Best dies for the 25-20? And loads?

[Old Savage]

Contemplating what dies are best in this caliber.

[ollogger]

Mine are RCBS, dumb move on my part when I started I didn't have the expander set right
and pancaked a couple cases, yes some times Im slow to catch on

ollogger

[Sixgun]

OS,
I have around 60 sets of dies with about 95% of them being RCBS. Modern dies are very uniform today and you really can't go wrong with any of them. The reason I stay with RCBS is that I can always change out parts if the need arises and it always does. So get the brand you prefer and supplement it with a Lee FCD, a must for any levergun cartridge.-----6

[w30wcf]

I decided to purchase the LYMAN die set for the .25-20 mostly because it comes with their excellent "M" neck expanding die.
I also bought the RCBS neck sizing die & the Lee FCD.

I was not disappointed!
I found that the Lyman sizing die, resizes a fired case to = the factory case dimensions.
Excellent!

w30wcf

[Shasta]

I'm very happy with my RCBS Cowboy dies, which are made expressly for cast lead bullets.

SHASTA

[Old Savage]

Still considering but right now it looks like the Lee three die set and a separate Lyman M.

[Griff]

Hmmm... 3 recommendations for RCBS, 1 for Lyman... and you decide Lee....?

Whatever you get... make sure they're for 25-20.

[Old Savage]

Well the consideration so far, Lyman not available. But I can get the M die. Lee FCD comes with the Lee set. Six thought all are good and one of our esteemed contributors has recommended Lee in another thread. So, not as skewed as it may seem from our recommendations. May also add a Redding neck sizer. I tend to be a bit of an experimenter on combinations and ... A friend has RCBS I could try. Marlin Owners has about 55 pages on the subject but not as familiar with those fellows although some here are there with the names changed apparently to protect the innocent.

I have already loaded for the 25-35, .257 Roberts, 250 Savage and 25-06. All were quite accurate. I also very briefly loaded for a friend's 25-20 before it went away. That was not too accurate. Keeping my ears open. Don't really feel like I know what I am doing here but it seems like an interesting project and I want to hear what folks have to say.

As an aside I once bought two matching Ruger 77 Rs in .270 to see if there was any difference. There is - one is about 100 fps faster than the other and seems to shoot normal spitzers better. The slower one does very well with Partitions either 130 or 150. Almost like two different rifles in a sense.

[Charles]

I bought a set of Lyman dies about 25 years ago and they have worked well for me.

[JayF in AZ]

I have a few sets of lee dies and they're ok. My .38-40 seating die won't seat bullets to a uniform depth though. Kinda irritating.

[jdad]

Another vote, for the RCBS Cowboy dies. Zero problems, with their 25-20,32-20, 38-40, & 44-40 CB dies.

[KirkD]

I used Hornady 25-20 dies. Zero problems.

[earlmck]

Still using my Herter's dies. Good to know these newcomers are making dies for 25/20 in case the Herter's wear out.

[Griff]

Still using my Herter's dies. Good to know these newcomers are making dies for 25/20 in case the Herter's wear out.

That was rich, Earl! Thanks for the guffaws!!!

[Old Savage]

Earl - you are a lucky guy - searched the web for Herter's 25-20s and none to be had. Guess I will just have to "settle" for trying the Lee dies with FCD and the Lyman M die I ordered.

[piller]

I don't have dies for the 25-20, but I also like the Hornady dies. At least, the way they seat the bullet using that sliding holder. I use the Lee FCD dies on all crimps.

[earlmck]

Earl - you are a lucky guy - searched the web for Herter's 25-20s and none to be had. Guess I will just have to "settle" for trying the Lee dies with FCD and the Lyman M die I ordered.

And the Herter's dies are "Model Perfect" as I recall. You can't get better than that! But I'll bet you will be able to muddle along pretty well with your second choice there, O.S.

[Old Savage]

Well Earl, it is a project and an experiment. So, we'll press on.

[Griff]

Fred,

My only complaint about the Lee Dies is the "O-Ring" in place of a set screw type locking ring for the die body. The O-Ring will not hold a position on the die as well as a locking ring for removing and installing a die in either a tool head or press. It will hold the die in place as long as it's in place, but once removed, you'll have to reset it each time it's re-installed to have a perfectly adjusted die.

Whereas with RCBS or Redding once you adjust the die body for proper height, be it sizing or seating/crimping, once you tighten up the lock ring, it's set as long as you use it in that same press or tool head. I don't know about their RGB die sets, but I see they don't make that type for the 25-20. Although, their Pacesetter die sets include the FCD die.

But... RCBS does sell their Lock Ring assy. separately. $3.95 retail

[Old Savage]

I agree Griff, I bought the Lee hand press for some jobs I can do inside. It has those new locking rings that will have the Lee dies. I am also going to get one of those Frankford Arsenal stands for an RCBS press. Don't think I am going to go the Dillon route on this. Depending on which seating die I go with I will probably go with your suggestion and that kind of may depend on what bullet I will use. Part of this will be a cast bullet project. Part of my long term recovery is involved with the residuals of arm, shoulder, hand, neck and at this point I am leery of shooting my 45/70 etc but this besides being something I have been interested in since Marlin brought them out is perfect for now.

For about 10 years I was sort of spoiled using the Lee Collet dies with bottle neck cases in the Dillon RL 550B, never trimmed or lubed for the thousands of rounds reloaded.

[Old Savage]

Back to looking at the 25-20 in the loads dept.

[Mescalero]

Earl,
You are a piece of work.
That's a good thing.

[AJMD429]

My only complaint about the Lee Dies is the "O-Ring" in place of a set screw type locking ring for the die body. . . . . . . . . . But... RCBS does sell their Lock Ring assy. separately. $3.95 retail

Yep. Most of my often-used dies are on Lee or Dillon 'toolheads' (for the 4-station Lee turret or Dillon RL-550B), so it really doesn't matter, but I have replaced most of the O-ring nuts with set-screw ones of one type or another. ESPECIALLY for dies I use on the single-stage Rockchucker.

So get the brand you prefer and supplement it with a Lee FCD, a must for any levergun cartridge.-----6

That's exactly what I advise folks. All the dies are 'ok', so don't waste a lot of time fussing over which brand. However, the Lee FCD is unique, and worth having in the equation.

Still considering but right now it looks like the Lee three die set and a separate Lyman M.

Good choice from what I've read (not used them myself, yet). Here's a nice article on the Lyman M dies --> LASC article on Lyman M dies

As an aside I once bought two matching Ruger 77 Rs in .270 to see if there was any difference. There is - one is about 100 fps faster than the other and seems to shoot normal spitzers better. The slower one does very well with Partitions either 130 or 150. Almost like two different rifles in a sense.

Now THAT is the kind of cool 'gun' stuff I love to read about; maybe the DCM-VIII or whatever one they're on now would classify it in the OCD category, but I think it is really cool to do stuff like that. That is how real progress in any field is made - by questioning, investigating, and so on. If OS or others who like to do stuff like that had more 'spare time' to do it in, just think of all the interesting stuff we'd have learned.

Still using my Herter's dies. Good to know these newcomers are making dies for 25/20 in case the Herter's wear out.

Yep. Gander Mountain is giving Hudson Bay a run for their money, too...
It's amazing how much stuff basically invented over 100 years ago (like leverguns, brass cartridges, reloading dies, etc.) is STILL not only of sound and practical design, but so often the actual physical equipment itself is still in use and going strong.

[Old Savage]

I've got lots more like that, what calibers are you interested in.

[earlmck]

Back to looking at the 25-20 in the loads dept.

Keep us posted on your load trials, OS.

I am in a nasty rut in the 25/20 loading game (as you might suspect from my Herter's die set). I've never shot anything but the Lyman 257312 GC (about 90 grains) ahead of 11 grains of IMR 4227. Which load I settled on , not because it is particularly accurate, but because it slightly compresses the powder and the bullet can't get any deeper so I don't have to have much of a crimp -- just enough to remove the bell produced by the Lyman "M" die. Maybe I should try some other loads, maybe looking for more accuracy?

This load does thump a jack rabbit with considerable authority, I will note...

[BrentD]

for me a 17.5 grn load of Swiss 1.5 fg and a much lighter bullet - 65g or 79 gr (I have 2) worked well.

[Old Savage]

Been reading a thread on MarlinOwners on the subject that goes past 70 pages. Lot of detail there.

[3leggedturtle]

Whatever you buy, get a Lyman "M" die too. I went with Lyman cause evry other die make was out of stock.

[Sixgun]

OS,
Funny and temperamental cartridge, that 25-20 is. I've got a Remington pump gun that eats up everything. A Marlin CL that loves expensive jacketed bullets and cast to 1400.

My regular standard shooting rifle is a Model 53 Winchester takedown that loves the 70 gr Speer and a dose of AA#7......won 1st place at the Regionals with that load and rifle last summer.

About the only bullet that all three rifles likes is the Lyman 70 grain gas check.......not to exceed 1500 in any of the guns, because accuracy goes to pot after that speed and that is even casting them from pure Linotype.

Does not matter the powder as long as it's fast or semi fast for a cartridge like that. 3.7 grains of Bullseye or 4.5 grains of Unique gives that magical 1400 fps with the 70 gr. Lyman. 8.5 grains of IMR 4227 or AA 5744 will also give about 1400-1450 but those powders will have larger extreme spreads if the weather is cold vs hot or if the gun is pointed down or up.

3.7 grains of Bullseye works in any conditions in any temperature.------6

[Old Savage]

Six I am going try your load here for sure. Think I will go with the 5744 load and that 70 gr Lyman you recommend.

[JerryB]

Another vote for Herters, I am still using my Herters powder scales I started out with in 1960, they still calibrate out just fine.

[Old Savage]

Six, thanks for the tips. I bought the Lee dies with FCD. I also got a Lyman M die in 25-20 and a set of Lee 32-20 dies to help in forming 25-20 from Starline 32-20s.

Had a brief go round with the 25-20 in a Marlin some years ago. Did find it finicky. It belonged to a friend and went away. Now that I have one we will see what happens.

[Old Savage]

Six, shot a few of those loads. Windy day and I called one high. I think the tight 3 shots are more the rifle's potential. These are all I shot - wanted the cases for a reference for setting the dies. Six inch bull here.

[Old Savage]

Ran a few through the new 45 Colt to see where it shot.