Loading for Grandkids -- the mighty 25/20

[earlmck]

Grandkids can go through large amounts of ammo, which didn't used to be any problem when I was a young fellow in my 50's and 60's but as I get more mature I find that I can't stay awake long enough to do long sessions at the casting pot. And the back doesn't like to sit there very long either. So the old single cavity 25 cal mould that I have used for 50+ years needed an upgrade. And that's why I acquired the Arsenal 5-cavity about which I have recently posted.

25Mould7337.jpg

But after you turn out a bunch of bullets you are faced with the lube-size-gas check process which takes more time than the casting. And grandkids don't need a gas-checked bullet to shoot a tin can at 25 to 50 yards. So I think I have the deal for the little dears: look at this un-checked powder coated baby:

2520cartridgesP986.jpg

The mould casts about .258/.259 to begin with so I don't need any sizing. This was the classic shake 'n bake as Griff recently described or as shown over on the Castboolits site. The powder coat for this batch was Harbor Freight Red, of which I think I have a decade's supply for something less than $6. And this little bullet without the gas check sits very nicely down in the case prior to seating, so is extra easy for even very new reloaders to do the bullet seating process. (I like to have the gkids help load at least some of the cartridges they are going to shoot).

I was out shooting today but didn't shoot these for group. I did, however bang away at the 50 yard target I was going to use for the LeverChallenge shoot before I used the 44 mag on it. The powder-coated 25/20's all stayed in the black, which was more than I could say for the 44's which qualified for the "challenge". That will definitely do for grandkids. I used 7 grains of Lil'Gun powder, for essentially the same velocity (about 1500 fps) you'd get from 5 grains of Unique (or Universal, which is my alternate for this type load).

[GunnyMack]

25-20, probably my favorite cartridge! I have 2 and if I can get the stars to align I'll be getting a 3 rd in the near future! Which will mean I'll have to dust off my furnace, buy myself an arsenal mould and get to playing again.
When I lived in CO, I'd take my 77/22, Savage 23B and my 22-250 out to the prairie dog towns. Short range with the .22, mid range with the 25-20 and long pokes were all covered.
One day I tried a long poke with my Savage, took me 3 to hit that prairie rat but I scored at about 275 yards! Being no recoil you can watch your impacts and adjust. Such fun these old rounds are!

[EdinCT]

I have been shooting the Harbor Freight Red in my Marlin 45/70 CB. I seemed to run out of lube in the 26 inch barrel and this solved it. Also my 330 gr Gould bullet cast small for the CBs bore so the powder coat added just enough to the dia to get it working with a alloy that will expand.
Funny Earl how those kids don't mind shooting up our ammo! But good job keeping them supplied. Dad use to say there is 10 boxes in that brick and when its empty there had better be enough to buy ten more son. Got it?

[ollogger]

Very nice Earl that's the way it should be!!
no experience in being a Grandpa but surely remember mine!
my Dad would give me as a 10 year old 5- 22 shorts & said bring back 3 squirrels
and the rest you can shoot up


Brad

[Griff]

Nice job Earl.

[Catshooter]

Excellent solution Earl. Good grandkids are a treasure, aren't they?


Cat

[1894c]

there are posts like this that I wish earlmck would adopt me...what a great grandpa... :)