Is 25-20 worth acquiring?

[toysoldier]

Semi-local auction is advertising a Stevens single-shot in 25-20. Since more of these were chambered in 25 Stevens (rimfire), I'll have to make sure they identified it correctly. If I can acquire it at a decent price, is it worth reloading for? What's it good for?

 

[Bob Wright]

The little .25-20 sort of falls into the .22 r.f. category, mild recoil and low report. But a lot depends on the condition of that rifle.

Bob Wright

 

[daveg.inkc]

I have a 1892 Winchester in 25-20. Cheap to reload. I did take my first deer with it in 1979. And the James Jordan record whitetail was taken with a 25-20 Win. In 1914. No recoil, accurate old round. If you like to step back in time with firearms, it would be a good choice.

 

[daveg.inkc]

There is also a .25-20 Single Shot that is different yet.

 

[grobin]

When I was in high school, Nebraska, I used to hunt with a guy who used a 25-20 and he got his deer every year. The 25-20 single shot is a different cartridge and IMHO is best forgotten! You need to reload, factory loads are real pricy.

 

[Tom W]

Sure it is, depending on it's condition.

 

[Mobuck]

IMHO
The 25/20 was/is a small game round from a time when rimfire cartridges were problematic. Sure, it will kill a deer and is even legal in some places but certainly falls into the "underpowered" category for practical use on hoofed game.

 

[grobin]

The 25-20WCF is legal for deer in almost all states. It will push 60 to 86g bullets at 1900 to 2200 fps. It's a popular farmer and rancher deer rifle in congested areas. (Good for varmets too.) Good in the 100/150yd range.

Brass can be a bit hard to come by although cowboy action has Winchester supplying it.

Make sure that it's .25 WCF not .25 Stevens (rim fire) or single shot (very different centerfire cartridge-now obsolete)!

 

[daveg.inkc]

Midway USA was supposed to get 25-20 brass. One thing Starline Company told me was to use 32-20 brass to form 25-20

 

[sixshot]

Had one in a model 43 Winchester & it was a great Ground Squirrel/Badger gun. Shot the old Lyman 257420 cast bullet in it & it did great on small game. One of my son's took a couple of deer with it at close range. Sure wish I had kept it.

Dick

 

[Rick Courtright]

There is also a .25-20 Single Shot that is different yet.

Hi,

An acquaintance has been looking for .25-20 brass for a couple of years, to no avail last time I talked to him about it. I found some .25-20 Single Shot brass available one time and told him about it, which is how I learned there are two cartridges using the .25-20 designation. The SS isn't the one most people need.

Personally, I'd look at a rifle in either of those cartridges as more of a collector than a shooter unless one has a reliable source of ammo. While a lot of deer have been taken with it, methinks it's a rather close range proposition with that cartridge. A buddy grew up in OR and his Dad had one, Win 92 he may have bought new, that was reputedly so shot out the bore looked like a shotgun except for a slight hint of a wave where the rifling should have been. Even so, Dad shot deer year after year with it. Heavy brush where he hunted kept shots within 50-75 yards, and it did well at them.

Rick C

 

[grobin]

Checkout Midway: https://www.midwayusa.com/product/689001/winchester-reloading-brass-25-20-wcf-box-of-1000
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/198389/winchester-reloading-brass-25-20-wcf-box-of-50
25-20 WCF readily available due to cowboy action.
25-20 Savage is rimfire and unavailable.
25-20 Single shot can be made from .223 with some machining. The last two cartridges are obsolete and the rifles only of limited interest to collectors. There is a lot of confusion about 25-20 WCF (a necked down 32-20 to 25. In gets confabulated with he two obsolete .25 cartridges.

 

[Rick Courtright]

Checkout Midway: https://www.midwayusa.com/product/689001/winchester-reloading-brass-25-20-wcf-box-of-1000
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/198389/winchester-reloading-brass-25-20-wcf-box-of-50

Hi,

Does the word "Unavailable" jump out on anyone else's screen as it does on mine?

For the adventurous, several sources, including the Levergun Scoundrels forum, talk about resizing .32-20 brass to make .25-20 WCF brass. http://levergun-scoundrels.com/thread/1421/25-20-brass-last Starline has .32-20 in stock, with a couple of notes and a caveat about resizing.

Rick C

 

[grobin]

Comes up just fine in FireFox 61.0.2 64 bit under Win 7 pro.

Yes you can use a resizing die to neck down .32-20, but why? The Winchester brass is widely available.

 

[Rick Courtright]

Comes up just fine in FireFox 61.0.2 64 bit under Win 7 pro.

Yes you can use a resizing die to neck down .32-20, but why? The Winchester brass is widely available.

Hi,

In that case, you should be seeing the same message I do; "UNAVAILABLE," so in memory of Flatgate, "RTFM!" Other sites use shorter words: "NOT IN STOCK" and "OUT OF STOCK," but the message is the same. Where is all this "widely available" stuff?

And that's why folks resize the .32-20s!

Rick C

 

[daveg.inkc]

Mid Way is out of stock. I’m going to use the 32 brass. Starline tech told me to run 32 -20 brass thru 32 sizing and bullet seat die. (With no bullet). Then 25-20 size die. Then will need trimming

 

[daveg.inkc]

I just got off phone with Midway. They have no idea when 25-20 Win brass will be available

 

[daveg.inkc]

Midway has 86 gr Remington 25-20. Box 50 for $70.00.

 

[grobin]

Apparently I'm wrong as Winchester no longer makes the brass. Midway has it as limited production. They had some a couple days ago. Midway has starline 32-20 brass and has both 25-20 and 32-20 ammo. The factory ammo seems to be available but the brass no longer is. Sorry about my screw up.

 

[jimbo1096]

I bought a rifle in 25-20 WCF a couple of years ago and couldn't find ammo for it. I liked it because it had a cartridge case head on the receiver.
I put it aside and may have to go find it and see what I can do with it. Let me know what you do and how it works out.

 

[5of7]

Midway USA was supposed to get 25-20 brass. One thing Starline Company told me was to use 32-20 brass to form 25-20

I use 32/20 brass for the 25/20 and the 218 Bee. all it takes is a pass through the die, although it is better to form it into 25/20 and then into .218 Bee when loading the Bee.

 

[5of7]

I bought a rifle in 25-20 WCF a couple of years ago and couldn't find ammo for it. I liked it because it had a cartridge case head on the receiver.
I put it aside and may have to go find it and see what I can do with it. Let me know what you do and how it works out.

Sounds like a Remington pump rifle....right? Was it the model 14? I disremember.

 

[daveg.inkc]

I shot mine today. I had 3 different loads. 1 Remington 86 gr. And 2 reloads. One was a spire point that I shoot single shot. Busted clay birds down in a dry ditch. No recoil. Accurate 1892. This one was made in 1920’s. My grandfather kept it hanging above the door, next to kitchen table.

 

[toysoldier]

As expected, the single-shot Stevens went for way more than I wanted to pay. BTW, there are several offerings of 25-20 ammo on Gunbroker, running $70 or more.

 

[UmpquaCharlie]

I have a custom Ruger SA in 25-20. I love it due to low recoil, easy reloading and plenty of bullet weights to choose from.

 

[daveg.inkc]

I have a custom Ruger SA in 25-20. I love it due to low recoil, easy reloading and plenty of bullet weights to choose from.

What are some of your bullets?