrong. I made some neat 65gr 25cal bullets from copper tubing and am dying to try them out. I would be interested in any quantity cases to try out these bullets.

  7. #7
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Goffstown, NH
    Posts
    318
    Ok, made the swaging dies and am optimistic that 357 Magnum can be swaged/formed into 25-20 Winchester. I've managed to reduce case down to 25-20 dimensions but as I don't have reloading dies cannot form to final case dimensions. I will saw a case in half to check inside integrity, but based on similar projects, the case wall should be thicker than the original case. If anyone has a die set or sizing die and are willing to part with, please get in touch.

  8. #8
    Boolit Grand Master
    Mk42gunner's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    Butler, MO
    Posts
    9,021
    I'm curious as to just how thick the neck will be on your .357 parent case when converted to .25-20.

    Robert

  9. #9
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
    Posts
    2,516
    What are the dimensions of your finished case?

    Sent from my Pixel 5 using Tapatalk

  10. #10
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Goffstown, NH
    Posts
    318
    At this point, rim was turned to .408" dia., the base was swaged then finished turned to .349" , Rim thickness .060", total length 1.330". I plan to bump the rim thickness up to .065" as a final step prior to full length sizing. Until I get a sizing die I won't know if neck turning will be necessary.

  11. #11
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Eureka MT
    Posts
    2,513
    I have a spare set of 25/20 dies and some extra brass I can send you. I doubt I still have your address from the original Ammo Brass Trader so PM me your address and I'll send you the dies and some brass.

    Leave the neck as thick as you can and still have a thou or two clearance with a loaded bullet. The necks are pretty thin on 25/20 brass and collapse easily. You also might want to open the inside of the bottom of the case to about normal thickness before sizing the neck down to get case capacity to about normal. You won't be able to do this after necking down.

    Anyway,get me your address and I'll get this stuff on the way.

  12. #12
    Boolit Mold
    Join Date
    Apr 2022
    Posts
    15
    Quote Originally Posted by Danth View Post
    At this point, rim was turned to .408" dia., the base was swaged then finished turned to .349" , Rim thickness .060", total length 1.330". I plan to bump the rim thickness up to .065" as a final step prior to full length sizing. Until I get a sizing die I won't know if neck turning will be necessary.
    I form .256 Win mag brass from 357 mag brass and have no neck thickness issues in my Contender .256 barrel. So you may get away without having to turn the neck for 25/20. That being said, Cartridges of the World lists the 25/20 neck @ .274 & the .256 Win neck @ .277. Whether you'll have to turn necks or not, depends on how tight your chamber is.

  13. #13
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Goffstown, NH
    Posts
    318
    Additionally, I've found when swaging 25-20SS the case tends to "collapse" slightly just prior to the solid base. Upon fire forming, the collapse expands to the chamber walls creating a nice heavy wall. I suspect the same will hold true with 25-20 Winchester cases formed from 357. The internal volume is slightly reduced which brings up another question. If the internal volume is reduced, then lighter loads are required producing the same velocity. Isn't this more efficient? As long as pressure is kept within recommendations, I would think equal velocity with lighter loads would be a good thing.

  14. #14
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Eureka MT
    Posts
    2,513
    Yeah,the volume will be reduced but if you are not trying to push max loads it shouldn't make much difference. I shoot the Lyman 65 gr cast (73gr w/check and lube) using 9.5gr of 2400 for 1950 fps. I have loaded 3.5/4.5 gr of 231 as a 22lr type load which could be used without issues in lower volume cases.

    I also use 357 cases for my 256 win contender barrel but I have a RCBS 256 win case forming die set with inside neck reamer so I'm not sure whether you will have to neck turn or not for the 25/20.

  15. #15
    Boolit Mold Bongo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    S.W. Missouri. Grew up in S.E. Mo.
    Posts
    21
    Interesting thread. I'd like to know the outcome.
    Something that might be of interest to you:
    I purchased a Winchester 1892 in 25-20 not knowing anything about the cartridge. Especially the unavailability of brass.
    My great buddy Hamgunner came to my rescue and found me some 32-20 brass converted to 25-20, a couple hundred 32-20 brass and "of all things" a LEE ZERO ERROR TARGET LOADING TOOL for 25-20WCF.
    This loading tool has been a blessing for case forming.

    I found that the RCBS 25-20WCF COWBOY seating die worked well for sizing the necks on 32-20 WCF brass down to near 25 caliber.

    I loaded these brass using the ZERO ERROR TOOL with a light charge for case forming. I used MO. Bullet Company bullets for this process of fire forming.
    Then, once you drive that brass into the sizing die of the ZERO ERROR loading tool you ream the inside of the neck with the provided reaming tool. It works like a champ!

    I lost 16 brass out of 216 brass I did this process on.

    I

  16. #16
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Goffstown, NH
    Posts
    318
    Due to a very generous person responding to this thread, I now have dies and a few 25-20 cases to experiment with. I've started this project as a need to form 25-20 Win cases into 255 Dean. As finding 25-20 Win cases turned out to be very difficult, I thought I'd investigate forming from other cases. I thought 357mag might work out, and with quite a bit of work, found it can be done. Steps involved include turning rim diameter, swaging base, turning base, sizing in 32-20 die, annealing, sizing in 25-20 die, trim to length, fire form. A lot of steps, but it works. Inside/outside neck reaming/turning may be required depending on the guns chamber, but I didn't find a need.

  17. #17
    Boolit Buddy pcmacd's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Escapee from The People's Republik of Kalifornia - Now in AZ, "Where Free Men Live!"
    Posts
    270
    Iben using Starline 32-20 brass to make 25-20. I had a 36 % loss using the Redding conversion die alone on nickel Starline brass. Started out with 100 cases and made 64 successfully. That sucks, eh?

    Sent the kit and kaboodle to Redding for evaluation, with a half dozen unsized nickel 32-20 brass.

    Redding now recommends a different die as a prelude to their standard conversion die.

    --->>> The 32-20 TC FL die to use before the [32-20 to 25-20] die,

    --->>> followed by a conventional 25-20 sizing die.

    You won't find this information anyplace else, so call Redding before you go on this adventure and get the skinny.

    Or you can PM me.

    pcmacd
    Last edited by pcmacd; 09-29-2022 at 10:59 PM.
    Kalifornia passes "feel good" legislation hand over fist, legislation that is looking for a problem to solve and affecting only law abiding persons.

    So, after 40 years of that nonsense, that's why I now live in Arizona.

  18. #18
    Boolit Master Bad Ass Wallace's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    Australia
    Posts
    1,957


    Spent the day making both 25/20 and 218 Mashburn Bee from 32/20 virgin brass. With all this current supply problems I'm so glad I bought lots of Starline 32/20 brass when it was available.

    Fireformed 50 of each and only one split at the shoulder.
    Hold Still Varmint; while I plugs Yer!

  19. #19
    Boolit Bub Barman54's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    Eastern Missouri
    Posts
    74
    BAW,

    Did you Anneal the new Starline 32.20 Brass?
    I found that helps A LOT.

    Anneal, Size the 32.20 Brass in a 32.20 Seating Die, then size using the 25.20, using Imperial Sizing Lube sparingly, as I remember doing mine.

    Good Luck

    Barman54
    Out

  20. #20
    Boolit Master


    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    North central Ohio/Roane County, W.Va.
    Posts
    1,426
    Try this, I have almost zero case loss.

    https://www.marlinowners.com/threads...sy-way.174112/
    “Let us endeavor so to live that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry.”
    ― Mark Twain
    W8SOB

Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check