Feeding the 25/20's

[earlmck]

One of my grandkid tested-and-approved rifles is a 25/20 that somebody many years ago put a model 53 barrel on an old (blackpowder era) model 92. This makes a very handy and easy carrying little rifle; grandkids favorite. The mould I have used for the past 50 years to produce bullets for the old babe is a Lyman single cavity, 87 grain g.c.

Back when I was still a young guy like friend Sixgun I didn't mind sitting at the melting pot for 6 or 8 hours and producing a pile of bullets, one bullet at a time. But the old-man's back I wear now starts to ping me after about an hour. Multi-cavity moulds have become very attractive for getting decent production in a shorter time. Enter the little present that found its way to my doorstep yesterday -- 5-cavity Arsenal:

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I scrubbed out the cavities with hot soap and water (reduces the amount of oils left in the cavities; oils make wrinkles), fired up the melting pot, and produced about 400 of these 25 cal, 70 grain little fellers. The bullet on the left uses a 6.5mm check; middle uses 25 cal check; and the right bullet is fresh cast.

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The new mould fills easy and drops all 5 bullets with a light tap or two. Bullet weighs 73 grains checked and lubed, mikes .259 that my sizer squeezes down to about .2585. Just for grins I did a couple hundred with 25 cal checks and a couple hundred with 6.5 mm checks a la Sixgun's idea viewtopic.php?f=1&t=67029. This'll give me an extra "thing" to play with. Us old levergunners always like new "things" to play with.

And speaking of new things to investigate: since those 6.5 mm checks are too loose to stay on the base I ended up putting the bullet in the size die (I'm using a push-through Starr sizer here), poked it down far enough that the base was down below level of the die --say 1/4" or so-- and then I'd slip a check on top and allow the size die to guide it nicely onto the base, pressed by the punch. Working at my normal moderate pace I had a couple checks that got cocked a bit and messed plumb up. But when I seated them with a quick bump of the size handle they went onto the base flawlessly, even on bases that had little fins left behind from the casting (that happens to me occasionally when casting). Because of this ability to put a check even onto a base with a burr or fin I am thinking this may be my new gas-checking technique henceforth.

Use to be I'd sit in my lounge chair with a batch of bullets and gas checks and get a bunch of bullets checked during TV commercials. But the wonderful DVR has vastly reduced the gas-checking production via this method anymore. Maybe its time this old dog learns a new trick.

[3leggedturtle]

Nice looking mold and bullets. Amazing how many custom mold makers there are now. I was looking on gunbroker for my next toy and found a few Remington and Marlin pump 25/20's for $6-800.

[Sixgun]

Well...well....Mr. Earl has me GREEN! A spanking new FIVE cavity mould! (Can I have it?) I'm one of those guys who gets jealous real easy ......by the way, I'm no youngster at 62 but my Italian/German genes gave me a strong back. There are zero back problems in my family. My ancestors were probably quarry slaves who had to carry boulders around.

Earl, you made a good choice in my opinion. In the 25-20's I have experimented with the 70 grainers has always been the most accurate. I see you have a model 53 barrel so that means (probably) that your throat is the same as mine. I also found that seating is important......put that front band right up to the rifling. On the Lyman, I found that distance is to crimp a pubic hair before the front band.

My 6.5 checks fit on tight but as the neck of the 25-20 is long that will be a no issue with you. The neck will hold it in place. To test that, just use an inertia puller on a loaded round and the check will stay in the neck. My 1886 in 40-65 is like that as I have to use .416 gas checks....ouch! (Those babies are not cheap)

Keep us informed Earl ......I'm got some 25 Auto testing to do today.....HINT.....You want to be able to stay at the casting bench for 6-8 hours? Drop a couple of perks and a strong coffee -----6

[Les Staley]

You'll love that bullet in the 25-20! It's my favorite for my relined 1909 Winchester 92. I powder coat them for no lube mess, unlimited shelf life and unparalleled accuracy. My Lyman mould drops two at a time, fast enough for me (I'm retired). Gonna hafta try the 6.5 checks.

[earlmck]

I should have mentioned that I'm using Hornady checks for both calibers and the 6.5mm check is very firmly attached (at least as firmly attached as the 25 check) once it travels through the size die. No worries about these babies falling off the base.

And Six, you don't have to eye my mold with envy -- Arsenal has more of the same and he ships right away. $80 for the 5-cavity Aluminum. And as for your youth? Oh to be 62 again when I was ... maybe not double tough but still semi-tough!