Mod 25-2 accuracy

[Freedomv]

Help, I purchaced a very good looking 25-2 last year, probably 98-99% no box. I have yet to find a good accurate load for it. It is chambered for 45 acp and 45 auto rim.
My first attempts shooting GI ball ammo could not hold a 2 ft group at 50 yds. Tried hand loads same thing. Hmmmmm maybe thats why I got it for $300.00.
Upon closer inspection I found that it had no/very little forcing cone in the barrel, I made a tool and lapped about .080 forcing cone and it improved/ reduced the group size to about 1 foot at 50 yards depending on ammo used.
I had slugged the barrel and it checked good. Does it need more of a forcing cone than .080 inch? What kind of accuracy should I expect from this revolver? I should think that it would hold 3-4 inch groups or am I expecting too much?
I have used both 45ACP and 45 AUTO RIM cases with various bullet wieghts and it doesn't seem to mater which is used as I get the same results.
Does anyone have a "favorite load" for this particular hand gun that you would care to share?
I would apprieciate all suggestions.

 

[stans]

Since you know the groove diameter of the barrel, slug the cylinder throats and check their diameters. It is unfortunate, but frequently in revovlers chambered for 45 Colt, the cylinder throat and groove diameters are often a gross mismatch which will result in very poor accuracy.

 

[JoeHatley]

Try some 200 grain (.452) SWC cast bullet loads. Somewhere around 800 fps, should get you the 50 yard load you are looking for.

If that doesn't help, you may want to seriously consider selling it to me.

Good Luck...

Joe

 

[Majic]

Sounds like you got one of the dreaded Bangor guns. Many have been reported to slip out the factory with no forcing cones cut. I see you cut your cone .080", but at what angle? 18 degrees is factory norm, but 11 degrees work best with lead bullets (especially WC and SWC).
With good loads and shooting techiques the revolver should easily get 2 inch or better groups. Many M25s in .45acp have been one holers if you do your part.

 

[Wil Terry]

I OWN AN EARLY M25-2 THAT IS WIERD LIKE THAT.

I could stand you out at 50 yards and shoot at you with 45ACP ball ammo and you wouldn't even hear the bullets whiz by. I could reload with 200gr lead SWC 452460 bullets over 6.7gr of UNIQUE in 45AR brass and pick the buttons off your shirt.
This particular M25-2 has shot the smallest group I have ever fired at 25 yards, 1/4" center-to-center but it hates jacketed bullets with a passion.

 

[Freedomv]

Gentlemen,
My 9 year old daughter and I did some plinking yesterday and I fired a dozen rounds of GI ball thru the 25-2, Just checking /reconfirming it wasn’t me having a bad day or two last fall when I last fired the gun. Still would not hold a group.

I dug out the reamer/lap that I had made, as I could not remember what the dimensions that I had made it to were, I had used a 10 degree angle for the reamer. I wasn’t a High Road Member at the time and was just guessing when I made it. The information you guys have provided to me is of a great help.

I checked the cylinder bores and they all are measure .457 ID. I should have checked this out when I made the reamer as I only taper out to a large diameter of .465 on the reamer. Therefore my forcing cone is almost smaller than the cylinder bores. Duh. The lead in of the cone actually only checks about .462 which only leaves a few thousands of an inch for misalignment of the cylinder.

Armed with my new knowledge of the handgun I will make a new reamer and open up the forcing cone with an 11-degree angle and test fire as I go to see how it improves. I have a feeling that I was way too cautious when I began reaming the forcing cone and should have made it larger to begin with. I have never really worked on handguns just HP rifles and oversize there is a no no.

When I get a reasonable group I will start refining a load for this revolver and let you all know how it shoots.

Thanks again for your input.
Vern

 

[stans]

I checked the cylinder bores and they all are measure .457 ID

Man, that is way oversized for 45 ACP (0.451" dia), even oversized for the old version of 45 Colt (0.454" dia)! What was the groove diameter of the barrel?

You really need groove diameter to match the cylinder throat diameter for best accuracy. If the groove diameter is also 0.457", then you need some bullets that are sized 0.457". If the groove diameter is 0.451-0.452" I doubt you will ever see stellar accuracy from this revolver. Unfortunately, a great number of revolvers in 45 Colt have these bizarre combinations.

 

[Freedomv]

I just sluged the barrel again and the lands and grooves are .451 and .444.

I'll see what happens when I recone the barrel. I am sure that it will help tremendously.

Vern

 

[Majic]

Try some moderately soft cast lead bullets for the .45 Colt sized .454" rather than the .452" after you adjust your forcing cone.

 

[stans]

0.457" chamber throats and 0.451" groove diameter, not a great combination. I agree, lead bullets sized to 0.454". Try them, see if you can get any sort of decent accuracy. This mismatch problem is one of the reasons I have stayed away from the 45 Colt caliber. I haven't a clue as to what Colt and S&W were thinking when they were making guns with these dimensions. I understand Ruger is just the opposite, undersized cylinder throats, but that is far easier to fix!

 

[Freedomv]

I fired 6 rounds of GI match ammo thru a slightly increased cone diameter
at 25 yards and obtained a 1 1/2 inch group of 4 hits and two flyers about three inch spread. I believe the two shots were ME not the gun as I was not using the best rest at the time. I just wanted to do a quick check and it was a definiate inprovement.
I don't have a press set up at the present time and no cast bullets on hand to try some other recommened loads. Good excuse to go to the next gun show.
The project has got to go on the back burner for awhile as I have other commitments, but I feel that I am on the right track and have so much more confidence in this gun now.
I'll write more when I get some cast bullets and time to work on it.
Thanks everyone.
Vern