25-35 Wcf

[Critch]

Now heres a cartridge I only knew a little about, very little, but according to a gun mag I was perusing for free at Kroger last nite, Winchester is again putting it in their Model 94, (I think I read that right). Anyway, beintg a quarter bore nut, I hope to get a chance to look into this one. I realize that it seems slow by 25-06 or even 257 Roberts standards, but intriguing anyway. I do not own any lever action rifles, and this may be the one I get.

I noticed that ammo is around $20.00 box but that Midway also carries the brass for it, 50 pieces for $12.00 or so.

Anyone got any experience with this round?

[Rocky Raab]

Not directly, but I've read two polar opposing views on it. Years ago, one writer called it his number one pick for "Most Useless Cartridge" of all time.

Now that it'll be chambered again in the Winchester 94, Layne Simpson says it's a great woods round for deer and smaller. But Layne is what's known as an "Advertiser Whore." He'll praise anything and anybody that's advertised in Shooting Times.

Me? I think it'd be fun to play with, but ballistically it's a bit much for small game and a bit weak for deer. It'd be better in a Contender carbine than a M94 due to bullet choice. Thirty years from now a M94 in it will carry a small premium in value. Why? 'Cause almost nobody is gonna buy one.

[skb2706]

I hope they crank out several tons of loaded rounds and brass. For no other reason.....as selfish as it is...it makes great base brass for my 6mm 30-30 Imp. Much easier to size down from .257" to .243" than from .308".

[Catfish]

Rocky,
Whore or not, I also think it would make a great round for deer at short range. I`ve never plaied with the .25-35 but had a friend that plaied with a .25-20, which is alot smaller case, and was really supprised at what that little round would do. A 200 yrd. deer gun might be pushing it pretty hard, but for a 100 yrd. gun it should be great. But then, I`m the guy that brought a .17 AH for coyotes. ;)

[Lone Star]

I used a .25-35 Contender barrel for years as an IHMSA and hunting cartridge, even wrote it up in Handloader about 20 years ago. The short barrel limited velocity, but the Speer 120BT at 1800 fps gave me several 40x40s and very few rung rams.

I hunted Kodiak blacktails with it a few times, using the Nosler 85-grain BallisticTip at ca. 2300 fps. It worked on smaller deer at under 100 yards, never tried it on anything else. The 117 Hornady RN is supposed to work well for deer in the .25-35 rifles, but I have no direct experience. One would think that a modern M94 could be loaded slightly hotter than manual loads, but the strong tapered case shape demands a very clean, dry chamber.

[Critch]

I can't find any pics of this cartridge anywhere, is it a rimmed cartridge?

[skb2706]

Yep ....rimmed using the same basic brass as 30-30, ,32 Special, 38-55, 7-30 Waters etc.

[Lone Star]

It is also a radically-tapered case (by today's standards) and has much less capacity than a .30-30 case does. There is a photo near the bottom of this page:

http://www.rifleshootermag.com/ammunition/cartridges_without/index1.html

And a line drawing here:

http://www.accuratepowder.com/loaddata_caliber_rifle_standard_257cal.htm

[William Iorg]

Several of us are shooting the new Winchester. It is a real hoot.

Here is a link to a thread on the cartridge and the new rifle.

http://shootersforum.com/showthread.htm?t=20108

[Lone Star]

One bullet not mentioned is the Speer 75FN. In my .25-20s this bullet shoots very well, and its wide flat meplat enhances killing power on small game. After firing it and the 86 Remington into expansion material, the smaller Speer looks to hold together better at higher velocities. It might be a better small game bullet, particularly if loaded down to the 1500-1800 fps range. At top velocities it may be better on varmints to 150 yards. Without a scope, nothing is gonna make this rifle into a long range affair. ;)