I wish...

[Cannibul]

I'd love to see someone come out with a .25 caliber round with a case length of around 0.750-0.080, rimless, loaded with a 60 grain bullet at around 1900-2100 FPS. If the case needs to be a bit longer then so be it.

I'd like to see Ruger build a carbine similar to the 10/22 for this cartridge. Perhaps build a revolver for it to. Henry could build a lever action.

Basically something that's just a bit more powerful than the .22 mag. Something very inexpensive to reload. Sips powder. Gives decent performance out to about 150 yards on small game.

Then we could load it down to .22 LR levels for less than the cost of .22 LR!

In other words a modern .25-20 round that can be fed through semi-auto actions with no problems.

 

[hdwhit]

Using an existing case would make acceptance more likely as it would require less tooling and engineering work to develop the cartridge and produce the gun.

• The first thing that comes to mind is to take .223 brass, cut it down to about 1.2 inch and neck it down to .257, essentially creating a "25 Blackout". I don't see any reason you couldn't come up with a load that would push a 60 grain bullet to 2,400 fps or more.
• The second thing that comes to mind (and this is because I live for my 5.7mm Johnson a/k/a .22 Spitfire) is to take .30 M1 Carbine brass which is already 1.29 long as is, neck it down to .257 and load it up with something in the IMR-4227 or H-110 class. I get 2,800 fps with 40 grain .224 bullet, so the new cartridge, which we might call a ".25 Spitballer" in recognition of its larger bullet, would probably achieve 2,300 fps or better.

Interesting idea. But I will note that .25 caliber bullets are expensive so unless you cast your own, I don't see how you get per-round costs down to the realm of 22 LR. If price is a concern, you might think about going to 6mm (.243) rather than .25 caliber (.257) as it offers a broader range of bullet weights in the 50-60 grain range and, generally speaking, at lower costs per bullet.

 

[mokin]

I've been thinking about such a cartridge as well. Mostly along the lines of a .22 Hornet, a reloadable .22 caliber rifle, but something in .17, or .25 would work too.

I've never heard about the 5.7 Johnson. That's pretty cool.

 

[hq]

While FN 5.7x28 is bottlenecked, a bit longer at 1.135" case length and uses a .224 bullet, performance-wise it isn't that far off what you describe here. Its relative rarity has kept the prices high but as always, it's a matter of popularity and production volumes. If it'll ever be officially adopted by NATO there will also be a surplus market in the long run, but as of now I'm not holding my breath.

 

[JohnKSa]

Sounds like a shortened .22TCM necked up to .24 or .25 caliber.

 

[Cannibul]

Perhaps I should have been more specific. I'd prefer a straight wall or slightly tapered case for ease of reloading. Say a .25 Magnum.

 

[lysanderxiii]

Wildcatting, the possibilities are endless, and they sometimes catch on . . .

 

[jonnyc]

Look up the .22 Colt SCAMP and the 6.35 VASP/CETME.

 

[LiveLife]

60 grain bullet at around 1900-2100 FPS.

Something very inexpensive to reload. Sips powder. Gives decent performance out to about 150 yards on small game.

Then we could load it down to .22 LR levels for less

When 22LR became hard to find, I moved on to 9mm carbines.

I am reloading 100 gr thick plated bullet around 1500 fps for comparable cost to 22LR in my area.

You could reload 90 gr jacketed bullet to around 1600-1700 fps.

 

[Ed Ames]

Perhaps I should have been more specific. I'd prefer a straight wall or slightly tapered case for ease of reloading. Say a .25 Magnum.

As I understand it, finding a parent cartridge is very important to making such a project practical. Unless maybe .30 carbine could be resized down, I don't know what you would start with for a .25 largo. I suspect that's the problem. I know it is why the .22tcm is based on .223 brass.

 

[JohnKSa]

I'd prefer a straight wall or slightly tapered case for ease of reloading.

That doesn't leave much room for powder in a case that short. My gut feel is that you're going to have trouble getting up to the velocities you want at reasonable pressures. I'd be interested to see someone run some numbers with Quickload.

 

[Jim Watson]

I daresay if I wanted such a thing, I could throw money at the problem until a revolver, single shot, or even lever action fell out.
Ruger or somebody make an automatic? Not likely.
For said traditional firearm, look at the .25 Hornet.

 

[Cannibul]

As I understand it, finding a parent cartridge is very important to making such a project practical. Unless maybe .30 carbine could be resized down, I don't know what you would start with for a .25 largo. I suspect that's the problem. I know it is why the .22tcm is based on .223 brass.

That's pretty much the problem.

 

[alicechan11]

I'd love to see someone come out with a .25 caliber round with a case length of around 0.750-0.080, rimless, loaded with a 60 grain bullet at around 1900-2100 FPS. If the case needs to be a bit longer then so be it.

I'd like to see Ruger build a carbine similar to the 10/22 for this cartridge. Perhaps build a revolver for it to. Henry could build a lever action.

Basically something that's just a bit more powerful than the .22 mag. Something very inexpensive to reload. Sips powder. Gives decent performance out to about 150 yards on small game.

Then we could load it down to .22 LR levels for less than the cost of .22 LR!

In other words a modern .25-20 round that can be fed through semi-auto actions with no problems.

more

I'd love to see someone come out with a .25 caliber round with a case length of around 0.750-0.080, rimless, loaded with a 60 grain bullet at around 1900-2100 FPS. If the case needs to be a bit longer then so be it.

I'd like to see Ruger build a carbine similar to the 10/22 for this cartridge. Perhaps build a revolver for it to. Henry could build a lever action.

Basically something that's just a bit more powerful than the .22 mag. Something very inexpensive to reload. Sips powder. Gives decent performance out to about 150 yards on small game.

Then we could load it down to .22 LR levels for less than the cost of .22 LR!

In other words a modern .25-20 round that can be fed through semi-auto actions with no problems.

expensive means more power

 

[doubleh]

Yep, wildcatting. That's how many of the fine cartridges we have today were born.