.25 Caliber Wildcats

I'm looking to build a quarterbore, I'm thinking either a .25 Souper, .25 Souper Improved or a 250 Savage AI
I'd like a 1-10" Twist to shoot the 115 Berger's. Here's my ?'s

1. Will the 250AI push a 115gr past 3000FPS with a 26-28" barrel?
2. Dies, who makes them for any of the above?
3. Anyone got a 25 Souper or 25-.308AI?

I want something Different, easy on barrels (2000 rounds?) and fun to shoot, 600-750yds max, groundhog/target rifle
Barrel will be a small shank 26"-28" Varmint Contour .825"Muzzle

Thoughts and input......

And no I don't want a 25-06 or 25-06AI No offense...LOL

Hey Pa, I am kind of partial to the 250AI. It pushes a 100gr. bullet to 3230fps in a 24" barrel with 41.2gr. of RL15 or about the same amount of 4350. That is incredible efficiency out of a little round if that fits the bill. My 250 Sav w/ a 22" bbl pushes that same 100gr. pill to 3005 fps w near max load but no flattening of primers of 35.5gr. H4895. I like efficient cartridges. So, if you put that combination w/ a 100gr. Nos Bal tip or so (never tried the 115's due to the short standard throating on my stock Sav. barrel) I would imagine you could get what you are looking for in above 3000fps w/ the 115's. I would recommend having the barrel throated for the longer bullets that you intend on using. If I decide to AI my rifle- that was my orig. intent, but it is working so well as is I may just leave it- I was going to have it long throated so I am not taking up so much of the little cartridges capacity w/ the bullet. My loaded OAL is 2.50" even. So you have another 0.3" to = the standard SAMMI spec for a short action round and still feed reliably out of the stock magazine.
The 25 Souper should do what you want to, but you will be using approx. 10% more powder to do it.
The .250AI gets 25-06 performance w/ 11 gr. less powder and no recoil and very low report.
I shot 5 deer- all nice sized for here in NC- with that combination ( I used the Sierra Game King 100gr. w/ 35.5gr. H4895 for 3005fps). It hammered everyone I shot, complete penetration and more destruction than I would have imagined with this round.

you left out AI BOB

True, I guess I wonder if he was looking for just short actions? I supposed you could do a Bob on a short action but you really cut down on the powder capacity

In the real world there is little difference between the "little 25s" performance wise, any one being betterthan the other is mostly due to a individual rifle-barrel. Where the 250 Imp shines, it can be throated for longer bullets to be seated out of the shoulder and still have room to work through a short mag...if thats important. The disadvantage, the short fat straight walled little buggers can be a problem to feed, its very doable, but may take some tweaking.

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It pushes a 100gr. bullet to 3230fps in a 24" barrel with 41.2gr. of RL15

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LOL...seems to be a popular load, but I'm jealous, your getting two more foots per second! ;D
[img width=450 height=450]http://i31.tinypic.com/e1f8f6.jpg[/img]

I throated mine for the longest 100 I planned on using, a 100 NBT seated to the base of the neck. In that picture its a 100 Solid Base ( pre BT).

I kick around the idea of putting a 25BR together or a 25 Deer Hunter (250 Imp .100" short -- http://www.angelfire.com/ma/ZERMEL/25deerhunter.html). With some of Robinett's 88 BIBs either one might be interesting.


Bill

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And no I don't want a 25-06 or 25-06AI No offense...LOL

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No offense taken. My next built is going to be a 250 AI in a light weight rifle. That way I will have my 12 lb. 25-06 AI for way out there and a lighter rifle for the tree stand. It ought to make a heck of a coyote carry rifle too!

This is a new one I'm fixing to build. Already have the barrel, just need a little time to complete it. Got the idea from a couple other wildcats I already have.

I've already built a 22 and a 6mm version of this. 25 is next.

Performance should be a little more than a 257AI Bob but less than a 25-06. Should work on a short action with out seating the bullet too deep to effect case capacity.

25BR reamer run deep enough to make a chamber using 6.5x55 Swede brass as the parent case.

Can use BR dies with the proper bushings to do all the die work.....no special dies needed, no special reamers to make. Case capacity is near perfect for RL-17 powder with the bullets I plan on using.

I've fell in love with the 6.5x55 Lapua brass.....high quality at a cheaper rate than most of their other brass. Can take high pressure VERY well.

This consept can work for anything that is chambered in any type of BR chamber.

22BR all the way to 338BR.

What will you call it? How many grains of powder approx.? What velocity?

Call it?

Haven't really thought about it.

The concept is not my own.....I read about it somewhere just can't remember where. I'm not positive but I think this is the Vias cartridges.

Problem is, I can't find any real info on case dimensions for the Vias stuff. What I HAVE read has different shoulder angles than what I'm gonna do.....but who knows?

I'm not big on naming stuff anyway.......I just want the performance to be there.

Gonna do a 250 Savage A&B barrel, firelap it, then rechamber it. It'll tell me if it's worth any further effort without costing an arm and a leg.

I'm thinking it could push a 115 Berger to 3300fps....hoping anyway, but for sure a 100grner that fast.

It'll be between a 257AI Bob and a 25-06 or sure.

Before everybody jumps may case.......YES, I KNOW it will be a HOT LOAD. ;) The reason for using Lapua brass and RL-17.

PA Hog I have a 25 souper case forming die from RCBS but did not get the seating die in the deal. Surely they must make it unless you can put a 25 cal seater plug in a .243 die. I have kicked the idea of a 250 savage or this souper around a lot this year. Matter of fact I will have a 250 savage soon so I could part with my souper die pretty easily.

Pick up a Hornady 25 cal seater with the sliding sleeve, they are pretty much universal.

375win

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Originally Posted by 375Win

Pick up a Hornady 25 cal seater with the sliding sleeve, they are pretty much universal.

375win

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+1

That's what I use for my 250AI

I have recently been thinking of a 25 wildcat. Take the case dimensions of the .300 Savage, and neck it down to 25 cal. Grab some of the soon to be released Lapua .308 Palma small rifle primer brass, and reform it to the new 25-300. The barrel twist would be something between 9 and 10 for the heavier bullets. I would probably try out the Hornady 110gr Interbonds and the new GMX 110 gr bullets. Most likely in a 10 twist barrel, but maybe in 9.5 for the extra edge of stability. The first powder I would try would be the new IMR 8208XBR. I would probably use Wolf small rifle mag primers.

One reason for choosing the .300 sav as the parent is shorter over all cartridge length, thereby more easily allowing long bullets to be seated optimally and still function in a short action easily. The brass of course being made by Lapua kinda speaks for itself.

Good hunting,
Gary

P O Ackley considered the 250 Savage AI his best improved cartridge.

All this talk about the 250 Savage AI has me wondering..........have any of you got any data for the lighter bullets? 75-85grns or so?

Bet it would make a dandy varminter.......say a 14" twist built specifically for the light bullets.

Available .250-3000 Ackley Improved Loads
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Bullet Make
& Wt. (gr) Powder
Type Charge
(gr) Muzzle
Vel. (fps) K. E.
(ft-lbs) Barrel
Len. (in) Owner

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75 Sierra Hodgdon Varget
42.3 grains Max load
3550 fps
2099 energy
26.0 inch barrel
View
stigma
75 Sierra Alliant/Herc Reloder-15
43.2M
3600
2159
26.0
View
stigma
87 Speer IMR-4350
51.0
3185
1960
22.0
View
maxvelocity
87 Speer IMR-4350
55.0M
3477
2336
22.0
View
maxvelocity
90 Sierra Winchester 760
46.8M
3400
2311
26.0
View
stigma
90 Sierra IMR-4064
41.2M
3400
2311
26.0
View
stigma
90 Sierra Alliant/Herc Reloder-15
41.9M
3400
2311
26.0
View
stigma
90 Sierra Hodgdon H-414
46.6M
3400
2311
26.0
View
stigma
100 Sierra Hodgdon Varget
40.1M
3200
2274
26.0
View
stigma
100 Sierra Alliant/Herc Reloder-15
41.0M
3200
2274
26.0
View
stigma
100 Sierra IMR-4064
42.8M
3321
2450
22.0
View
edmonson Recently added
120 Sierra Winchester 760
41.6M
2900
2242
26.0
View
stigma
120 Sierra Alliant/Herc Reloder-15
38.5M
2900
2242
26.0
View
stigma
120 Sierra IMR-4350
42.3M
2900
2242
26.0
View
stigma
120 Sierra Hodgdon H-4350
42.2M
2900
2242
26.0
View
stigma
120 Speer IMR-4831
45.0M
2950
2319

View
edmonson