Sorta OT - Looking for a .25-20 Cast Bullet Squib Load

[Remington40x]

Have an opportunity to shoot in some indoor single shot rifle matches using my Martini Cadet (it has a lever, honest) for the centerfire stages. Range is 50 feet and the target is the American Single Shot Rifle Association's reduced size 50 foot target.

The requirement for the centerfire stages is that the loads be "squib" loads. There isn't a real clear definition, but at a bare minimum the loads must be subsonic. In looking at all of the loading data I can find on line and the manuals on my shelf, there aren't any such loads published. The slowest loads I can find are in the 1250 fps and up range.

Do any of you have a good recommendation for a squib load using a cast bullet? I'm probably going to be using 87 grain bullets because that's what the local caster can provide in a plain base. If you have a source for 75 grain plain base, I'd love to have it.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Rem

[Sixgun]

3 grains of Bullseye will give about 1000 fps. (don't have my notes handy) I do know its subsonic because I use this load out of my backyard silencer and I get no "crack".

For indoor use, I would use 2 and 1/2 grains, maybe even 2 gr. with a cast bullet. A jacketed one might get stuck, especially if your pointing down. ----------Sixgun

[greenacres]

If you have a source for 75 grain plain base, I'd love to have it.

The Bull Shop
http://bullshop.gunloads.com
Casts an 82 grain hollow point 25-20 bullet.

[w30wcf]

Recently I have been experimenting with reduced loads in the .25-20 for the purpose of replicating the .25 Stevens cartridge (65 gr. bullet / 1,150 f.p.s.). I am using the Lyman 257420 bullet (70 gr.) sans gas check and after trying Bullseye, Unique and Trailboss, found that Trailboss gave the best accuracy. 3.0 grs. averaged 1,127 f.p.s. for 10 rounds ignited by a CCI500 small pistol primer.

Uncle Jack's offers the 257420 bullet. He would provide them with a gas check. If gas checks aren't permitted you could ask him to supply them without.
http://www.uncle-jack.com/shooters.htm scroll down the page

The longer 86 gr bullet may not stabilize at lower velocities in the standard 25-20 twist.

Sixgun,
2.5/Bullseye/CCI500 with the 70 gr. bullet clocked 1,169 f.p.s. (My lot of Bullseye was made in 1917 )
Also 4.0/SR80/ CCI500 clocked 1,150 f.p.s.

w30wcf

[2520WHV]

Also 4.0/SR80/ CCI500 clocked 1,150 f.p.s.
w30wcf

WCF.....

This is the second time I've seen your mention of DuPont SR80.... I'm surprised it hasn't brought any comment. I wonder if 'they' know SR80 is at least 70 years' old??

I've used some 1957 vintage Herco in lighter .25-20 and .32-20 cast loads with great accuracy results; but they were more factory equiv. at 1300-1400fps.

Your post makes me wish Alliant would bring back a cleaner burning 'Sharpshooter' for those of us that remember.... and still shoot the old Winchesters.

Thanks for brightening my morning even as my age shows at the mention of SR80....

2520WHV

[CJM]

http://www.marlinowners.com/forums/inde ... 1.105.html is the definitive 25-20 reloading advice thread. Has several loads that should be subsonic, and some explicit directions on how to get the best accuracy out of these loads.
I copied this thread to my hard drive as html pages back when it was only 8 pages long, I see I have some more work to do as it has grown to 11 pages.

[Rimfire McNutjob]

Also 4.0/SR80/ CCI500 clocked 1,150 f.p.s.
w30wcf

WCF.....

This is the second time I've seen your mention of DuPont SR80.... I'm surprised it hasn't brought any comment. I wonder if 'they' know SR80 is at least 70 years' old??

Is that the yellow stuff from way back when? I'm having a hard enough time trying to find some R-123. I'll probably never see SR-80 in person in my lifetime.

[w30wcf]

2520WHV,

Happy to have provided you with "brightening" your morning with the SR80 info.
I came into this world 4 years after it was discontinued (1939) so I'm a bit aged as well.
After reading about SR80 by Elmer keith, and seeing the data in Phil Sharpes book on Handloading and reading the "Woodchuck Hunter" book, I needed to find some for stepping back in time so to speak.

About 15 years ago I got a can of SR80 from a powder can collector at a cartridge collector show. Seeing the older cans he was displaying, I asked him if he had any SR80, whereupon he reached below the table and out came a can labeled SR80 and it had powder in it! Boy was I surprised.

For those that don't know, SR80 is a buff colored granulated powder that has a burning rate similar to Blue Dot. It is very easily ignited and has given superior accuracy in the applications I have tried it in..... 22 WCF, 25-20, 32 Long Colt(Rifle), 30-30 Short Range, 44-40....

Anyway, in the few years that followed, I found 3 more cans at cartridge / gun shows but nothing at all since then. Thankfully, I still have some left. So every once in awhile when I like to step back in time.......

w30wcf

[w30wcf]

......Is that the yellow stuff from way back when? I'm having a hard enough time trying to find some R-123. I'll probably never see SR-80 in person in my lifetime.

The SR80 powder I have is more of a buff color. I'll try to take a pic in the next couple of days and post it.

w30wcf

[Leverdude]

Sounds like a good application for Trail boss to me.

[Sixgun]

This a can of SR80 that my good friend Jack Kort (w30wcf) turned me on to. I have tested it in the 32-20 and the 44 Spl. and each time getting consistent results. I have enough for 110 rounds of 32-20 and its going to get used at the Silhouette match--I just don't know which one...yet

Its burn rate is somewhere between Unique and 2400--------Sixgun