Forgotten caliber?

[Mega Twin]

I was just thinking with all the 32 caliber offerings, The 9mm/357 offerings,the 44 and 45 caliber offerings,
why has there been no .25 caliber handgun development,not counting the .256 but in straight wall cases?

 

[kmoore]

We can all guess, here's mine and why I changed. To me the 25acp is a pocket gun used at arms length. I think it has some merits over a .22lr for that use mainly the FMJ vs lead or coated .22lr bullets. When the newer polymer handguns came out being about same size and weight of a .25 in .380 and 9mm it's a no brainier. Go to a caliber that will put a person down better in a gun the same size. I carried a .25acp for years as a back up pocket gun. It was a berretta and worked 100%. When Kel Tec came out with the .32acp I was not interested, but the .380acp made some sense to me. I got one shot at least 100 rounds through it at the range without a problem. Then carried it and still do as a pocket gun. I figured at some point I would wear it out or break it. Over the years I replaced the mag springs, recoil spring and rod just because. I call it preventive maintenance. For some reasons the gun makers jumped on the band wagon all trying to make sub compact 380s and 9mm's into the new pocket guns. If I come across a .25acp at a good price in a gun I trust I would buy it. They seem to be the forgotten caliber.

 

[NikA]

I believe there's a member here (Chev. William? Thought he was on here as well as CastBoolits) who's done a lot of work developing .25 "magnum" rounds for his custom .25 Single Six. IIRC he forms the brass from 5.7x28 and ends up with a straightwall rimmed case with something like 1" OAL for loaded cartridges.

 

[Bob Wright]

The .25 K-Hornet was popularized several years ago, and of late there have several .25 caliber. I think one was based on a Ruger Single Six that had an auxiliary cylinder for the .25 ACP. Discussions are on several handgun forums.

Bob Wright

 

[Bob Wright]

Re-reading this post jogged my memory..........back a few years ago, like 1952 or so, someone had a batch of Webley Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) revolvers t sell. These were .442 RIC caliber, and sported something like 3" barrels. Now .442 cartridges weren't exactly hot sellers at that time, even less today.

So, these guns had their barrels lined and cylinders had inserts soldered in to chamber them for the more popular caliber of .25-20!

Great practical revolvers? Not on your life!

Bob Wright

 

[Mega Twin]

I was thinking more on the lines of 32 S&w 32 h&r magnum 327 federal,but in 25 caliber.

 

[Johnnu2]

I was just thinking with all the 32 caliber offerings, The 9mm/357 offerings,the 44 and 45 caliber offerings,
why has there been no .25 caliber handgun development,not counting the .256 but in straight wall cases?

I would think that you may have answered your own question.... !
Why bother with 25cal ammo when you can probably buy .22, .32 or 9mm for less money, AND have a SD round that might be somewhat effective?

Just a thought...........

J.

 

[Snake45]

What exactly is your proposed/imagined use for a new .25 cartridge? What would it do better than some existing cartridge? :?

 

[Johnnu2]

I'm thinking it may have been more of a rhetorical question just looking for opinions just for the heck of it..... (?)

With today's offerings, folks who carry probably would never consider a .25; especially when you can buy a Sig P365 and have something that might not stop a bad guy, but would certainly make him think twice (ten times).....(?)

J.

 

[NikA]

Since no one has posted this:
https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?308605-My-Ruger-quot-Single-Eight-quot-in-quot-25ACP-quot-vs-quot-Handloader-quot-250-Magnum-Auto
https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?344080-25-Auto-Long-rifle-Wildcat
https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?371716-My-Ruger-Auto-Pistol-conversion-Project
https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?305197-Proposing-quot-6-35x26mmSR-25-Magnum-Auto-Colt-Pistol-quot-cartridge
https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?339902-quot-6-35x23-or-23-6(22)-or-24-mmSR-quot-Thoughts

 

[Mega Twin]

I'm thinking it may have been more of a rhetorical question just looking for opinions just for the heck of it..... (?)

With today's offerings, folks who carry probably would never consider a .25; especially when you can buy a Sig P365 and have something that might not stop a bad guy, but would certainly make him think twice (ten times).....(?)

J.

Idle curiosity more than anything.

 

[Pat-inCO]

I think it is not . . forgotten . . but rather ignored.

At one step above a rock and a slingshot, it is much more expensive to shoot, has
very few guns manufactured that are of any real quality, and has a well earned
reputation for being ineffective. (I have two war stories, but I'll not bore you with them)

If you are going to spend money for a gun, why not spend just a little more and get
one in an effective caliber?

 

[gramps]

As a First Responder, I went to a shooting where a young adult was attacking his mom, uncle got between them and was also attacked, uncle pulled out a .25 acp, and shot him point blank in the head. The young man dropped like he had been shot! He woke up when we were taking his vital signs, walked him out to he ambulance, the ER took an X-ray and found the bullet under the skin in back of his skull. The bullet followed the contour of his skull! He was back home in an hour!
gramps

 

[Johnnu2]

As a First Responder, I went to a shooting where a young adult was attacking his mom, uncle got between them and was also attacked, uncle pulled out a .25 acp, and shot him point blank in the head. The young man dropped like he had been shot! He woke up when we were taking his vital signs, walked him out to he ambulance, the ER took an X-ray and found the bullet under the skin in back of his skull. The bullet followed the contour of his skull! He was back home in an hour!
gramps

Same thing happened to a friend in Queens, NY lighting store. Was present during a robbery, bad guy grabbed him in a choke hold then put his gun (really thought .22 or .25) to his jaw, pulled the trigger. Friend dropped like a rock. When he woke up, he was staring up into the myriad of lights (remember it was a lighting store). He asked the EMT: "Am I in heaven?". EMT replied: "No, you're in Queens.". When they put a band aid on the two tiny holes in his face, he thought it was a bit lackluster. They told him to go home. Bullet hit his jawbone going in and traveled an inch or two and exited same side of his face.

True story from the 1970's,

J.

 

[Mega Twin]

Well,it seems as if 25 caliber development stops at the 25 acp capability as a defence round,
Never mind.

 

[blackhawknj]

Any development of the 25 ACP is hindered by the size of the pistols. And the age of many of them.IIRC the first Walther in 25 ACP was advertised as the WTP-Westtaschenpistole-"vest pocket pistol", so small and light it could be easily carried in that more commonly worn garment.

 

[Goldstar225]

The very first homicide I responded to was a fellow who was arguing with another over a woman. The other fellow got tired of talking and put a .25 round straight through the the bridge of the victims nose. From the blood trail I saw the now victim staggered a few steps in the bar's parking lot before he laid down and died.

 

[Snake45]

Well,it seems as if 25 caliber development stops at the 25 acp capability as a defence round,
Never mind.

Oh, you had in mind as a defense round. Well, what about the 5.7 FN? Close enough?