Fat Fingers and the .25 ACP

[SharpsDressedMan]

After acquiring the dies for $10 at a gunshow several years ago, and recently adding a windfall internet purchase of 2400 .25auto bullets to the mix, I finally forced myself to load some .25ACP ammo. Occasionally low priced ammo obtained at gunshows kept me from fooling with reloading the .25, as I never shoot much of it, but landing another Colt 1908, and the rising prices of ammo in general, finally forced me to the task. I equate the handling of the tiny .25 cases to the tediousness of sitting over a melting pot and casting bullets; yes, you can do it, but it is somewhat hard on the nerves. There is a trying element to the handling of small or repetetive things, and loading the ,25 is one of them. My hands are on the large side, and .25 bullets on the small side. I got though 100, loaded singlely, as there isn't much in the way loading blocks for this cartridge. Even so, at today's prices, I think I saved $20 on two boxes worth of ammo. Anyone else got the .25 on their list?

 

[Gatofeo]

Yep, I reload the .25 Auto. Started doing so about 10 years ago when I got Lee dies new for $10 at a gun show, and got tired of paying $12 for 50 cartridges to feed my prewar Sauer & Sohn Model 28.
An exceptionally well made all-steel pistol, by the way. And accurate too.

Finding the proper .251-inch, 50 grain jacketed bullet can be a problem. And if you find the 35 gr. jacketed hollowpoint, the gods have smiled upon you. But you can also "cheat" somewhat by using No. 3 buckshot for plinking loads.

The July 1973 issue of the American Rifleman (p. 95) notes that the following loads were first posted by a member back in the February 1964 issue. I've used these loads recently and they work as stated.

No. 3 buckshot, typically used in the 20 gauge factory load, is easily purchased in 5 pound bags. Each ball weighs 23 grains and is about .250 inch diameter.

Therefore, a 5 pound bag will provide you with 1,521 balls, give or take a few.
Not sure on the price of a 5-pound bag of No. 3 shot, but I'd guess it's probably around $20.
That's about 1.3 cent per projectile, at that price.

Size and prime the case normally. Bell it slightly, to allow seating the ball without shaving it.
Charge the case with 1.3 grains of Bullseye powder. Put a single ball on top of the case and seat it so that the circumference of the ball is at the case mouth. Now, gently crimp inplace at this point.
This is a little tricky sometimes, getting your die set up just-so but a few tries usually gets it.
Incidentally, though I've measured my .25 Auto cases for length, I've yet to find one that requires trimming. Lee does NOT make a case trimmer for .25 Auto, but I would think that a couple licks with a spark plug file would shorten the case just right.
The .25 Auto does not headspace on the case mouth like the .45 or 9mm autos. It headspaces on a very small rim, like the .32 Auto.

Anyway, after you've seated and crimped that single ball over 1.3 grains of Bullseye, the job isn't quite done.
Get some Lee Liquid Alox lube and pour a little into a pop or beer bottle cap. Now, turn the entire cartridge upside down and dip the bare lead ball in the lubricant, right up to where the lead meets the brass case.
Stand the cartridge on its base and allow to dry overnight.
This little bit of lubricant is plenty to keep lead out of your bore. Without it, you may experience leading, especially just ahead of the chamber.

This round ball load will actually function most .25 Autos, making it ideal for practice. It feeds very well in my old Sauer & Sohn, with only an occasional jam.

I've managed to knock off tin cans with it at 20 feet or so, which is pretty good for such a small pistol and fixed sights. With a little practice, this can be done with regularity. It seems to shoot to the same point of aim as the 50 gr. factory load.
Not much energy to this round ball load, though. I shot an abandoned clothes dryer with this load a few years back. The ball made a dime-sized dent on the enameled steel, then flattened out and dropped to the ground. I found a number of these flattened balls on the ground, just below the dents.

I wouldn't use this round ball load for hunting anything larger than chipmunks (though I'd never shoot a chipmunk, I have a fondness for them). For squirrels and rabbits it would be underpowered.

But for practice and plinking out to 30 feet or so, it works great.

To my knowledge, no one makes a loading block for the .25 Auto. However, I do use a Hornady loading block (red plastic). It has some holes that are made for the .32 Auto but will work somewhat for the .25 Auto.
But I'd guess that a block of wood with some 5/16th holes in it would work well. You might have to get a local woodshop to make it for you, so you'd have flat-bottom holes for the cases to sit flat; most drill bits are pointed.
Might cost you a few bucks but it would be worth it if you do much reloading.

Reloading the .25 Auto is reloading at its extreme. Many have asked me why I bother, but I reload it for the same reason I reload other calibers: economy and the satisfaction of creating my own loads.

For an excellent article on reloading the .25 Auto, pick up Handloader 189 (October / November 1997). There is a lot of good info, but only a few loads. You may be able to find this magazine on Ebay, or order it directly from the publishers of Handloader Magazine.

Welcome to reloading one of the few cartridges that makes others ask, "Huh?"

 

[David Wile]

Hey Sharps & Gat,

Add another to the .25 ACP list. I have been doing the .25s for probably 40 years. I don't shoot a lot of .25, so I don't have to reload very often. When I do get a couple of hundred to load, I have always loaded them on one of my single stage presses in spite of the fact that I have had a Hornady LNL progressive since 1997. Every time I thought about adjusting the dies and the powder measure for the progressive press and then thought about fiddling with getting the cases in the shell plate and loading the bullets, I always go back to the single stage press which is difficult enough. I know exactly what you mean about big fingers and little cases.

Best wishes,
Dave Wile

 

[evan price]

Well, I want to start reloading for the .25 I have, been saving the brass, but I need to find dies, shellholder and some lead boolit mold for a good price before I start.

 

[bullseye308]

I equate the handling of the tiny .25 cases to the tediousness of sitting over a melting pot and casting bullets; yes, you can do it, but it is somewhat hard on the nerves.

I cast a lot and like it but trying to load the little .25 would drive me bonkers in a short time. I know where you can get a loading block sized to fit a .25.

To my knowledge, no one makes a loading block for the .25 Auto

I do. http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=482838

 

[Clark]

CAUTION: The following post includes loading data beyond currently published maximums for this cartridge. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Neither the writer, The High Road, nor the staff of THR assume any liability for any damage or injury resulting from use of this information.

For me 25acp was just another gun and cartridge to over load and see what happens.

But the 25acp does not behave in an overload work up like 32acp, 380, 9x19mm, 9x23mm, 7.62x25mm, 30 Mauser, 40 S&W, 10mm, or 45acp.

Instead my 25acp pistols fall into two groups:
A) Colt and Beretta; Primer falls out concurrent with failure to extract. The (3) 25acp pistols I own do not have extractors, but rely on blow back chamber pressure to push the case out.
B) Vesta; Primer pierces. If the firing pin hole is has too much clearance on the firing pin diameter, then the primer pocket expansion level is not reached, because the primer pierces at a lower powder charge in the work up.

50 gr Jacketed bullet max book load 1.2 gr Bullseye.... max will fit is 3.2 gr.

I realized that a more powerful load might be found with HS-6, 3N37, or AA#5, having a higher speed-density product than Bullseye. 4.5 gr AA#5 causes the primer to fall out, as does 4.0 gr of HS-6.
5.5 gr 800X is wimpy and has no promise.
6.0 gr Power Pistol gives the highest level of performance, and has no pressure problems.