Want to build a 25 cal.—-your input appreciated

[22 Excel]

If you are willing to give up little velocity l shoot a standard 250 in Remington classic 24 in barrel 36.5 grains IMR 3031 in Hornady brass chronograph 3300 even. Really smokes coyotes chucks and crows.

 

[AlNyhus]

I've got a 250AI on a short 700 and love it. If doing it again today, I'd opt for the 25X47L. The 25X47L is like hitting the easy button. Great brass, easy to make and dies are simple.

The 25 Souper aka: the 25-308 (neck up from 243 or neck down from 260, 7-08 or 308) also deserves some consideration if the shallower shoulder angle doesn't bother you. Why the 25-308 was never made as a production round remains a mystery.

Good shootin'. -Al

300 WSM (top)
250 AI (bottom)

 

[std7mag]

So based off why I’m finding the 25-06 has a water capacity of 67-68 grains. The 257 Roberts and the 25-243AI both have case capacities of about 57-58 grains. The Souper around 56 grains and the 250AI/25 Creed about 52 grains. And the 25x47L about 48 grains. Do these sound correct? If so, what provides the most efficient use of powder for velocity return is my end quest. If the 250AI/25 Creed get me within 100-200 fps with 20% less powder then that’s a win for my objectives.
So is 3,500+ fps with an 75 gr achievable with the 250AI consistently without wrecking the brass?

Great input from everyone. Please keep it coming.

The one thing to consider with the 250 Savage/AI & 257 Roberts/AI is the lower pressure of those cartridges.
56,000psi with the +P 257 Roberts.
The 25 Creed & 25 Souper run at higher pressures.
Hence you can squeeze more velocity from them.

If case "quality" is a concern, you have it in spades with the Souper. Lots of match grade brass in 308 & 260 Rem out there.

Personally, i'd do the Souper.
But a lot of that is the basis on which the Creed came about.
IF i was worried about magazine length, i'd do the Creed.

Savage Axis with 24" E.R. Shaw barrel in 250Savage, shooting lowish charge of Alliant Varmint ppushes a 75gr Sierra HP Varminter around 3,150fps.
The coyotes out to 400 yards don't know or care that it's not 3,500fps.

 

[20 TAC]

I've got a 250AI on a short 700 and love it. If doing it again today, I'd opt for the 25X47L. The 25X47L is like hitting the easy button. Great brass, easy to make and dies are simple.

The 25 Souper aka: the 25-308 (neck up from 243 or neck down from 260, 7-08 or 308) also deserves some consideration if the shallower shoulder angle doesn't bother you. Why the 25-308 was never made as a production round remains a mystery.

Good shootin'. -Al

300 WSM (top)
250 AI (bottom)

Both of these rifles look outstanding! Appreciate your input very much. Are you shooting light bullets in your 250 AI or heavier bullets?

 

[20 TAC]

The one thing to consider with the 250 Savage/AI & 257 Roberts/AI is the lower pressure of those cartridges.
56,000psi with the +P 257 Roberts.
The 25 Creed & 25 Souper run at higher pressures.
Hence you can squeeze more velocity from them.

If case "quality" is a concern, you have it in spades with the Souper. Lots of match grade brass in 308 & 260 Rem out there.

Personally, i'd do the Souper.
But a lot of that is the basis on which the Creed came about.
IF i was worried about magazine length, i'd do the Creed.

Savage Axis with 24" E.R. Shaw barrel in 250Savage, shooting lowish charge of Alliant Varmint ppushes a 75gr Sierra HP Varminter around 3,150fps.
The coyotes out to 400 yards don't know or care that it's not 3,500fps.

I guess my thought around the 250 AI was if I were to use Lapua 22-250 brass and neck up (while addressing the likely dreaded donut) I would be able to safely run pressures similar to the 308 based variants.
The 308 based case intrigues me but the basic shoulder angle does not. Thus, the 25-243 AI/25-260 AI had my interest. Again, part of the selection of which case to build from comes with its ability to shoot the 110-115 grain sized bullets at good velocities.

This is good input. Appreciate your thoughts around this. A good reminder not to get too hung up on the speed….

 

[Jr solocam]

Another vote for 25x47 Lapua.

 

[AlNyhus]

I use the Lapua 22-250 cases in my 250AI. Necked to .25 and with a bullet seated, the necks measure .285 so keep that in mind when ordering your reamer. Most of the 250AI reamers on file are based off earlier RP or WW brass which is thinner on the necks. Most of these early spec reamers will be .286-ish on the neck so it's easy to get into trouble with unturned Lapua 22-250 cases.

Basically, what you're looking for in a reamer is one for the 22-250AI based on Lapua brass with a neck size of your choosing.

For a hunting rig feeding from a magazine. .004 is the minimum neck clearance I like....and .006 isn't too much.

Just my experience with mine. -Al

 

[whatsupdoc]

If you are not going to shoot heavy bullets then the standard 25 Creed is not
a good choice as the reamer is designed for 131gr bullets.

You would have to have a reamer made with s shorter throat.

 

[NorCalMikie]

Size your case, stuff a bullet in the neck, measure it and use THOSE measurements to spec your reamer. Go ZERO free bore. Start with lighter bullets and go heavier as the throat wears.

 

[AlNyhus]

Are you shooting light bullets in your 250 AI or heavier bullets?

Since this is a dual purpose coyote/deer rig, the Sierra 87 gr. is the 'go to' bullet in this one. It does everything right and shoots sub 1/2" three shot groups with the #2 barrel. For a dedicated coyote load, the Sierra 75 gr. hollow point would be my choice. They shoot crazy good @ 3,600+ and just hammer coyotes! As long as you're not saving pelts. The Hornady 75 VMax should be a good one though I've not killed anything with it. The Nosler 100 gr. BTip is the heaviest I've shot game with...sub 1/2" 3 shot groups are the norm....another great do-it-all bullet for a .25.

If I built it again, I'd spec it twisted 1:9 for a bit more leeway. The 9 twist would give the same stability to the 1.200" 115 gr BTip as the 10 twist does with the 1.110" 100 gr BTip. Bottom line...do it twisted 1:9 and you keep all the doors open. Pac-Nor's 5 groove .25's are very good barrels, the Bartlien stuff is great, Kreiger....any of those three (any likely more) will be good ones.

Randy Robinett at BIB Bullets aka: 'Lord Grizzly' (nicknamed for his tune-up skills with Grizzly lathes ) supplied me with some of his 88 gr. flat based bullets to evaluate. With a bunch of 760, a T36 Weaver on top and a Sinclair Accuracy Asset on the fore end, those bullets will really put a smile on your face. And they're sturdy enough for hunting use.

Good shootin' -Al

 

[AlNyhus]

The free bore distance for my 250AI puts the base of the Sierra #1610 87 gr. bullet right at .035 ahead of the neck/shoulder junction when seated to to the 'just touching the lands' point. This is a pretty good situation....the base of the shorter 75 gr Sierras is still more than halfway in the neck. The .257 shank of the Nosler 100 BTip is right at the neck/shoulder junction and it's .100 long boat tail portion extends just below the neck. Everything else for applicable bullets falls in between these two...75 VMax, the BIB 88, Nosler 85 BTip, etc.

Zero free bore reamers...when looking at a wide range of bullet lengths that may be used...can get you backed into the corner pretty quickly. If it's a magazine fed hunting gun, you have to start with mag length constraints and go backwards from there, for example.

Ordering a zero free bore reamer and throating in a seperate operation makes a lot of sense, too.

Good shootin' -Al

 

[20 TAC]

If you are not going to shoot heavy bullets then the standard 25 Creed is not
a good choice as the reamer is designed for 131gr bullets.

You would have to have a reamer made with s shorter throat.

Excellent point. I did see that Crown Ridge Barrel Works offers a 25 Creedmoor short throat chambering for their prefit barrels.

 

[Beruisis]

I shot the 250 Savage for over 20 years. Some years ago a buddy brought a 25 Creedmoor 10 twist to my hunting camp. My first shot whacked a crow at 430 yds. Rifle consistently shoots one hole groups with Barnes 100 gr TTSX. I bought that rifle from him.
Now having another built with 7.5 twist for heavy Berger bullets & steel plates to 1000 yds.
I shoot a lot of 25s. I also recently bought a CPA single shot in 25-35.
For serious hunting Kleinguenther 257 Weatherby.
The 250 AI I believe will pretty much duplicate the 25 Creedmoor.
Good luck.

 

[Edd]

I have everything to build a 25 Creedmoor except the brass. If I should find some new brass with a 250-3000 head stamp, I would switch to a standard 250 Savage chambering.

 

[Edd]

I currently own a few 25-06 rifles and love the chambering but would like to build something with velocities close to the 25-06 but in a short action…and something with a more efficient case design. A little less powder capacity and a little less recoil than the 25-06 would be ideal.
Here’s the difference compared to other threads—I am not looking to shoot heavy bullets. Main purpose of the build would be a relatively lightweight flat shooting coyote rifle out to 500 yds +/- with the ability to shoot occasional Antelope or deer. Currently have an abundant supply of 75 grain V-Max along with some 85 Noslers and 115 Berger hunting. The 115 would be the absolute heaviest bullet I would want to shoot.
Ideas so far are: 250 AI or 25 Creedmoor, also received some excellent input on the 25-243 AI. Any input, thoughts, or additional suggestions would be much appreciated.

Thank you

To satisfy your desires, I think you have already suggested the winner, a 25-243. I would probably use 260 Remington brass.

 

[Walt Krafft]

I built a 250AI a couple of years ago and have not had a chance to shoot a single shot from it. LH Rem 700 exhibition wood. I have 100 250 Savage cases. RP I think. Still have the reamer.

 

[jghoghunter]

I built a 250AI a couple of years ago and have not had a chance to shoot a single shot from it. LH Rem 700 exhibition wood. I have 100 250 Savage cases. RP I think. Still have the reamer.

Do you have a print of that reamer. What brass was it made for? Do you know what bullet it was throated for?

 

[AckleymanII]

25x47 lapua. Love mine.

Yea, but the guy is going to need brass.

 

[Beruisis]

I have everything to build a 25 Creedmoor except the brass. If I should find some new brass with a 250-3000 head stamp, I would switch to a standard 250 Savage chambering.

You know you can buy new 25 Creedmoor brass from Peterson or Alpha.
If you're wanting some 250 Sav. brass I think I have 100 pcs new & some once fired.

 

[AlNyhus]

Believe me, 250 Savage brass (of any brand) doesn't hold up like Lapua 22-250 in a modern high pressure bolt gun.

Good shootin' -Al