25 MEGA Info

[CjC73]

I have an action sitting around and thinking a 25 Mega or 25 PRC/SI. I have a 7 Mega that should be done soon so thinking a Mega and use the same dies (yes, new seating stem and different neck bushings).

Will it fit into a short action?

Anyone have a reamer or what smiths have one?

Thinking a 22-24" barrel with the 134 eldm or 135 hybrids.

 

[lancetkenyon]

Just sayin'...

I have no data yet, as my reamer came in last Monday and was dropped off at my gunsmith, Axisworks in Tempe, AZ. Rifle was ready for pick up on Thursday. I shot 25 fire forming loads yesterday. I expect 3200+ from my 22" 1:7.75" Bartlein.

The fire forming load speeds were almost identical in velocity to my 22" 1:7.5" Bartlein 6.5PRC/SI pushing 130 OTMs and the same charge weight of RL23. Within 9fps actually. This was with the first 5 shots in this rifle compared to shots 20-25 in the 6.5PRC/SI. And I hit 3290fps with the 130 OTM in that rifle.

Mine is built on a Kelbly Atlas Lite SA w. Hawkins Hunter DBM and Hunter 2.980" mags. At the lands, it is BARELY too long to fit in the mag length with the 135s. I think a .020" jump to lands should fit just fine. But I haven't started the seating depth testing yet.

The 25Mega is a whole different animal. They are loosely based off the WSM case with a longer neck. I highly doubt they would come close to fitting in a SA. But there is a 25SST, 25SS and 25 Max cartridge. 25SST and 25SS are a shorter case than the PRC or Max (SAUM Imp 40°). See below for the 6.5 versions of PRC, PRC/SI, SS, and SAUM.

Then the whole line up of cases:
SST, SS, SAUM, PRC, PRC/SI, WSM.

 

[CjC73]

I could go LA as well. It'll be either the PRC/SI or the Mega.

3200+ with a 135 is very nice.

 

[lancetkenyon]

3.200" XM would work perfectly in my opinion, but options are far more limited for components.

 

[highdrum]

I have a 25prc with 180k freebore. 131 blackjacks are over 3.1" at touch of lands. Only short action that'll fit in, is one cut for a bainey mag box, or a Vesper/Bumblebee utilizing the Unknown Munitions XL dbm/mag combo, I went the unknown route. Can load 3.150 on a true shorty. The mega being a Wsm parent is about 0.080 longer than a prc. You're operating I'd mid length territory here.

 

[CjC73]

@lancetkenyon what you running for OAL with the 25PRC/SI? Or what is your max to the lands if you know

 

[lancetkenyon]

@lancetkenyon what you running for OAL with the 25PRC/SI? Or what is your max to the lands if you know

135s at the lands are about .020" longer than an Accurate WSM mag will allow to fit. I don't have the load data from my fire forming loads in front of me, but they were at the lands.

 

[lancetkenyon]

Shot 50 fire forming rounds so far.
Loaded up 12 rounds with some once fired/formed brass.

In the 22", I hit 3177 w. H1000 and the 135s, and zero pressure. Only 62 shots down the barrel so far, too. 3200fps+ should be easy.

 

[CjC73]

Does anyone know if there is a 25 mega reamer out there?

 

[Hoss50]

The 25 PRC SI Lance has above should be about as good as it gets without going way overboard.

My 257 Weatherby 1:7 is launching 128gr Hammers at 3340fps and I am sure i am pretty high on pressure. It launched 135gr Bergers at 3150fps for a starting load so I think 3300ish should be achievable. Both these numbers are probably the same or close enough that the PRC makes more sense with better brass available from Lapua and such.

I love my weatherby, but the PRC case seems much more efficient.

 

[CjC73]

I was going to go the prc/si route but decided for the mega. I have mega dies already for my 7 mega, so new bushing and seating stem and I'm all set there.