25BR vs ???

[RonS]

I know this topic has been tossed about on this forum in the past but after doing some searching I have to ask. Is the only reason its not a popular cartridge because of its lack of "match" bullets? Or is it not an accurate cartridge? What about this being a varmint cartridge or a small game cartridge? What do you think the 25BR is suitable for? I have a trued Rem 700 SA sitting in a box and when I walk by it it calls out to me, "shoot me". I have two 6BR's but I'm trying to decide between the 25BR or something a wee bit larger as an all around shooter for plinking, varmint and hunting. I welcome everyone's opinion as well as your two cents.......

 

[LHSmith]

I believe the 25 BR in the hands of Randy Robinett has won a registered match or two using his (Bibb) bullets. Jackie Schmidt of Texas, had good luck with one quite a few years ago. I suppose that it's mainly that the .25 caliber is still considered the "oddball" of the industry. Heck, we don't even have it listed in any of the sub-forums here. Bullets are available but scarce. Shunned is the operative word as Berger makes one bullet and they are listed as a hunting design. Pretty sure Randy will make them if ordered.

 

[strut64]

I suggest a 6.5 mm or as described in English units = 0.264" which is a we bit bigger than a 25(0.257"). there are oodles of them in competition these days. For example 6.5x47 Lapua, 6.5 Creedmore, 6.5X284, 260Rem, and a very large selection of excellent bullets as well. I am not against a 25 in fact I have had 2 as my got to deer gun in 25-06.

 

[mikecr]

Everything begins with a bullet.
What bullet?

 

[jonbearman]

Why not a 30 br and it is powerful enough to kill a deer or anything smaller and lots of 30 cal bullets available.

 

[CJ6]

7 BR or 30 BR. Awesome bbl life with either. I've got a 7 and working on getting a 30.

 

[357Mag]

RonS -

Howdy !

IMHO -
A .25BR would be great for things like..... groundhog.
A .250-3000 would also do quite nicely, and it's a simple matter to neck-up .22-250 brass to make the cases.

I shot Sierra 75HPs in my .250 Savage M-77 for short-range benchrest factory class, and those shot superbly. The comparative shortage of .25 calibre " benchrest bullets " doesn't mean that other .25 cal bullets won't shoot accurately; or meet your needs.


With regards,
357Mag

 

[NorCalMikie]

The only way to really know how the 25 BR will work, is to build one.
I got the bug to build a 6.8 SPC on a Savage bolt gun. Not a lot of info in relation to the 6.8 SPC on a "bolt gun platform", so I built one. Turned out to be a pretty good shooter.
Then, got to thinking about a BR case. The 30 BR is the hot item but nothing on a 6.8 BR.
Necked up some 6 BR brass to 6.8, stuffed a bullet (of my choice) down to the depth I wanted, (no free bore) made a dummy round and sent it off to PT&G and had them cut a reamer to those specs. Come to find out, it was a first for them in that caliber.
Turned out to be deadly accurate and fun to shoot. 5 shot groups that can be covered with a dime without too much effort. 8)

 

[Ledd Slinger]

I believe the 25 cals aren't popular due to lack of high BC bullet selection as the OP suggested. But a 6.8 BR wouldnt be any better for bullet selection.

A 6.5 BR would work very well, but wouldn't be much different in perforce over the 6 BR. I like the idea of a 7 BR or 30 BR because they are very accurate, have an excellent bullet selection, and you will probably notice a sizeable difference when those bigger bullets slam into varmints Plus you could easily hunt deer size game at moderate ranges as others suggested. Though the 6 BR and 6.5 BR would work well on deer as well. Really a matter of what you are craving. Just my thoughts and opinion on the topic, nothing more...

 

[NorCalMikie]

The 6.8 BR wouldn't be any better for bullet selection?? (remember, the 6.8 is a .270)
Last time I checked, there were over 36+ different bullets to choose from, ranging from 70 up to 135 grains. A pretty good selection if you ask me.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

The 6.8 BR wouldn't be any better for bullet selection?? (remember, the 6.8 is a .270)
Last time I checked, there were over 36+ different bullets to choose from, ranging from 70 up to 135 grains. A pretty good selection if you ask me.

I know what 6.8 is. I have a 6.8 SPC in an AR15. Not saying there isnt anything to choose from, just that the bullet selection is lacking when compared to other more popular bore sizes. Especially in the high BC target type bullets

 

[NorCalMikie]

Dare to be different??

 

[MarkS]

RonS,

I have or have had a 20, 22, 6, 7 and 30 BR's I have looked at the 6.5mm, but the 25cal lacks bullet slection, but it should. By the way, the 6BR is the best varmint round.

Mark Schronce

 

[RonS]

Hey guys, first I'd like to thank Mr. Robinett for his pm, he was very helpful. All of you have brought up some valid points that I have explored one time or another. I currently have in my collection two 6BR's (a 14T and a 8T), a 6.5 Grendel (bolt gun), a 6 WOA (AR) and a 25-45 Sharps (AR). All these guns shoot exceptionally well, except the Grendal and maybe this is why I'm not feeling the 6.5BR. I shoot 87gr. Speer TNT's in my 25-45 Sharps with very good results. I would like to try a 7BR if I were strickly target shooting and I kind of gave up on the 30BR due to the difficulties of finding a 1:17T barrel where as the availiblity of purchasing .257 barrels is greater. And I would like to build this as a switch barrel rifle

 

[Toby Bradshaw]

... I kind of gave up on the 30BR due to the difficulties of finding a 1:17T barrel ...

Brunos almost always has them in stock.

http://www.brunoshooters.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=barrels_krieger_30&Sort_By=disp_order&Store_Code=BSS&CatListingOffset=60&Offset=60

 

[RonS]

Toby, thanks that's a vendor I had not explored. I think I will start with a caliber smaller than the 30BR, I'm trying to keep my initial investment as low as possible. But I will but them in my favorites list of vendors.

 

[Toby Bradshaw]

Toby, thanks that's a vendor I had not explored. I think I will start with a caliber smaller than the 30BR, I'm trying to keep my initial investment as low as possible. But I will but them in my favorites list of vendors.

The nice thing about a 30BR is that they shoot like this (below) when you find the right powder charge and seating depth.

 

[RonS]

Toby, very nice shooting, hopefully one day I'll achieve that kind of accuracy. Are those three or five shot groups?

 

[RGRobinett]

Dare to be different??

There is no compelling reason to shoot a .25 cal. - I like this one (red, above)! ;D

Oh, and, over the course of the past two seasons, I have gathered a nice pile of "fake wood", including some NBRSA National Championship trophies and certificates (two yardages and a Grand Aggregate). 8) Doesn't this (yours truly winning stuff) imply some advantage? RG

P.S. The NBRSA Hunter Class N.C. wins, were via 25x47 HBR - not the 25BR. Though, for, at least, the remainder of the 2015 season, and 2016, the BR capacity will remain 'legal' for NBRSA Hunter Class competition. Whether the elimination of caliber and case capacity requirements - for NBRSA Hunter Class - become permanent, will be determined in 2016.

 

[Toby Bradshaw]

Toby, very nice shooting, hopefully one day I'll achieve that kind of accuracy. Are those three or five shot groups?

3-shot groups @ 100 yards -- just a simple scan for charge and seating depth with a new-to-me rifle.