.25 Wildcats

[300whisper_newbie]

CyberVirus Wrote :

Hi all,

It appears I'm the second to register on the forum. I hope this is going to be an active forum with much learning, new ideas, and making new friends.

One of my main interests are wildcats. I've been trying to find info on the quarter bore doing 4000 fps or close to it anyway. Saw an article on a .257/.300 Winchester Magnum and found it interesting. I've thought about making a .257/7mm Remington Magnum. I think it would produce the same type of results and the brass would be cheaper and easier to reform as it is closer to the .257 bore.

Saw an article on a ..257 WSM and .25 SUAM both produced the same type of results with Weatherby .257 type velocities. Impresive antelope medicine for sure! 8)

Looking forward to hearing from everyone as this forum gets kicked off.

If the moderator/founder doesn't mind...I will post about this forum on some other shooting forums I belong to...I'll wait for your reply before I do though.

L8r

[300whisper_newbie]

QuarterBore Wrote :

It will be hard for these forums to gain a nitch but I would welcome any new visitors and topics! As for the cartridge you are describing, I have some info on the 257/300 Win Mag and I will need to dig through my files as at one point I was going to add quarter-bore cartridge pages on the website but I have always been too busy. If anybody would like to take a stab at putting overviews for any of the .257 cartridges I will be honored to host your review and post your full credit for doing the write-uo!

Now, as for the 257-7mm Rem Mag wildcat. It would be a rocket of a rifle but it will also need a really long barrel as I am not sure you can get away with even a 26-inch barrel with many powders in a case that big pusing a 257 slug. Then again, all fun project come with some costs and it would be a fairly easy wildcat for most gunsmiths!

Thanks for joining me here in the forum!

[300whisper_newbie]

4XFORE Wrote :

Hi folks, I just joined cause I'm kind of a quarterbore nut myself. I shoot,
among other things a .257 WBY. I was given this rifle by my Dad over 40
years ago and just had to have it rebarrelled. I think the 25 cal. rifles do
a marvelous job on game, especially with the newer premium bullets available nowadays. Sure hope Hornady makes a 117 gr. Interbond! As to .25 cal wildcats, there is one around here called the .257 STW. It is ,of
course based on the 8mmMag. case. I suppose that this is probably the practical limit for .25 caliber. As for 4000 fps, I have achieved that with 75 grain bullets. It's a great coyote load and with Barnes X bullets, it does in whitetails VERY efficiently. I am still breaking in the new barrel on my .257, but it is shooting 5 shots nicely within .5 inches already. This rifle has never failed to impress me as to dispatching game, even elk. My daughter killed her first elk with it. Enough for now, catch you all later.

[300whisper_newbie]

Tuck2 Wrote :

The Winchester Super Short Mag 257 is a duplicate of the 25-06. I would like to see a 257 Win. Short Mag.from the cases they use for the 270 W SM. It could be close to the 257 Weatherby but with longer case life.

[B&E Cop]

Hey Tuck, on your comment about the 25wssm...did you mean case life is shorter with these cases? I heard that once before in Precision Shooting magazine just a couple months ago and was wondering if anyone else had that problem. I have a 25, but have only loaded the cases a couple times so I don't know how many reloads to expect.

[MrFurious]

I've looked at the .257-300WSM and .257-300 SAUM, and while their performance is impressive most find them to still be a little overbore.

So, I've already started work on what I think will be the ideal high velocity short-action .25cal cartridge dubbed the .257 Baker. It's simply the new .300 Ruger Compact Magnum case necked to .25 caliber. Based on some simulations I have run using the RCBS Load software it should fall right between the .257 Weatherby Mag and the .257-300 WSM in terms of velocity.

The slightly smaller body diameter should help with longer barrel life compared to the 257-300WSM and .257-300SAUM wildcats, and it will be a true non-belted short-action cartridge that doesn't require CRF. Most importantly though, it should feed very well from existing WSM magazines with minor (if any) tweaking of the feed lips.

3400-3500fps with a 110gr bullet should be easily attainable, and the lighter 85 & 87gr bullets should come in at over 3800fps.

All I'm waiting on right now is .300 RCM brass and bushing dies to make up my dummy rounds to send to PT&G for a reamer. Steve Hornady supposedly has brass on the way to me, just waiting to hear back from RCBS about the bushing dies.

[Tracker]

I love flat shooting rounds but can you say "throat erosion" My 243s and 6.5s only go about 2000 rounds before I have to set them back. Some one needs to come up with a way to harden the throats without inducing stress into the barrel.

[usmc1986]

Originally Posted by Tracker

I love flat shooting rounds but can you say "throat erosion" My 243s and 6.5s only go about 2000 rounds before I have to set them back. Some one needs to come up with a way to harden the throats without inducing stress into the barrel.

Old post I know. QPQ, Melonite, Tennifer is looking good for this purpose so far.

[Rikky Lee]

Have a look at the 25/284 with 115 Bergers or the 257 Banshee (6.5 x 68s necked down and blown out).

Have seen both in action and they are spectacular performers. I'd go with a 25/284 myself tho'...

[21buck]

Looking for a hot rod. I am sure there are others but the 25 Pronghorn or the 25/270wsm can be a real hot rod. Just converted a 30-06 with a barrel replacement etc. to a 25 Pronghorn. Speed and accuracy are there to be developed. There really isn't a lot of information on how to load, form the cases and develop a strong following. I have always admired the 257 Weatherby but now I have a race horse that rivals it. I cam achieve super velocity loads but the accuracy goes to pot. Rl 22 , with Hornady 100 gr spire point, cci large primer, 270 wsm resized in the neck, fireformed and you are ready. The first group fired were all touching at 100yds, second increased load 2 of three were touching. The Quarterbore round is an adventure. Ultra high speed is not conducive to saving meat; however, with today's great bullets we can reach out and touch the target. More to come.