How was the .25-20 marketed?

[awp101]

I don't know just a whole lot about it, just that it was a necked down .32-20.

Was it considered adequate for deer or just small game? Pest or varmint control?

[pwl44m]

I thought a 32-20 was a necked Up 25-20. I am sure it was meant as a Deer round, the Deer were not as tough and the Men were better shots.
Perry

[jdad]

IIRC, a 25-20......4 shots I think....took the record B&C buck.

The 25-20 is a necked down 32-20 and the 218 Bee is a necked down 25-20.

Winchester created it, for the 1892.

[RIHMFIRE]

from wikipedia

The .25-20 Winchester, or WCF (Winchester center fire) was developed about 1895 for the Winchester Model 1892 lever action rifle. It was based on necking down the .32-20 Winchester. In the early 20th century, it was a popular big game and varmint round, developing around 1460 ft/s with 86 grain bullets

It was easy and economical to reload, and was once a favorite with farmers, ranchers, pot hunters and trappers. Though the .25-20 has been used on deer and even claimed a whitetail deer of long standing record in 1914,[3] its use on large-bodied game is not advised due to its sedate ballistics and light bullet construction, which makes humane one-shot kills unlikely.

[Pete44ru]

When the time came to talk about shooting varmints, from the late 1800's to WWI, there'd be some different critters in mind.
The red-tailed hawk was not only a threat to the chickens, but it would bring a bounty if turned it in to a game protector.
The same went for the great horned owl, that struck at night.
Foxes were a problem, as were the clover munching woodchucks.
Raccoons always provided fur as well as sport.
A large part of the American population lived on farms, and varmint "hunting" was more about protecting crops and livestock than about sport.

Most likely, the varmint rifle was a .22 rimfire, and often as not it would be loaded with the less-expensive “short.”
A box of “longs” or even a box of “long rifle” shells would be around for tougher targets.

Still, a few folks wanted to shoot a centerfire—a “high-power,” and a fairly common chambering, good for the purpose was the .25-20 Winchester Center Fire (25WCF).

Famed gun writer Ken Waters said that in the first quarter of the 20th Century there wasn’t a finer combination small game and varmint cartridge in existence.


.

[jh45gun]

The buck that was the record whitetail was shot in Danbury WI I have passed by the spot many times.
www.burnettcounty.com/DocumentCentrrrrHome/View/85

[Don McDowell]

Winchester's 1916 catalog is silent on the 25-20 except to say it along with the other 3 cartridges were good for general use.
However under the 1873 model description the hold the 32-20 as a good small game and short range target rifle. So I doubt they intended the 25-20 as anything different.

[awp101]

Thanks guys!

I'd read the wiki entry but I don't take anything there at face value. My interest stems from 2 things. My bud has access to an original 92 in .25-20 and the caliber is also a consideration for one of my future Martini Cadet projects.

It was hard for me to figure out where it would have been most useful as it's on the small side for a one shot deer kill (not saying it can't be done, but it wouldn't be my first choice) and it doesn't seem to step out like the Bee or other SCHV varmint rounds so I thought small game and pest control might be it's niche. The target aspect was a nice surprise as I never really figured it for such.

It's nice to see that sometimes my logic matches the real world...

[Sixgun]

I believe it was marketed as a goose, fox, turkey round. It ain't no deer cartridge by any stretch of the imagination, except maybe if your starvin'. I've shot all kinds of stuff with the 25-20, including crows, squirrels, foxes, wild dogs, cats (domestic or wild) pigeons, alarm clocks, old cameras, 55 Chevy's, and other things. Makes a great 1/4" drill hole when I'm too lazy to walk 100 yards back to the garage to get the drill.

I use it for pistol caliber silhouette. It uses a 65-86 grain bullet from 1100 or so to about 1800 (safely) The crows I have shot with the fast loads blows 'em apart like a .22 centerfire. Its very temperamental to handload though and takes a bit of experimentation for an accurate load.-----------------------------Sixgun

[Ranch Dog]

I have all three cartridges in Marlin 1894CL model and use them on bobcats and coyotes brought to call in the South Texas brush that is my home. I don't think I have shot a critter much over 40 yards except on two occasions with the 32-20. I've killed two bobcats with that rifle at about 125-yards, typical hangup that they do at the limit of visibility and that is all they are going to go. Both times, it dumped them where they were sitting and watching.

I'm shooting the Ranch Dog cast bullet, of course, the TLC225-50-RF, TLC58-80-RF, and the TLC313-115-RF.



I tend to favor the 32-20 and I have vowed to use the other two more but some of it is to do with my hunting. I'm always down in the brush and feel the little bit bigger bullet does a better job of snaking it's way into hide. This isn't deer hunting and shot placement isn't everything, any bullet contact is better than no bullet contact at all and some shots with the other two don't get to the target.

There was a very young man that was going to borrow a rifle for his first deer hunt and I consider him using the 32-20 but changed to the 357 Mag. Really, in my hunting situation and for my purposes that rifle, a Marlin and two Rossi's, will do anything these will and do a better job of it but that is not the point of shooting a classic cartridge.

I have had guest hunters use their Bee and XX/20 Win on Spring turkey hunts as well and where legal this is a very good cartridge for that use. Many moons ago on another ranch I own, a fellow's 25-20 in a early Winchester 92 was the first cast bullet that I had actually seen used on a hunt. I had invited the fellow hunting and he pulled the rifle out of the truck and I was a bit surprised but it looked like it would do the job. Bottom line is that he missed but I liked the cartridge and that set me to owning the same one day!

[awp101]

Thanks Ranch Dog, that's some pretty interesting user info!

Six, at what range is your silhouette shot? 100yds? What rifle are you using? I've never played in that world so I don't know...

[BenT]

My father in law shot his first deer (4 point) with a Win 92 in 25-20. He told me the story many times how his father took him to northern WI . He shot at the buck and then his father sitting a 100 yards away shot. He went to see his father and was told that he didn't hit the buck at all ,since it was only shot once. Then my father in law explained to him, that wasn't his buck at all, his was laying back where he was sitting . So they ended up getting 2 deer.

He wanted more power , so he sold the 92 after that and got a high powered 30-30. He did give me the Marbles tang sight off the 92 that he removed from the gun before he sold it.