Messing with the quarter bores again...

M

Magnum Wheel Man

New member
so, some of you may remember I built a Ruger Blackhawk chambered in 25 ACP... well... I've recently added a Contender barrel in the same, & had my custom 257 Special out along with the 25 ACP this weekend... please bear in mind, I am not & have never been a bullseye shooter... any groups posted were shot at 30 ft sitting at my bench, with my arms rested on the bench, & the guns unsupported... the 25 ACP is a mostly full case, I may try just a little more powder there, but am pretty happy with those loads... the 257 is starting loads with AA #5... when I 1st built the gun I had loaded some with Lil Gun, which I'll revisit after I've run through the AA#5 & AA#7 loads, in search of the tightest group... all groups are shot with a cylinder full ( both guns are 8 shot revolvers )

the 25 ACP's 1st...



currently wearing a new See All sight...



 
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Good stuff!
I have a Beautiful 25-35 10" Octagon Contender with the old style checkered grip and for end and a 4X Weaver. I love shooting it, it's hell on Armadillos!
 
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Sorry, just caught that, 25-35. Always wanted a rifle in that caliber and decided to start a small Contender collection. What is the parent case for your 257, looks really cool.
 
Do you suppose Ruger would do a "double take" if you sent that one back to them for warranty work? :D

Very nice job an a great end result! And I'm one that doesn't consider you "just nuts" . . . I'd describe it as in "innovative"! Looks like lots of fun! :)
 
Thanks for the positive comments guys...

The parent case of the 257 Special is 22 Hornet, I've been expanding the cases to straight, then putting them in a lathe & trimming just longer than a 38 Special case, then they get run through a file trim die, for final length adjustment, & at the same time I run them through a sizing die, just to give the mouth a little squeeze before I load... a little work to make them, but they seem to be just like any revolver cartridge after they are made... trimming off 1/3 inch or so, takes the thinnest part of the hornet brass off, so they don't seem much less durable than a 38 special case... when I 1st started I made some cases from 22 K Hornet mixed cases I picked up somewhere, that are stretched to the point of thinning at the base ( I'm sure they were disposed of by their previous owner ) I pulled one base off the brass in sizing, from those original throw away cases, & had to get a piece of drill rod the right size to push the rest of the case out of the sizing die... but most of those original "throw away cases" have been loaded 4-5 times now, with only the one bad one... I have 200 once fired Hornady cases I'm in the process of forming & trimming right now, & just recerntly bought 200 new Hornady cases I'll process after I get these once fired cases done... I figure the next base I pull off, I'll scrap that 1st batch of assorted cut up K Hornet cases, & just use the newer Hornady cases I have a known load count on, & those should last me a long, long time...

I've also just picked up a couple more small size Lil Dandy powder measure arbors, so I can continue to gradulely work up loads for this cartridge... with the 2 cast bullet weights... & I'm still paitently waiting for those jacketed 25-20 bullets to work their way into the production schedules again :)
 
I have a couple 100 of both Hornady & Speer brands... but those bullets are auctioning up to around a dollar a piece on Gun Broker ( I didn't pay anywhere near that for mine, in fact I got one box at a garage sale for $5.00 for the box ) but I hate developing a load for anything I can't get replacement components for... & if they don't make more, & I'm satisfied with the cast bullets I'm running... I might just have to sell my jacketed ones if they start going for 2$ each ;)

BTW... I've also been bitten by the Contender bug, & also have a barrel in 257 Special...

here are a couple of mine...

 
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yes, but you can see those aren't in stock... the lead ones in the side window, are one of the bullets I'm currently using...

BTW... the Speer Hot Core 75's are the "hot ticket" for the 257 Special... 257 Special uses bullets of .257" - .258"

BTW #2... I have some 75 grain pointed HP bullets loaded too... the jackets are thick for use in 257 Roberts & such, so i'm guessing they won't expand much at pistol velocities... but they might shoot flatter at distance, & probably still kill varmints & small game??? they have to get seated a little deeper to fit in the cylinder but they are still solidly seated, & look pretty wicked... I've yet to try them much yet... but have a box of 50 ready to go...

bullets for the 25 ACP are more challenging... er well, there are less options, since those are .251"... I've developed loads for the "normal" 50 grain FMJ, as those are pretty easy to find... I also have picked up some factory lead round nose 50 grain bullets, & my buddy has made me a flatnose mold... I'm thinking those are around 52 grains or so... I'm not casting yet, but I got a chance to try some he casted for me, when building the mold, & they worked quite well...
 
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Nice collection Magnum, my problem is I need :D a frame and some nice vintage grips whenever I pickup a new barrel! I only have 3 (25-35, 357Max, 44Mag) but would consider something fun like a Hornet, Bee or maybe a 222. I really don't expect the illness to end anytime soon!;)
 
Are all those barrels for Contenders?

Do they then attach to the same stock and trigger?

If so I can see the appeal: so many calibres all shot with the same trigger.

Nice!
 
Nice work MMW. I have a Bowen custom 25-20 on an OMBH. Have been working with an 85 gr. cast RNFP bullet. Of the various powders I have tried, slower seems better, at least with regard to case set back and case extraction. Best luck with 4227 so far. I note you have used AA-5, which is relatively fast. I have some but have not tried yet. Will do so soon.
 
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