.25 for defense? I guess I can imagine a case, but a KelTec .380 is lighter, or seems so, and much more capable, plus (A big point for me) if something happens to it I couldn't care less as they are ugly and have no class.
But none of that changes my love for the .25 ACP, the cartridge was designed to be reliably functional in a semi automatic role, I imagine a 2/3 Thompson with a drum, yahoo!
The many .25 ACP's I own are fun shooting, much more stimulating than TV and more worthy of remembrance. I load .25 ACP in my RCBS Pro2000 even though RCBS didn't see the need to make a shell plate, I altered one made for a large rifle cartridge and pressed in altered .25 ACP shell holders, it works great!
Yes you have to watch the powder flow but that's an easy obstacle to hop, plus an RCBS lockout die insures that the powder load is correct. It's not as fast loading as .45 ACP because it's hard to manipulate the tiny cases and the bullets. Loading 35 grain HP's I can get up to, well, I don't want to say how fast, and I do NOT advocate that as it's hard on the little frames.
Anyone experimenting with overloads is on their own.
I like the Budischowski, a beautiful little gun, but the Astra Cub is far away my favorite .25'.
I'd love to find a TPH in .25 ACP and have considered what it would take to make a .25 ACP barrel for my .22 TPH as magazines are available and should fit the same frame. The TPH is about as flat as a handgun can be.
I also have a Walther Model 9 project gun and I believe it's about as small a production gun as was ever made in .25ACP. It's just a few thousandths smaller than a Baby Browning. The trouble with mine is that it's missing parts, and they are not commonly available.