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Next, how 'bout the .25-20...


Three Foot Johnson

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I saw a decent shooter-grade Marlin '94 on Gunbroker with a starting bid of $525, and no one else bid on it, so now I have a .25-20 on the way. :lol: I've never shot one, never owned one, never loaded for one. Anybody shoot one, and what sort o' loads are you shooting in it?

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Be prepared to have a bunch of Misses called that hit the target ....

If you use it for this game , sorta like FCD shooters get ....

 

Jabez Cowboy

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9 minutes ago, Nasty Newt # 7365 said:

Well, I don't have one, and John Boy pointed you in the right direction, but I've always thought I'd like to have a Model 92 in 25-20.  Just for the heck of it.  :)

Lock, Stock, and Barrel had one listed at the same time that I was also watching, and it sold for $693.88 on the 8th. I don't know what happened with the deal, but he re-listed it today, starting at 0.01, no reserve.

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2 minutes ago, Three Foot Johnson said:

Lock, Stock, and Barrel had one listed at the same time that I was also watching, and it sold for $693.88 on the 8th. I don't know what happened with the deal, but he re-listed it today, starting at 0.01, no reserve.

Thanks.  I will take a look.  :)

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Get in touch with Boomstick Jay. I sold him a semi-complete 92 a few years back in 25wcf. He told me at the time he was very fond of the caliber and had several others in that caliber.

 

https://www.boomstickarms.com/

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28 minutes ago, Three Foot Johnson said:

Lock, Stock, and Barrel had one listed at the same time that I was also watching, and it sold for $693.88 on the 8th. I don't know what happened with the deal, but he re-listed it today, starting at 0.01, no reserve.

I can't find it.  Can you send me a link?  thanks.

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4 minutes ago, Nasty Newt # 7365 said:

I can't find it.  Can you send me a link?  thanks.

Says you can't receive messages. 

This random series of numbers might help though - 860623757

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One real problem with the 25-20 is finding brass.  Unless Starline has started making it since the last time I've looked.  

 

I think  bullet weights go up to 100 gr so with decent velocity,  it should ring a target as loud as a 32 or 38 mouse phart load.

 

I shot my first match with a 1894 25-20.  

 

598818733dd91_Marlin189425-20andloadingtool.jpg.6fa8e15ad703e6280828ea6d1abd406e.jpg

 

 

Grafs has Winchester 25-20 ammo on sale.

 

https://www.grafs.com/catalog/product/productId/19844

 

Missouri Bullet Company makes bullets. 

 

https://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/category/categoryId/915?

 

 

 

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46 minutes ago, Three Foot Johnson said:

Says you can't receive messages. 

This random series of numbers might help though - 860623757

I don't know why I can't receive messages but thanks for the number.

 

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I've never used the 25-20 for sass so can't say on that but for real world use on woodchucks, foxes, coyotes, wolves,and turkeys (where rifles are legal) it works great. Recoil and noise are about like a 22 but with a lot more power. Both Remington and Winchester do runs of shells but aren't cheap if you look online midway has in stock Remington 86 gr. $72.00 per 50. Every 25-20 I've shot or seen shot has been very accurate with the 86 gr. factory slugs. Handloading I really liked the speer 75 gr. (it was made for the 25-20 specifically) but has been discontinued I guess.The light 60 gr. from hornady shoots good but I think is a little light except for woodchucks. The 86 gr. from Remington is excellent for accuracy and seems to be constructed good for foxes/coyotes etc.,. Haven't tried cast because I've always used them for hunting/varmint control on farm. I've used both 2400 and imr 4198 for powder and been very satisfied. Load data is in hornady Lyman and speer manual's. I think you'll find the 25-20 to be a great cartridge it's one that is just plain fun to shoot.

Hope this helps 

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41 minutes ago, Warden Callaway said:

One real problem with the 25-20 is finding brass.  Unless Starline has started making it since the last time I've looked.  

 

 

 

No, they haven't, but I've got 100+ new Starline cases from several years ago, and a LOT of .32-20 brass. The .32-20 brass is four or five thousandths larger at the base, and might interfere with a tight chamber.

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I have enough 25-20 brass so I never had to try sizing 32-20 down.  It may make the neck brass too thick.  And the cases are fairly fragile.  They also fall through cracks in boardwalks and otherwise hard to find. 

 

595743776_Marlin1894groundhowg2019.jpg.4963769c5e82fd5768ada513108238e9.jpg

 

The Marlin 1894 in 25-20 is my favourite rodent control machine.

 

I hope you get a complete working gun. Several of the most needed parts are long obsolete.  The ejector and extractor are two.   Wisnor makes new parts but they are expensive.  

 

2005264946_WisnersMarlinpartsApril2019.jpg.a1b868901064fac46a753f0018939b1d.jpg

 

 

 

 

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Interesting fact.  It was advertised as an ideal deer gun for years. It actually works well as one too as long as you don't try to break bones or shoot them in the butt and expect the deer to perish

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I've got a '92 and a big bag full of brass.

They are fun to shoot.

I bought the rifle from my CAS mentor, who passed last year, but had not shot CAS for 10 years or so.

Interestingly, I bought the brass on the classified wire 15 or 20 years ago, when it wasn't as rare as hen's teeth.

I don't shoot it in CAS, cuz I shoot black powder, but I've often thought that, if I shoot indoors over the Winter, it would be a good rifle to pack.

--Dawg

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The Marlin 25-20 did a stellar job of putting down groundhogs out to 75 yards.  But getting hits further out because difficult with open sights. So I upgraded to a Marlin with a scope in 17HMR

 

411478792_Marlin17VSgroundhogAug2019.jpg.df84dde28376d93df0c98fe13c0d819b.jpg

 

I could reach out over 100 yards but the 17 never put them down like the 25-20.  A lot were hit but ran off. 

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I had one years ago. (Marlin) It's a novelty gun for use in this game at best. IMO, it is a poor choice for anything other than being a novelty. Hard to load for, brass is a PIA to come by or make in quantities needed for the game, and you WILL BE CALLED lots of misses that you didn't earn. 

 

Snakebite

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3 hours ago, evil dogooder said:

Interesting fact.  It was advertised as an ideal deer gun for years. It actually works well as one too as long as you don't try to break bones or shoot them in the butt and expect the deer to perish

Also know a older guy that loved this round for deer hunting.   Mostly used head shots and claimed it dropped his night time hunting shots better than a 22 LR ...

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32 minutes ago, Cusz M. Dutch SASS Life 55326 said:

Also know a older guy that loved this round for deer hunting.   Mostly used head shots and claimed it dropped his night time hunting shots better than a 22 LR ...

 

Probably 22 Magnum with solid nose bullet has taken over the lead for hunting deer at night. 

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1 hour ago, Cusz M. Dutch SASS Life 55326 said:

Also know a older guy that loved this round for deer hunting.   Mostly used head shots and claimed it dropped his night time hunting shots better than a 22 LR ...

 Idk about head shots with one but I do know it will shoot through the chest of an 180 lb deer.   I've harvested 6 deer with one.  Never needed a second shot.    They are sure fun for the kids to shoot at steel too

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The Jim Jordan world record whitetail buck was taken with a .25-20 in 1914. It's not the record anymore, but it was for nearly 80 years. :)

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Hi TFJ,

Just by coincidence I to just acquired a M92  25-20 last week.  The loads I received with the rifle were jacketed, don't know if you are going to shoot jacketed or just cast.

I have 50 new R-P 25-20 cases I could hook you up with the new time you're in town.  

From Lyman #44 edition, 25-20 with 69 gr. gas checked bullet, 5.0-6.0  Unique     9.0-11.0  2400    13.0-14.0  IMR 4198  Have other older manuals that I can research if you want.

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Excellent! I'll be shooting cast -  I ordered a thousand from Missouri Bullets two days ago, and dies are also on the way. I've got a few new cases on hand I bought in a shop in Idaho a few years ago. I thought they were Starline, but they're RP. Any more I can find is great. ;)

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25 minutes ago, Three Foot Johnson said:

Excellent! I'll be shooting cast -  I ordered a thousand from Missouri Bullets two days ago, and dies are also on the way. I've got a few new cases on hand I bought in a shop in Idaho a few years ago. I thought they were Starline, but they're RP. Any more I can find is great. ;)

85 gr. cast bullet  9.5  4759

 

#42  Lyman

60 gr.

9.0-11.5  2400

9.7-12.7  4227

4.9  Unique

 

87 gr

8.0-9.5  2400

8.7-10.7  4227

7.5-10.0  4759

 

Just found a bunch, don't feel like typing all them, loads for 68  and 88 gr bullets.  Powders used Red Dot--700X--Green Dot--PB--Unique--SR7625

These are in the 3rd edition of Lyman cast bullet handbook

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On 3/13/2020 at 10:12 AM, Three Foot Johnson said:

I have .32-20's - the whole idea of getting a .25-20 is to HAVE a .25-20!  :lol:

I agree.  I put in a bid on the Model 92, but I'm not going anywhere near where the previous auction wound up.  Thanks for the info.

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The .25-20 is a sentimental favorite of mine.  Back in the '50s, my Dad had a Model 92 in .25-20 re-barreled by Winchester to .218 Bee.  It was a favorite saddlegun of his that he hunted the Texas Hill country with.  When I was big enough, I carried it and killed my first whitetail with it.  Years after Daddy passed, I resolved to put the rifle back into top shape...and return it to its original chambering.  

 

Here's the result: wearing a 24" barrel and sporting Doug Turnbull CCH work, gunsmith Robert Schuck really made this an heirloom.  I run it with both factory 86 grain softpoints and 85 grain cast.  I'll regularly pick this up for an evening stroll thru the pasture...coyotes beware!

 

"Ad"

 

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