25 cal varminter

[RGRobinett]

I have never found or even try to find the max in either of these rounds, there is no load data available so I am running on blind faith no matter how much experience or courage I am feeling. I will tell you that I never use Mag Primers and have never run into "Bridging" which cause pressure spikes. And also just so you know another one of my loading habits is I am perfectly fine with Flat Primers, I draw the line at cycling problems "Sticky Bolt" another Quirk that I have is I don't start with a certain powder and then increase they amount of powder in steps IE: 80gr, 80.5gr, 81gr, ect. The way I go about it is I always have a full case even compressed, I always start with slow powders lets say Retumbo and if that works, I will go to H1000 then from there then RL25 and increase the the burn rate instead of they amount or volume of powder. I have always found with no exceptions that my highest FPS and tightest groupings, have always come with a full case of the fastest powder I can get away with.

Dean

"And there you have it!"! The world of wild-catting. You seem to still be alive to talk about it - I won't argue with you - just say that I'm a little more conventional, beginning lower and, working up, with powder(s) which will likely dictate using more. Been doing this stuff since - well, a LONG time ago- and like you, have never experienced the dreaded pressure spike. I agree - primers are poor pressure indicators.

Again, not requesting specific DATA, just your experiences and MV comparisons for various bullet weights and powders with the larger cases, such as the STW, RUM, etc. I'm still on the fence regarding going larger! And, especially with a HEAVIER bullet. RG

 

[scope eye]

I going to give you the numbers, I just wanted to explain how I came about those numbers instead of just blurting them out with no substance.
for reference a 257 WBY with a 70gr Blitz King and 70gr of RL17 will produce 4400 fps.
a 257 WinMag with an 87gr Vmax and 87gr powder sends them over 4600 fps
and a 257 Rum with 105gr + of powder I could never get a chrono reading with the 70's or 87's but by the bullet drop I was getting at 400, 500, and 600 yards, the 70's were well over 5000 and the 87's were close to 5000 fps, I $hit you knot.

Dean

 

[RGRobinett]

I going to give you the numbers, I just wanted to explain how I came about those numbers instead of just blurting them out with no substance.
for reference a 257 WBY with a 70gr Blitz King and 75gr of RL17 will produce 4400 fps.
a 257 WinMag with an 87gr Vmax and 87gr powder sends them over 4600 fps
and a 257 Rum with 105gr + of powder I could never get a chrono reading with the 70's or 87's but by the bullet drop I was getting at 400, 500, and 600 yards, the 70's were well over 5000 and the 87's were close to 5000 fps, I $hit you knot.

Dean

Holy cow - that might not bounce off a coyote! I presume you do not skin them!??! What twist(s) - do you experience bullet failures @ 4.4K and above FPS? Have you tried the 120 Gr. - what can you obtain with them? I've never used any bullets under 85 Gr. in a .25 Cal. RG

 

[Toby Bradshaw]

I presume you do not skin them!??!

I imagine that they're pre-skinned, and scorched from the muzzle blast.

 

[jghoghunter]

I imagine that they're pre-skinned, and scorched from the muzzle blast.

LOL

 

[savagebrother]

LOL

Hey guys for the past 3 months I have been working with the 250 savage.
Guess none of the big guys thought to try the newer powders with it, a really dumb mistake if you ask me.
I'm running 36.5grs of varget behind a Sierra 90gr BTHP = avg. 3054 FPS
42grs varget under hornady 75gr VMAX = avg. 3416 FPS !!!
This was from my savage model 1920 bolt-action with a 1:14 twist & 22" barrel.
I use the 36.5gr load with Sierra 100gr MK BTHP = 3084 FPS
Out of my savage 10 with an E.R. Shaw 27" 1:10 heavy barrel I put together for the 250 savage.
I'll try and get some picks up of my 1920 tomorrow.
SB



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%5BURL=http://s1024.photobucket.com/user/t...AF6F-D229B3E9F41E_zpsajkbqlf3.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

 

[scope eye]

The Rum is a 14 twist and the WinMag was sold as a 14 twist, but after measuring it was really a 13 twist
so no bullet failures. I have shot 100s and 110gr out of both of them well over 4000 fps and they shot fine.
I have never tried the 115s, 117s, or 120gr, I have no interest, I don't even shoot that heavy a bullet out of my 30 cal, I shoot 110s Sierra and Speer HPs, Vmax's, and TTSXs. All I can say is if ever there is some elevation needed it is always single digit as far as MOA is concerned. And for those who ask why, my responds is it's fun, no it's even better than that it's a blast, no I take that back too it's a freaking religious experience Every time it goes off. And every time I take it out of the safe and fire it, I am always caught off guard like I had never fired it before.

Dean

 

[scope eye]

If others have rigs that burn less powder and have lower fps, don't let me shy you away please share them, I and I am sure the rest of the forum is interested it is not a pissing contest. it is not like I went from a 223 to RUM over night.

Dean

 

[Shoebox]

Hi all
My old 2506ai barrel has seen better days, love the 2506ai but decided to do something different, considered (25 wsm) but settled on 25/26 nosler, big step up, 2506ai 72 grn - 26 nosler advertized 93grn, may loose 1-2 grns buy necking down we will see.
Bullets intended ttsx 80- 100 depends on accuracy also play around with Sierra 90 gk - bk have used both in the past accuracy was good !
Barrel twist rate was a concern, I've settled for
Pac-nor 26.5" 1-11 twist 4 grove .750 at muzzle
Now the waiting game !

Be safe and have a great year !!

Steve

 

[Webster]

When you learn how those rates are measured it makes it easier to understand. The burn rates are measured in a closed bomb test. The powder is detonated in a chamber of a given size that contains all the gases and pressure. Our guns don't work that way. There are bound to be differences in the way we use them.

Everyone should read the details of what you posted about burn rates determined in a closed cylinder. No cartridge, always the same weight of powder, always the same cylinder volume, no chamber, no primer, no barrel, no bullet ect. I never look at burn rate charts. I look in the reloading manuals and see what powders give the highest velocity for the bullet weight I am using in my caliber. Also look to see what powders are used by serious competitors. This is efficiency as far as getting velocity. If efficiency means reaching a certain velocity level with as little powder as possible you have to choose an efficient cartridge.

 

[Kevin Taylor]

Randy Robinett shoots a version he named the 25 Idiot Mag. I am having a 250 Ackley built right now.

I googled 25 idiot mag and had 3pages of hits on congressmen ouch!

 

[Sonic Crack]

Ive got a 12 twist Bartlein ordered. Working with Manson on a 257 Weatherby mag with the shoulder pushed forward slighty and changed to 35 degrees

 

[Barlow]

I going to give you the numbers, I just wanted to explain how I came about those numbers instead of just blurting them out with no substance.
for reference a 257 WBY with a 70gr Blitz King and 70gr of RL17 will produce 4400 fps.
a 257 WinMag with an 87gr Vmax and 87gr powder sends them over 4600 fps
and a 257 Rum with 105gr + of powder I could never get a chrono reading with the 70's or 87's but by the bullet drop I was getting at 400, 500, and 600 yards, the 70's were well over 5000 and the 87's were close to 5000 fps, I $hit you knot.

Dean

What's a 257 Winmag? Barlow

 

[IdahoSharpshooter]

Want a simple one to form? Take a look at the 6.5 x 68 S cartridge. I necked it to 25 caliber and improved it. It's fast. JGS made the reamers, and Neil Jones can make the dies.
4000fps with 100gr bullets.

 

[Shoebox]

Want a simple one to form? Take a look at the 6.5 x 68 S cartridge. I necked it to 25 caliber and improved it. It's fast. JGS made the reamers, and Neil Jones can make the dies.
4000fps with 100gr bullets.

What case capacity would the improved version hold it sounds interesting , 26 nosler 93 grn simple neck down to 257 no fire forming
Redding type s match dies with correct bushing !
I believe 6.5 seating die will seat .257
I like the nosler case design.

 

[Shoebox]

Want a simple one to form? Take a look at the 6.5 x 68 S cartridge. I necked it to 25 caliber and improved it. It's fast. JGS made the reamers, and Neil Jones can make the dies.
4000fps with 100gr bullets.

Had a look at the 68 and believe it holds 86 grn stand so the improved should be very close to 26 nosler (93grn)
I am interested to know barrel length x twist rate, powders you have success with, I'm in the process of building my 25-26nosler, and any info would helpful
Have you run any light bullets, I'm only going to run ttsx -100- 80

Steve

 

[IdahoSharpshooter]

30" 1:8" twist barrel. George Vais and I were friends, and he moved here from Texas the next year. I sat in his shop while he made a custom 1.220" brake for it. It turned into an article for Precision Shooting Magazine. A funny story, I asked him if gunsmiths would not just read the article and just build their own. He laughed and said "Richard, it will take a man three hours to make the first one, and then he will say "I can make more money doing other things" and just buy them from me for a hundred dollars.".

I was about a year in on a 25 caliber bench rest/long range quality bullet crusade thru PS. I had made many contacts thru the magazine, and convinced them that we (shooters) needed a couple good bullets. Jerry Simison (SP?) agreed to just make a set of bullet making dies, and "loan" them to a good bullet maker if he would commit to making accurate bullets. "Mac" McCloskey in Seattle was a gunsmith, and got the first set. Mac was a 25 guy, and began making bullets using J4 long 6mm jackets and a "quill" die. He turned the jackets to .0003" tolerances, much the way you turn casenecks. Jef Fowler in Gastonia got the other set. He talked to Mac, and replicated the turning machine. A couple months later they pooled their resources, and got J4 to make a run of jackets.
IIRC, Fowler's son is still making a 110gr FB bullet, and Mac made the 85gr until his death several years ago.

The ideal 25 caliber bullet today would be a Berger/Litz Hybrid about 125 grains for a 1:9" twist.

 

[JRS]

Or perhaps a 135 grain bullet if someone would produce the jackets.

 

[scope eye]

What's a 257 Winmag? Barlow

A 257 WinMag is 300 WinMag necked down to 257, I don't know if it has one of those goofy names or not, but that is what it is based off of.

Dean