What powder for .25 acp?

The Beretta 950 can experience peening of the aluminium frame when fired over time.

Not the best choice for a .25 range gun.

You do have you have a reloading manual? Why don't you start there.

There are several powders that will do a good job.

Depending on what is available try: (in no particular order) Bullseye, W231/HP-38, AA#2 and in a pinch even Red Dot but it's reported to be dirty.

Darth-Vang said:

What powder would be best for the .25 acp?

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The smallest pistol cartridge I load is .380 acp. The powders that meter best for me for loading the .380 acp are Bullseye, W-231 and Accurate #2,#5
I use a Redding model 3 with the micro pistol meter for a powder charger.
I think loading for the 25 acp would be a challenge. I hope I get to try it some day
Be safe.

I use Bullseye with 35 gr HP and CFE-P with 50 gr. FMJ. Works for me.

Call powder distributor (Hodgson, Western, etc) for data.

Like the others have said, use a fast pistol powder. I would start with Bullseye or AA#2. Tiny case watch your fill.

I use AA# 2, and bandages for my fat fingers (when I pinch them with the small projectile)

This has nothing to do with your question, but I think it'd be a good idea to start your reloading adventure with a different cartridge.

.25 ACP is a fairly high pressure round at 25,000 psi and the pistols firing it are generally straight blowbacks and not particularly strong or noted for their ability to safely handle overloads.

Most .25 ACP loads have a very narrow "window" for powder charges, usually about 3/10ths of a grain between start and max loads.

I have a little experience loading .25 ACP and it's kind of a PITA. None of my powder measures will throw charges consistently enough in the tiny quantities needed (usually between 1.1 and 1.8 grains), so weighing every charge is required.

Bottom line, I don't think the .25 ACP is a great cartridge to learn reloading with. .38/.357, .45 ACP and 9mm (really almost any straight wall or tapered pistol/revolver cartridge) are going to be a lot more forgiving and much better candidates for your first reloading project.

I use Bullseye for .25ACP in my Jetfire.

The simple answer, something fast. Most manuals will list Bullseye, W-231 and perhaps a couple others.

Pontificating a bit, Swampman (and # 12) has the answer I would have presented had he not be before me. There are much simpler handgun cartridges to begin.

Unique may not be the best deceision for loading handgun ammo.

But Unique is never a wrong decision.

Best thing about Unique is measuring it. Unique always requires enough VOLUME of powder that you can worry a lot less about whether one-tenth of a grain is going to be the difference between success and failure.

Charge weights of Unique for .25 ACP run 1.4 to 1.7 grain. Each charge must be weighed with a scale.
Stick with small pistol primer for .25 ACP because small pistol magnum primers have thicker cups and more powerful priming compound charges.
The old adage is, if switching from small pistol primer to small pistol magnum primer back off your powder charge by 1 grain.
I don't think my balance scale is all that precise at 0.4 to 0.7 grain.

I have handloaded about 65 or 75 cartridges in .25 ACP. The components are just too small for 73 year old arthritic fingers.

.25 acp was the first auto pistol caliber I loaded for.

I've used Titegroup, CFEP, and 700x. I think Titegroup would be my preferance. 1.0 grain. Definately weigh every charge. I simply pour it through a Lee powder through die.

Silly me I bought several bags of new cases. Fired cases clean up and reload just fine.

I've also used a Beretta M950's and M21A's. I'm sure I have over 1k through one of the M950's and it doesn't look worn. I have seen a worn 950 and it was a .22 Short. The frame was worn where the recoil spring rides. The alluminum was just worn away.

I agree with the others that an easier cartridge to start reloading with would be a revolver cartridge. I started with .44 Russian.

Walkalong said:

Bullseye or AA # 2 would be what I tried first based on how well they meter, then other good metering fast powders.

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• There's your answer: A FAST powder that meters really good.

• Thus Unique is ruled out on 2 counts. It is not FAST and it doesn't meter well.

• Additional choices that you can actually buy right now: VV N310, Vectan Ba10, and Clays. My preference is the VhitaVuouri. Here's a 32ACP target at 30 feet, before adjusting the sights...

Well, I had been thinking of loading 25ACP for quite a while, but just didn't get around to it. I load about 8 other calibers. Now after reading this thread, I had to go order the loading dies and some bullets to get into reloading those tiny things. Funny thing is that I used to moan about how small .380 was

Cliff6 said:

Well, I had been thinking of loading 25ACP for quite a while, but just didn't get around to it. I load about 8 other calibers. Now after reading this thread, I had to go order the loading dies and some bullets to get into reloading those tiny things. Funny thing is that I used to moan about how small .380 was

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I hope you've got young eyes, small nimble fingers and a damn good scale!

[QUOTE="Swampman, I hope you've got young eyes, small nimble fingers and a damn good scale! [
Nope, nope,...yes I like the challenge and I sometimes make bad choices

Actually, I think my biggest challenge will be getting 25 ACP brass.

With a Lee turret press and powder thru die I dont have to handle the brass much.

I dont see why the 50 gr bullets are any more trouble than 55 gr .223 bullets.

The slow part for me is just weighing every charge.

Darth-Vang said:

I remember reading somewhere that you can just take a case that your loading for and file the case down until you get the correct weight charge for the particular powder and just dip the powder and throw them in, and solder a copper or iron wire to the filed case and essentially you now have a known weight by volume and just keep throwing them without weighing it.(of course check to see if the weight and technique you use is consistent…)

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Yes. I just haven't done that yet.

Cliff6 said:

[QUOTE="Swampman, I hope you've got young eyes, small nimble fingers and a damn good scale! [
Nope, nope,...yes I like the challenge and I sometimes make bad choices

Actually, I think my biggest challenge will be getting 25 ACP brass.

Click to expand...

Here ya go!

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1...ping&utm_source=ammo-seek&utm_campaign=813763