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Cartridge love...i mean real obsessive love

GMC, black T shirts, 6 BR and amber shades.

Been my thing for as long as I can remember. We like what we like.

If there’s anything else that shoots under .250, kills coyotes without damage and will body slam a whitetail, please enlighten me.
 
I have always had a love for the 25 caliber cartridges. I do believe that 25 caliber was originated here in the United States. Correct me if I’m wrong. A good friend and I used to have a “gun club” underneath the basement-stairs at his parents house when we were about 10 years old. Used to cut out pictures out of outdoor life magazines and such of cartridges,guns,scopes, etc. and tape them to the walls. We were too young to hunt yet at the time here in Pennsylvania you had to be 12 years old (early 1970s) There was just something about the 25 caliber cartridges that did something for me back then. Then to top it off another friend’s brother bought a new model 700 Remington in 25–06 in the early 70s. I just knew I had to have something like that. It took me a while in life to make full circle back to my roots,but I finally did. I have a couple of 250–3000 savages also. I’ve killed more deer with them than the 25-06. I had a 257 Bob for a while in a Winchester model 70 featherweight I wish I would not have sold. I also had a Weatherby Accumark in 257. It went down the road also. I used to have a jag on Jack O’Connor‘s favorite, the 270. I’ve had a few but don’t have one anymore. I have always been a 220 swift shooter and certainly have a jag on that cartridge and have killed more things with it than all the others combined times 100 no make that 1000 times! Hard to put a real reason on why and how we get crushes on certain cartridges. Don’t really know and don’t really care. I have enjoyed the ride and will until I’m not here anymore to look at the brass and touch the trigger.
 
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Big and small I like them all if they kill what I'm pointing it at.
I don't hunt the mesquite flats with my 25-06 from an elevated box blind like I used to so now I'm looking at taking deer with a .243 win from a pop up blind with max range shots at 100yds and under and it's a different world, but fun nonetheless.
 
I’ve been a competitive shooter since I was 12. My first competition rifle was a 7.62 M1 Garand. I carried a .223/5.56 AR in uniform for 36yrs. XC, Palma and FTR, the .308 has been my life. When I go to the hills to shoot rocks, it’s my M92 .357 or M94 .30/30 lever guns or an AR.
 
I don't know.....I go back the furthest with a 30-06 and it's one of my favorites. I just look at things from a performance gain/loss view. Some cartridges and calibers don't have enough gain to worry about going to and having to stock up on a bunch of new stuff. Others are. This is from my perspective, of course. The .257 is one that I can't seem to want to mess with. I also don't care for the .308 or really anything based off of that case. Personally, I feel that there's always something close to a .308 or .308 based case that works better.
 
Well, here's one of my most comfortable carry alongs in every boys favorite cartridge. I do a heck of a lot of running around, where this is the only rifle I take. A hundred+ years old, and it's still up for the next starling, squirrel, jack, or what have you. Hanging right by the front door ready to go just like the dog. jd
IMG_1389.jpeg
 
I seem to be the odd man out. I don't really covet one cartridge over another. I become involved with whatever one I'm working with at the time. Tonight it was .22 LR in an 1885 Low Wall. Yesterday it was a 6.5 PRC in an F Class rifle (not a good set of loads I had worked up but I still have hope that it'll shoot). Last week it was 45 Colt in an 1885 High Wall. The weekend before it was 28 gauge in a round of sporting clays. I guess they all have a hold on me.
 
There are several cartridges i like. Dont know if i could pick just one. Kinda depends on my mood. Last few years been shooting anything with a small rifle primer since those are on shelves. I built a 20 practical last year and it so fun to shoot. Knocks the crap out of coyotes too and can spot hits through scope. Less recoil than a 223.
 
Take your girlfriend/wife to the gun shop on a 100* summer day and your favorite rifle, and leave both of them in the car with the windows rolled up for an hour.
Let me know how that works jds holler!!

My first CF was a Krag in 25 Krag full length. I still have that jones over quarter-bores.
That said, I have always wanted a 35 Whelen; and now I have one starting construction on a Sedgeley Springfield action. I guess meeting Townsend Whelen late in his life was the onus.
And a 404 Jefferys. And that awesome 300 H&H... Got three now (2OM 70's and a Mauser 98).
 
I like cases that turn into new rifles. I have a 22 hornet then came the k hornet and 17 k hornet. Had my eye on a 270 ren but resisted I am sure I wouldn't shoot it.
223 then 300 whisper now a 6x45 is getting done this year
6mm br, 22 br, 30 bellm.
17 k hornet didn't last because I have a 17 Remington it is hard for me to find a better 17 then the 17 Remington.
I have a 22-250 I have had for over 40 years and I'm not sure if the 22br will stay as I just like the 22-250.
I have a 30 barrel to go on the 22br if it don't find favor with me it will be another 30 bellm or maybe a plain 30br
The 30 bellm has been my latest favorite, I'm in Illinois so that's my deer rifle.
 
I like the 284 Winchester and the several flavors of it I can come up
with, on the wild catting bench. I'm birthing a 7.2 wild cat version
currently.
 
32-20/30-20 depending on bore size. First one I had was a TC barrel, I and several others played with it a lot. Loaded it up and down, it became a do all cartridge for IHMSA for me. Worked well on full size targets and found it to not be real fussy on what it was fed. Started casting my own bullets, I have used with good results 120-200 grain CB’s.
There were a number of negative folks. What the heck, 45-70 has several pressure ranges, as does the 45 Colt.
The 32HR arrived with lots of hype. Then JD came up with the 300 whisper. Of coarse I tried both and it seemed neither did better than my TC30-20. Then came the 327 that was going to fix the lacking of the other 32’s, not.
I much prefer a rimmed cartridge for the above multi uses. I acquired a Ruger Buckeye in 32-20/32 mag, only after waiting close to 20 years for my buddy to decide to sell it.
Custom mold, 140-145 grain depending on alloy flies around 1500FPS and will take BB IHMSA Rams@200 with no problem.
Forward another dozen years and I found I was not alone in doing such as above. Most of the others moved to the 327 as it was easier to load for.

Enough of my jabber, this new time gonna be late for work……….
 
What on earth is it that attracts a person to a particular cartridge, and dislikes another.
Some made a post about the much loved 25-06.
I like many other people have a special place in my heart for that cartridge
Its no different then any other cartridge but i find my self literally drawn to the .257 caliber cartridges
For me i think it maybe the way the case looks and feels in my hand.
I suppose in a way it matches my personality. Im not a big guy. But i know how to throw my wieght around. Im looking to have fun most of the time , but if its time to put in some nasty hard work well i dont complain in no model but kind of a hansom guy.
Just like the 25-06.
Could that be what goes thru the head and heart of a person with a cartridge in their hand?.
The 308win, 243win, 22-250, , 7mm rem mag, 300win mag any weatherby cartridge with that odd bottle neck of their's
I find unattractive big clunky cartridges. Like a heavy woman who sings the Delta blues or
driving a 1968 Buick station wagon..ok lets load em up and easssss on out of here . Hahaha
But at the same time im drawn to the 32-20, 25-35, 30-30, 223, 6br, 25-06 300Rem ultra mag
Man i just dont get it. Its not like any of it is important or matters in the grand scheme of things.
If i was hit by at truck and laying in the road gasping my last few breaths im not gonna be thinking about my favorite rifle cartridges...or will i? Maybe i will yell out 25-06 or 6br and pass, like BreveHeart hahaha
I would like to hear why others are attracted or have crazy obsessed love affair with their particular cartridge of choice.
So i know im not mentally twisted ..if i feel it, that means some of you do also.
We will sit and literally mess with a new order of brass for weeks no one finds that odd?
Some cant wait to buy bulk brass by the 1000's and sit making every case perfect.
But not just any case..it has to be a particular case or it doesnt receive the love.
And thats not odd personal behavior in the corner of your reloading room by yourself.
Its odd man no way about it.
This is supposed to be a fun topic, so we can tell on ourselves because were all kind of weird. You gotta at least admit that.
The answer is NOSTALGIA and an appreciation of the dart like sleekness of the cartridge/bullet and the attitude towards quality by expert craftsmen that made the rifles to shot those Wildcats which were latter adopted by major rifle manufacturers!!!

The really old 25 Neidner (standard 25-06) was the first SPRINGFIELD 30-06 (1906) wildcat made by simply reducing the neck!!! Standing a 25-06 up to a 30-06 loaded rounds, one would choose the 25 cal because it looks balanced!!! And when you reload for both cartridges, you look at that sleek, dart like 25 cal bullet and wonder why you still have the 30-06 around?? That cartridge and rifle do have sedimental value too me!! My 25-06 was my 1st custom build over 40 years ago!!! It is a battlefield proven (both WW1 and WW2) tough and reliable Springfield 03A3 action make specifically for the 30-06 cartridge!!

NOTE: Of all the AI cartridges PO Ackley designed, his favor round was the standard 25-06 (slightly over bore) where he ADMITTED the 25-06 AI is way over bore and the added powder charge was a waste with very little gain in velocity!! Ackley also stated the same with the 6.5-06 (at bore) vs 6.5-06 AI (over bore) with the same length barrel comparison!!!

The 256 Newton was developed prior to WW1 and factory ammo was available up an till WW2 when that cartridge died out! Factory made rifles were also made for that cartridge!! If memory serves me right, the parent cartridge was the Springfield 30-03 (1903)!!!

The Rem 22-250 (ak: 22 Varminter, .220 Wotkyns Original Swift (.220 WOS)) are also another old time wildcat made from the 250-3000 Savage (1914). The 220 WOS was slightly different than the simple necked down 22 Varminter!! For all practical purposes, the reloading data was the same for both expect for reduced loads, which the 22 Varminter being the better option!!! Once again, stand the reloaded 22-250 up next to it patent cartridge, the 250-3000 Savage, one would pick the balanced, sleeker 22-250 with slender dart like bullets!!! My go to, but lightly shoot out rifle is a REM 700 VLS!! It has a barrel code dating stamp being one year prior to the release of the 1st year production/REM sales VLS run!!! I TEND TO SPECULATE IT WAS A SHOW, DISPLAY, PRE PRODUCTION RIFLE WITH THE ADDED FACTORY CHECKERING!!!

One of my favorite and oldest rimless bottleneck cartridge is the 6.5x55 SWEDE (1894)!! My old C/R M96B Swedish Mauser (1917 all matching numbers) was designed to shoot a 156 grain bullet at 2460f/s out of the long (29.5") military tapered barrel and loves the 139 and 140 Darts!!!! It is fun to shoot long distance plinking with very little recoil!!

If I want to get into more serious open sight plinking, out comes my now antique, CROWNED JEWEL OF SWEDEN, CG63 target rifle ((1965) a factory modified M96 action (Mauser designed small ring receiver), milled and polished sears which reduces lock time, cut off pull/lock firing pin knob, wide ribbed tuned target trigger, 29.5" Norma Palma barrel, mounted on a Birchwood target stock)!! This rifle is extremely rare (1900 German made Swedish pre production receiver) and I always wanted to know what the full accuracy capability would be by mounting a target scope!! BUT, no modifications will be done on that gun!!! It is extremely valuable and part of my investments!!!
 
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