Second outing with the 25-45 Bullberry

The indoor range that's 5 minutes from me had been closed but finally re-opened under new management. I got a chance to get over there with some Contenders and work on breaking in the 25-45 barrel. So far it hasn't met a bullet it didn't like. I shot at 50 yards for initial accuracy check and load development.

Factory ammo, loaded with 87 grain Hot-Cor bullets, though it seems on the hot side for Contender, is well within the MOA range. A batch of bullets that I had worked up in another barrel with the 87s shot easily under MOA.

A ladder of Varget loads that I worked up for 100 grain hollow points ( a combination that would be impossible for the round in an AR, as originally intended) showed sub-half-MOA at both ends of the ladder with the in-between charges hanging just outside MOA. From some earlier chrony testing, I know that the low end of the ladder is pushing that 00 grain bullet to around 2350 FPS. Based on some load software data, I'm estimating the top velocities at probably 2450 FPS. I'll take that from a 16" barrel. :)

This one is a keeper for sure - recoil is mild and it'll obviously be a bug-holer when I dial in just the right loads. :)

Glad to hear that the 25-45 is working out for you. .25 is one of my favorite calibers.

NICE!!!

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Originally Posted by Bobby Tomek

NICE!!!

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It'll be interesting to try those BTs that you sent me and also those FTX bullets that I got. I'd be surprised if it didn't shoot those with extreme accuracy. :)

Sweet rig. Not familiar with a 25-45 Bullberry. Is it the same as a 25 Bullberry? What is parent cartridge?
Thanks
Doug

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Originally Posted by tred1956

Sweet rig. Not familiar with a 25-45 Bullberry. Is it the same as a 25 Bullberry? What is parent cartridge?
Thanks
Doug

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It's essentially the same as the 25-45 Sharps developed for the AR platform. It's a 223 Rem necked up to 25 cal.
Troy did a barrel for me using the SAAMI-spec reamer for 25-45 Sharps and the chamber was a little on the loose side and the throat was a little long, in keeping with the AR-type system. We decided that it could use a little tighter specs so he had the reamer re-ground and made another barrel. Even though the factory rounds fit and fire just fine (though they're loaded a little hot for the Contender), he decided to use a different designation for the chamber and mark it 25-45 Bullberry. Match Grade Machine chambers for 25-45 Sharps but they use the SAAMI spec reamer designed for the AR, as far as I know.


The factory ammo is loaded to fit in an AR magazine so the case capacity with larger bullets is very compromised. By seating out near the lands, even with the slightly shorter throat in this chamber, there's more room in the case. This barrel is launching 87 grain Hot Cors up to 2700 fps and 100 grain HPs at over 2400 fps from a 16" barrel.

When i had MGM build my 25sharps barrel, i sent them a dummy round with 87's seated out a tad long, as i didnt think i'd shoot many 100's in it. They throated accordingly and it has worked well, but published data for the cartridge is indeed very much on the warm side....more than i was comfortable with in my barrel.

I had best luck with 87's at about 2650 from my rifle length , which if memory serves is 22". I like the idea of that one in a pistol length barrel.

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Originally Posted by FyrepowrX

When i had MGM build my 25sharps barrel, i sent them a dummy round with 87's seated out a tad long, as i didnt think i'd shoot many 100's in it. They throated accordingly and it has worked well, but published data for the cartridge is indeed very much on the warm side....more than i was comfortable with in my barrel.

I had best luck with 87's at about 2650 from my rifle length , which if memory serves is 22". I like the idea of that one in a pistol length barrel.

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Yeah, all the data seems to be pretty hot for Contender. I've had okay pressure with the max load of H335 (28 grains from a couple of different sources) but I wouldn't try it on a hot day. I'm getting 2600 plus from my 16" with that load, if my chrony is accurate. Sharps claims 2900 from a 24" barrel.
H322 seems pretty good but I haven't run a lot of loads with it. In my original barrel H4198 was very accurate but wants pretty good pressure to be consistent. So far no load has been a complete dog and every bullet has shown potential for really good accuracy.

Another range session with the 25-45 barrel on the new SSK Flatside frame. Every group shrunk in comparison to the old frame. Nearly every load in the ladder I tested is sub-MOA.
I haven't done much work at 100 yards yet with this barrel but I put a few rounds through it that I had loaded for my original 25-45 Sharps barrel along with a couple of factory rounds. Results were impressive...
Attachment 10514

Very nice, I am waiting for my range to dry up... open open open :hail: this coming week it will dry enough but the next week more rain sad face. I need to shoot my 25-35 and 257 JDJ, good thing the 25-45 is not rimmed

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Originally Posted by sunnysmarine

Very nice, I am waiting for my range to dry up... open open open :hail: this coming week it will dry enough but the next week more rain sad face. I need to shoot my 25-35 and 257 JDJ, good thing the 25-45 is not rimmed

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I'd like it a lot better if it was rimmed but the availability (at least in theory) of factory ammo, properly headstamped brass and cheap dies make it a good choice for me. I got used to shooting 223 and various TCUs in the Contender so I just cuss a little when I have to wrestle some of the fired cases out. :) Same with my 6.8 SPC. I really liked that long, rimmed version that could use 30-30 brass, even if it was a little limited on pressure.

This 25-45 barrel is one of the good ones, for sure. It seems to be perfectly capable of one-hole 100 yard groups so I really have to up my game to be equal to its potential. :) I've got my Leupy 2.3-8X scope on it but I sort of wish I'd set it up with my Burris 3-12X so I see better to shot at 200 yards and beyond. If I get much of an itch with it, I'll convert it to carbine (I's 16 1/4") and put a higher power scope on it just to see what it'll do. :)

It would be nice if Starline made 357 max Basic brass, say about 1.95-2.0 long. That way we could make all the TCU cartridges and some of the other wildcats based off the .204 Ruger/222 Rem mag case with a rim. While I am wishing out loud, how about Rimmed 6.8 spc basic srp for the Herrett's etc.... If one of the SP boutique shops like say Haus of Arms were to run with this then we could have a supply of great rimmed brass to work with for the single shot fire arms. I asked Starline about this and was told that it would be a 100,000 lot minimum.

I know that a lot of folks say a rim in not needed, but hunting up north we have snow and cold weather so wearing gloves is necessary and the rim makes it easier.

Steve

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Originally Posted by Steve The Chimney Sweep

It would be nice if Starline made 357 max Basic brass, say about 1.95-2.0 long. That way we could make all the TCU cartridges and some of the other wildcats based off the .204 Ruger/222 Rem mag case with a rim. While I am wishing out loud, how about Rimmed 6.8 spc basic srp for the Herrett's etc.... If one of the SP boutique shops like say Haus of Arms were to run with this then we could have a supply of great rimmed brass to work with for the single shot fire arms. I asked Starline about this and was told that it would be a 100,000 lot minimum.

I know that a lot of folks say a rim in not needed, but hunting up north we have snow and cold weather so wearing gloves is necessary and the rim makes it easier.

Steve

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I'm right there with you on the rimmed cases Steve. I'm in a pretty serious mood for a .270 Max of some sort and a little stretch wouldn't hurt anything.

I would probably take 2000-4000 pc like I need another project, I have been slowly selling off the TCU and GNR cases I made from 223 Basic so I have room ! LOL That little bit of extra brass is quite nice to work with