What to do, what to do???

[Bobby Tomek]

Well, I made an impulse buy and have 100 pieces of new .225 Win brass coming my way. But the funny thing is that I no longer have a barrel that uses it.

I have a 6.5 BRM, a 6.5 Bullberry and a .300 Savage in Contender rifle format...all with 24" barrels. So those bore diameters are well-covered.

It's been years since I had a .257 JDJ, and the .226 version also sounds appealing, though waiting on dies and a full barrel tries my patience. SSK often has a 20" .257 JDJ in stock but I've yet to see a .226 listed in available inventory. The bullets I'd use in a 6mm are hard to come by, so I'll likely not even consider that version. Also, I have yet to have an SSK barrel since the changes with the company took place and don't have a feel for the current quality level. Plus, most of their in-stock offerings have threaded barrels, a feature which I'd never take advantage of.

I prefer 22-24" barrel length and over the past two days have perused all the sites with used barrels. But nothing tickled my fancy, so to speak.

I know Van Horn makes barrels based off the .225 IMP case as I had a 6.5x.225 VH Special. A 24" .225 AI with a 1:8 might be just the ticket. I may drop forum member Mark C. a note later and see if they have anything is existing inventory that might get my attention.

So what would you guys do?

Do I simply keep the brass for a rainy day, trade it for some bullets or brass that I do use, or do I hold out for a .225-based barrel of some sort?

[J A XSP]

My experience with the SSK Hunter barrels has been limited but eventful, let's say. I got 445 Supermag 20" with an impossibly sloppy chamber. Got absolutely no help from SSK but Marty took care of things and sent me another barrel. That one has a much much better chamber but not anything I'd categorize as tight tolerance. Currently I'm trying out a 44 Mag 18" and it seems pretty reasonably made. Chamber is cut to nearly the exact same spec as the EABCO 44 mag 24" that I got to do some velocity testing. I wanted to compare the quality of those two brands and I can say that the EABCO reminded me of late-production TC factory stuff while the SSK seems a little cleaner in the bore machining. Neither comes close to any of the the Bullberry barrels that I've gotten. Regarding the threads, I find that with the shorter barrels, a linear compensator is very useful in terms of keeping the muzzle blast directed away from face and ears and goes a long way toward improving balance and looks. I would have to think that the SSK custom barrels were more precisely machined than the hunters but I have no idea. I think they'll all shoot fine but whether they'll offer bug-hole accuracy is an open question.

As for you dilemma, seems like .257 JDJ would be the ticket for the sort of shooting you normally do. I wouldn't personally waste time with a 22 cal wildcat. For contender, 223 Remington or maybe 222 Rem Mag would be all you need. For any bolt action, 22-250 is just too hard to beat in terms of accuracy and speed. Personally, I'd like to have a 223 Contender carbine again but with my CZ, there's just no need for it. My 14" Contender set up in 223 covers all my 22cal Contender needs.

Your 1:8 225 AI might be a very cool setup and a fun project, though. :)

[Mjshell]

I have a 18” 226 jdj 1 in 7 twist that I had built 15 years or so ago. I have it set up on a G2 pistol configuration. I strictly shoot it off the bench. Quality and accuracy are excellent. Can not speak as to current SSK quality.

pet load is 80 grain A-Max’s.(average velocity 2594 fps)But also shoots 69 gr.sierra’s very well.(average velocity 2791 fps) 55 gr. Nos BTs at 2986 fps.

there is no published 225 win data that I have found for anything over a 70 gr. Bullet. I am still on my original 100 cases of brass.

I too have been looking for a 257 jdj barrel. Seems like no one wants to let go of them.

[sunnysmarine]

My three reasons to buy all the 225 win bras I run across in order of my choice 257 JDJ 20" 12.5" , 6.5 JDJ 20" 226 JDJ 14", I want a 20" 226 JDJ but have decided to see if I run in to one already made,

Bobby much like the accuracy of the 25-35 I got from you the 257 JDJ shoots like a laser as well, Mondays 5 shot group 1" at 300 yards, This Monday it was a perfect day just warm enough to need only a sweat shirt and a hint of a directly down range breeze that would die for 10 minutes at a time and the 20" 257 of old SSK barrel made my day

I am considering another 225 win I have 2 of them also, A 1-12 and a 1-10 thinking a 1-8 is needed

[Mjshell]

I have been on the lookout for a used fast twist 257 jdj. I have a healthy supply of 225 brass.

Also a 257 TCU is on my want list

[sunnysmarine]

I have been on the lookout for a used fast twist 257 jdj. I have a healthy supply of 225 brass.

Also a 257 TCU is on my want list

I wish that too, I would be good at 1-9 or 1-8 but NO, I can get 1-7 or 1-7.5 thinking the 1-7.5
I sold my 257 TCU thinking it would not matter the other 25s will do.... wrong I did have a soft spot for it the only reason I dont have one made the case is not rimmed

I am supposed to be down sizing

[Mjshell]

Or maybe a 256 super max

[sunnysmarine]

that one is in the works already

[61Knuckle]

A second on Sunny's .257 TCU [aka 25 Ugalde], it's my favorite TCU.

[Mjshell]

Bobby I think we hijacked your post. Go for the 257 jdj

[FyrepowrX]

Or maybe a 256 super max

i have a .256max in a 21" taper; that one was done by MGM some years ago. Mine is a 1-10" twist, so should stabilize most .257 bullet weights, but it has a definite preference for lightweights...been shooting mostly 75gr V-max, and Sierra 70gr blitzkings. I need to try to force it to like Speer 87's, i try to keep those on hand to feed a 25-45sharps carbine, but so far that has not happened & the barrel says it wants lightweights.

Back some years ago, have owned 2 different pistol tubes in 257TCU, and 1 carbine, but i never did much with the pistol barrels, and the carbine was a heavy bull profile so i never did quite warm up to it. Once i got the 25-45sharps barrel , it mostly filled my itch for .25's on the .223case.

Bobby...since SSK has changed hands, the barrels i've ordered have arrived in the promised time, and no issues with barrel quality so far. But, if you have specific throating or chambering requirements, i havent had a warm fuzzy feeling about their communications...had several projects i wanted to do, but never could get any response, and i grew got tired of relaying info to whomever was answering emails, as she could not get much info from the guys in production. The lady answering emails was quite nice & courteous & also friendly on the phone, but in the end she was NOT the one building barrels, so i decided not to take a chance on wasting money on barrels i could not get built to my specs. If i do go forward with any of those, probably wont be with SSK. For factory "as-issued, take-em-as-they-come" stuff, they do seem to make a good product, but i wasnt wanting "as-issued" stuff.

[FyrepowrX]

Bobby...have you ordered from Van Horn recently? What are his production time frames usually?

[Bobby Tomek]

Bobby...have you ordered from Van Horn recently? What are his production time frames usually?

His production times were short (a month or less if memory serves), but I have not ordered from him since I got the 30-30 and .300 Savage a few years ago. I plan on checking in to that and see if he's still open or maybe has retired by now. I do know that someone was selling off his "in inventory" barrels on ebay last year, but it was a third party and not Dave himself.

[BT]

Bobby I think we hijacked your post. Go for the 257 jdj

LOL

[J A XSP]

His production times were short (a month or less if memory serves), but I have not ordered from him since I got the 30-30 and .300 Savage a few years ago. I plan on checking in to that and see if he's still open or maybe has retired by now...

Let me know what you find out, Bobby. I've never had a Van Horn barrel in the collection I might be able make a place for one. :)

[Bobby Tomek]

I sent Mark an e-mail, and he said the shop has officially closed other than tying up a couple loose ends. The Van Horn barrels rate right at the top of the heap and are among the easiest to load for and most accurate barrels I have ever used. But new ones are no longer available.

The .225 brass arrived today and got the wheels turning again, so to speak ha ha.

[J A XSP]

I sent Mark an e-mail, and he said the shop has officially closed other than tying up a couple loose ends. The Van Horn barrels rate right at the top of the heap and are among the easiest to load for and most accurate barrels I have ever used. But new ones are no longer available.

The .225 brass arrived today and got the wheels turning again, so to speak ha ha.

Well, if you find anything interesting in your prowling, let me know. :)

[Bobby Tomek]

Will do. Did you ever get to try those 85 grain Noslers?

[BT]

I’d like to find a barrel to try. Sure don’t run across them very often.

[J A XSP]

Will do. Did you ever get to try those 85 grain Noslers?

Yeah...I haven't had a chance to do any loading or shooting but I'm hoping my local range will open again soon. The new management has been working on it or a couple of months and I've heard "opening soon" for a while now. :)

[bsekf]

Bobby, years ago I bought 500 6mm bullets because they were priced right. DIDN'T HAVE A 6MM BARREL. It started the whole rabbit hole thing. Now, in my 30 or so barrels I have five 6mm's now. In hindsight I should have thrown the bullets away.

Hope you are doing well.

Bill

[J A XSP]

Bobby, years ago I bought 500 6mm bullets because they were priced right. DIDN'T HAVE A 6MM BARREL. It started the whole rabbit hole thing. Now, in my 30 or so barrels I have five 6mm's now. In hindsight I should have thrown the bullets away.

Hope you are doing well.

Bill

I wonder how many Contender barrels have been purchased base on having buttload of bullets to shoot up. My latest trip down that road is with 44 caliber. I bought a bunch of JHP and JFP bulk bullets years ago and ended up without a 44 barrel because I couldn't comfortably handle the recoil in my 14". I'm currently in possession of a 445 Supermag carbine and not one but two 44 Mag carbine barrels. And to make matters even more stupid, I still buy XTPs every time they go on sale somewhere because they shoot much more accurately. :D :D

[sunnysmarine]

I think we are all related somehow.... same dumb reasoning here I will get the barrel to shoot it all up and sell it no problem, Then comes another deal to good to pass up Midway's birthday sale, some guy who clearly does not know the current value of whatever we dont need, I made it to less than 40 then last week another 2 showed up all by self ??? who ordered them I wondered, It was worse north of 60 was the average for years

[J A XSP]

...It was worse north of 60 was the average for years

By comparison, I'm the picture of restraint! :) I've probably had up to around 20 at one time and the number has shrunk and swelled in cycles but I've settled on the handful, 7 or 8, that I can legitimately use and am interested in as shooting/loading projects.
I'd have more Contender barrels, no doubt, if I hadn't made the decision to stick with bolt action for 223 and semi-autos and bolts for rimfire. Also, I'm light on handgun barrels these days because I just don't like punishing my hands with recoil. :)

[BobT]

I think we are all related somehow....

No doubt about that! Exactly how I ended up with my .25-20 carbine barrel, I had accumulated 2 boxes of Remington factory ammo and I needed something to shoot it with before it went bad