Thread: 25-20 60 grain and NZ available powders

Anyone running a 25-20 with the 60 grain Hornady and NZ available powders ?

Most on line recipes are USA powders

In an 1885 single shot with a 22" barrel
So a short rifle rather than a carbine

Just thought someone might have data from a Marlin or Win 92 with ADI powers or RL7

Have sent you Nick Harvey stuff.

Hi 5-20 shooter
ive used Trial Boss [just to see if i could do subsonic ] Lillgun , WSF and AS50N
i must get back and finish my testing on this cal

@akaroa1This is from the ADI Handloader's Guide 5th Edition 2010. Zoom in and it should be easy to read.

Lot for 2205 in there, for which ADI publishes as equivalents H110 and W296. Note that Belmont Magnum Pistol Powder is repackaged W296. Hasnt seemed to be on offer for a while but still around on folks shelves. Excellent powder.

I have the rifle, brass, dies and just waiting for the courier to deliver the bullets

Case forming was interesting because annealed cases just collapsed
So virgin brass went well
Then I inside neck reamed them to thin the necks to the correct grip

Nice little cases for a nice little rifle

That's a loaded 32-20 with the 25-20 brass

Redding make a 25-20 trim & forming die that apparently is a useful step between 32-20 and a full size 25-20 die. I thought about getting one to convert 32-20 to 218 Bee, as a mid point to neck it down. Didn’t need to as I used a 243 die (stem removed) to help form the neck. Pushed the 32-20 case into the 243 die with a short bit of dowel resting in the shell holder then tapped the case out. Then full length 218 Bee die to finish before fire forming. I annealed the virgin brass then again after fire forming.

I took the decaping stem out and forced the 32-20 cases into the 25-20 sizer with an over size shell holder.

Then just used a large punch and hammer to tap them out from the inside

That avoided ripping rims off
Very happy with the results
Except I can't find the decaping stem now in the mess that is my workshop

I've had quite a bit of time, with the 32 and 25-20, lots powders work, blackout, N120, 296, h4198, 4227, little gun, trail boss, i had best accuracy with CFE Blackout and h4198, found little gun erratic,
Akaroa1, I have my last 25-20 for sale, how are you off for molds, and brass,
We have received a Partner Visa, for my Girlfriend and are moving back to NZ, 2025, If you need brass, and are interested in molds, form dies, I can bring em back to NZ, PM for more info.
Oh and Winchester and Remington brass, resizes from 32-20 no problem, Starline does not, (to Heavy) and will have over 50% failure rate,
I would love a single shot barrel in 25-20 for my K95,

Originally Posted by southernman

I've had quite a bit of time, with the 32 and 25-20, lots powders work, blackout, N120, 296, h4198, 4227, little gun, trail boss, i had best accuracy with CFE Blackout and h4198, found little gun erratic,
Akaroa1, I have my last 25-20 for sale, how are you off for molds, and brass,
We have received a Partner Visa, for my Girlfriend and are moving back to NZ, 2025, If you need brass, and are interested in molds, form dies, I can bring em back to NZ, PM for more info.
Oh and Winchester and Remington brass, resizes from 32-20 no problem, Starline does not, (to Heavy) and will have over 50% failure rate,
I would love a single shot barrel in 25-20 for my K95,

I got the Starline brass too work after I trashed half a dozen.
Assumed annealing would help but NO.

But then went 10/10 once I had a good system.
And then reamed all the inside necks because they were thick and were going too be way too tight for the bullets

In a single shot I don't need a tight bullet like for a lever gun

PM incoming

@akaroa1: how did you get the Starline 32-20 brass to resize successfully to 25-20?

Originally Posted by akaroa1

I took the decaping stem out and forced the 32-20 cases into the 25-20 sizer with an over size shell holder.

Then just used a large punch and hammer to tap them out from the inside

That avoided ripping rims off
Very happy with the results
Except I can't find the decaping stem now in the mess that is my workshop

As in this section of my post.

So I took the standard Starline
Imperial sizing waxed it lightly by hand
Used an over size shell holder so the rim wasn't inside it and wouldn't rip off trying to remove the case.
Slowly and firmly sized the case fully
Lift the handle and of course the case is stuck in the die
Put a large punch though the die ( decapper head removed ) body and tapped out the case

The punch is the largest that will fit through the case mouth and is applying its force to the strongest part of the case and they cane out very nicely.

All this was in my 7/8" press
When I go to full scale production I will do it in my 1 1/4" press

The Starline brass has made a very nice case and is readily available
I will be annealing only after the cases are finish formed
And when I get the bullets I will destruction test a single case to get an idea of how many 25-20 to form and how many 32-20 cases I should have on hand too see me out

Thanks for that. Gives me hope for better 218 Bee brass.

I just got home from a week working away and the bullets had arrived

So I put a few down range
Hornady 60 grain JFP
10 grains and 12 grains 2207
30m range with a tang rear and blade only front sight .
So wasn't expecting single hole groups

Promising for when I improve the sights


10