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25 wssm reloading
skyfish
Member Posts: 1,068 ✭✭✭✭
Does anyone know if the new Speer reloading manual has data for this cartridge. Also anyone have loads that there rifle likes, my abolt seems to like IMR4350 and 117 SST or 120 grain Speer's.
Comments
My latest greatest load is the 115 Berger in front of 44.5 grs. of H4350 Extreme. Velocity was 3100 in a 26" barrel. In the past I've worked with VV N150 and VV N140. the 150 worked pretty good through most of the range. The 140 was quite fast and built pressure up too fast usually. I did have success with it in my short barreled 25WSSM by loading 75 gr. A-Maxes in front of 43.5 gr. of VV N150. Those were the best groups of either of my 25 WSSM's. Strangely, I got it in the non-varmint style rifle. My Stealth II has yet to be beat at long range but the short range for me is the Super Shadow shooting the above named recipe.
One thing I always add to 25WSSM posts is I usually get 25-06 velocities on .257 Roberts loads. BUT! the drawback is when reloading this case the pressure curve takes a SHARP right at the top! Meaning near max loads are okay and .2-/3 gr. more and you have a very, very hot load! Pressure/temp curve at the top of the scale for these is extreme.
I am using Winchester once fired brass, W760 and WLR primers. I finally got the cases FL resized so they chamber easily and have the reloads sitting on my dresser ready to go to the range. I was using Federal 210 primers with W760 but was not happy with the results.
Sandwarrior, are you the same one that posts at wssmzone? If so, Thanks! You have helped me alot from your posts here and over there.
I did post over there for a while then I came back here. Not too much moving over there for a while and I just forgot to go back.
Also, forgot to say that unless the Brand newest Speer manual has data I don't think they do. I have the one with the cow skull on the front and it doesn't. If you buy one at Sportsmans Warehouse, Gander, or any other good sized chain they would have one you could look at to see for sure.
skyfish, I was going to try H414 (or 4350 because Sandwarrior has tried it and had pretty good results with it). Interesting about the 414 and 760 because I read somewhere that they are the same powder. I have had pressure signs with the 760 but nothing excessive and even less since I started using WLR primers with it. Some sticky bolt and slightly flattened primers. Though no worse than the factory fodder (120gr) I have been using for hunting. I have been getting my info from several books that belong to my BiL and the IMR/Hodgdon website.
One of these days I'm going to try IMR4064 like I keep promising myself. I've had great success going hot with it in 8mm Mauser. This is certainly a different case though. One thing that keeps the 25WSSM where it is it has a very wide case to neck ratio. You are forever trying to balance a cartridge between pressure which gives the bullet it's momentum, and flow, which allows the bullet to move along at the rate the pressure built up can move it. Too much pressure and it just fights itself getting out of the case. I think that with some of the wrong, or inappropriate, powders this is what happens. Steep shoulders add to this in shorter cases. Conversely, too much flow and you don't have the pressure to send the bullet downrange fast enough either. Shallow shoulder angles, slow powders with lighter bullets is what comes to mind for me.
Anyways if you have some 4064, give it a try. Check out the Hodgdon/IMR/WIN powder site, there are loads listed for all weights.
-good luck
Also I had a few people ask why 25WSSM, I have always hunted with my dad's old 257 Roberts in a 700 rem he bought in the 50's. So looking at 25 cal's and being a reloader it just made sense. Lighter rifle, and look at the powder charge compared to a 25-06, I'm guessing less recoil to.
Cheers, Fish