Favorite "smaller than deer" cartridge?
- Thread starter RicinYakima
- Start date
Chris Sparkman
New Member
So then do you not recommend any filler at all, or is it that dacron in particular is out? I see you are in Redlands. I lived in Riverside most of my life. My folks still live in Beaumont.
So Al did you find a kit gun to serve your purpose yet? I will trade the 631 I have in 32 mag 4" BBL if I was offered something that rings my bell.
It does carry well but as I have said I cant get it to shoot to my satisfaction. I built another 32 mag on a Ruger single six. This old model single six started as a 22 RF but now is a 32 mag CF. The Ruger with 6" barrel shoots ever so much better for me.
9
9.3X62AL
Guest
Not yet, Dan. Found a near-miss fairly close by, but elected to wait and get EXACTLY what I want rather than settle for a step down in strength (Colt Police Positive, 1914 edition).
Chris--I won't use any fillers in my loads. I did almost 28 years with Riverside County Sheriff's Department, retired in 2005.
Chris--I won't use any fillers in my loads. I did almost 28 years with Riverside County Sheriff's Department, retired in 2005.
Rally Hess
Well-Known Member
If he doesn't, I'd like a shot at the 631. You have a picture of the gun?
Bret4207
At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
Aw jeeze! The old 25/35 is no more? Sad to hear. 38/55 is nice, but I would have been tempted to go with the 32/40 High Speed!
Missionary
Well-Known Member
Good morning
It is a heart stopper to mess up a barrel. But happily being able to rebore to a caliber 38 is not a complete loss.
Only filler I have complete confidence in is something like COW (cream of wheat ) that forms a solid column on top of the charge and compressed a hair by the bullet base.
Naturally you must start the load development with the arrangement. Have a caliber 38-55 that defied shooting groups without a COW filler. Even 3F with a fat .382 40-1 was hardly better than patterns. Took a .385+ cast with 3F to finally get that one to shoot minute of corn cruncher.
Cannot chamber a fat enough cast with smokeless. Have no interest in reaming the throat or reaming case necks either for a 1896 rifle. Happily 3F does the trick.
Mike in Peru
It is a heart stopper to mess up a barrel. But happily being able to rebore to a caliber 38 is not a complete loss.
Only filler I have complete confidence in is something like COW (cream of wheat ) that forms a solid column on top of the charge and compressed a hair by the bullet base.
Naturally you must start the load development with the arrangement. Have a caliber 38-55 that defied shooting groups without a COW filler. Even 3F with a fat .382 40-1 was hardly better than patterns. Took a .385+ cast with 3F to finally get that one to shoot minute of corn cruncher.
Cannot chamber a fat enough cast with smokeless. Have no interest in reaming the throat or reaming case necks either for a 1896 rifle. Happily 3F does the trick.
Mike in Peru
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38WCF is 38-40, so needs 40cal bullets!
Missionary
Well-Known Member
Greetings In my previous wrote 38 WCF instead of 38-55.. Living at 8000 and over 65 is getting tougher.
Mike in Peru
Mike in Peru
10-4. It makes more sense in that you were staking to the 38-55 vs 38-40 (aka 38WCF). Lots of BP rounds were loaded with BORE size paper patched bullets over BP. Hollow based bullets was another way to make "undersize" or heeled bullets group acceptably, but again, more in the BP era.
My favorite smaller rifle is a 25/20 Marlin classic, usually have it loaded with a 80r Lee group buy plain based bullet loaded to around 1200-1300fps for general woods walking/bunny hunting. Occasionally I will have some hollow pointed 257420's loaded up to 1900fps, they shoot great but are a bit too vicious for edible game hunting unless you take head shots only. I have a Ruger Ultralight on its way back to me from PacNor with a new 25-45 Sharps barrel replacing the original .223 barrel, really looking forward to getting it in hand and playing around with cast bullets in.
9
9.3X62AL
Guest
Yessir, dies and all--down the road they went. I DID give the 32-40 some thought.......brass was too scarce, didn't want to reform 30/30, and the 38/55 made more sense. 250 grains at 1800+ vs. 30/30 ballistics at top end, maybe.
Bullshop,
Barrel twist on the new 25-45 barrel will be 1-10. Really looking forward to getting it in hand, the 10 week wait has been killing me and to top it off i have to return to work for three weeks the day the barreled action is supposed to arrive at the house so it will be a while before i actually shoot it. I had them match the factory contour out to the forend tip and then carry that diameter all the way to the tip of barrel, should give it a bit more heft than the factory Ultralight contour. I have always wanted a scoped bolt action 25-20 and after reading about the 25-45 Sharps figured that it could be loaded to 25-20 velocity and would also make a nice easy shooting deer rifle for my daughters when loaded up to full potential. I have a bunch of Speer 75r flatnose and Remington 87 grain 25-20 bullets to try out as well as my various cast bullets.
Barrel twist on the new 25-45 barrel will be 1-10. Really looking forward to getting it in hand, the 10 week wait has been killing me and to top it off i have to return to work for three weeks the day the barreled action is supposed to arrive at the house so it will be a while before i actually shoot it. I had them match the factory contour out to the forend tip and then carry that diameter all the way to the tip of barrel, should give it a bit more heft than the factory Ultralight contour. I have always wanted a scoped bolt action 25-20 and after reading about the 25-45 Sharps figured that it could be loaded to 25-20 velocity and would also make a nice easy shooting deer rifle for my daughters when loaded up to full potential. I have a bunch of Speer 75r flatnose and Remington 87 grain 25-20 bullets to try out as well as my various cast bullets.
RicinYakima
High Steppes of Eastern Washington
You will like the Remington 87 grain bullets! They by far out shoot everything else in my Savage 23C and at 100 yards expand very well in coyotes!
I had a short fling with a 25 Copper Head and liked the cartridge very much but the platform I had it on left something to be desired, a 340 Savage.
I have for some time considered the 257 Kimber but didn't want to go with the 222 mag length case. Now we have the 25-45 available. The only fault I find with it for bolt action use is the taper designed into the case for use in AR platforms. Not being an AR person for bolt action I would prefer an Ackley improved type case design.
I have for some time considered the 257 Kimber but didn't want to go with the 222 mag length case. Now we have the 25-45 available. The only fault I find with it for bolt action use is the taper designed into the case for use in AR platforms. Not being an AR person for bolt action I would prefer an Ackley improved type case design.
9
9.3X62AL
Guest
Did a little Google-fu on the 25-45 . Interesting little caliber, the 87 grainers at 3000 FPS is identical to 1920s 250 Savage ballistics. Given the 1-10" twist, a 100 grain spitzer J-word should stabilize and be good for 2600-2700 FPS. Almost into the 243 Winchester's toll-free dialing area. A very fine song dog strafer, I would venture to say.