.25 WSSM thread.. I'm starting over.

[jeffreybehr]

Well, I guess I'm just too fickle about cartridge choices.. Bought and installed an X-Caliber 28" heavy in .25 Creedmoor and have assembled some test loads.. Meanwhile have collected some .25-284 stuff...500 new Norma 6.5-284 cases, dies, etc., and have found and ordered a match-grade barrel from McGowen.. While that's a-building, I'll concentrate on the 25CM.

Am quickly recovering from carpal- and ulnar-tunnel surgery on my right arm so should be shooting before the end of the month.. Have the Oehler 35P ready to go.. Still have lots of bullets...Hornady 110 ELD-Xs and 134 ELDMs and Berger 115s (both target and hunting) and 135s.

House remodeling STILL isn't finished so my sister and I are still 'camping' in our own home, and this summer I've ended up after 3 trades with a new '23 Ford Explorer ST in Rapid Red....


...and still have the Cayman GTS.

Ain't life FUN!?!?!?

 

[jeffreybehr]

Just discovered that my earlier measurments of the lands in the .25CM barrel and my bullets were BIG-TIME wrong, after not being able to close the bolt during routine reloading processes.. I've adjusted all my test loads.. The shorter OALs are not a problem in and of themselves, but the bullets bases will indeed occupy some would-be space for powder, and I'll have to consider that in selecting powders.. None of the four powders--RL26, StaBALL6.5, StaBALL HD, and SUPERFORMANCE--were a problem with the low starting loads I chose, but I expect this smallish case with bullet bases occupying the combustion chamber will run out of room with some bulky powders.

 

[Zero333]

For what it's worth. Short action Savages have huge SD with CCI primers, and CCI-34 are the worst.

The only Savages that work good with CCI primers are the Long actions and the short action black bolt tactical rifles.

The short action black bolt tactical rifles have stronger firing pin springs and pins, and the long actions have longer stronger firing pin springs.

Stick with Federal 210 and 215 for ball powders. I've had too many FTF's with CCI primers and regular short actions Savages. Never ever have I had a FTF with any other primer. Only CCI. I'm talking about hundreds of thousands of rounds through many different Savage rifles over the years.

My first 2 Savages were a 300 winmag and a 243win before Accutriggers were invented. I still have them.

I love the old non accutriggers because I can work on them and make them super crisp down to 1.5 lbs or less without any problems with slam fires or anything of the sort.
One of my safety tests for the triggers (besides the usual) is slapping the bolt down to lock the lugs as hard as I can. If it doesn't catch the sear 100 out of 100 times then it's not 100 % safe ( in my mind ) and it means it TOO light of a trigger.

The 300winmag I mentioned also has a stupid smooth bolt travel, and I NEVER lube it. You can almost push it forward by blowing on it.

 

[Infrequent Shooter]

For what it's worth. Short action Savages have huge SD with CCI primers, and CCI-34 are the worst.

The only Savages that work good with CCI primers are the Long actions and the short action black bolt tactical rifles.

The short action black bolt tactical rifles have stronger firing pin springs and pins, and the long actions have longer stronger firing pin springs.

Stick with Federal 210 and 215 for ball powders. I've had too many FTF's with CCI primers and regular short actions Savages. Never ever have I had a FTF with any other primer. Only CCI. I'm talking about hundreds of thousands of rounds through many different Savage rifles over the years.

My first 2 Savages were a 300 winmag and a 243win before Accutriggers were invented. I still have them.

I love the old non accutriggers because I can work on them and make them super crisp down to 1.5 lbs or less without any problems with slam fires or anything of the sort.
One of my safety tests for the triggers (besides the usual) is slapping the bolt down to lock the lugs as hard as I can. If it doesn't catch the sear 100 out of 100 times then it's not 100 % safe ( in my mind ) and it means it TOO light of a trigger.

The 300winmag I mentioned also has a stupid smooth bolt travel, and I NEVER lube it. You can almost push it forward by blowing on it.

I have your described rifles in 7-08 and 308. Both are way better rifles than they should be for the money.

 

[Infrequent Shooter]

How to Know Which Savage Model 110 You Have - Optics Trade Blog

Is your Savage Model 110 Flat-Back or Round-Back? This plays a major role in deciding which scope mounts to get, and here is why ...

www.optics-trade.eu

Good link on Savage 10 and 110 conventional actions.

 

[4xforfun]

I haven't read all of the responses, so sorry if this has already been brought up, but take a look at the 6.5 WSSM. LOVE mine. About = to the 6.5-284. Simply neck up the 25 WSSM and presto-chango....6.5WSSM brass!!

Good luck,
Tod

 

[AP2020]

I did a 6.5WSSM years ago. RL17 and some crazy good velocity. BAD = barrel lasted 800 rounds.

Brass sucks regarding longevity and case necks.

 

[4xforfun]

I did a 6.5WSSM years ago. RL17 and some crazy good velocity. BAD = barrel lasted 800 rounds.

Brass sucks regarding longevity and case necks.

WOW! I am on my 10th fairly hot firing....1778 documented rounds. Still shoots good!! Winchester brass. P pockets are very tight. As far as necks..... I anneal often.

Like they say....YMMV.

Tod

 

[jeffreybehr]

Here I am a year later.

Haven't shot a round in a long time.. Remember my intention to buy a new Oehler chrono? I did, got it set up and back in the case, loaded the collapsible wagon I use to transport shooting stuff to/from the car, and then promptly quit shooting...again.

Lately I've been fantasizing about calibers, rifles, chronos (bought a Garmin Zero C1 Pro), 25 Creedmoor, etc.. Have (old and new) target barrels in 6XC, 25Creed., 6.5-284, 25-284, and maybe more.. A few weeks ago I had mentally settled on the 25Creed and then a 'mere' 6Creed.. Then tonite, since I have a soft spot in my heart for the 284 Win. case and I still have a fair supply of .257" bullets including the Berger and Hornady longs plus hundreds of brandnew, 6.5-284 Norma cases and an odd bunch of 25-284 dies, I decided to assemble the same-caliber cartridge as my first serious rifle was chambered in, the 25-284 commercial-copy Mauser I built in the late 1960s.

The barrel is a 28", 7"-twist, SS, match-grade McGowan, and it's ready to go, but apparently now is the first time I ever got serious enough about this caliber to look for headspace gages.. Have ordered a pair of Forster gages that should be here next week, and soon I'll have the barrel on...and of course I saved the 0.473"-face Savage-12 bolt.

Gee, now I can determine bullet-seating touching-the-lands OALs easily, since the barrel is loose in my hands!
....
and I'm finished with the five bullets I have.. WOW is that Patriot 120 long!!!!!

Here's a pic of the cartridges and bullets.. Left to right, they are the Patriot 120, the Hornady ELD-X 110, the Berger VLD 115, the Hornady ELD-M 134, and the Berger LR Hybrid 135.. Looks to me as if I could have the barrel throated maybe a tenth-inch deeper.