[EAL2506]

Can someone refresh me on the loading process to make 25.06 cases by sizing 30.06 cases? I believe you can do it by first running the case through a 270 neck resizing die and then using a full-length 25.06 die to finish the process, naturally checking and trimming the case as needed for proper length. Does this make sense?:)

[NCsmitty]

A. O. Niedner
Niedner also developed the “25 Niedner” around 1920 (more commonly known today as the “25-06 Remington”).

When you neck down from 30-06, the necks have a tendency to thicken and may require thinning to spec.

NCsmitty

[loadedround]

When I first bought my Ruger 1B, I had both bullets and dies, but no cases. I just took some new commericial brass and ran them thru my Redding FL die after properly lubricating them. The reformed cases needed trimming and chamfering, but had no trouble forming them from 30-06 brass. BTW, I still reload them, but now reserve them for practice loads. :)

[EAL2506]

You are correct in that Niedner was the early pioneer, however, both Jack O'conner of Outdoor Life and Reed Thacker, a Pocatello, ID gunsmith worked on the early ballistics of the pure 25.06 cartridge.

I personally have a 25.06 built for me in 1972 by Reed Thacker. It has a Star premium barrel that he bored to a 25.06 caliber. He added a high-end German Mauser action and I had him put it on a Winchester-type Model 70 stock. He left the barrel 2 inches longer than normal as I instructed him to do and blued and tapped it for a scope (no front or rear sight). It is one fine shooting rifle and a rare bird.

Reed told me he had worked with Jack O'Conner and others in developing the best loads for the 25.06 based on the ballistics they calculated at the time.

EAL25.06

[EAL2506]

Thanks for the info on the 30.06 to 25.06 cartridges. It helps!

[41 Mag]

EAL2506,

I have a huge supply of once fired range brass in 06', mostly Winchester, and Federal. When I started looking to expand my collection of rifles, this was one of my criteria, that they be based off this case or case head. I have used a LOT of those cases to load 25-06, 270, 280, and even squeezed a few down for shorter cases just to see how much trouble it was.

I personally have never had issues with sizing them down for the other calibers, and in fact am using Lapua 06' cases for my AI 25-06.

[rcmodel]

All you need to do is run them through a 30-06 sizing die.
No need for a .270 intermediate step.

I did probably 250 - 300 years ago. Might have neck annealed them first, but I can't remember.

As NCsmitty noted, it may be necessary to neck-ream or out-side turn then if the necks end up being too thick.

rc

[Gewehr98]

Going from .308 to .257 is going to give you some seriously thick case necks, and without some modification you'll get increased chamber pressures.

[X-Rap]

I tried some with surplus brass and it cracked around the necks so I'd say annealing of mil 30-06 is a yes, the commercial stuff has never cracked.
My biggest problem is the head stamps when I shoot quite a bit of both 25&30 cal. I just ended up getting bulk brass with 25-05 heads.

[JimKirk]

I've sized over 500 -30/06 brass down to 25/06 not one single problem! My older gun smith friend gave me 300 Lake City 1968 30/06 Match brass! Said some guy came by and dropped them off and told him to give them to someone who could use them. My luck the gunsmith knew I had just purchased a new 25'06 Model 70, he, the gunsmith, told me to go home and run these in your 25/06 dies ....I thought he was crazy ...I was new to reloading at the time. Some of those cases have been loaded many many times...some of the best brass I ever loaded.

Jimmy K