New old .25 cal wildcat

[Mike Matteson]

the 264 WM is NOT a barrel burner with H1000!

I'll keep that in mind.

 

[Coyoteee]

I went with a 7 twist because where we deer hunt the temp can be 15' and the elevation is 200' ASL. I was unsure what muzzle velocity I would get. The difference with a 7 and 7.5 twist is 1.77 and 1.54 on the stability calculator with 3000 FPS.

Wow, that half inch sure makes a big difference. Thanks for the info. Apparently there's 140gr and heavier available now, and that could go up a bit yet too, so I'll go with the 7". The barrel builder that I use builds a gain-twist barrel. Starts at 10 or 11 and tightens progressively down the barrel and exits at 7 or whatever you ask him to put into it. That's what's in my 280ai. So I'll get him to put that in this one as well.

 

[.300 Dakota]

Sounds very similar to the 257-7RM I played with decades ago, except I did not have the faster twist and the more modern powders and bullets at the time. Since I did not like the double radius shoulder of the Bee and there was plenty of once fired 7RM brass all around, it was so logical.

Keep us informed on its performance.

You asked for it. The .250 MDC: 26 7/8 finished length #4 sporter contour 1:7.5 twist Brux barrel with Gentry Quiet Brake, blueprinted (fully!) Rem 700 action with all the internals upgraded, HS Precision fully epoxy bedded stock, Timney Calvin Elite 2-stage trigger set to ounces. Bolt fluting by Greg Young at SPR, Cerakoting fading from Stone Gray to Hidden White to match the Slate HS stock. 8 pounds on the nose. Added ARC rings and an Eotec Vudu 3.5-18X50 in 34mm illuminated FFP. 133 Bergers started the break-in. Made several with varying seating depths from .043" up to .083". Hole within a hole regardless of depth. Could not reach lands with the Berger. Close. 71 grains of RL 33 only netted me 2983 ft/s. Switched to 134gr Hornady ELD-M and StaBall HD 67 grains. 3016. 68 grains = 3076. 70.5 grains = 3146 ft/s. IMR8133 worked well, also. Mid 3000s with the charge I selected. Have been cautious not having any idea of what to expect. I still have plenty of room for more StaBall HD under the 134s. No signs of pressure and recoil is akin to shooting a 40 grain bullet from a .22-.250. Group shown was 2nd one ever. .344". 1st one had first 2 through the same hole, but the chronograph indicated there was an issue before I looked at the target. Speed dropped way out from 1st 2. Sure enough, it was .71" above the first 2. I will easily top 3200, and hoping for 3300 with the Berger. VERY forgiving. Running Norma .264 Win Mag brass through a Hornady .25 caliber Universal neck sizer. Seating with a Frankford Arsenal Universal Seating set. The process is super easy, and there is very little runout on the necks when done. I dip them in powdered graphite and run the sizer button down and back, then trim uniformly. The Brux was lapped very well from the factory and the gunsmith said it was the straightest barrel he'd ever see. No deflection spinning with an indicator needle attached. Therefore, no timing needed. Johnny Garris, Owner of Custom Gun Coating and Repair in Mobile, AL did all the machine work and fitting. We are firm believers in minimum headspacing. He's the guy who built me the 1/4 MOA .300 Dakota. This one reminds me a lot of that rifle. Didn't take nearly as long to smoothe out either. Can't wait to go back for the 3rd session to fine tune loads.

 

[adk hunter]

I noticed the bolt knob...details??
I don't know why but I was thinking of some candy apple red in the finish colors for such a hotrod .25.
Great build.

 

[Chas1]

Enjoy your project.

 

[derrickmanx1]

I was bitten by the same bug about 25 years ago after the 257 Weatherby didn't meet my expectations. I ended up building a 6.53 Lazeronni. It what's been a very accurate and reliable rifle but I am on my third barrel with it. Barrel life in the hot rod cartridges is less than desirable. I enjoy the 75 grain v-maxes running 4300 fps though as they kill coyotes like lightning.

 

[.300 Dakota]

I noticed the bolt knob...details??
I don't know why but I was thinking of some candy apple red in the finish colors for such a hotrod .25.
Great build.

Lumley Arms. Good folks. Carbon fiber. https://lumleyarms.us/bolt-knobs-dot-com

 

[.300 Dakota]

I was bitten by the same bug about 25 years ago after the 257 Weatherby didn't meet my expectations. I ended up building a 6.53 Lazeronni. It what's been a very accurate and reliable rifle but I am on my third barrel with it. Barrel life in the hot rod cartridges is less than desirable. I enjoy the 75 grain v-maxes running 4300 fps though as they kill coyotes like lightning.

Man I would expect a mushroom cloud of fur and blood when a coyote gets hit by that! A kid could likely ride a tricycle through that hole!

 

[.300 Dakota]

I was surprised how easy it was to make excellent quality brass! The .250 formed brass is easier to load than the 6.5 SAUM brass I'm loading in another project. Neither have any recoil with the Gentry brake.

 

[liv4thehunt]

A friend and I are currently chasing the .25 cal rabbit. First I built 3 .25 Creedmoor's for customers doing nrl hunter. Then we experimented with a 25-260 Creedmoor, 25 Sherman, and a .25 Saum. Several of them have plus p or improved throats. Here is a list of velocities.
26" .25 Creedmoors 2850-2950
22" 25-260 Creedmoor 3050
24" suppressed 25 Sherman 3300
22" suppressed 25 Saum 3200
The Saum is still in load development, and all of these are shooting 135's, 133's, and 134's.
Accuracy has been crazy. The Creedmoor's couldn't be developed at less than 200 yards because the routinely shot 1 hole groups. One of them shot an 8 shot ladder test all through one hole at 100 yards. Both the Sherman and the 25-260 have shot 1.5-2" groups at 650 yards.

 

[Calvin45]

I was bitten by the same bug about 25 years ago after the 257 Weatherby didn't meet my expectations. I ended up building a 6.53 Lazeronni. It what's been a very accurate and reliable rifle but I am on my third barrel with it. Barrel life in the hot rod cartridges is less than desirable. I enjoy the 75 grain v-maxes running 4300 fps though as they kill coyotes like lightning.

Hehehe I like the sound of that…but out of curiosity what were the expectations that the .257 wby couldn't meet? And what barrel length is your lazz?

I ask because I too entertain the thought of a bigger than .257 wby quarter bore someday, but honestly don't know if it's possible to beat it by much. I'm getting the 75 grain hammer hunter to 4150 fps with rl17 in my 24 inch vanguard. If the bigger lazz case out of a longer barrel is only able to beat it by 150 fps perhaps I'm barking up the wrong tree?

 

[Mike Matteson]

I am going the other way. I'm neck sizing the .280 AI up to .30 cal. Reamer should be in by 1st of November. I plan to use the new Speer Impact 190gr almost exclusively. It will equal the .300 SAUM and slightly exceed the .30-06 AI and I don't have to waste time or components fire forming. You can't get .300 SAUM or .300 WSM brass and if you find it, it's $4 or more a case. Granted 280 AI isn't much better, but both Hornady and Nosler produce it, and I think ADG or Peterson may have picked it up. It's slightly cheaper in Nosler and way cheaper in Hornady. Hornady brass has its issues, but given lots of patience and a couple extra steps, it can shoot as accurately as anything else (most of the time). 26" Proof barrel on a Kelbly long action in a custom inlet Mesa (Pure) carbon fiber stock.

Not necessarily with that particular bullet, but I'm good for anything in the western hemisphere, I believe.

This a little late, but I see that Peterson 280AI brass have moved from $460.00 to about $750.00 per 500 in just a little over a 1.5yrs. I noted that just here the other day.

 

[KS2506]

Back in the mid 60's a friend of mine had a rifle built on an old 1917 Enfield. I think it was called a 257 Condor. 264 Mag necked down to 25 caliber. Turned out to be a very nice shooting rifle with a 26" Douglas barrel. Easily reached 257 Bee velocities. Reinventing the wheel?

 

[kpacker]

I have just started a 25/280AI set up. Actions, barrel and reamer order. I have Peterson 280AI cases 500 count. Getting ready to order out more cases. That way I have a lot of cases.

Although I'm not at the level of most of you for building and shooting; I'm just a hunter, a 25/280ai would be fantastic!