25 Custom Project

[Hoekight]

Last year I specked a reamer for a 25 cal project. My favorite cartridge is the .308 family of cases and I wanted one necked down to 25 with the AI shoulder. I didn’t want a creedmoor and I almost done a 25x47, but I really wanted to use a .308 size case. I know the souper is pretty close, so are many others; but I wanted to go through the process to speck a reamer.

Went to JGS and they were awesome to work with. Nathan helped me understand the process and there were a few things I wanted to play with in the design. I got my reamer in December as well as a 31” 7.5 twist Brux barrel. 1.250.

I finally got to chamber it yesterday and I put it on one of my rifles I’ve been shooting midrange f-class matches with. It’s just a plan 700 REM in a home made stock.

I used .260 srp Peterson brass. I turned 50 necks last night while still at 6.5 caliber, then sized the necks to 25 cal with a bushing die. I loaded the cases with CCI 450’s, a light fire forming load of N160. and some 135 Bergers.

Today after church I met @DCLR and another friend and we went to fire form some brass and see if I had wasted time and money. I didn’t. I never expected fire forming loads to be that accurate right from the start. We were only shooting 100yds but my initial impression is awesome.

All of the groups were 5 shots except the one that’s 10 shots. I’ll post some pictures of the groups and a before and after pics if the fire formed case. I’m excited to stretch its legs at distance once I get this brass formed.

I know I’m not the first to do it, but I’m pretty ecstatic to have a good outcome on my first attempt. Even when many were nay-saying me for the effort it took to do it.
Blessings and tight groups.
Dwayne

 

[MDT6BRA]

Let’s see a loaded round abd velocity. Good looking case

 

[Hoekight]

Let’s see a loaded round abd velocity. Good looking case

I only have a round loaded that hasn’t been fire formed yet. Velocity during fire forming was 2700 but I used 40 grains of N160 and it was pretty far down from the neck in the case. I (very un-scientificly) filled a pre-formed case and a once fired case with powder to the rim and weighed each powder charge to see the difference. There is 4.7 grains of case growth. I know what I’m hoping to get velocity wise, but I’m not real sure where the balance of speed and accuracy will meet. I was hoping for 2900 or maybe better. I think it’ll be there when I start working a load up.

 

[MDT6BRA]

I’m interested, I like the 308 case as well, watching and looking forward to results

 

[Darkside]

The 25 Souper Ai.
Very Nice

 

[Bodhisafa]

I was thinking of doing the same project.

Why were people trying to discourage you?

 

[Hoekight]

I was thinking of doing the same project.

Why were people trying to discourage you?

“It’s stupid to do all of that when you could do a .257 Roberts or a 25x47 or a 25 creed”

“Why got through all of that when you could just get a 260ai or a 7-08ai?

There were several more but you get the picture. It’s amazing at all the people who knows what you need. Thing is I didn’t build what I needed. I built what I wanted. And I’m happy I did.

 

[jplahr]

I'm wounding where are you going to get reloading dies? I have a 250,257,25-06, 280 all Acks. I have always liked the sharp shoulder and straight body.

Your's will run circles around a 25 Creedmoor.

 

[jghoghunter]

Just curious. In the picture the neck/ shoulder junction looks like it is moved forward. Is it?

 

[ggshoots]

l like Ackley's. Is this consistent with other Ackley's in case dimension? If so a bushing die or reaming the neck of a 243 Ackley die takes care of sizing. Looks good, no reason needed to do it.

 

[Hoekight]

I'm wounding where are you going to get reloading dies? I have a 250,257,25-06, 280 all Acks. I have always liked the sharp shoulder and straight body.

Your's will run circles around a 25 Creedmoor.

I have a set of 7mm-08 ackley dies with a bushing to fit my 25 neck. I will know if it’s going to work later this evening. They should. If not I’ll have to send some fired brass to cortina precision or hornaday to get a set made. But I think the rcbs 7-08ai dies will work with the correct bushing.

 

[Hoekight]

Just curious. In the picture the neck/ shoulder junction looks like it is moved forward. Is it?

It is moved forward some. It looks more than it is because of the 20° shoulder on the 308 case beside of it. It is consistent with most AI cartridges.

 

[Hoekight]

l like Ackley's. Is this consistent with other Ackley's in case dimension? If so a bushing die or reaming the neck of a 243 Ackley die takes care of sizing. Looks good, no reason needed to do it.

It is consistent with other AI cartridges. I played with the neck thickness and length a little but most of the rest is standard ackley, other than a very insignificant amount less taper.

 

[Infrequent Shooter]

I like your idea b/c there is a ton of high quality 308,243 brass available. in my head I have a 25 Souper improved, but not AI. Most of the advanced guys on this are AI all the way. I am slowly coming around to the full AI.

 

[Hoekight]

I like your idea b/c there is a ton of high quality 308,243 brass available. in my head I have a 25 Souper improved, but not AI. Most of the advanced guys on this are AI all the way. I am slowly coming around to the full AI.

One of the reasons I went this direction was my collection of 308 brass. Then at the last moment I ordered.260 brass to use. I only have do neck it down.007 to fire form it.